Porter Cable B9 6x54 Belt Sander - Cast Iron

[coolidge]

I picked up this Porter Cable B9 6x54 belt sander off Craigslist today. Apparently the "B" is for BIG lol. We had to disassemble it in pieces to move it.

 

[Silverbullet]

I've been watching for one for awhile. First one like that I ever saw. Most are made with side disc also. This I like she's a perfect machine. Good luck I'm a bit jealous . Did you get the work table?

 

[coolidge]

No I will need to fab the work table its missing. Not sure what HP the motor is, its a Master Electric Co. but the motor plate is missing. It does start with my 5hp RPC. Runs smooth and coasts forever on the work bench, didn't even jerk on start up. $300 plus the guys gave me 5 brand new belts. Pretty good condition, I just wiped it down with some mineral spirits to clean. Some light surface rust here and there. Two speed via dual pulleys of different sizes.

 

[Martin W]

Holy Moly! Great score.
Cheers
Martin

 

[4GSR]

That is one heck of a belt sander. Sure don't make them like that anymore!
Nice score!

 

[coolidge]

Oh that giant cast iron motor is only...1hp lmao! Here's an ad for one of the earlier models before Porter Cable purchased them.

 

[coolidge]

That is one heck of a belt sander. Sure don't make them like that anymore!
Nice score!

That's a Jim Dawson size machine

 

[jhuston]

I also own a B-9 ( minus the dust collector; they usually are broken or lost) and am quite fond of it, although having the motor mount in the front is a little awkward. Porter Cable made excellent tools, both handheld and stationary , sanders being one of their strong suits. If you have any tracking issues that the roller adjustment doesn't correct, the upper roller arm on the B-9 can be rotated to line up the roller parallel with the sanding platen.
I can post a photo of my work table if it helps.
-James Huston

 

[coolidge]

Sure James would love to see your work table. I have the belt tracking fine, the previous owner I'm guessing didn't know how to adjust it. They had a shiny new belt on it when I went to check it out, they turned it on and it destroyed the belt in like 10 seconds.

 

[jhuston]

Coolidge,

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this is my B-9; I repainted it, but those were the original colors. I mainly use the B-9 horizontally , as it's easier to use it from the side anyways ( I have a B-3 sander that is usually vertical). The B-9 was originally made by the Syracuse sander manufacturing Co. until they were acquired by Porter Cable in 1922. The B-9 has its quirks, but is, in my opinion, the most versatile stationary sander the company built.
I've got a soft spot for Porter cable machines ( I own something like 18 of their stationary machines and well over 100 portable power tools); it's always a pleasure to see another one kept working.

-James Huston