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I needed to resurface a cupped and warped porch deck, a bigger job than my PC rotary sander could handle. Tracking is perfect. I initially bought a Ryobi from Home Depot figuring I wouldn't need to use it a lot, but then returned it unopened after I pictured myself using a broken down crappy tool in a couple years. I am really happy I paid $[.].
It captured almost everything. Power is very good. After a few minutes on the porch I realized there wasn't any sawdust, yet the paint was coming up. I love this sander. A few more minutes and I checked the bag.the bag was nearly half full. I decided on this sander.
DUST COLLECTION IS UNBELIEVABLE. This is one of those tools that you will be happy you spent a little more money on and you will use for many years to come. After reading many reviews I decided on this sander. bucks more for a much higher quality tool.
I use it alot in my shop. I have a large 6X24 belt sander but it really doesn't get any attention anymore. I have owned this sander for a few months. The belts stay on track and variable speed is really nice. I would recommend one of these in place of a stationary sander as it is so versatile. Bought it for remodeling work I'm doing to my house but I also have a little work shop where I make boxes and some furniture. This sander has pretty well taken up residence in one of my wood vise.
I had an old Sears belt sander that doesn't compare to the Makita. The variable speed control and the belt tracking are perfect. I purchased the Makita 9903 belt sander to remove paint from my home that I am repainting. I am totally happy with my purchase.
This sander has plenty of power for its size, and the vacuum bag actually sucks up quite a bit of the dust without spraying it right back in your face. I worry about how long it will last before the potentiometer fizzles out.There seem to be an awful lot of reviews of belt sanders from all manufacturers where customers complain about Amazon shipping them a used unit as new. What I don't like is how off-balance it is--it really likes to roll toward the left on account of the motor's weight and it's pretty hard to tell whether or not you're holding it level until it's too late. I made my own frame out of 3/4" MDF, but it's obviously pretty heavy and not especially durable.
Otherwise, there's quite a bit of bang for your buck here. I too suspected this had happened to me upon opening the box as mine was covered in what appeared to be sawdust. No harm, no foul. It looks boxy and awkward, but those bad looks really add to the versatility of the machine.UPDATE: Just talked to Makita on the phone and they confirmed that the sanding shoe accessory is no longer being made by anyone and they have no plans to design or produce a replacement model. If you plan on doing a lot of leveling, I'd consider the DeWalt as you can pick up their frame just about anywhere. Tracking is decent and the fact that the right side and top are flat and ready to be clamped down to any available surface makes it great for occasional bench sanding.
A closer inspection however revealed that this was in fact just cardboard that had gotten sanded by the belt as the unit was thrown around during shipping. Boo. Compound this problem with the fact that the optional sanding shoe/frame is both $114 extra AND discontinued and you've got some pretty heavy cons. I also have a problem with the placement of the speed adjustment knob--it gets coated in dust almost instantly and becomes impossible to read without a shot of compressed air.
So far I've ordered 3 powertools on Amazon and all have been clearly used, and some missing parts. Looked like a good product, but was clearly used and the belt was worn so I returned it. Beware. I'm giving them one last shot. Amazon won't let you exchange this product, so I ordered another. If it is used as well, I'll be dissapointed.
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