Milwaukee Battery Powered Random Orbit Sander
This review was created as part of a paid affiliate program with the Home Depot.
My first order of business with this and every product review is a disclaimer: I am not a professional contractor. I am a farmer and a fine furniture maker. When it comes to construction and renovation projects, I’m a DIYer and weekend warrior. That said, I doubt many professional contractors will be reading my tool reviews. My goal in reviewing tools and products is to provide honest feedback based on my own use and experience with these tools to other regular folks like me- wanting to get their hands dirty, try new things, and get the best value for their hard earned dollars.
Being so focused on handtool work for so long, I’ve conveniently found a whole lot of ways around spending much time with a sander. I was gifted an orbital sander years ago that I’ve only used a handful of times. That said, the only time I’d be very likely to use a sander would be out and about doing projects on the farm, so the fact that this is battery operated is a huge plus. I prefer all my farm tools to be battery operated because there isn’t power available on most of our four acres. This sander is going to find a nice happy spot on the farm tools cart.
I did however, recently find myself in need of a sander (check out my Shavehorse video on YouTube to see this baby in action), and was immediately impressed by the effectiveness of the dust port on this tool. The removable canister collected a shocking amount of the dust generated by the tool and it made quick work of the job I needed it for. My one complaint about the dust port is that it doesn’t have a round connector, so that makes it tough to hook up to a vacuum, but honestly, it does such a good job just with the canister that that fact doesn’t worry me too much. And, in reality, while I’d definitely recommend this tool to a DIYer/homeowner, this isn’t a tool meant for production work. If you’re in the shop spending an 8 hour day sanding an enormous Maple table top, there is really no reason to reach for a battery powered sander. If you’re installing new baseboards and need to trim off just a hair of material or smooth out a small surface inside the house or out on the deck and don’t want to drag out an extension cord or sit in an enormous cloud of dust, this is the perfect tool for the job.
Manufacturer messaging:
· 7,000-12,000 Max OPM output and variable speeds
· Compatible with all M18 batteries and chargers
· Part of the M18 system featuring over 150+ tools
Awesome Features:
· Variable speeds
· Very effective dust port
· Battery powered
Things I wish were better/different:
· The grip- I have really small hands, and it seems like this was built for someone with larger hands.
· Dust port isn’t round
This tool retails for $99.00. Would I buy it?
I don’t do a whole lot of sanding, but if I were in the market for a portable sander, this would be a major contender.
*I acknowledge that the Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the Prospective 2018 Campaign. As part of the program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.