I owned a 10 year old Black and Decker 1/4 sheet palm sander that was very loud, very dusty, and very prone to vibration. I mainly only use my belt sander and random orbital sander anyway, but there are those times when a 1/4 sheet sander is still the best tool for the job. So, I bought this unit as a replacement. First I will start with the good stuff:1. This sander is a bit quieter than my old one, but not much.
2. The gel-grip design on this sander is fantastic - no more tingly hands after sanding for a long time.
3. The dust collection works decently, and is of course a vast improvement for me since my old sander had no dust collection.
4. It is very affordable!
I guess what I am saying is that for what it is, this is not a bad sander at all.
Now for the few drawbacks...
1. This sander came with a separate plastic jig to use for punching the dust collecting holes into your sandpaper. I really wish there were another way to accomplish this since the jig never seems to be handy and/or where the sander is.
2. Although it IS quieter than my last palm sander, this thing is still uncomfortably loud.
3. The on/off switch is located in a perfect spot, but I wish it were not so recessed. Sometimes I have to fiddle around trying to get the thing on or off.
Overall, I am pleased with the quality of this tool. There are of course nicer sanders on the market but for the price this one cannot be beat!
