Makita9903 3" x 21" Belt Sander

Finally, a solid, well built belt sander! I had owned a DEWALT DW433 belt sander for years which I purchased on the recommendation of a major home-building journal and boy, was that a mistake. It was, in a word, junk. Every time I used the DeWalt on a major project, it would break down and after the 4th time I had had enough. I chucked it in the garbage and ordered this one. I have only used the Makita 9903 once, but I can say that when I was done, I still had an operational belt sander.The Makita is ruggedly built and the fit and finish are high quality. It has plenty of power and the balance and ergonomics are such that you can use it for extended periods with reasonable comfort. The dust pick up when combined with a vacuum is nearly complete. Belt changes are a snap with the release lever which tucks neatly into the chassis and operates with ease. The tracking is easy to adjust and holds well once set. The only thing I found odd was the size of the platen which is considerably larger than the width of the belt. However, this fact does not seem interfere at all with its ability to sand and in fact guards against the tendency of some sanders to chew up belts if they are not tracking exactly in the center of the platen.While I have not as yet used this sander extensively, if it's durability and reliability are anything like my other Makita tools, I have no doubt it will serve me well for a long time to come.

I've restored and made furniture and cabinets for 40+ years and have owned many different sanders, of all types. Most of my hours were spent on a Rockwell - Porter Cable 503 belt sander (it's the worm-drive sander that looks looks a locomotive). Compact and powerful, the 503 is my gold standard for belt sanders, but is just too heavy and too powerful for this old man. After it snagged on my t-shirt and crawled up my chest, nearly strangling me to death - I knew it was time for a change. (By the way, this is why old men grow beards - without one, I would be chinless today.)My first mistake after that incident was to go to the "Lo"cal big box home improvement store and get a different Porter Cable (352VS) sander. As soon as I unboxed the thing, I knew it was junk. The front roller was way too stiff and the fit and finish on the thing were horrible. When I ran the thing, it screamed so loud, I was afraid it would destroy what is left of my hearing. It was returned within an hour, and I suggested that they send it back to the vendor as defective, or at least awful.Needing to keep working, but fearing for my life, I checked Amazon and saw that the Makita 9903 had mostly positive reviews. I've used only Makita cordless tools ever since they went to LXT, but only have one Makita corded tool - an angle grinder that just refuses to die. I considered the 9920 because it takes the same size belts that I'm used to, and I've got quite a few of them in stock - but since it has the same size motor as the 9903, I was afraid it would bog down when I get rushed and do the thing you're never supposed to do (I burned up my first 503 that way, and still feel the guilt to this day).>>>Sorry for the long pre-ramble, the "actual" tool review begins now.<<<I returned the first one Amazon shipped, as it arrived damaged. It was sent via USPS in the original (thin cardboard) box from Makita and nothing else. The box is weakest on the bottom, which happens to be the most vulnerable part of belt sanders. Since the sole plate was bent, it was useless as far as I was concerned. What a shame they didn't spring for a second box to ship it in, as I'm pretty sure they have some boxes lying around. The second one was kid-glove delivered by Amazon's own delivery service, and it arrived in pristine condition.Having read some reviewers' comments that the thing is heavy, I was shocked at how light it is. It has a wonderfully long cord, which is truly a plus for belt sanders because you really don't want that snag between the factory cord and extension cord while sanding. It spoils the Zen, and ruins the bliss. When I first fired it up, I was surprised at how quiet was, and how smoothly it ran. Being used to heavy sander with tremendous torque, I was disappointed with how little "pull" it had. I thought I had chosen a light duty model for sure. But when I checked the oak I'd sanded and emptied the dust bag - I was amazed. This tool, somehow, removes a lot of material with very little noise, rattle, and effort. Kudos to those who designed it!In an effort to catch up with my work backlog, I've used this sander daily for the last two weeks. It is a definitely a keeper, silky smooth, quiet, and effective in a way that I do not understand, but am happy for.While it is a plus that there are two metric-tapped holes on one side of the tool, I wish they offered a graphite sole plate. Porter Cable has them for the 503, and believe me, once you use a belt sander with a graphite sole plate - it is very hard to go back to a stiff steel one.

I bought the 21" Makita 9903 Belt Sander after my old Skil 18" sander's on/off switch stopped working for the umpteenth time, and my other el-cheapo 21" belt sander was stolen (thank goodness for small favors).I've used the sander now for a month to sand down 2x6 and 4x4 rough sawn surfaces on redwood and doug fir I've used for finishing a deck (railings, fascia, stair trim). Absolutely perfect tracking all the time, no matter how hot the belt gets, no matter how much pressure I apply, no matter how long I've used the belt. I start with a 50 or 80 grit, then shift directly to a 120 grit belt for final finishing. I've sanded approx. 20 4x6 16 ft boards, both sides and edges, plus another 10 4x4 8ft posts... all 4 sides, among other things this far.Power galore and perfect belt tracking, simple adjustment to bring belt to edge if needed (and it stays there)... what more could a belt sander need to do? Changing belts is just as simple as with any other belt sander I've used over the years --- pull back on the clamping lever (it says open), slip belt on, close clamping lever... and let 'er rip.I also very much like the flat 'top' which allows you to turn the sander over and sit it on it's 'top' to use the belt surface as the stationary member while holding the work piece by hand to shape edges, corners, etc. with much greater precision of cut (hand held piece, as opposed to holding the sander).I also own a Makita sawzall (or whatever they're called) and have owned and used it extensively for several years (purchased in 1992? or '95? or somewhere in that time-frame). It's been extremely reliable, never any problem in the most demanding work I have thrown at it... so I decided to buy the Makita belt sander as well for the hoped for reliability and trouble-free use. Normally I opt for Dewalt power tools... still own and use my Dewalt Professional Radial Arm Saw that I bought in '75... never had a problem with it and I have used it extensively and in heavy work-loads over the years.... it's still as stong, steady, & precise as it was in '75. But, in the belt sander catagory, I didn't like the Dewalt design as much as the Makita (turning the sander over and using it as a stationary sander while holding the work piece by hand is a great feature).I've used other 21" sanders borrowed from contractors from time to time, and though power was alway's great, the tracking deteriorated greatly with with the belt's use or the temperature/pressure I applied.I couldn't be more satisfied.