Customer Reviews

Makita 9903 8.8 Amp 3-Inch-by-21-Inch Variable Speed Belt Sander with Cloth Dust Bag

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have replace a 20 year old Craftsman belt sander with the 9903 Makita. I always fought with the Craftsman's tracking. I could only go 5 minutes before I needed to adjust the tracking. The Makita is not like this at all. It has perfect tracking! I pulled the 9903 out of the box and it tracked OK with the stock belt. But when I put a 3M belt on it and tweeked the tracking a bit I have not touched the tracking, even when I changed the belt to a different grit.

I highly recomment this belt sander and 3M (purple) sanding belts. You can turn 9903 over and clamp it to the bench, great feature. It has a very nice trigger lock button, easy to set when you want to set it - but not so easy to lock when you don't want it locked (with either hand). An added benefit is that this belt sander is that it is very quiet (as belt sanders go).

My only complaint is with the availability of accessories. I can't find a sanding frame or a vacuum attachment. When I went to an authorized dealer for Makita and asked for a quote on a sanding frame they quoted the housing of the 9903.

Buy this one, you won't be disapointed.

A pleasure to use. Relatively quiet. Belt tracks flawlessly. Adequate power. Can clamp upside down in a wood worker's bench vice to use as a stationary sander. Dust collector works well and is usually not in the way. Wish it came with it's own case. All in all I am very happy with the purchase.

I bought the 21" Makita 9903 Belt Sander after my old Skil 18" sander's on/off switch stopped working for the umpteenth time, and my other el-cheapo 21" belt sander was stolen (thank goodness for small favors).

I've used the sander now for a month to sand down 2x6 and 4x4 rough sawn surfaces on redwood and doug fir I've used for finishing a deck (railings, fascia, stair trim). Absolutely perfect tracking all the time, no matter how hot the belt gets, no matter how much pressure I apply, no matter how long I've used the belt. I start with a 50 or 80 grit, then shift directly to a 120 grit belt for final finishing. I've sanded approx. 20 4x6 16 ft boards, both sides and edges, plus another 10 4x4 8ft posts... all 4 sides, among other things this far.

Power galore and perfect belt tracking, simple adjustment to bring belt to edge if needed (and it stays there)... what more could a belt sander need to do? Changing belts is just as simple as with any other belt sander I've used over the years --- pull back on the clamping lever (it says open), slip belt on, close clamping lever... and let 'er rip.

I also very much like the flat 'top' which allows you to turn the sander over and sit it on it's 'top' to use the belt surface as the stationary member while holding the work piece by hand to shape edges, corners, etc. with much greater precision of cut (hand held piece, as opposed to holding the sander).

I also own a Makita sawzall (or whatever they're called) and have owned and used it extensively for several years (purchased in 1992? or '95? or somewhere in that time-frame). It's been extremely reliable, never any problem in the most demanding work I have thrown at it... so I decided to buy the Makita belt sander as well for the hoped for reliability and trouble-free use. Normally I opt for Dewalt power tools... still own and use my Dewalt Professional Radial Arm Saw that I bought in '75... never had a problem with it and I have used it extensively and in heavy work-loads over the years.... it's still as stong, steady, & precise as it was in '75. But, in the belt sander catagory, I didn't like the Dewalt design as much as the Makita (turning the sander over and using it as a stationary sander while holding the work piece by hand is a great feature).

I've used other 21" sanders borrowed from contractors from time to time, and though power was alway's great, the tracking deteriorated greatly with with the belt's use or the temperature/pressure I applied.

I couldn't be more satisfied.

My Porter-Cable belt sander finally died after a painful life. Painful to me because it was terribly loud, overheated repeatedly requiring multiple replacement parts, had an ill-placed dust collector, and was too heavy. The Makita is a massive improvement! Ear muffs aren't required. The dust collector isn't rammed up in your face. I don't dread using it at all.

I've burned my way through several beltsanders, and actually this is the second Makita belt sander I've owned. This sander is a workhorse...you can use it all day, and it's still ready for more! It is one of the quietest sanders I've owned (although none of them can truely be called "qiuet"). But, my favorite feature of this sander is its ability to lay flat when it's turned upside down (this way it can be used as a temporary stationary sander).

I gave up on belt sanders years ago after several cheap ones gave me trouble to the point of tossing them. I've been using a power planer since, until my wife suprised me with a new fridge that was 1/4" too tall. The planer has a hard time getting in tight. I got the 9903 and took it out to the shop to fine tune and learn it's personality. I didn't need to; plugged it in, hit the trigger and it just tracked straight with the belt that was on it. It's a little heavy, but not so bad that I can't use it overhead. I'm used to a lot of dust with these things, but very little isn't trapped by the bag. A good buy out of the box.

This sander is top shelf stuff. It balances in your hand and hums along while maintaining the belt tracking setting without walking. You can tell there is quality built in if you have ever used a cheaper homeowner's tool.

I had a Craftsman for 35 years that served me well but went out in a blaze of glory and I needed to replace it pronto. I dug deep and got the Makita and I will be happy to write another fine review in about 35 years or so.

It is sometimes difficult to down a product when you spend a lot of $$$ on it but this one is really worth the extra freight.

I bought this sander about a month ago and am very pleased with it. I bought the Dewalt about three years ago and am throwing it away to use the Makita. Belt tracks smoothly, dust collection is best I've ever seen on a belt sander. It's well balanced, lighter than the DeWalt and a great value for the price. The DeWalt didn't pick up dust well, belt wouldn't track right and dust collection bag kept falling off. I'm staying with Makita from now on.

I was going to purchase a Bosch that was similar to the Makita. The reviews were less than favorable for the Bosch. I have used the Makita in my handyman business. The long cord that comes standard is so convenient, it is about 20' long. I don't have to look for an extension cord every time I want to use it. It has plenty of power, the dust collection bag is good, it will hook up to my collection system I have in my shop with no modifications. Belt changing is a breeze. This is one fine tool that is ready to work from the moment you remove it from its packaging. I'm sure happy with it and would buy another one if the need arises.

I looked at many reviews and comments about belt sanders. Important factors to me were size (3x21 belt), dust control, noise, belt tracking and price. I picked one of the highest priced in the Makita. My first job was to sand down 8 cedar 6 x 6 deck posts. They were painted and my first thought was to cover then with either vinyl or 1/2 cedar. Both ways would cost $ 500. So my other option was paint or sand and clear coat the cedar. Well to make a long story short I sanded and clear coated all in just a few days. I'm very happy with the job the Makita did, even more inportant my wife loves the finish product. I used it for hours on end and had no problems. Dust control was very good. I collected 2 buckets of cendar dust. As my wife always says "Your never sorry when you buy the best".