Sanders Reviews

I am thrilled with this machine. Originally I was faced with having to buy two machines; a combo belt/disc and an oscillating spindle. But space constraints in my small woodworking shop discouraged me from buying so I kept putting off the decision. Then I read a review that spoke highly of the Palmgren. Two machines (3 devices) in the space required for only one machine was enough to get me to buy the 81221, and I'm very glad I did.

With a 1 1/2HP motor nothing yet has caused this machine to slow down. It just hums and goes. The spindle runs true to it's cast iron table. Once the tables for the disc and belt were adjusted as described in the manual, they stayed put.

The variable speed feature is worth the price of the machine. My biggest gripe with most other brands is that they run at such a high speed that they remove wood much faster than you want. The Palmgren does what *you* tell it to do.

Customer service is a 10 on a scale of 10. Highly responsive to all inquiries.

What could be better?
The manual isn't as descriptive as it should be, and the black and white fuzzy photos leave a lot to be desired.

The dust collection system is an interesting study. The good news is that it does a fair job; in other words, I could live with it if I had to. The bad news is that it really needs vacuum assistance. I'll connect it to my dust collection system once I figure out how to hook up to the non-standard fitting on the Palmgren.

I built my own table. I used 4 heavy duty locking casters and made the total table height 28". That seems short when there's no machine on it, but is about the right height for this tall-ish machine.

Buy one. You'll be happy.

Hello All.
My name is Richard Lees, and I build classical instruments,Baroque and Renaissance Lutes and Vihuelas. For quite a time I have been looking for a sander which, since I have a small shop, would have an equally small footprint. Now while this tool is BIG from the standpoint of weight and stability, in combining all these tools into one unit,it really doesn't take up a lot of room. Most conventional 6"belt/12" disc sanders from other manufacturers are not one jot smaller and in fact often, are larger. But here you get in addition a nice spindle sander.
I always use a spindle sander- and this one is a good one.
Also the speed control is an enormous plus for me as the woods I use range from Ebony -Macassar and Gaboon-, Rosewood- Madagascar and Brazilian ( all of which burn very easily) figured Sycamore as well as Pina Bete or silver spruce.
There are a few things you all should know however.. Firstly this sander is well, undervalued to say the least- more typically a tool of this heft and weight (even the disc shroud is cast) would probably run around 700 to 800 dollars easily had it been built in say Taiwan.
It is built however in China, and while Chinese manufacture can produce brilliant tools if allowed to do so, more often than not importers go there to meet price points unattainable anywhere else, and then cut corners everywhere on top of it all. Nonetheless, usually you can be sure of getting some pretty substantial castings and heft like in the old days.
Such importers (much to all of our collective chagrins) often don't give the same sort of support for what they deem "cosmetic" issues as they might, and whats worse is that even if they do offer support, more often than not, the new part you get to replace the first one is just as bad..
I'm sure you have all seen reviews on various tools here at Amazon which mention this kind of horror.....
Now here with Palmgren however(they have been around for years in the machine tool biz) they have produced a tool which if my experience is any indication, they will support in stalwart fashion and this with respect to the real meat and potatoes of it all. Squareness - azimuth zenith issues from platen to rollers to tables to trunions etc.
In my case as evidence, the machine arrived with the 12" disc slightly scooped (so that it would just snipe ends of stock if the wood was wider than 6inches) , and the disc also had a little too much runout (note that my standards are very serious. In instrument building every joint has to be light tight and be able to take a perfect french polish).
As well the belt platen was off by a skosh in trueness with respect to the drive roller.
In all these instances, Palmgren came through with such elegance and speed in sending out a replacement machine that I was most overjoyed. Thats right, a replacement machine...
In this second machine all was good and true.
I feel very well supported by this company and suspect you will be too.
In addition, with respect to cosmetics, the machine is finished in more than an acceptable manner, sorta cool in fact......
As with any power tool, the wise owner will go over EVERY adjustment and measure EVERY parameter of its operation. Not unlike a chisel which arrives at your doorstep basically shaped but which expects a serious sharpening, this tool likewise profited from a few judicious tweaks here and there - it as a result went from being merely good to being an excellent performer.
These adjustments went smoothly and in getting to know the innards of the machine, I became very happy with its solidity with respect to holding tolerances.
I like very much the locator pins in the trunions of the 12" disc as well as in the belt table, this allows for ease in setting up precise angles. Also the undercut of the frame under the spindle sander table which allows one to clamp jigs onto the surface, The spindle sander can be set to Oscillate or not, depending on your needs.
Likewise as mentioned earlier, the speed adjust is a wonderful addition.
In my craft one must listen to the wood in every operation to sense its sound, and here the supplied dust impellor is to my ears noisy, TOO noisy. To be fair most are. So if you don't have a dust collector in your shop (and shame on you if you don't) well, your stuck. Being that I have a dust collector, I disconnected the belt and removed the dust fan, hooked the sander up to the shop system. The machine is now as far as sanders go, very quiet indeed.
I have hogged wood on this machine too over these several months, and haven't sensed any bogging down as some have reported, but then I don't usually overload sanders anyway... I let the abrasive do the work, lazy you know.....
A good tool - Glad to be an owner , and I looked at a lot of sanders.

