I am surprised to see that there are no reviews of this sander, as it is a great little tool. I have been using this sander for about three years, and it has been put through some tough tests -- sanding up to 1/2" off wood edges, sanding floors, sanding tough wood, and even sanding plaster off the walls of a 250-square-foot room. In every case, it has done a terrific job, never weakens under pressure. The sander has very little vibration, and it leaves no swirl marks, even when using lower grit sandpaper. Several times, I have dropped the sander onto the cement floor of my shop, and still it keeps on working. The only minus I can see with this sander is that the dust collection system could be better. Even though it has a dust-collection bag (which gets filled up, suggesting it is catching a lot of dust) you need to wear a mask when you use it so you don't breath in harmful particles. It is even pretty good at getting into tight corners, better than other sanders.

Solid construction, comfortable fit. Like all Makita tools I've bought, it has lived up to high expectations. Beyond wood I've sanded down lots of metal -- an old file cabinet, a credenza -- from its 30 year old enameled surface down to brushed metal (also primed it with some paint remover). I agree that the dust collection is useless, but this is true with most tools not hooked up to a vacuum system. pLastly, a hand orbital is never going to give you the removing power of a belt sander. It is meant for finer applications and if you have to take off lots of rough surfaces, you'll be frustrated by the lack of power. At the same time a belt sander will erase twice the surface that you intend. If you've never used power sanders before, I'd recommend borrowing or renting one first to figure out which type you'll use most frequently.

I have owned the DeWalt and Porter Cable Random Orbit sanders and this is the best by a mile. This sander will be used mostly to sand doors, window and door facing, and outdoor projects. The casing is extremely durable as is most of Makita's products. Very low vibration compared to other Random orbit sanders. I was looking at the BOSCH and was seriously considering the purchase because I respect BOSCH's circulars saws, reciprocating saws, and drills so much, but the makita just felt right, although I'm sure that both sanders will hold up well with extreme use. I will continue to buy only Makita or BOSCH tools, because of precision, smoothness, and good ergornomics.

I had gone through 3 Porter Cable models before buying the Makita. The motors would seize up and quit on the Porter Cables. After thousands of hours behind a Porter Cable the differences I noted with the Makita were a little less power and a tendency to wander. It is hard to explain what wandering is but holding the tool on the top, the disc tends to skitter more than the PC I was used to. This limits the hand position to the middle of the tool to control it effectively. When you can't change hand positions after hours of sanding it can be a pain. The dust collection like on all sanders is a joke. You need to attach the sander to a vacuum to save disc wear and effectively collect the dust. The eight holes on the Makita collect the dust better than the five hole PC. So far the Makita has far outlived all the PCs I owned.

This is an aggressive sander that leaves a swirl free finish. The dust bag is terriable until you seal it with a 10 inch strip of duct tape. Once you do that it actually surpassed the dust control my old DeWalt "dustless" sander provided. pI was so pleased with this sander I have bought 2 more since my original purchase.

I purchased this model at a department store last summer, when I began painting my 60 year old, wooden sided home. I wanted a power tool to help take some of the work out of the surface prep job. I scraping by hand, and followed up by using the sander to smooth the surface. It worked wonders, producing a paper smooth finish on the bare wood and old paint that remained. Being so lightweight, it was a pleasure to use, especially up on the ladder. Actually, it made the job fun. This Makita sander has plenty of power. It did not bog down, and the dust bag is a great feature. I can't wait to use it in the county 4H youth summer camp woodworking class I teach every year. One point I must make, however; I used a genaric brand hook and loop type sanding pads. They did a great job, but after a time, the fabric side of the pads would fray before the sanding side was used up, and the pad would come off during use, sailing away like a Frisbee. This happened several times. So, beware!! Next time, I'll use genuine Makita brand sanding pads.

