Handheld types by their makers' figures
| Type | Example | Power | Dust | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Random orbital | Milwaukee M18 2648-20 | 18 V battery | Dust box; hose adapter | 2.7 lb |
| Random orbital | Makita XOB01 | 18V LXT battery | Dust bag | 3.6 lb with battery |
| Mini random orbital (3 in) | Milwaukee M12 FUEL 2535-20 | M12 battery | Bag or hose adapter | 2 lb |
| Quarter sheet | DEWALT DCW200 | 20V MAX battery | Dust bag | Not stated in the manual |
| Quarter sheet | Makita BO4556 | Corded | Dust bag | 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) |
| Belt | Makita 9903 | Corded | Dust bag | 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) |
From Milwaukee's page and manual, Makita's specification sheet and manuals, and DEWALT's manual. Weights are as each maker states them.
Equipment notePaid link
M18 random-orbit sander, tool only
Milwaukee 2648-20
Milwaukee's M18 2648-20 from the table above: 2.7 lb, with a dust box Milwaukee says to empty every 10–15 minutes and before storage.
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What to compare
- The job decides the type. A random orbital machine for general sanding, a quarter-sheet for flat work up to an edge, a belt sander for removing stock. Choosing a sander routes from the job to the type.
- Battery or cord. A battery machine works where there is no outlet but ties you to a platform; a corded one needs power on site. Battery models are compared in cordless random orbital sanders and cordless palm sanders.
- Weight. The makers' figures run from 2 lb for Milwaukee's 3 in machine to 9.5 lb for Makita's belt sander. DEWALT says its quarter-sheet sander's small size and light weight suit overhead work.
- Onboard dust. Away from an extractor, the bag or box on the tool is what collects. It is not exhaust ventilation, which OSHA names as the preferred control; and Milwaukee warns that dust from sanding coatings can self-ignite in the dust box, so empty it every 10–15 minutes and before putting the tool away.
- Hose option. Milwaukee's machines take a hose adapter, so a vacuum can be used where there is one; Milwaukee says to refit the dust box whenever no vacuum is connected.
Before buying
A respirator away from the shop needs the same respiratory protection program behind it that OSHA requires anywhere. For the smallest machines, see mini random orbital sanders; for handheld belt sanders, choosing a belt sander.
Before buying a portable sander
- The type the job needs
- Battery platform, or an outlet on site
- Weight, in the maker's figure
- Onboard bag or box, and how often to empty it
- A hose adapter for when there is a vacuum
- Abrasives for its pad, carried with it
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for the model named. Makers state weight differently — Makita's XOB01 figure includes the battery; the others do not say — so weights are not a like-for-like comparison. No sander was tested, none is ranked, and no prices are given.
- 1.
M18 Random Orbit Sander 2648-20. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The M18 2648-20's 2.7 lb weight.
- 2.
M18 Random Orbit Sander 2648-20, Operator's Manual. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The 2648's dust box and hose adapter; dust from coatings able to self-ignite in the dust box, which should be emptied every 10–15 minutes and before storage; the dust box refitted whenever no vacuum is connected.
- 3.
18V LXT Cordless 5" Random Orbit Sander Kit XOB01T (specification sheet). Makita.
Used for: The XOB01's 18V LXT battery, dust bag and 3.6 lb weight with battery.
- 4.
M12 FUEL 3" Random Orbital Detail Sander 2535-20. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The M12 FUEL 2535-20's 3 in pad, dust bag or hose adapter, and 2 lb weight.
- 5.
DCW200 20V Max Brushless Quarter Sheet Sander, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The DCW200 20V MAX quarter-sheet sander's dust bag, and DEWALT's description of its small size and light weight for overhead work.
- 6.
Finishing Sander BO4555 / BO4556, Instruction Manual. Makita.
Used for: The corded BO4556's dust bag and 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) weight.
- 7.
Belt Sander 9902 / 9903 / 9920 / 9404, Instruction Manual. Makita.
Used for: The corded 9903 belt sander's dust bag and 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) weight.
- 8.
Wood Dust: Possible Solutions. U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Used for: Exhaust ventilation at the source as the preferred control for wood dust, and respirators requiring a respiratory protection program.
About this buying guide
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