Operation; Three-Year Limited Warranty; Troubleshooting - Porter-Cable 343 Instruction Manual

OPerATION

To reduce the risk of injury, turn unit off
and disconnect it from power source before installing
and removing accessories, before adjusting or when
making repairs. An accidental start-up can cause injury.
NEVER modify the power tool or any part of
it. Damage or personal injury could result.
ATTACHING ABrASIve PAPer
Model 343 and 343vS: Use 5" (127 mm) sanding discs with
an 8-hole dust extraction pattern which attach to the sander
with hook and loop.
Model 344: Use 5" (127 mm) sanding discs with an 8-hole
dust extraction pattern which attach to the sander with
pressure sensitive adhesive.
Model 353: Use 5" (127 mm) no-hole sanding discs which
attach to the sander with pressure sensitive adhesive.
Turn off and unplug the tool before making
any adjustments or removing or installing attachments or
accessories. Be sure the switch is in the "OFF" position.
1. Turn the sander over so that the sanding pad is facing
upward (Fig. 1).
2. Clean the dust from the vinyl pad face.
3. Hold the pad with one hand to keep it from rotating (Fig.
2).
4. with the other hand, align the holes and place the disc
directly on top of the pad (Fig. 3).
NOTe: Do not use the sanding screen (the screen used for
sanding drywall) directly on the hook and loop pad. The
screen will not hold and will damage the hooks on the pad.
The hooks will wear very rapidly if left in contact with the
work surface while the tool is operating.
SwITCH
To turn the unit on, depress the "ON" side of the dust
protected switch (B) Fig. 4. To turn the tool off, depress the
"OFF" side of the switch.
SPeeD CONTrOL DIAL (343vS only)
The speed control dial (A) Fig. 5 allows you to increase or
decrease the speed from 7,000-12,000 orbits per minute.
The optimal speed setting for each application is very
much dependent on personal preference. Generally, you
will want to use a higher setting on harder materials and
a lower setting on softer materials. Material removal rate
increases as speed increases.
PAD BrAKe
These sanders are equipped with a pad brake that prevents
over-speeding of the pad. If the tool is lifted off the work
surface while the motor is running, the brake will limit pad
rotation to no more than 400 RPM.
The pad brake uses a belt to provide the braking action.
Eventually, this belt may require replacement. If the brake
fails to limit pad rotation, send the sander to a Porter-Cable
service facility or replace the belt yourself using the infor-
mation in "BeLT rePLACeMeNT" in the maintenence
section of this manual.
DUST COLLeCTION
To reduce the risk of injury, turn unit off
and disconnect it from power source before installing
and removing accessories, before adjusting or when
making repairs. An accidental start-up can cause injury.
To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, NEVER operate this tool with perforated
paper unless the dust collection system is in place.
Empty dust collection system frequently, especially when sanding resin-coated sur-
faces such as polyurethane, varnish, shellac, etc. Dispose of coated dust particles according to
the finish manufacturer's guidelines, or place in a metal can with a tight fitting metal lid. Remove
coated dust particles from the premises daily. The accumulation of fine sanding dust particles may
self ignite and cause fire.
Do not use a dust collection device when sanding metal. Doing so creates a fire hazard,
which may cause serious personal injury and/or damage to the tool.
To use the dust collection system, install the dust container assembly (A and B) Fig. 6 on the dust
port as far as it will go.
NOTe: To use your shop vacuum with the dust collection system, remove the dust container (B) Fig.
6 by twisting it and pulling it away from the adapter. Remove the black tag (J) Fig. 6, and attach your
vacuum hose directly to the adapter port (C) (Fig. 7).
To empty the dust container, remove it and empty it into a trash receptacle.
NOTe: Dust collection is not possible with the 353 Model sander becuase its dust port (C) FIg. 12 is
covered and there are no holes in the backing pad.
USING THe SANDer
To operate your sander, grasp it as shown in Fig. 8 and turn it on. Move it in long, sweeping strokes
along the surface, letting it do the work. Pushing down on the tool while sanding actually slows the
removal rate and produces an inferior quality surface. Be sure to check your work often. This sander
is capable of removing material rapidly, especially with coarse paper.
The random orbital action of your sander allows you to sand with the grain or at any angle across
it for most sanding jobs. To produce the best finish possible, start with coarse grit sandpaper and
change gradually to finer and finer paper. Vacuum and wipe the surface with a tack cloth between
grit steps. your sander is designed to sand into small or confined areas. Its small size and light
weight make it ideal for overhead work.
The rate at which the dust container fills will vary with your workpiece and the coarsness of the
sandpaper. For best results, empty the container frequently. when sanding painted surfaces (see the
additional precautions for sanding paint), you may find that the sandpaper clogs with paint. A heat
gun will work much better to remove paint before sanding. FOLLOw ALL THe SAFeTY INSTrUC-
TIONS IN THe HeAT GUN INSTrUCTION MANUAL.

