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I realize that a very large dust bag would not be practical on a sander this small, but this dust bag is so small that I find myself having to stop to empty the tiny dust bag numerous times even for relatively small jobs. The eight-hole sanding discs work very well, and the discs themselves seem to last about as long as you would expect sandpaper to last under normal use. I have used the sander for very rough sanding jobs on pre-painted, deeply rutted wood and it does quite well, though it is a little on the light side for large jobs of that type. The small dust bag doesn't affect the performance of the sander or its vacuuming function but it is something of a nuisance. Used for normal sanding jobs it works very well and, as other reviewers have said, random orbital sanders are terrific at avoiding sanding streaks that are sometimes characteristic of other types of sanders, especially when used on soft woods. Makita BO5010 2 Amp Palm Grip Random Orbit Sander with Cloth Dust BagI waited until after I had used this jewel of a little sander long enough to write a credible review.
I have pretty small hands and this little sander almost seems custom built for my hands (my wife, who has even smaller hands, loves using it also). My only complaint about this sander is the very small size of the dust bag. I have used the sander numerous times for a variety of tasks and have found it to do an excellent job in every instance. The sander does a very good job of vacuuming up dust as you sand which makes it much easier to assess the amount and quality of the sanding you are doing and, of course, it keeps down the dust in your shop or work area. Even with this relatively minor complaint, I would definitely buy another one and would recommend it highly, especially to you smaller handed woodworkers. In fact, I just ordered another one for my brother-in-law who used mine and said he had to have one just like it.
For smaller jobs on such wood it works great.
The vibration in the hand is low, and it does a superb job at what it is designed to do - sand. I purchased this sander nearly one year ago and can't say I have any complaints about it. This is a purchase you won't regret. I don't know where the components are made, but at least the tool itself is assembled in USA which is more than I can say for the 18V Li-Ion drill and impact driver combo that I have as well (Makita brand) which is made in China. The dust collection works surprisingly well, though if the bag isn't pushed in all the way it has a tendency to fall out (fault of the user, not the tool). It isn't unbearably loud although I still wear my ear muffs when using it.
I now have two of them. This is a quality item and Makita really stands behing their products. I had a problem with the pad on my first one and Makita repaired it and had it back to me in three days.
Overall, I am very pleased with the machine. The dust collection bag is a little awkward as it must be rotated to one position to keep from hitting the work piece. Quieter than my other four sanders. Very easy to handle.
Oh, also, be careful of the skitter. Maybe it's just me, or maybe that's just something this type of sander does, but as much as I use it, I HATE to use it for that reason. Good technique required. GREAT sander, does the job wonderfully, rugged (I've dropped it _so_ many times.)., but there's a BUT: the vibration causes my right arm to go numb. Vibrates my funnybone somehow, and the numbness takes days to go away.
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