I wonder when you might find a Porter-Cable belt sander from after 1981, the year it was bought by Pentair and subsequently re-emerged as a maker of heavy-duty, professional power tools. Rockwell's ownership of Porter-Cable from 1960 to 1981 was very maligned, but it was also when Porter-Cable's Jackson, Tennessee headquarters was established.
Great video Josiah. I recently bought a 503 at auction that was in an woodworking factory that went out of business. It was in decent shape except for a surprise( factories usually maintain things) they ran it without oil. It still runs right now but there are bits of bronze at the oil plug. Can I still get the bronze work gear for the 503 anywhere?
Great find! It's a bummer the gear was chewed up. They aren't made anymore sadly but they do come up on Ebay once in a while. If you need parts or other info, I'd recommend checking out OWWM.org. There are a few Porter Cable fans there that can offer some great help! You could also check out this 5 part tutorial on rebuilding a 503: ua-cam.com/video/7Ti-pxL0wjU/v-deo.html
@@clockbuilderhg Thanks I have watched the tutorial and it was helpful exept one part. I started watching it because I had taken mine apart all the way to the bad worm gear. The part I was hoping to see he skipped which was how he got the worm gear out. I cant see a way without breaking the oil sight glass( i am sure im missing something simple. Im going to get a dent pulling type puller tomorrow and give that a try. He shows putting it back in but not how he got the silly thing out.
@@rodneyallen2672 I pulled my worm gear once using a pair of screw drivers, prying up on the chain sprocket. Be careful though, I chipped my original sprocket when I did that. If you can rig up some kind of a puller, that;s a step in the right direction. This procedure is easier on the later 503s because they did away with the sight glass, so you can punch the jackshaft out from the other end. It sounds like you have the earlier version with the sight glass, which I like but it makes it harder to pull the jackshaft. Good luck! Here is a thread with teardowns of a couple PC worm drive sanders, though not a 503 as of yet. owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=208254
@@clockbuilderhg yes absolutely the Skil on the gear box. I was asking about the chain case behind the cover plate. The Porter Cable grease is obsolete now.
I would try McMaster-Carr for carbon brushes. I don't think you would find a rear roller unless you find a donor sander. 448s come up on Ebay once in a while.
I am rebuilding a 503 that had the bronze worm gear fail. I bought a new gear set along with all new bearings. However, the work gear binds when reassembled. Everything rotated smoothly until I slid in the worm gear on the shaft and then it binds. After disassembly, I did check the shaft for runout and it was perfectly straight. Any ideas on why it is binding?
I would check to see if the Bronze gear and bearings are pressed fully on the jackshaft. If everything hasn't been pressed together fully, it might throw it out of plane with the steel worm gear, and it might bind. If the bronze gear is still in the machine, look into the gear box through the fan housing and see if the gear looks like it's centered with the axis of the motor shaft.
@@clockbuilderhg Thanks. The binding resolved itself once I mounted the rear fan on the armature shaft. One other question about the oil. Skil worm drive oil is available locally but is 140W vs..Porter Cable oil which was 90W. And....I have read that you can use automotive 90W gear oil that is safe with yellow metals (GL-4 and some full synthetics.) Would you use the Skil oil in the Porter Cable, or go with a yellow metal safe automotive gear oil....or some other recommendation? Thanks
@@premodernbloke Hard for me to say on the oil. I know the Skill and Porter Cable oils were for these worm drives, but I'm not sure what the viscosity is on those. If I had any doubts, I would buy some Skill oil on the net. You want to stay away from automotive "hypoid" oils because they have phosphorous, which is what will attack the bronze. There are automotive gear oils without it, I'm just not sure as to the viscosity.
Really love the old porter cable tools I have some 314 trim saws and some saw boss not as old as your stock but I love them
I wonder when you might find a Porter-Cable belt sander from after 1981, the year it was bought by Pentair and subsequently re-emerged as a maker of heavy-duty, professional power tools. Rockwell's ownership of Porter-Cable from 1960 to 1981 was very maligned, but it was also when Porter-Cable's Jackson, Tennessee headquarters was established.
I've seen much newer ones but I'm more interested in the old ones. I don't think much if anything was still being made in Syracuse by the 70s.
@@clockbuilderhg As I said, I believe the Syracuse plant closed shortly after Rockwell's acquisition of Porter-Cable.
