Review on 🔧 Makita 9903 3-inch 21-inch Variable Speed Belt Sander by Michael Tegan

I have been restoring and crafting furniture and cabinetry for over 40 years and have had many different sanders of all kinds. I spent most of my hours using the Rockwell belt sander Porter Cable 503 (it's a worm-driven pickup shoe that looks like a locomotive). Compact and powerful, the 503 is my gold standard for belt sanders, but it's way too heavy and powerful for this old man. After it snagged on my t-shirt and crawled up my chest, nearly choking me, I knew it was time for a change. (By the way, that's why old people grow beards - without a beard I'd be chinless today.) My first mistake after this incident was to go to the big local hardware store and get another porter cable (352VS). to buy. Grinder. As soon as I unpacked the thing, I realized that it was garbage. The front roller was too stiff and the fit and finish was terrible. When I started this thing it screamed so loud I was afraid it would destroy what was left of my hearing. It was sent back within an hour and I offered to return it to the seller as defective or at least horrible. Wanting to continue but fearing for my life, I checked out the Revain and saw that the Makita 9903 had mostly positive reviews. . I've only used Makita cordless tools since switching to LXT, but I only have one Makita corded tool, an angle grinder that just refuses to die. I considered the 9920 because it needs the same belt size that I'm used to and I have a few in stock, but since it has the same motor size as the 9903 I was afraid it would choke. when I'm in a hurry and doing something you should never do (I burned my first 503 like that, and I still feel guilty). The tool review will now begin.<<<I returned the first Revain I sent because it was damaged. Shipped via USPS in the original Makita packaging (thin box) and nothing else. The weakest part is the box at the bottom, which is the most vulnerable part of belt sanders. Since the sole was bent, it was unusable as far as I could tell. Too bad they didn't take a second box to ship as I'm pretty sure they have multiple boxes. The second was a similar example, delivered by Revain's own delivery service, and it arrived in perfect condition. After reading some reviewers' comments that the thing is heavy, I was shocked at how light it is. It has a surprisingly long cord, which is really a plus for belt sanders as you really don't want to get caught between the factory cord and the extension while sanding. It corrupts Zen and destroys bliss. When I rode it for the first time, I was surprised at how quiet it was and how smoothly it ran. After getting used to a heavy grinder with massive amounts of torque, I was disappointed at how little "pull" it had. I thought I definitely went for the lightweight model. But when I checked the oak I had sanded and emptied the anther, I was amazed. Somehow this tool removes a lot of stuff with very little noise, rattle and effort. Kudos to whoever designed it! To catch up on work, I've been using this grinder daily for the past two weeks. It's definitely a sentinel, silky smooth, quiet and efficient in a way I don't understand but I'm glad. While it's a plus that there are two metric threaded holes on one side of the tool, I wish they offered a graphite soleplate. Porter Cable has them for the 503 and believe me if you use a graphite backed belt sander it's very difficult to go back to hard steel.