Photo Index - Porter-Cable Machine Co. - Type O-3 Bench Oscillating Spindle Sander

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Porter-Cable Machine Co.
Syracuse, NY and Jackson, TN

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Sander
Machine Size:
Submitted By:	Jeff Joslin

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Type O-3 Bench Oscillating Spindle Sander
Date of Manufacturer:	1930 (very approx.)
Serial Number:	135 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	7/22/2023 11:55:34 AM

Comments:

Several years ago this early and uncommon benchtop oscillating spindle sander was part of a multi-machine purchase (not by me) from a man in his 80s. The buyer did not get much use out of it, so for $150 it's now mine.

The Porter-Cable oscillating spindle sander line was designed and patented in 1917 by Ray L. Carter of the Syracuse Sander Manufacturing Co., which was bought by Porter-Cable in 1922. Carter went on to greater fame as the inventor of the general-purpose router.

This website's 1931 catalog shows a Type O-4 that is identical to my O-3, except perhaps for the motor specs. My O-3's Master Electric Co. 1/4 HP motor was originally a 25 Hertz motor. (The Niagara Falls generating station supplied 25 Hertz power to parts of Ontario until the early 1950s when Ontario Hydro paid to convert or replace all existing 25 Hertz appliances. Most likely this motor was rewired for 60 Hertz operation, spinning 20% faster than it did at 25 Hertz.) According to that catalog, the O-4 oscillates 1.5 times per second and the floor model Type S-1 oscillates at 1 times per second. My O-3 run on 60 Hz power oscillates about once per second and also seems to be turning at a perfectly reasonable speed.

Bill Richardson's O-3 is serial number 111, not very much before mine. Although Bill's sander is missing the oscillating mechanism, it's clear that the under-table mechanism was very different from what's shown below.

EDITED 2017 to add a photo of the switch.

Photo 1:

Comments:
Source: Seller

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Photo 2:

Comments: Switch mounted on the motor
Source:

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Photo 3:

Comments:
Source: Sander plate

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Photo 4:

Comments: Model O-Type O-4 from 1931 catalog
Source: Dan Wyatt

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Photo 5:

Comments: Table removed, gear cover flipped up to show gearing. Worm on motor shaft, gear with cam moves the arm, which in turn moves the sanding sleeve.
Source:

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Photo 6:

Comments: Reverse-angle view of mechanism with table off and gear cover flipped up.
Source:

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