flex tool by porter cable

We recently received the Flex LP 1503 VR sander. We ordered one from McMaster-Carr @ $735.00. Then we shopped it on the web @ $435.00 and
marched the McMaster one right back to them. We noticed the McMaster one came with a couple of rollers and an orange screw on handle. We're getting bad service from the company that sold us the cheaper version and are trying to figure out how to buy the accessories and perhaps a carbon brush set. Any ideas?
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Porter Cable repair centers carry parts and accesories for FLEX tools. Check their website for a local repair center.
What is a "carbon" brush set?
The wheels I know they have for them are Scotchbrite, flapper, sand drum, and wire wheel.
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Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:

Spare replacement graphite brushes for the motor.
Ted
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Considering that he just got the tool, I have trouble believing he has worn out the brushes already. I have 7 FLEX grinders, and after 8 years on one the brushes are still fine.
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I've got a 28 year old Makita profession quality drill that's had the crap beaten out of it and it's still running on the same brushes. Local service company said the main reason for premature brush wear is running power tools on light duty extension cords.
Jimbo
wrote:

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Jimbo wrote:

That make sense. "light duty" means small ex:18g 50ft, and that implies more voltage drop because of the resistance of the wire and thus more current needed to deliver the same power to the motor.
since heat is function of the resistance of the winding and the square of the current I would guess that light duty cords would lead to motor failure due to motor winding insulation breaking down due to heat. Is it also that the brushes are behaving like the stick in an arc welder and at the higher current are being consumed.
Maybe the brushes are not moving in toward the armature as they wear and the spark gap is increasing and that is causing the wear.
Could it be that the brushes are cheap and too soft for the job. A lot of good name companies have been co-oped by lawyers and MBA types and have started to put their good name on cheap tools to make more money this quarter.
I have a 30 year old B&D drill that is still going strong after my newer B&D's have died.
Maybe the armature is too rough and wearing them out.
Good luck, I know lesss than it sounds:-) I just felt like jumping in. Al

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