MakitaBO5041/1 110V Random Orbit Sander, Blue, Small

Great orbital sander, used on 3 garden benches so far and does a great job

Stands up to hours of continuous use. Easiest on flat surfaces take care elsewhere.Best to get a pad protector, even cheap discs stick much better.Don't need to press on hard just let the tool follow it's random pattern.Good dust extraction hooked up to Evolution vacuum with the Makita adapter and some electrical tape.I catch the speed control sometimes in awkward spaces. Easier to handle when the trigger is locked on.

I bought this to sand down various things around the house. I find Makita tools to be of good quality and more importantly I've never struggled getting parts. Nothing more frustrating than throwing an old tool out because a manufacturer doesn't stock any parts!This is a relatively large unit for a random orbit sander so if you are planning on using it in tight spaces I'd look elsewhere. With that said, for my applications it has been perfect. You can use the weight of the sander itself to do the work rather than having to press down on the machine to get it to work like some lighter ones I have used. It's comfortable enough to use one handed for me (although I do have large hands) and it has enough power that I'm finding my belt sander doesn't come out so often now.The dust bag (not the plastic box pictured) seems to be fairly flimsy but I attach it to my shop vac in normal use. The bag does seem to collect dust but not nearly as efficiently as the shop vac (to be expected) and is messy to empty.In terms of vibration I don't find it to be an issue. I've got a cheap single speed detail sander for getting into corners that is very unpleasant to use for any length of time due to the vibration but I spent a good few hours sanding on four consecutive days with this and had no aches and pains afterwards. It is noisy like any sander so ear protection is a must and I always work with a dust mask when sanding.The finish I get on surfaces is excellent (using decent sanding pads helps). The speed control helps when sanding more delicate surfaces and using the higher grits I've got a great finish on some good quality patio furniture in particular.Overall a solid product, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this again!

This is less powerful than my old cheapo DIY shed sander, which let the smoke out recently, however it still does the job and is lighter and produces a lot less vibration. The start up is quick, but somewhat softened so no sudden jerk/torque. I haven't needed to use the extra handle yet, it is comfortable to hold in a variety of grip positions from the handle through to palm over the top. Unlike some reviews not only do the sanding discs not fly off, but they actually take some effort to peel free.Negatives, the power cord is short it will not even reach as high as I can reach up a wall, it is quite easy to unintentionally move the speed setting wheel while sanding. When I tried using an extraction hose a very loud and piercing squeal was produced from the sander. A single socket extension fixes the first and I think reducing the vacuum suction by putting a hose/pipe section with some holes in it may help with the latter.A washing machine drain extension hose with a 22mm ID end will fit on to the sander extraction port, I got a 4m one off here, you can use/make up and adapter to the vacuum at the other end, but even with it just loosely pushed up the vacuum nozzle the suction was great enough to cause the squeal from the sander so a bit more experimentation needed.

The media could not be loaded. I'm usually a bit hesitant spending big bucks on tools from Makita, DeWalt etc as the cheap creep has begun to set in, with tools not lasting as long and not having the build quality that they used to, etc. and some brands like Ryobi do the job for less. But I decided to take a punt and buy a Makita, and I'm glad I did. The power setting goes from 1 to 5 and I didn't feel that I ever needed to go above 4, it's pretty powerful. Within the hour I'd turned a roughly sawn slab of larch 2 foot long, a foot wide, and an inch thick, into a beautiful cutting board sanded to 400 grit. My only complaints are that the dust collecting bag is a little small and needs emptying often, and the clip on handle, whilst it did the job, probably won't hold if I were to really go to town on it. Luckily, I could use it in one handed whilst sanding the top and bottom and I didn't really need that separate handle.Overall, it's a great bit of kit, it never struggled or got hot or anything during use, the random orbit is so much better than a simple turning head and gives a very good finish, and I'm sure it will last for a long time to come.

Can’t believe how good this sander is. Bought as we have a large solid wood outdoor table that has suffered in our Scottish weather and also have a lot of woodwork to rub down indoors. It’s a bit of an investment, but so worth it for the quality of the finish and the reduction in time spent. I used a tradition orbital sander in the past, which took ages and gave mediocre results. This Makita sander has made all the difference. Got it back to bare wood really quick and the finish is just amazing. If you can, get the Klingspor sanding discs- saw a review that recommended them and it wasn’t wrong. They adhere really well and I only used 2 corse and one fine to finish. The dust catcher actually works really well and collects about 95% of the dust and there was plenty of it. It’s also a really good fit and doesn’t fall off. Highly recommend this excellent bit of kit.

Very fast sander. Had it on the 4 level and was finished in a very short time and did not need to push down on sander to get result. Bought it because of the handle options. Much easier to control. Light weight female so this is brilliant for me. Very happy with purchase. Will be buying more Makita tools. Like them a lot.

Great piece of kit that has transformed decorating and wood work. Used for redressing oak worktops and they are now lovely. The dust extraction while small works very well. Worth the money.