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I sold the 12.5 inch planer because it was extremely LOUD, sweekie, and a few screws came of during operation so OK fine. I will see what I can do about getting it fixed and then sell it as well. Without anger in my opinion the dewalt line is very low quality and there is a good chance that you will be sorry if you choose dewalt. I bought this sander because Dewalt claims to make great tools that last. PLEASE take my adviceand avoid buying dewalt tools.
I believed this and bought this sander plus a 12.5 inch Dewalt planer.This was a mistake and a waste of my valuable time and money. The belt sander smoked up and died while I was removing laminate from an old dresser. I was able to finish two drawer faces and half of the top and then it smoked and lost much of its power. I had it plugged directly in power outlet on 20 AMP breaker so using to thin of a power cord as the cause was out of the question.
I took the unit back still trusting the DeWalt name. It "ate" the paper and as I was cleaning the unit out, the rear roller broke. Even keeping those in mind, the collection bag clogged up very easily and I eventually gave up on the collection bag and just had someone sweep up after me.This sander was a disappointment given both the brand name and hefty price tag that came along with it. The paper had to be constantly monitored as it would creep along the path unless the adjustment knob was twiddled to its satisfaction often. I just returned my second of these belt sanders.The first of the two I had for just one evening and it was having problems keeping the paper aligned. Every manufacturer botches a tool occasionally and I have used plenty of DeWalt tools that met and exceeded expectations.I brought the second sander home and began using it that very evening. This review would have been a one-star except that throughout the entire proceeding, it kept the sandpaper moving at a nice consistent speed and with plenty of power which is, after all, why I bought a sander. It took a very short amount of time (perhaps 10 to 15 minutes) to get hot enough to burn myself on the metal of the housing which is all to conveniently near where the thumb rests during use.
Second one worked for awhile, but ate belts. It gets moderate use- more than a hobbiest, less than a flooring contractor I guess. It's worked fine for several years now. The tool works well when it works, but I won't get another one.
But the tool is nicely balanced and pretty tough. Call it newfangled disease. The belt tension lever would be better if it locked in the open position, and the dust collection bag attachment is just goofy. I have had the DeWalt DW433K for several years now in my woodshop. First one was DOA, just locked up and wouldn't run. I took it to the local service center, and they fixed it. DeWalt sometimes like to pile on the features, making a basic tool more complex.
I think this tool suffers from a mild case of it. Its been returned once, and in the shop once, and is now kaput. But recently it started eating belts again, and the belt adjustment knob did nothing. I'm back to the Porter Cable or the Bosch. I like the location of the handles, and it has adequate power.
It didn't seem hot, but I tried it again a while later and it ran for a few minutes then quit again and never did work after that. This sander never did get much of a workout. I recieved one of these for Fathers Day two years ago. Worked great till it died. For some reason it would run great, then for no reason, quit. In the directions it shows how to change brushes, so I might try that and see if there are any loose wires or something. It sounds like other people have had the same problem with them quiting.
I didn't have a project to use it on until after the warranty expired, but being new I hadn't even thought about it not working. Belts seemed to be a problem to, but never had a chance to really adjust them much before it quit. I will never buy another Dewalt tool. If anybody knows what the cause is, please email me at crowpeak@hotmail to tell me what to try and fix.
I, myself, don't try to use the rollers for sanding. I dislike tool cases that require the contents to be precisely positioned before the case will close. It is a metal stem with a plastic knob that changes the orientation of the assembly that holds the front rollers as it is screwed in and out. Then the control began to operate and the belt stayed on. Since the sander must be moved around as it is running, I prefer this design to one that controls speed by how far the trigger is pressed. As I fiddled with this for awhile, I heard a click as if something had come unstuck. It applies and releases the belt tension. The belt still came off when the sander was turned on.
can self-ignite in the sander dust bag or elsewhere and cause fire Reduce risk. It reminds me of feel of the better types of stationary sanding stations. I rate this sander as four out of five stars to indicate that it is an above average belt sander. Gripping the handle with a "pistol grip" does not disturb the setting of this dial. The design only makes it hard to put it back on. If you are a naughty woodworker who sands with the rollers, you should consider the fact that the design of this planer may not suit you.
