Customer Reviews

Milwaukee 6016-6 1.8 Amp 1/4-Sheet Orbital Sander

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this little sander when I first began contracting more than 12 years ago. The thing is still going strong. Sheet changes are a snap with the front and rear levers. The sander fits comfortably in your hand for long sessions on drywall and furniture. You name the job and its likely that this little sander can tackle it. It's taken years of abuse and neglect. Like they used to say about Timex watches, this Milwaukee sander "takes a lickin' and keeps on ticken'." Unlike the unfortunate reviewer below, I have never had a problem with any of my Milwaukee tools. In fact, I've never had a problem with any contractor-quality tool I've ever purchased (Milwaukee, Bosch, Makita, etc.) Like many purchases, personal preference seems to ranks high in tool selection. I just happen to be partial to Milwaukee and this 1/4 sheet sander is one of the reasons why. Overall grade? A+.

The 6016 sheet sander was sent free with a 3 1/2 HP Router. I already have an excellent Bosch sander and thought I did not need another but the price was right. I find this to be better than the Bosch. I especially like it because I can use Cheaper Sheet paper split into quarters. My other requires more expensive velcro backed paper. This is the first one I reach for.

This is my second Milwaukee 6016 sander. These are the best small hand sanders available with much power. Since they take a 1/4 sheet of standard sandpaper they are much cheaper to use than the others which require special sandpaper. You can't go wrong with this Milwaukee. I have purchase other brands and they simply do not hold up to a lot of use.

Needed pliers to push out the clamp bars the first couple times I used this, but they have now loosened up. Product sands very well. Replaced a craftsman with this sander because the craftsman clamps (after many years) would no longer hold down the paper. So, I guess I should be happy that the clamps on this new sander started out a little stiff - maybe they will last longer.

Excellent sander. It has a very tough competitor though, the Porter Cable 330, (which I own too...), but for the price, the overall quality, and performance it is an outstanding sander. I wanted to rate it 4 1/2 stars, but the system doesn't let me do it and I gave it a 4. I just have a minor detail to point out, that's the reason of the 4 1/2 and not 5 stars, the pull out lever for pressing the sandpaper is somewhat awkard to pull out and let see how it behaves with time, but for the rest, it has good weight, is very steady and of course and best of all, American made!

I purchased this sander from Amazon last month and finally used it last week. First off, the sander I received was not made by the Milwaukee company in the USA. I own five other Milwaukee tools, which are fine products that were made in the USA, and this one is not.

This sander is not an orbital sander, so I don't know why it was listed as such. I also discovered that it had been manufactured in Taiwan, and with cheaper, weaker materials.

The arms holding the sandpaper in place bent completely out of shape on the third piece of sandpaper I inserted. BTW, I'm 69 years old, and not an overly strong person.

Instead of the stronger spring steel arms that are supposed to be on the tool, these arms are made of a cheaper, non-flexible steel that bends.

I figure that the arms will snap off after about six to eight more sheets of sandpaper are inserted, making the sander useless.

Product works as expected from a quality manufacturer like Milwaukee. Much faster than hand sanding, and very smooth.

I got this as a gold box for $30 and for that price it is a steal. I used it immediately and it did a good job. Had I been stronger it would have been better. I was using it to remove ceramic tile residue (the kind with the paper backing that stays when you lay it) and will be interested to see it on plain wood! I'm very happy with my deal. It is very hard, though, to open the clamps that hold the paper!

Rated 4 stars because Amazon doesn't do 3-1/2.

I first used this sander while working in a professional cabinet & furniture shop. We chose to try this model because of a good review in Fine Woodworking magazine, which rated the "invisibility" of scratch pattern as close to the Festool sander, but with a much lower price.

This sander has a lot of positives. It feels good in your hand, is easy to control, and sands evenly. Once you get to higher grit paper, the scratch pattern is nearly-impossible to impossible to discern while holding the wood in the light, even to the well-trained eye. It worked well on solid panels, and in this price range, is still my favorite sander for veneered panels.

The clips are a little stiff and awkward at first but hold up well over time. (PLEASE, take the plastic covers off the clips, they're only for protection during shipping. I've actually read reviews where people complained that the clips didn't work because they left the plastic on. No kidding.)

The problem with this sander comes with extended use, even for lighter jobs like a few small shelves or cabinet doors at a time. The motor gets hot after a few minutes, leaving the user with the choice of an uncomfortably warm hand and fear of melting the motor, or interrupting work to let it cool off.

The motor never did melt down over the months that I used this sander, but the power switch was another matter. It is either unsealed or not well-sealed, and is the first thing to go. Milwaukee made an easy job of getting it repaired (I was able to drop it at the local hardware store and get the switch replaced in a few days, covered under warrantee) but it wasn't long before having to repeat the process. This sander quickly went from a favorite to one that was always in the box of things that needed to be fixed.

If you can get a good price on this sander (I've seen them for as little as $35 on sale) it's a great light to moderate use hobbyist model. Also nice as a 2nd sander for a pro, but the heat & power switch problems make it unreliable in a heavier-use environment.

This sander does a fine job and is quite comfortable to use.I use the adhesive back sheets of sandpaper so I cannot comment on whether the latches are hard to use or weak as some have stated. It does do the job I intended to use it for and at less than $30.