Customer Reviews

DEWALT DW443 6-Inch Electronic Variable Speed Right-Angle Random Orbit Sander

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You can't see what you are working on well for a detail sander...that's the biggest problem. It goes down from there. High vibration, fairly noisy, and uncomfortable handle. I am surprised that DeWalt released this. It is beneath their standard. It's really just a grinder I think that has been reworked to do random orbit. Not competitive with Bosch or PC.

After using orbital sanders for years I decided to get the random orbit. I have been a big fan of Dewalt and did not hesitate on purchasing this tool. The dust collection for the most part does not work. The sanding qualities are first class. But six inch paper is hard to find. But I stocked up when I bought the sander. I have had to replace the switch after it quit working. Overall It sands well but fails in the dust collection department. Dewalt could do better.

I have had this tool for several years now and bought it mostly because of the Dewalt name. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to expectations. First, 6 inch hook and loop pads are becoming harder to find. It seems that 5 inch pads are the current craze, especially adhesive pads. Secondly, this tool is noisy and heavy. It is hard think of it as a finishing sander. The collection bag is a joke and must have been designed by the team of Moe, Larry and Curly. The wire that gives the bag it's shape and stiffness poked a hole in the fabric the second day I used it. Very poor design. Not worthy of the Dewalt name. Its only saving grace is that due to its weight it will take rough stock off quickly.

A six inch random orbital sander is intended for rapidly removing material from large surfaces (eg. table top). It is not a detail sander and should not be expected to be lightweight and agile. Use the right tool for the job. I am very happy with mine. It does a very good job of quickly sanding large areas. Unlike the competition (from a certain black/grey company), this sander provides integrated dust collection. The reason I only gave it 4 stars is two fold. First, the gear mechanism makes a grinding noise (like it is going to break). My Dewalt biscuit jointer made a similar noise, but has lasted for years. Second, the variable speed has a very narrow range of speeds (ie. highest speed is really fast, lowest speed is still really fast).

We use this DeWalt Random Orbital as a polisher for vehicles. The unit comes with the velcro fastener required for professional polishing pads. The unit is balanced and easy to use for a long period. The results have been outstanding. It is recommended by our supplier of professional polishing products.

I've done a fair bit of sanding with this product and overall, the sanding is good: good removal of wood with minimal swirl marks (just don't short cut through the grits). The flaws are two: the wire support for the dust bag wore through the bag so now while sanding it spews a steam of dust through the hole. Second is the power switch. Every once in a while the thing won't turn on. I've found that if you take the sander apart you can pull the power switch out and then take that apart. Blow the dust out and put it all back together and it works again. Call me crazy, but a sander with a switch that fails because of wood dust seems to be a bit of a design flaw..

I have had this DeWalt DW443 right-angle random orbit sander for 3 years now and I have used it as it was intended... for sanding large flat surfaces like walls following wallpaper removal, new handmade bookshelves, painted furniture for repainting, etc. When I want to do really detailed finish work, I pull out a palm sander. This one has a lower speed setting, but that is still significantly higher power than my palm sanders. On full speed, it can almost approximate the performance of a belt sander. I have used it upside down, leaning over a bench, or standing straight against a wall for hours and it is easy to use and it is difficult to do damage to your surface with it. My wife finds it a little heavy, but I think it's fine. It can be difficult to find the sanding disks, but Amazon helps with that. The dust collection is pretty sad (-1 star), but I have yet to use any dust collection device that works well without a vacuum. The vacuum adapter is handy and does improve the collection somewhat. Overall, this has been a great purchase.