regards
rl

I was concerned at first ordering a big tool like this without being able to look at one, but it seemed like the right sander. I was concerned about quality but found a review saying it weighed 200 pounds and that told me it should be built sturdy. I received it and am very happy with it. It gives you a big disk & belt and a spindle also. Other high end disk/belts of this size cost as much or more and don't give you a spindle. Also, for a home, footprint size is a concern. I don't have room for another seperate spindle sander. I am very happy with the quality and construction. Very heavy duty. Belt easly changes from vertical to horizontal. Tables are solid cast iron. I agree with the other review that a storage for extra parts would be nice, but once you buy a full set of spindles you need more room than a built on box would hold anyways. P.S. it takes two minimun to pull this thing from the box, it's that heavy! But it comes with two big screw eyes to hoist it if needed, and I needed it, thanks for the extra thought Palmgren!

I am rank amateur, but this is a great sander...
It's very light so if you're working drywall you don't get tired as fast, i'm really pathetic at drywall so i sand alot...

Of course you need compressed air, but then EVERYBODY should own an air compressor...

The stick-on sanding pad are a great help..

I bought this after a great deal of research, alot of people really like this sander...

This and a decent belt sander and you're covered....

Being female using this sander is very easy to use in the line of work that I do. It is so lite compare to the trojan D A's,that I've used my sander most of a 10 hour workday and I'm not as muscle-strained as with the heavier sander. I've had my old Sioux going on 5 years and plan to purchase another one! I highly recommend this product.

This is a great little sander! It uses solid (no holes) 5" PSA disks that are available from Amazon in a variety of grits. I use it with my Porter Cable 3hp side stack compressor. It uses a fair amount of air at higher settings, so I do let the compressor catch up while wiping off dust.

It is recommended that several drops of oil be added to the machine each day. I found that it tends to shed a little oil right after it is lubed, so I run it wide open for about 15 seconds in a cardboard box to shed the excess oil. This keeps the oil from getting on your work and all over the shop.

It does have a speed control valve which is very sensitive. The lever only travels about 1/2" from low to high. You can also control speed to some extent with the pressure limiting valve on your compressor. Maximum operating pressure is 90 PSI. I have used this for wood and metal projects with great success. On wood with coarser grits, you should start at a lower speed to avoid overcutting.

You will also need a 1/4" male coupler plug to fit this to an air hose. I use "M-type" Milton connectors on my system.

This runs much smoother than the old electric pad sander I already had. I will grab this one first from now on!

I am 22 and just got married a month ago. I got the tool set about a month before I got married and I have used it a hundred times since. The tools aren't the most heavy-duty things out there but they are a perfect starter set that will last for a long time.

I like this kit a lot, it is great for new home owners!. If you are planing to do some "DO IT ON YOUR OWN" stuff just buy this one.

The storage station is made of plastic but it feels strong. It can be used as a small work bench!

The bonus 100 piece bits are great too!!.
All the tools are good for starters. If you are planing to upgrade you may have to look further.

i like this product very much coz i fill like i can do every thing with this stuff & they very strong & in my ow house i also have a lot of things things of "black & decker" coz they number 1!!!!!!!
tanks a lot !

I got this tool set for christmas, and haven't stoped using it.
Whether building a shed to doing home repairs this is a great set of tools I would recommend to anyone. 5 stars doesn't begin to discribe it.

