1938 Porter Cable Dustless Take-About Model B-10 Belt Sander

[four.cycle]

1938 Porter Cable Dustless Take-About Model B-10 Belt Sander

I acquired this at an estate sale in early 1992 from a couple who were selling off the contents of their parents house.
Their father, who purchased it new in 1938, used it to resurface all the slate blackboards every summer for the Seattle Public School District.
Included with the sander were the original instruction sheets, parts diagram and parts price list, and about half a can of the "Take-About Sander Oil". Fortunately the son had the foresight to have all the sheets laminated; it appears the can of oil has leaked a bit over the years.
I sent a letter to Porter Cable inquiring about parts availability and belts. Their letter is below.
The 3" x 27" belts are made up for me by "EconAbrasives" (econabrasives.com) in Frisco, Texas. In one of my more recent orders, they made me up some #24 grit belts, which amazingly cleared the housing.
It's resurfaced a couple dance floors at my sister's dance studio, a couple decks, and several railings, among other things, and is still going strong.
The original cotton twill bag was a bit tattered, so my sister sewed me up a new one, which works great.

A question about belt sanders in another thread prompted me to dig this out, and I thought it would probably be appropriate here for the "vintage" fans.

Porter Cable B10 Dustless Take-About Sander 1938 01 by four.cycle, on Flickr

Porter Cable B10 Dustless Take-About Sander 1938 02 by four.cycle, on Flickr

Porter Cable B10 Dustless Take-About Sander 1938 03 by four.cycle, on Flickr

Porter Cable B10 Dustless Take-About Sander 1938 04 by four.cycle, on Flickr

Porter Cable letter 050592 by four.cycle, on Flickr

 

[woody 73]

Way over the top in cool I keep looking for a used one and one day I might just turn the corner and find it...

 

[95riosnake]

I love those things, I've bid on a few on eBay but they always end up going too high for me to feel good about. It may sound odd to some to be so excited about an old belt sander, but my short list of wants are:

Skil Model 449 and 525
Porter Cable Model A3, 500, 503 and 504
Rockwell 503 and 504

I mean, just look at this piece of art:

 

[McFarmer]

Wow, excellent.

Today's makers should try something new. Something to make themselves standout.

 

[four.cycle]

95riosnake - that Rockwell is beautiful!

but I gotta ask: how many times have you caught your finger under that release lever when changing belts?

 

[Model A Fan]

Wow, excellent.

Today's makers should try something new. Something to make themselves standout.

Today's tool manufacturers don't sell tools for people to cherish for years, they sell throwaway tools for "professionals" to burn through and throw away. Today's tools have no soul or interest.

Is crack legal in Florida? It seems he's smoking it!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SKIL-HOME-B...084346?hash=item1ea67acbfa:g:ONIAAOSwo6lWNYMu

 

[four.cycle]

if woody doesn't step up, I'll take it.

no such thing as too many belt sanders.

or circular saws.

I do still have nine fingers left, after all.

 

[Empty Pockets]

That belt sander is too cool. I hope I can find something that cool, as I have a couple of estate auctions to attend next week

 

[Empty Pockets]

if woody doesn't step up, I'll take it.

no such thing as too many belt sanders.

or circular saws.

I do still have nine fingers left, after all.

Correction - You can never have too many tools

 

[MCPO Ron]

I have an old Porter Cable model 500 that I am looking to sell. It takes 4x27" belts and is HUGE. Runs great, I used it to sand down deck rails and rough areas of decks. The handle was broken when I bought it so I made a wood handle in the same "mold" as the old plastic/ceramic handle. They certainly don't make tools like this anymore.

 

[Packard V8]

Those are known as "Locomotives" for obvious styling reasons. I've got one I picked up years ago and it still chugs along.

I have an old Porter Cable model 500 that I am looking to sell. It takes 4x27" belts and is HUGE. Runs great, I used it to sand down deck rails and rough areas of decks.

It takes a man to run that big hog for any length of time. That much force requires resistance to do the work.

jack vines

 

[davewo]

Beautiful! How many cars can it pull? I'm looking for a decent three-car model.

 

[JHuston]

That B-10 is quite a find; I've been collecting Porter Cable tools since I started as a P.C./Delta repairman 16 years ago and have never seen a B-10 in person.

I've managed to get these sanders, though.

The 2" wide locomotive sander is an A-2 ( early ones are marked "2A"), and a very good tool in it's own right.

-James Huston, more than a little jealous

 

[RudeMcNasty]

Not sure how to disassemble Porter-Cable A3 Locomotive Belt Sander

I'm trying to remove the brass gear from aluminium housing and I have no idea how to do it. Disassembled almost everything but the rear axle (Blue arrow) won't budge but this brass gear It's frustrating. Any suggestions + Videos or photographs explain disassembly that would be fantastic.

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Zeke]

Fun to look at:
https://www.google.com/search?q=loc...1bHUAhURwWMKHYpwA5YQ_AUICygC&biw=1344&bih=711

Love this one:

 

[Cope]

I have one of those Porter-Cable sanders. It belonged to my late uncle who used it making three boats. I haven't gotten any belts for it.

 

[JHuston]

RudeMcNasty, I posted some videos on youtube (user name juisdean) where I dismantle and rebuild a Porter Cable 503, which is essentially a 504/A-3 with dust collection. You can usually remove the upper shaft by reinstalling the nut and prying against the housing with a couple of screwdrivers.

Zeke, that's a B-4 sander in your post (4"x24" belt); I have a B-5(3"x24" belt) that started out like this,

and after a lot of elbow grease looked a little better.

-James Huston, 130 Porter cable tools and rising