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The difference is amazing. And I'm comparing this to my dad's Milwaukee 1/2 sheet (which is amazing, but expensive). For just a little more than a 1/4 sheet sander, you get way more sander, I'd say more than you pay for.Ryan I have had this sander for about 2 years and love it. If you are sanding panels all day, go for the half sheet but for the home shop or even small industrial I would say this sander is a great investment.
I've used PC, DW and Makita 1/4 sheet finish sanders for years now and finally stepped up to a 1/3 sheet. Vibration on this is negligible and it is quite, smooth and powerful. Dust collection is surprisingly effective, although not perfect and the included punch plate is simple but effective. I would say that this sander performs much closer to a good half-sheet at 1/3 the cost.
The levers for attaching the paper are also very heavy duty and require a lot of pressure to open. My first is still running but the pad wore out and a replacement pad cost $40 so I decided to buy this new one. This is my second 1/3 sheet Makita sander. My biggest disappointment was how easy it is to accidentally hit the button and turn it off while working, yet it can also be difficult to get it to pop in and stay on. Otherwise it seems to work very much like my first one than ran for many years, over thousands of feet of wood. Both of these problems would have been avoided with a switch instead of a button.
But, while it lasts, it is so much quieter and more efficient at sanding that I could never go back to a B&D. 1/3-sheet sanders are becoming scarce, but this one is clearly the best of the lot. I had a Black & Decker before, but it finally died after over 15 years of service. The dust collecting bag works well and the unit doesn't leave your hand vibrating after you use it (the B&D's do). I don't know if this Makita will last that long.
We love Makita tools and were impressed by the great price through Amazon.The sander is fantastic and especially like the attached dust bag. Definitely would by Makita again.
Quality construction with a cast aluminum base padded with foam, a thick cord with a strain relief sleeve on it. (Last Cr*sman required a padded glove to use). 8 free *1/3* sheets of sandpaper. Comes with a sandpaper punch so that the dust collection system will work, though I haven't used it enough to grade yet. Pros: +5This one suprised me by being far smoother and quieter than I expected. Easy to use with one hand, with a front knob for the second. Cons: -1Possibly me, but you have to develope a technique in order to lift off without some swirl. Recessed locking switch was large enough to use without difficulty.
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