If your looking for a go anywhere do anything tool kit, then this is it. The 18V power combined with the balanced, lightweight design makes this 5 tool set a real value. I love the "feel" and versatility this unit provides and the second battery and quick charger keep me right on task with no delays. The sander is especially nice because it can get into the very tightest of corners. I used the grinder to cut off some nails poking out under my deck boards and it made quick work of them. And the saw was up to the task of cutting the hole in the roof I needed for installing a new attic vent. Thank goodness this is a cordless unit with real power. Finally, I didn't think I would ever use the chisel, but yesterday I installed a new oak threshold (the old one had dry rot) and needed to chisel some of the new threshold out to account for some uneveness between the stoop and the brickwork. Overall, this unit works really well and I also like the space saving case. My only reservation is where to get replacement sandpaper with the same holes in it, but I finally found some that fit at a local True Value. Everything I thought it would be and more. Highly recommend!

I've owned the ComboTool 5-n-1 for almost a year now and I absolutely love it. I originally purchased it for (2) reasons, 1)sometimes you just need a reciprocating saw and 2) the cost of a reciprocating saw is nearly as much as the 5-n-1. Therefore, with the extra features/tools included, I saw it as an incredible value.

I just recently completed the installation of a new fireplace and chase(non-masonry chimney). I can say with complete confidence that I could not have done it without the 5-n-1. Oh, sure, I could have gone out and rented/bought the tools that I needed. I could have gone up and down 20 feet of scaffolding to swap tools. But, the time and cost of doing so would have been a real detriment. With this tool I was able to keep everything right by my side and swapping is a matter of seconds. Another huge advantage was the 18V battery pack. If I can help it, I'll never go back to extention cords:-) Because the tool comes with (2) batteries, one is always charging(it only took about 40 minutes) while the other one is in use. Not one time in nearly 3 weeks of this project did I have to stop working to wait on a battery. On top of that, they are amazingly powerful. For instance, I used the recip. saw to cut through 6-8 floor joists in my crawl space and the thing never flinched. Needless to say, I'm a completely satisfied customer. I recommend the 5-n-1 with 5 stars.

This is the best sander I have ever owned. I love the dustbag on this one because it actually works, unlike most sanders I have used. The bag also stays attatched to the sander. It has a very comfortable grip and is relatively steady considering all the vibration. It also has plenty of power to sand anything you want. I used it with the Mirka sandpaper and it gave me amazing results. And for the price it is hard to beat. It also has a very nice case like all other dewalt tools. I have no complaints about the sander.

First I bought here on ToolCrib the Bosch 3727DEVS 6" and Bosch 3725DEVS 5" random orbital sanders and loved them. They are both good tools. I manufacture R/C model sailboats out of fiberglass and I have used them every day for a year now and they are excellent. So.. when DeWalt ran their special last month for $250.00+ purchase I need to "fill out" my order and I picked up a RECONDITIONED DW423KR 5".

I did not expect it to be as good as the Bosch... WHAT A SURPRISE I received! It is smaller and lighter than the Bosch sanders, and does not have the added handle they have which means it can get into tighter areas... but then does not have the pure power of being able to manhandle it because of the missing handles. ok,... it is as smoooooth as the Bosch 6" which has the extra ballbearing set the Bosch 5" does not. Power? The DeWalt is ever bit the heavy duty tool they say it is packed into that little frame and it came with it's own case/box which is always a plus with me.

The DW423KR uses the same hook/loop paper you use on your other 5" sanders and has the same 8 hole dust removal pattern. A small shopvac will take the dust right off the project surface when you mount it to the dust exhaust.

The only thing I can knock the DW423KR on is that while it is a variable speed tool... it is basically variable between medium and high... there is not much if any range in a low or slow speed.... so you have to back off your grit instead of just backing the speed way down. Other than that.. it is almost a magic wand that makes the errors go away.

When I first received the DeWalt sander I used the attached dust collector, but found I was spending a lot of time emptying it. I then connected the sander to my shopvac and wow! There was literally no dust left upon my project, even when I used a tack rag!

Excellent tool. The polisher is easy to control once you get the hang of it. It easily, quickly, and with plenty of power applied the liquid car wax I was using. The tool felt well balanced and well behaved. The speed control is delightful to experience - maintains the same speed under load or no load conditions.