The stem felt as if there was no pressure on it and the roller assembly did not move. This is a nice feature, since the collector itself is nuisance, like the dust collectors on most sanders. Several times, in using sanders where the cord exits from the back of the sander, I've moved the sander backwards, caught the cord under the belt and snapped it off. ( The low 40's is all I can vouch for, here in southern NM). You must learn exactly how the sander sits in the case. There is ample room for the tool's power cord. I find it easier to operate that the typical lever release.The belt speed is set by a dial built into the back of the handle.
It takes a few moments to do this because it is hard to see that end of the top roller. The collector also clips to the body of the planer. This sander sands more rapidly than my old 4 inch Sears belt sanders. I find it not too bad to pick up off the floor with one hand and heavy enough so I don't have to press down on it when sanding. The case is of average difficulty to use (i.e. The lower front roller had a slightly raised central section about 2.25 inches wide that helps keep the belt centered. The sander manual warns the user not to install the belt so it overlaps the flange.
Empty bag frequently and strictly follow sander manual and coating manufacturer's instructions." I (and my bathroom scale) estimate that the sander weights about 11 pounds. Typical advertising photos of this planer do not reveal that the bottom face of the dust collector almost touches the surface being sanded. With the dust collector mounted, you would have a hard time using the rear roller. This is good because the collector is easily knocked off. The DeWalt website advertises an adapter to connect the planer to a dust collection hose. I find this helpful since I am conscious of where the cord is going. There is a circular knob on the side of the planer with a raised handle. When I turned it on, the belt came off toward the side away from the motor, which did no permanent harm.
I have not tried this accessory). The Dewalt DW433K 3"x21" belt sander has a design that sets it apart from typical belt sanders. (There are no disposable filters in this enclosure). The control that centers the belt on the rollers is still necessary and it is like that of typical belt sanders. In my experience, this feature works well. The inlet of the collector is made of a durable hard rubber instead of plastic.
The designers apparently tried to make it hard to accidentally knock the collector off. The sander has the feel of a well made piece of mechanical equipment. The dust ejection spout has an interesting warning on it: "Collected sanding dust from sanding surface coatings (polyurethane, linseed oil, etc). To use the sander without the dust collector, you can remove the collector and turn a lever on the planer body that shuts off the dust ejection spout to it.
This adapter is not included in the kit.Belt sanders are designed to sand surfaces that are already substantially flat and the pad of the sander does the sanding rather than the rollers. However, when I turned the plastic knob to adjust it, the control did nothing. The single front roller of the typical belt sander has been replaced by a pair of smaller rollers. There is a sliding mechanism that attempts to lock the collector inlet into the body of the planer.
I have average dislike for it). The dust collector spout on the sander's body is roughly rectangular. This is to discourage the belt from wandering off the rollers and chewing up itself and the side of the belt sander. The top roller has raised flange on the side nearest the motor. The control has worked ever since.The belt is not released by the usual stiff lever that most belt sanders have.
The most significant feature is that it has 3 rollers. The lowest speed setting of "1" is fast enough for pine lumber.
The cord on this tool exits from the top of the sander. To put the sander in the case, the dust collector must be removed.
This does not interfere with normal sanding, but when I set the sander down on a cluttered work table, the collector often lands on some object that knocks it loose. The sander came with a belt on it.
( The DeWalt website advertises a "sanding frame" accessory to convert the sander to a stationary sanding station. The sander has a dust collector that is a stiff enclosure rather than a flexible bag.
The cord itself has a rubbery instead of stiff plastic feel and it remains flexible in cool temperatures.
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