Makita 9403 11 Amp 4 Inch by 24 Inch Belt Sander with Cloth Dust Bag

Customer Reviews

More power arrr arrr arrr !

2000-11-25
I love power ! This tool delivers boat loads of it. But you know what ? It doesn't sound like it. I was never able to use a belt sander before without earplugs. This one runs at only 84 Db. It's the quietest on the market. It's also the smoothest I've used.I've used all of the 4x24 sanders and the Makita just seems to do more work faster. Maybe it's the fact that it has the highest speed of any , maybe it's the high tech , powerful motor ,the efficient drive train. Whatever it is , it kicks butt . The dust collection system is also top notch. For small jobs and fine work , I prefer my Bosch 1274 dvs. It's much lighter ,compact and easy to control. For extended use or heavy sanding though , you cannot beat this tool.

Best 4"x24" sander on the planet

2000-07-11
One great sander. This sander is quiet, it starts soft, the belt stays centered, it has comfortable handles, the cord is very long (What a concept, put on a long cord so you don't have to use an extension most of the time.), it only draws 11 amps so I can run it with my shop vac with out tripping the breaker. They spent time at the drawing board no this one. A tool thats a joy to use, at a good price.

A Winner

2007-10-28
I'm a hobbyist woodworker who makes furniture from solid hardwood, mostly black ash, oak, and maple. This involves gluing up a lot of panels of varying sizes, all of which need to be sanded. This sander was purchased to replace a 4X2l Craftsman which didn't collect a scintilla of dust and was a real "screamer". This tool is a comparative joy to use. It's surprisingly quiet, has wonderful dust collection, great balance and lots of power. Tracking is flawless, and its weight adds to the ease of sanding horizontal surfaces. The long cord is a nice feature as well. Don't buy this unit if you're going to sand vertically, though. It's too heavy. But for heavy duty sanding applications of horizontal work, this thing is a winner. I'd buy it again in a New York minute. If you need a good belt sander, you need this one.

Powerful , heavyweight

2007-05-08
This tool replaced a belt sander by Black and Decker that was bought in 1975. When it totally died recently, I went to my favorite tool maker, Makita. The specifications on this sander were good, the price was better than most others, and the reviews were excellent. My only misgiving is that it is heavy. I have a wood carving and sculpture business and most of the work could be done with something smaller.

Best belt sander I've ever tried....

2006-11-10
The Makita 4x24 is a workhorse with all the power you'll ever need in a belt sander. It also has a very comfortable feel to it and is very easy to use. The bag collects dust better than any other model I've tried and being able to reposition it with the swiveling fitting is a major plus. I've also tried the Dewalt and a Bosch, and there is no comparison in the products; the Makita works best,hands down.

Best belt sander ever.

2006-07-26
I bought this sander for heavy duty sanding of hickory. it is very quiet. Has enough power, if using 40 grit paper, that it pulls so hard it wore out my employees. The tracking is top quality. The long power cord is a plus. I own over 2 dozen Makita tools and this won't disappoint.

Stock remover, extraordinaire!...

2006-03-30
Belt sanders may be one of those power tools that aren't pulled out often, but when you need to remove large quantities of stock, you will want to have one. The 9403, 4x24 sander is powerful, has good balance, good belt tracking and easy belt change. This Makita also picks up a very decent amount of sanding dust, has comfortable handles, a nice soft-start, and, most importantly, chews through stock with ease. This belt sander is possibly the best 4x24 on the market. I am very, very pleased with it.

It is a genuine pleasure to operate this Makita, compared to my old Craftsman 3x21 which I had received as a gift years ago. I spent as much time adjusting the belt tracking on the Craftsman as I did sanding, but since I used it infrequently, I just put up with the excessive noise and generally less than stellar performance. After using the 9403 for 2+years, I shake my head everytime I use it, wondering why I waited so long to replace my old one. I find myself pulling this sander out and using it more often. Long cords are always a big plus for me, often eliminating the need for extension cords in the shop. I just can't find anything negative to say about this machine yet.

Note: Being advertised as 'quiet' at 84dB is pretty relative since >90dB for sustained periods will deafen... hearing loss is cummulative over time around high dB power tools (routers, table and miter saws, plate joiners, etc.) even if rated under the 90dB threshold... wear ear protection [Check out Peltor H10A Professional Earmuff Hearing Protectors].