The tool came with two bonnets, one to apply compound and another for final polishiing. The compounding bonnet is the only one I used since I discovered this same bonnet also polishes to a deep luster as the wax you're applying hazes over - the bonnet polishes this haze to nice deep shine. I also used a small spray bottle of water to wet small areas to help spread the wax - it worked great. I am ordering two new compounding bonnets for spares. Suggest you test out the bonnets and find out for yourself before ordering more....

I am really happy with this tool, and I feel it is well worth the money. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to buy a similar tool.

The Makita 9227 buffer is one of the top two if not the best available. It has more than enough power and with the electronic speed control, maintains RPMs even when putting pressure on the tool if used as a sander/grinder. The handle is probably the best feature of this tool, giving you great control when buffing/polishing.

Great polisher,easy to use,plenty of power,I would highly recomend the polisher to anyone.I dont like the polishing pads that came with it(they work good but get fuzz everywhere)I planned on getting foam pads anyway.
Great web site Amazon

Belt sanders may be one of those power tools that aren't pulled out often, but when you need to remove large quantities of stock, you will want to have one. The 9403, 4x24 sander is powerful, has good balance, good belt tracking and easy belt change. This Makita also picks up a very decent amount of sanding dust, has comfortable handles, a nice soft-start, and, most importantly, chews through stock with ease. This belt sander is possibly the best 4x24 on the market. I am very, very pleased with it.

It is a genuine pleasure to operate this Makita, compared to my old Craftsman 3x21 which I had received as a gift years ago. I spent as much time adjusting the belt tracking on the Craftsman as I did sanding, but since I used it infrequently, I just put up with the excessive noise and generally less than stellar performance. After using the 9403 for 2+years, I shake my head everytime I use it, wondering why I waited so long to replace my old one. I find myself pulling this sander out and using it more often. Long cords are always a big plus for me, often eliminating the need for extension cords in the shop. I just can't find anything negative to say about this machine yet.

Note: Being advertised as 'quiet' at 84dB is pretty relative since >90dB for sustained periods will deafen... hearing loss is cummulative over time around high dB power tools (routers, table and miter saws, plate joiners, etc.) even if rated under the 90dB threshold... wear ear protection [Check out Peltor H10A Professional Earmuff Hearing Protectors].

I love power ! This tool delivers boat loads of it. But you know what ? It doesn't sound like it. I was never able to use a belt sander before without earplugs. This one runs at only 84 Db. It's the quietest on the market. It's also the smoothest I've used.I've used all of the 4x24 sanders and the Makita just seems to do more work faster. Maybe it's the fact that it has the highest speed of any , maybe it's the high tech , powerful motor ,the efficient drive train. Whatever it is , it kicks butt . The dust collection system is also top notch. For small jobs and fine work , I prefer my Bosch 1274 dvs. It's much lighter ,compact and easy to control. For extended use or heavy sanding though , you cannot beat this tool.

One great sander. This sander is quiet, it starts soft, the belt stays centered, it has comfortable handles, the cord is very long (What a concept, put on a long cord so you don't have to use an extension most of the time.), it only draws 11 amps so I can run it with my shop vac with out tripping the breaker. They spent time at the drawing board no this one. A tool thats a joy to use, at a good price.

This is the third polisher I have purchased, the first two were inexpensive Craftsman units and neither lasted very long. I have owned a Milwaukee sawzall for twenty years and it has been great. This Polisher is every bit up to the quality I expected. I have used it for polishing and sanding and its power and speed range are up to the tasks. Changing sanding disks or polishing bonnets is quick and easy with no tools required, also the speed control feature makes using the unit almost fool proof. The Bottom line is you get what you pay for.