I just switched from my DeWalt 423K to this Makita. The Makita definitely takes off more than the DeWalt. However, I would rate them both even for comfort and the Makita's single downside for me was their dust collection system. It spews out of the bag constantly even though I can find no holes. It also does not collect as well as the DeWalt and is more difficult to install. However, it is extremely powerful and does a wonderful job.

having had some experience years ago with handsanders and finding them terribly lacking I was more than pleasantly surprised with this sander. I was able to remove three layers of old paint from a porch ceiling cleanly with minimal pain due to its light weight and efficiency. I was also able to sand the top of an old desk to almost piano like smoothness. quite a little tool.

I couldn't have been happier with this sander. It does everything it promises to do regarding sanding. The only grip I have is the Makita shop vac hose to attach the sander to your shop vac has a 3/4" ID on BOTH ends. Those of you who know better area already groaning. And for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, try to go out and find a reducer that fits your shop vac port that reduces down to 3/4". Good luck. Why on earth Makita didn't just put a 1.5" ID port on the other end is beyonf me. If the shop vac scenario is of no concern to you then go righ t ahead and get this sander, it's a great buy!

I agree with sentiments below about the dust system but it is "easily" amended with adding a shop-vac hookup to the sander. I sanded a door with it and it removed two layers of paint easily, quickly and without gouges even though I used 80-grit. I think I'll pick up its larger cousin, the pistol-grip BO5020 sometime in the future. This one is clearly designed for 1-hand operation and a door is a tad large for that.

GREAT sander, does the job wonderfully, rugged (I've dropped it _so_ many times...), but there's a BUT: the vibration causes my right arm to go numb. Vibrates my funnybone somehow, and the numbness takes days to go away. Maybe it's just me, or maybe that's just something this type of sander does, but as much as I use it, I HATE to use it for that reason.
br /Oh, also, be careful of the skitter. Good technique required.

This is a wonderful sander. Lightweight but good for heavy use. Hook and loop sanding parts are really easy to use. The switch is placed very conveniently. When you place the sanding pad please make sure all the wholes are aligned with the holes in the sander and give a good pressure all around and sand on the flat surface by applying some pressure. Once it's settled the sanding pad stays pretty good. Then you can sand on the uneven surfaces. If you don't follow the procedure I mentioned above, most of the times the sanding paper would fray from the sander. It is one of the most reliable tools I have ever owned. I have helped friend build three living units with this sander. Do not buy cheap Black and Decker orbital sanders.

I've had my BO5010 for three years, and it hasn't seen a lot of work -- just handyman stuff every few months. Until now, it has been pretty useful, though the dust collection bag is poorly designed.
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br /Yesterday in the middle of a job the sanding disc kept flying off. The rubber sanding pad on the base provides the hooks for the hook-and-loop system, and that pad somehow lost its hookiness. No new pad will stick to it.
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br /I don't know what caused this: I was using a light touch, and my sanding disc storage organizer uses pegs to ensure the disc's holes line up with those in the pad. Whatever the cause, I now have to order a replacement pad which is nearly one-third the cost of a new sander and may take a week or more for delivery. I'm not sure whether I'd be throwing good money after bad -- I might be better off buying a brand new sander by a different manufacturer.
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br /You might, too.

I purchased this sander nearly one year ago and can't say I have any complaints about it. The dust collection works surprisingly well, though if the bag isn't pushed in all the way it has a tendency to fall out (fault of the user, not the tool). It isn't unbearably loud although I still wear my ear muffs when using it. The vibration in the hand is low, and it does a superb job at what it is designed to do - sand. I don't know where the components are made, but at least the tool itself is assembled in USA which is more than I can say for the 18V Li-Ion drill and impact driver combo that I have as well (Makita brand) which is made in China. This is a purchase you won't regret.

This is a quality item and Makita really stands behing their products. I had a problem with the pad on my first one and Makita repaired it and had it back to me in three days. I now have two of them.

I've used other RO sanders but this is the best one I've worked with. It's extremely aggressive without much vibration. It performs like a small high-powered sports car in your hand. You can spend more for a sander but you won't be any more saisfied.

Quieter than my other four sanders. Very easy to handle. The dust collection bag is a little awkward as it must be rotated to one position to keep from hitting the work piece. Overall, I am very pleased with the machine.