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I have purchased numerous tools from Amazon. I used the sander for a few days sanding a few dozen boards with little rest in between. Also, the ability to align the belt with one simple knob was nice. I purchased the Makita 9920 3x24 belt sander after reading the reviews of dozens of belt sanders. This sander worked flawlessly and I would definitely make this purchase again. I was not initially looking for a 3x24 inch sander but purchased it anyway because of the positive remarks. In most cases the ability to see others reviews strongly influences my tool purchases. Since I did my sanding outdoors dust collection was not that important to me but the bag system seemed to do an adequate job.
I recently used it to sand rough cut 2x4 and 2x6 pine. I needed a sander to do a good enough finish job on the wood so that it could be stained. After sanding numerous boards the sander did seem to generate alot of heat but it was never what I would call excessive. The reviews of this sander on Amazon led me to another positive purchase.
There's an easy-to-reach variable speed control. This is a powerful, quiet machine. .with nice features - simple, not sexy - no frills. OK, there's that awkward trigger lock - So what. Delightfully quiet. It has an effective, easily emptied dust bag. And let's not overlook the 8 - foot cord. I've always used 3X21 sanders, but the extra few inches of the 3X24 belts add stability with no noticeable increase in unit weight.I'm delighted.
It's design allows one to operate the sander virtually flush against a right angle. I seriously considered sanders with higher amp ratings from Porter-Cable and Bosch. Obviously, there are dust collection issues in those situations but I would not expect otherwise. Everything I read about Makita belt sanders, though, convinced me to look at this unit. For the most part, I simply left the boards in place in the opening. I wondered (and still wonder why) the 9920 has so few reviews compared to the 9903. Replacing windows on an old house can present lots of issues.
Now that I've seriously put the 9920 to the test, though, I don't care about the 9903.Here's why: This "Made in Japan" masterpiece, at about 10.5 pounds, has the heft needed to grab stock but is light enough to sand vertical surfaces with ease. It appears to be identical; excepting its shorter belt. Its 8.8 amp motor is easy on ones hands and ears. I have no second thoughts about this purchase.
There are lots of belt sander choices in 9920's price range. Varying window opening sizes comes to mind. The Makita, though, makes short work of openings not quite big enough. Sanding upside down and vertically was easy and effective. I used it for hours on end, stripping paint off 130 year old boards, with great results. I have no plans to purchase the vacuum, though, because because the Makita's dust collection met my expectations.The 9920 is great sander. I still am not sure why the 9920's 21" little brother, the Makita 9903 8.8 Amp 3-Inch-by-21-Inch Variable Speed Belt Sander with Cloth Dust Bag, costs more. Overall, dust collection was good.
It has plenty of get up and go but is incredibly smooth and relatively quiet. The belts track true and last much longer than my experience with other belt sanders would have led me to believe.The 9920 really showed it mettle, though, removing stock. The manual recommends an accessory vacuum to improve collection. If you need a tough, strong belt sander, the 9920 is an excellent choice.
This is a strong, relatively quiet sander. Seems well designed and easy to use. One complaint though, it would be really nice if Makita offered this sander with a carrying/storage case. If they do, I missed it.
I've owned my Makita 3 x 24 belt sander for at least 20 years and have abused it in every way. I've dropped it, run over the cord and ran it until it was too hot to handle. After all this, it just keeps going. This thing has paid for itself over and over again.
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