written by knoba on 08/07/2008
Good Points
Belt size (75 X 533mm) readily available from most good retailers including differing grit grades and grit types. Brand. Spares available. Comfortable. 4m power cable. 6 speed. Changeable front handle positioning. Good balance. Dust collection bag. Internal alternate dust deflector preventing dust spraying out at user when not using the bag. Power cord is top mounted to prevent it getting trapped underneath the sander. Automatic belt tracking with manual override. Good choice of materials; ABS and aluminum - in the right places. 3 wheel design; large drive wheel at rear improves belt grip while the small lower front idler wheel is good for getting up to tight spaces. Easy belt changes.
Bad Points
No Kitbox option! - A kitbox is a case that keeps the tool; safe, dry, clean and complete. Do Dewalt honestly think that anyone would invest in this sander only to have it "floating around" in the back of the van smashing into all the other tools that don't come with boxes? Dewalt do, make, a box for this sander but, it's not available in the UK.
I got one from Canada in the end to protect my investment!
General Comments
If it wasn't for the lack of a kitbox I would have given the actual DeWalt DW433 Belt Sander a rating of 9. Form and function are superb.
When I ordered this sander (from www.dmtools.co.uk - recommended) it came bundled with a good quality sanding frame (for sanding large areas flat) and an inversion table to convert the sander into a bench mounted, vertical belt sander, both of which, attach quickly and easily. The inversion table is brilliant and I have used it with Norton zirconium belts to finish some stainless steel items flawlessly and square. The sander itself has also been a noteable pleasure to use, on all of my carpentry projects, giving great results. Dust extraction is good although the collection bag is a little too small for anything other than a 10 minute job, but, at least it doesn't get in the way to much when it is attached.