Makita BO5030 5" Random Orbit Sander

You can spend more money for an orbital sander (and less), but this little number has the best combination of function and price. It is the lesser price of the two Makita corded orbital choices here on Amazon, but I don't really need the ability to adjust the speed, so I went for the lower price point of this model. I use it where electrical power is available, so the higher power/longer lasting corded model is fine for me and I did not look to see if Makita has this among its wonderful cordless tools. I highly recommend this sander.It has the usual Makita power, functionality and comfort to use. I love being able to just change sandpaper by pulling the discs (also from Amazon) off and putting a new one on. Makes it very easy to go through several grits of paper on a single project without major hassle. I work outside on sanding (always), with a simple face/dust mask, so I don't use the dust catcher (just sweep the sawdust (mulch) into the garden.I just finished using it for about 3 weeks on almost a daily basis on a number of pine cabinet doors that I built, as well as stripping the finish off of some pre-finished kitchen cabinet doors and I could not be more pleased. It does the job very well with minimal hassles. The only thing it does not do is go right into the inside corners of projects... but that is not usually an issue, and it works so well on the rest of the piece that I don't mind a little hand-block time on inside corners.This is my first random-orbital sander, and I was really impressed with how it works. It is easy to use, not as loud as many reciprocal/vibrating sanders (though I still use noise-blocking headsets when using for any length of time), easier on the hands than the usual square vibrating sanders, and does a great job. I have 5 other sanders right now, (3 are Makita) and except for the initial removal of large amounts of wood from rough stock with the powerful belt sander, this is now the go-to choice for all medium and fine sanding applications. It just works better in doing the job.If you are looking closely at this sander... my suggestion is to go for it!

This sander, like all Makita products works exactly like it should.I have and have had a number of Makita and have never had a bad one. This sander not only sands well it also sucks up the dust it creates. I recommend it and would buy it again. Lewis

pro woodworker since 1965. have had about 2 or three dozen orbital sanders in my life. Picked this up recently and am very pleased with the performance and handling. it seems a little less aggressive than the Dewalt variable speed and a tad more powerful than the Bosch low end orbital .Feels good in the hand and the action is smooth and controllable. I hook my sanders up to the vac so dust collection is not an issue and i cannot rate the dust bag but for a short time i did use it off the vac system and the collection seemed a little less effective than the Bosch.

I purchased this as I was looking for an orbital sander for sanding the old stain off a dozen kitchen cabinets as well as some bedroom doors for a much needed new look. I wanted something that was both easy to use but also made quick work of a very laborious chore without oversanding or swirl marks. Needless to say, the Makita excelled at both. Simply move the sander with very little pressure across the piece and you'll have a piece that's ready to be stained or painted in no time. The dust collection wasn't great but it gets the job done. However, for how good a job this does compared to other orbital sanders I've used in the past at this price point, it's well worth the trade-off. To top it all off this sander is assembled in the United States! (See photo) How often do you see that? I wouldn't recommend it if was a piece of junk no matter where it's made, but this is both high quality and made here in America. For me, and hopefully you, that makes this a no-brainer if purchase if you're in the market for a random orbital.

Admittedly, I am a novice at woodworking, but I am thrilled with the performance of this sander. I have used it to re-purpose discarded wood (I made a bed headboard out of a cedar fence). I learned quickly that using the bag to catch dust is pretty useless, but I consider this a small flaw. I am VERY happy with my purchase and would definitely recommend it.

lightweight, powerful and easy to use. i highly recommend it.I purchased the makita as a replacement for my old porter cable sander that died. I should have upgraded years ago. this sander works a treat.

The Makita B05030 sander is used in my woodworking shop many hours a week. It has provided good service, is comfortable to use and the dust collection works well.

I've used Makita random orbit sanders for years in my semi-production shop. I dropped my latest one on the floor one too many times, I guess, and it quit in the middle of a job. My local hardware store didn't have a Makita so I bought a Dewalt sander, nowhere near as good, bad vibration. I put up with it for a while but ended up ordering another Makita for an upcoming job and will shelve the Dewalt as a spare.