Small pad and full-size pad
| Model | Pad | Orbit | Speed | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee M12 FUEL 2535-20 | 3 in, hook-and-loop | 3/32 in (2.5 mm) | 4,000–10,000 OPM, 4 speeds | 2 lb |
| Milwaukee M18 2648-20 | 5 in | 3/32 in | 7,000–12,000 orbits/min | 2.7 lb |
| DEWALT DWE6423 (corded) | 4-7/8 in pad for 5 in discs | 3/32 in | 8,000–12,000 OPM | 46.4 oz |
From Milwaukee's and DEWALT's product pages and Milwaukee's manual. All three state the same 3/32 in orbit; the difference is the pad.
What a 3 in pad changes
- Reach. A small round pad fits into smaller recesses, between spindles and onto narrow parts where a 5 in pad overhangs. It still cannot reach into a square inside corner: that is a detail sander's job — see detail and palm sanders.
- Area. A 3 in pad has about a third of the area of a 5 in one, so it is not a replacement for a full-size sander on panels.
- Names. Milwaukee calls its 3 in machine a 'random orbital detail sander', and the motion is random orbital. Read the pad and the motion, not the name.
- Discs. 3 in discs are a separate size to stock; buy them to the pad's attachment — see choosing sandpaper.
- Dust. Milwaukee lists a bag or a hose adapter. A bag on the tool is not an extractor; the maker's collection percentage is not repeated here because it is not stated against a method.
Before buying
For general sanding, start with a 5 in machine — compared in choosing a random orbital sander and, battery-powered, in cordless random orbital sanders — and add a mini one for small work. If you are looking for a stationary machine, that is a benchtop sander.
Before buying a mini sander
- The parts it is for: small, narrow or recessed
- Pad diameter and the discs you can buy for it
- Orbit and speed in the maker's terms
- Battery platform, if cordless
- Bag or hose adapter
- A full-size sander for the panels
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for the model named. Milwaukee publishes a dust collection percentage for the 2535 without saying how or against what it was measured, so it is not repeated. This page's address keeps an earlier working name; the machines covered are handheld. No sander was tested, none is ranked, and no prices are given.
- 1.
M12 FUEL 3" Random Orbital Detail Sander 2535-20. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The M12 FUEL 2535-20, which Milwaukee names a 'random orbital detail sander': 3 in hook-and-loop pad, 3/32 in (2.5 mm) orbit, four speeds from 4,000 to 10,000 OPM, 2 lb, dust bag or hose adapter.
- 2.
M18 Random Orbit Sander 2648-20. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The M18 2648-20's 5 in pad, 3/32 in orbit and 2.7 lb weight.
- 3.
DWE6423 5-in Variable-Speed Random Orbit Sander. DEWALT.
Used for: The corded DWE6423's 5 in disc, 3/32 in orbit, 8,000–12,000 OPM and 46.4 oz weight.
About this buying guide
Written by BenchRoot Editorial. How BenchRoot sources, checks and corrects its pages is set out in the Editorial Policy. If something here is wrong or unclear, the contact page explains how to tell us.