TrOUBLeSHOOTING

For assistance with your tool, visit our website at www.deltaportercable.com for a list of service centers,
or call the Porter-Cable Customer Care Center at (888) 848-5175.
MAINTeNANCe
To reduce the risk of injury, turn unit off and disconnect it from power source before
installing and removing accessories, before adjusting or when making repairs. An accidental start-
up can cause injury.
ALwAyS USE SAFETy GLASSES. Everyday eyeglasses are NOT safety glasses. Also use
face or dust mask if cutting operation is dusty. ALwAyS wear certified safety equipment:
• ANSI Z87.1 eye protection (CAN/CSA Z94.3)
• ANSI S12.6 (S3.19) hearing protection
• NIOSH/OSHA/MSHA respiratory protection.
rePAIrS
For assistance with your tool, visit our website at www.deltaportercable.com for a list of service centers,
or call the Porter-Cable Customer Care Center at (888) 848-5175.
CHANGING BACK-UP PAD
1. DISCONNECT TOOL FROM POwER SOURCE.
2. Grasp pad with hand and use phillips screwdriver to remove three pad retaining screws (S),
Fig. 9A.
3. Lift pad from sander.
4. Reverse procedure to install new pad. Tighten pad retaining screws 25 to 30 in-lbs.
BeLT rePLACeMeNT
1. DISCONNECT TOOL FROM POwER SOURCE.
2. Remove back-up pad (see CHANGING BACK-UP PAD).
3. Remove the old belt and clean the belt mounting area.
4. Position the new belt (B) around pulley (H) Fig. 10, and start it onto the shoulder of the pad
support.
5. Rotate the pad support as you "walk" the belt onto it (see Fig. 11).
6. Reassemble back-up pad (see CHANGING BACK-UP PAD).
CLeANING
Periodically blowing dust and chips out of the motor housing using clean, dry compressed
air is a suggested maintenance procedure. To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, ALwAyS wear
ANSI Z87.1 safety glasses while using compressed air.
when cleaning, use only mild soap and a damp cloth on plastic parts. Many household
cleaners contain chemicals which could seriously damage plastic. Also, do not use gasoline, turpentine,
lacquer, paint thinner, dry cleaning fluids or similar products which may seriously damage plastic parts.
NEVER let any liquid get inside the tool; NEVER immerse any part of the tool into a liquid.
FAILUre TO STArT
Should your tool fail to start, check to make sure the prongs on the cord plug are making good contact in
the outlet. Also, check for blown fuses or open circuit breakers in the line.
Fig. 1
A
B
Fig. 4
C
Fig. 7
S
Fig. 9A
LUBrICATION
This tool has been lubricated with a sufficient
amount of high grade lubricant for the life of the
unit under normal operating conditions. No further
lubrication is necessary.
Brush replacement
To replace the brushes, remove the three screws
on the top cap (two are shown at (A) Fig. 4) and
remove. Observe the brush holders (A) Fig. 9 and
the wires leading from the brushes to the motor
field.
Pull the wires from the motor field. Lift and hold out
of the way one of the brush springs. Remove the
old brush from the brush holder and discard the
brush/wire assembly. Still holding the brush spring
out of the way, insert the new brush, release the
spring against the back of the brush, and plug the
wire into the motor field. Repeat the procedure for
the second brush.
Replace the top cap and tighten the three screws that hold it in place. (Always replace both brushes.)
rePLACeMeNT PArTS
Use only identical replacement parts. For a parts list or to order parts, visit our service website
at www.deltaportercableservicenet.com. you can also order parts from your nearest Porter-Cable
Factory Service Center or Porter-Cable Authorized warranty Service Center. Or, you can call our
Customer Care Center at (888) 848-5175.
ServICe AND rePAIrS
All quality tools will eventually require servicing and/or replacement of parts. For information about
Porter-Cable, its factory service centers or authorized warranty service centers, visit our website at www.
deltaportercable.com or call our Customer Care Center at (888) 848-5175. All repairs made by our service
centers are fully guaranteed against defective material and workmanship. we cannot guarantee repairs
made or attempted by others.
you can also write to us for information at PORTER-CABLE, 4825 Highway 45 North, Jackson, Tennessee
38305 - Attention: Product Service. Be sure to include all of the information shown on the nameplate of
your tool (model number, type, serial number, etc.).
this product, use of such accessories with this tool could be hazardous. To reduce the risk of injury, only
Porter-Cable recommended accessories should be used with this product.
A complete line of accessories is available from your Porter-Cable Factory Service Center or a Porter-
Cable Authorized warranty Service Center. Please visit our web Site www.deltaportercable.com for a
catalog or for the name of your nearest supplier.
POrTer-CABLe will repair, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for three
years from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool
abuse. For further detail of warranty coverage and warranty repair information, visit www.deltaportercable.
com or call (888) 848-5175. This warranty does not apply to accessories or damage caused where repairs
have been made or attempted by others. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have
other rights which vary in certain states or provinces.
In addition to the warranty, PORTER-CABLE tools are covered by our:
1 YeAr Free ServICe: PORTER-CABLE will maintain the tool and replace worn parts caused by nor-
mal use, for free, any time during the first year after purchase.
90 DAY MONeY BACK GUArANTee: If you are not completely satisfied with the performance of your
PORTER-CABLE Power Tool, Laser, or Nailer for any reason, you can return it within 90 days from the date
of purchase with a receipt for a full refund – no questions asked.
LATIN AMerICA: This warranty does not apply to products sold in Latin America. For products sold in
Latin America, see country specific warranty information contained in the packaging, call the local com-
pany or see website for warranty information.
To register your tool for warranty service visit our website at www.deltaportercable.com.
If your warning labels become illegible or are missing, call (888) 848-5175 for a free replacement.
Fig. 2
A
Fig. 5
Fig. 8
H
B
Fig. 10
ServICe
ACCeSSOrIeS
Since accessories, other than those offered by Porter-Cable, have not been tested with
THree YeAr LIMITeD wArrANTY
wArNING LABeL rePLACeMeNT
Fig. 3
B
A
J Fig. 6
A
A
Fig. 9
Fig. 11
C
Fig. 12