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A smooth and controllable machine equals smooth panels. Belt tracking and running smoothly are very important factors for a flat door panel. The tool is unbelievably quiet. I use it to smooth out glueup panels for cabinet doors.
It is controllable one-handed. The quality is far superior to anything I ever got from Craftsman. For those who love DeWalt, Porter-Cable or one of the others on the market - this is the Lexus of sanding machines. Any difference in price is insignificant over 20 years. I finally replaced my Craftsman 4x24 which self-destructed after 25 years of faithful service. I am asking myself why I waited. Dust collection is superior to the Craftsman and other belt sanders I have used in the past. Starting w/o digging in and creating divots is a thing of the past.
There is plenty of power to handle 50-60 grit belts and I don't get the jerky feeling so many sanders give when under full load. Feel tempted to use this on finished furniture - but - that is not its place. This will never be the machine you hate everytime you use it. Based on what I see so far, I believe this will go better than 20 years in a hobbyist's shop w/o being a paperweight in your storage cabinet. The long cord (over 10') is a joy. If you want to create a lot of sanding dust, really quickly, this is the machine for you.
The Makita has as much power, is smoother and more predictable. My ears thank me. Ergonomically, it is an ambidextrous dream. This machine tracks smoothly with the grain, across the grain and at an angle to the grain. Most of the time I don't need an extension cord.
But for heavy duty sanding applications of horizontal work, this thing is a winner. This tool is a comparative joy to use. Don't buy this unit if you're going to sand vertically, though. Tracking is flawless, and its weight adds to the ease of sanding horizontal surfaces.
I'm a hobbyist woodworker who makes furniture from solid hardwood, mostly black ash, oak, and maple. I'd buy it again in a New York minute. It's too heavy. This involves gluing up a lot of panels of varying sizes, all of which need to be sanded.
The long cord is a nice feature as well. If you need a good belt sander, you need this one. This sander was purchased to replace a 4X2l Craftsman which didn't collect a scintilla of dust and was a real "screamer". It's surprisingly quiet, has wonderful dust collection, great balance and lots of power.
My only misgiving is that it is heavy. The specifications on this sander were good, the price was better than most others, and the reviews were excellent. I have a wood carving and sculpture business and most of the work could be done with something smaller. This tool replaced a belt sander by Black and Decker that was bought in 1975. When it totally died recently, I went to my favorite tool maker, Makita.
I've also tried the Dewalt and a Bosch, and there is no comparison in the products; the Makita works best,hands down. The bag collects dust better than any other model I've tried and being able to reposition it with the swiveling fitting is a major plus. The Makita 4x24 is a workhorse with all the power you'll ever need in a belt sander. It also has a very comfortable feel to it and is very easy to use.
The tracking is top quality. I bought this sander for heavy duty sanding of hickory. I own over 2 dozen Makita tools and this won't disappoint. The long power cord is a plus. it is very quiet. Has enough power, if using 40 grit paper, that it pulls so hard it wore out my employees.
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