Awesome! My dad has one that looks similar. The one on the top right looks like the one he has
Really? A 500. That's neat. You don't see those often.
These tools were built to last.
Una pregunta en que año se fabrico la speedmatic 88c
Great video Josiah. I recently bought a 503 at auction that was in an woodworking factory that went out of business. It was in decent shape except for a surprise( factories usually maintain things) they ran it without oil. It still runs right now but there are bits of bronze at the oil plug. Can I still get the bronze work gear for the 503 anywhere?
Great find! It's a bummer the gear was chewed up. They aren't made anymore sadly but they do come up on Ebay once in a while. If you need parts or other info, I'd recommend checking out OWWM.org. There are a few Porter Cable fans there that can offer some great help!
You could also check out this 5 part tutorial on rebuilding a 503: ua-cam.com/video/7Ti-pxL0wjU/v-deo.html
@@clockbuilderhg Thanks I have watched the tutorial and it was helpful exept one part. I started watching it because I had taken mine apart all the way to the bad worm gear. The part I was hoping to see he skipped which was how he got the worm gear out. I cant see a way without breaking the oil sight glass( i am sure im missing something simple. Im going to get a dent pulling type puller tomorrow and give that a try. He shows putting it back in but not how he got the silly thing out.
@@rodneyallen2672 I pulled my worm gear once using a pair of screw drivers, prying up on the chain sprocket. Be careful though, I chipped my original sprocket when I did that. If you can rig up some kind of a puller, that;s a step in the right direction.
This procedure is easier on the later 503s because they did away with the sight glass, so you can punch the jackshaft out from the other end. It sounds like you have the earlier version with the sight glass, which I like but it makes it harder to pull the jackshaft. Good luck!
Here is a thread with teardowns of a couple PC worm drive sanders, though not a 503 as of yet. owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=208254
Josiah, is there a substitute grease for the chain case since PC doesn't make their proprietary grease any longer?
I would recommend using Skil worm drive oil as a substitute. I wouldn't use grease in the gear box.
@@clockbuilderhg yes absolutely the Skil on the gear box. I was asking about the chain case behind the cover plate. The Porter Cable grease is obsolete now.
@@ericcommarato7727 Ah, I see. I've used standard bearing grease for that. I haven't had any problems.
Josiah, what kind of oil do you put in the PC 503?
love your attention to detail! can you help me find brushes for skil 448 and brush cap and rear roller? thanks
I would try McMaster-Carr for carbon brushes. I don't think you would find a rear roller unless you find a donor sander. 448s come up on Ebay once in a while.
@@clockbuilderhg thanks for the advice...was thinking about finding another type of rubber and making my own. You should do a video on that
I am rebuilding a 503 that had the bronze worm gear fail. I bought a new gear set along with all new bearings. However, the work gear binds when reassembled. Everything rotated smoothly until I slid in the worm gear on the shaft and then it binds. After disassembly, I did check the shaft for runout and it was perfectly straight. Any ideas on why it is binding?
I would check to see if the Bronze gear and bearings are pressed fully on the jackshaft. If everything hasn't been pressed together fully, it might throw it out of plane with the steel worm gear, and it might bind. If the bronze gear is still in the machine, look into the gear box through the fan housing and see if the gear looks like it's centered with the axis of the motor shaft.
@@clockbuilderhg Thanks. The binding resolved itself once I mounted the rear fan on the armature shaft. One other question about the oil. Skil worm drive oil is available locally but is 140W vs..Porter Cable oil which was 90W. And....I have read that you can use automotive 90W gear oil that is safe with yellow metals (GL-4 and some full synthetics.) Would you use the Skil oil in the Porter Cable, or go with a yellow metal safe automotive gear oil....or some other recommendation? Thanks
@@premodernbloke Hard for me to say on the oil. I know the Skill and Porter Cable oils were for these worm drives, but I'm not sure what the viscosity is on those. If I had any doubts, I would buy some Skill oil on the net. You want to stay away from automotive "hypoid" oils because they have phosphorous, which is what will attack the bronze. There are automotive gear oils without it, I'm just not sure as to the viscosity.
How are you. My names Eric I have a 503 probably from 60 in need of a restoration do you offer services for a side job?
I really don't. I've mostly worked on my own machines.