I have looked all of the polishers available here at Amazon. Using something at 1750 RPMs might be ok for some finishes, but to get true high quality gloss, you need a 2400 RPM machine. Less than that, you don't bring up deep gloss. More than that, with the speed of a sander or grinder (4500=6000 RPM) will burn your finish right up.
This Milwaukee has the right speed, and it is variable if you want to go into a different level of polishing, than the automotive level. With 11 amps in the motor, you are sure to have the kind of power that will guarantee a constant speed, even when you have a 7" bonnet loaded with compound.
Another great feature is the locking collet. I had a body shop for 20 years, did a lot of high end cars, personally spent more hours on a 7" polisher than would be believable if I stated it, seriously, and locking collet would be a dream come true. Most polishers have an allen wrench based nut in the center of them, which holds the rubber backing pad to the shaft. When it is time to change a pad, it is often frustrating, because of the center nut. All you can do to change the pad is hold on to the backing pad, and use an allen wrench. That resulted in a slipping backing pad, sliding around the spindle. To have a locking collet is an engineering dream for a polisher.
Since polishers require a lot more torque, and beefy components, than a grinder, it is comforting to know that this Milwaukee has helical gearing, and all ball and roller bearings.
I have come to appreciate the heavy duty build on Milwaukee tools. Their new Lok Tor cordless drills are the highest torque in the industry. Their 11 amp sawzall is the best, and the list goes on.
I noticed a comment in the editorial review, that a pro might need more speed. NOT. This polisher covers the proper speed. A burn mark in a polished finish, looks like a raising of the material, in a little series of ridges. Another peril of too much speed is a quick burn through the finish, revealing base coats for example primer. I mention this because this is the heavy duty unit. You don't need something faster, or more powerful. You would be hard pressed to find another tool out there that does the job better. The competition, with less power, slower speeds, and that funny handle that goes over the top of the polisher is not what you want. I went into the local home center and felt that handle position just today. It is uncomfortable for polishing. You want your hand out out to one side of the head, just the way this Milwaukee is. They further enable you to choose a side, in the event that you are left handed. It gives you a wider stance with a side handle, which equals better control.
All in all this is a five star piece of equipment. It costs a little more than the competition, but the extra money is put in the tool. Highly recommended.

This is the best High speed Polisher i have evre used.It's light and easy to use.not only has it out lasted my outher polishers it stil works like it's new. It also has the best feel to the hands,it never heats up or slows down it's one Heavev Duty tool.

Unlike DeWalt, Milwaukee used the same design of their electric saw to build a cordless. The early model had less than spectacular quick-change clamp but that was remedied quite nicely.

Just want to say that it's great Milwaukee offers the "tool only" so we don't have to keep purchasing batteries and chargers. I've purchased 2 milwaukee cordless tools with 2 batteries and a charger each, and then was able to purchase this saw and a work light without those items. So now I have a bettery for each tool and a backup charger, and they all fit in one case....beautiful!!!

P.S....I've had the 18 volt drill, circle saw, sawzall and light for well over a year now and use them heavily , no problems, excellent tools.

I'm a concrete and masonry contractor and my guys use this tool for everything from cutting forms to cutting roots in their way. Exceptional performance, we usually use up two batteries in a day, but the fast charge can usually keep up. Almost indistructable, have seen it droped from over 8 ft. from scaffolding and just bounce. The keyless chuck is fantastic. I have had too many tools with keys or allen wrenches sit in the truck unused for the want of a key. Have had the tool for over two years and am still using the original batteries but, this morning the battery charger gave up the ghost. I guess thats what you get for leaving it out in the rain a half of douzen times, more or less. I do not buy cheap tools, I feel that my employees deserve the best to make them the best. If I only had enough money to buy one tool this would be it.

I have owned this half sheet sander for 2 years now and it is still going strong. I have used it to sand large areas such as steps and floors. This sander runs very smooth and has very little noise for a sander. The unit is constructed of all metal so it can take the bumps along the way. I also purchaced the attachment for collecting dust and it really helps to keep the dust down to a minimum. Paper change is a snap also. Another great product from Porter-Cable!

I retired a year ago and started working in a cabinet shop, where they used the 505 sander. This is the smoothest sander made. It does a remarkably good job on any wood. You can't harm any wood, unless you're not paying attention to what you're doing. I have used this for hours at a time with no fatigue. It's well worth the money, and will last for many years. Buy it......

I used dozens of these for years in cabinet and furiture shops. They are smooth, quiet, powerful and last forever. They are made for easy servicing when that time comes... but it take years before they need it. I used other brands of half-sheet sanders but all the others (older Bosch, Hitachi, and Milwaukee models)I've tried just vibrate too much. After a few mintes of sanding your hand feels numb from using a sander that isn't smooth and well-balanced. They needed far more servicing as well.

They're expensive but if you're looking for a large, half-sheet sander: this is the one! Porter-Cable really has the sander market in a bag.