A drywall sander may not be the most common of power tools but if you are into DIY, you may sometimes need a drywall sander. It will save you a lot of time but unfortunately, a good drywall sander is expensive.
One of the best drywall sanders is the Porter-Cable 7800, it is expensive but you get what you pay for. It is relatively lightweight but powerful. Variable speed, 5 settings, makes it possible to choose between control (using low speed) and fast stock removal (using high speed).
One of the main advantages of the Porter-Cable 7800 is its excellent dust collection. You are supposed to use a shop vac. The hose is 1 1/4″ so you may need an adapter if you have a 2 1/2″ shop-vac. Of course, there will be a little bit of dust which is not collected but clearly less than with most other sanders.
Additionally, it has hook-and-loop straps for easy mounting and handling as well as a 13-foot vacuum hose making it very mobile. It uses standard 8-7/8 inch hook and loop abrasive discs.
The Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander comes with a one year limited warranty.
Pros
- Very good dust collection
- Easy to use
- Efficient sander
Cons
- Expensive
Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander Specifications
| Voltage | 120 V 60 HZ |
| Amp | 4.7 Amp |
| Battery Type | AC Only |
| Variable Speed Control | Yes |
| Orbits/Min | 1,400-2,000 RPM |
| Disc Size | 8-7/8 inch (Hook & Loop) |
| Dust Collection | Built-in 13′ Static-dissipating 1-1/4″ vacuum hose |
| Weight | 8.5 pounds |
| Shipping Weight | 17.6 pounds |
For more details, you can read the Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander User Manual here
Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander Customer Reviews
Almost all customers are happy with their Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander. Despite the high price, the Porter-Cable 7800 has got very good reviews. Most of the customers said that it was easy to use, efficient and had a very good dust collection system.
Although the Porter-Cable 7800 is not heavy (8.5 pounds), some of the users said that after a while their arms got tired, especially when doing ceilings. Since the Porter-Cable uses round discs it cannot reach all the way into corners but nobody was really concerned about this. Probably because it is only a very small part of the corner you have to take care of manually.
At Amazon.com you can read more Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander customer reviews
Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander Review Summary
The Porter-Cable 7800 is an excellent drywall sander. It is easy to use, efficient and it has good dust collection. The only drawback is that it is expensive. If you are going to use it a lot, then it is a very good investment. If you are going to use it only once or twice, it will most likely be cheaper to rent a drywall sander.
You can buy the Porter-Cable 7800 Drywall Sander at Amazon.com, taking advantage of Amazon’s low prices and excellent customer service. Click here to go to Amazon.com