Looking for a good all-around / multi-purpose sander. Should I buy this or upgrade to Makita's BO4900V?
1444692
this was the best sander that a had ever brought. the wood is nice % clean.i would buy another. rodney
1444693
I just bought one seems nice quiet- can't speak to longevity yet. Much better than previous Black and Decker Models.
1444694
I am very pleased with the sander. I can not comment on the upgrade since I am not familiar with it. The B03710 sands much faster and has less vibration than the one I had before. And I like that it uses 1/3 sheet of paper.I would recommend it. NH
1444695
Like this sander. Dust bag worked pretty good if you use the tool they send and punch holes in the sandpaper in the right pattern. Sander removes material at a rapid pace with little vibratio.
1444696
I don't know about the other sander you mention, but I have been very happy with the 3710. I can't say that the dust bag is of much use, but the unit sands surfaces quickly and easily.
1444697
This is a great sander. Quiet and relatively vibration free. Easy to change paper. Wouldn't waste my money on buying the type of sandpaper that just sticks onto the bottom like velcro. Just cut sheets of regular sandpaper into thirds and use that.
275409
This sander works in concentric circles, unlike a random orbit sander, so it is less aggressive, it works well for sanding the edges of boards, and for sanding roundovers. It is not a commercial quality sander, like the 330, but it is good for part time wood workers. I wore one of these out in about 2 years of daily use, where my 330 has been going for 20 years. This sander is a lot easier on the hands than the 330 and the dust collection is a nice feature, though perforating the paper does reduce its life span.
1252274
The Bosch is a fine sander but not made for this kind of job. You need to rent a industrial heavy belt sander. You could use the Bosch if you have a couple of years to do the job!
1877286
From both my long-term and recent experience with both DeWalt and Makita (and Bosch) cordless drivers, drills and circular saws, I would say that Makita is currently tops. I have put my Makita LXT 437 Combo Kit through the paces and have been more than happy with its performance.
530466
Hi Lou & Elsie: The Makita does a fair job of capturing dust. I believe you can purchase an adapter to connect this model to a vacuum or small dust collection system. The better option may be to build a dust collection table to pull the dust away from you. As a sander, this is the third Makita I've purchased in 20 years. I haven't found a better palm sander for the price. If you want to spend more, look into products made by Fein. Good luck! -Sam
2281114
My choice has been and is "when I can I go German engineering". I haven't been disappointed with a number of Bosch products. I am, as needed, replacing with Bosch. I am not personally acquainted with the Makita saw.
794632
As a wood worker I would definitely pick an variable speed sander. Advances in random orbital sanders over the past few years have made them the first sander you should consider when buying tools. Random orbital sanders can be set up to sand very quickly or very smoothly, with the added advantage that the random action will leave very few sanding marks on the finish.
928040
In case no one saw my comment, this is a GREAT machine, NOT a sander!! I don't mean to be crass, but if you do not know what your ordering, you tube How it is used, before you ruin your physical self forever.. Wood working is fun, not feeding yourself is the end... ( no fingers ) .?
1484820
Personally, I wouldn't use either of those products with this sander. I would recommend using some 1/4 sheet sandpaper such as "PORTER-CABLE 762800815 1/4 Sheet 80 Grit Adhesive-Backed Sanding Sheets (15-Pack)" or a full sheet and cut it into 4 equal pieces.
1094415
maybe but i would go for the round orbital sander, the one for velcro discs. few dollars and a huge diference. sheet sanders are going obsolete and soon to be extinted, they also leave "curls" on the sanded surface.
959633
The Makita B03710 is a i/3 sheet sander. I have never used a Porter Cable sander therefore I cannot compare the two. Hope this helps.
816613
Sander works fine - will not replace a corded pad sander for shop production work but will do a great job on a project level - change batteries as soon as the power drops off, do not try to squeeze a few minutes more out of a battery and you will be fine. very convenient.
2099184
Yes, this is a wonderful sander and should work great. Also you can use sandpaper from other models if choose.
539531
This is more like the "old" style sanders, but with orbital properties as well (differing significantly from random orbit though). I find that my hand-held 5" random-orbit sander is swirl prone--a light touch and a very slow, steady pass are best for it, while this one should be used along the grain with a bit more speed, pressure, and abandon during the pass. That said, a 6" two-handed random orbit sander is also an improvement over 5" random orbit sander, and great for pieced-together surfaces with grains running in different directions--again used with a light touch and a slow, steady pass. This is more like the "old" style sanders, but with orbital properties as well (differing significantly from random orbit though). I find that my hand-held 5" random-orbit sander is swirl prone--a light touch and a very slow, steady pass are best for it, while this one should be used along the grain with a bit more speed, pressure, and abandon during the pass. That said, a 6" two-handed random orbit sander is also an improvement over 5" random orbit sander, and great for pieced-together surfaces with grains running in different directions--again used with a light... » Read More This is more like the "old" style sanders, but with orbital properties as well (differing significantly from random orbit though). I find that my hand-held 5" random-orbit sander is swirl prone--a light touch and a very slow, steady pass are best for it, while this one should be used along the grain with a bit more speed, pressure, and abandon during the pass. That said, a 6" two-handed random orbit sander is also an improvement over 5" random orbit sander, and great for pieced-together surfaces with grains running in different directions--again used with a light touch and a slow, steady pass. « Show Less
1139941
Sure it will work because it is variable speed but the efficiency will depend on what your project is and how aggressive you can be... it's not a belt sander you know.You will sure enjoy it though...Just make sure you don't skimp on quality sand paper since the paper does most of the work...
73590
Hi! Sculpting is a whole different bag of bananas. For less detailed rough work, I still prefer the Black and Decker. It's got more power and does not heat up as much. However, for your intended purpose, I would advise you to look on Amazon for something like the Dremel 4000 6/50 for this reason. The B&D has 3 FIXED speeds that your are locked into which is fine for sharpening, cutting, routing, and the like. But if you are doing fine intricate work where the speed and material removal is critical, I would advise the type of switch on the Dremel which is variable from 5,000 to 35,00 RPM. You can fine tune it so it doesn't bind or grab your work piece. If you go to the Amazon page for the Dremel 4000 and scroll down you'll see an example of fine woodcarving being done with it. If the unit is too big for your hand you can always use the flex shaft. I know it's considerably more money and it will get warm. But when you're investing hours in an endeavor like sculpting you don't want to say "Oh (you fill in the blank)". For your needs...The Dremel is the way to go...It is still cheaper than some of the REAL high end hobbyist rotary carvers. Hope this was helpful.
28628
Sorry no, the one you need is mounted with two screws, also has a different hub, Makita part number 196905-1 if Amazon doesn't get stock of these (I see they are out) try ereplacementparts.com it's listed for over 40$. If that's the case, you may want to buy a replacement sander. Amazon has the entire Makita line at great prices. I love shopping Amazon.