Makita 9046 5-Inch Random Orbital Sander - 12,000 RPM, 2.0 AMP, Dust Extraction Port - Perfect for Woodworking, Furniture Refinishing & DIY Projects (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

I recently had an opportunity to do a hands on evaluation of 1/2 sheet sanders. I liked the ruggedness Porter-Cable, the economy of the Milwaukee, and the feel of the Bosch, but this new Makita is in a class of it's own. I bought it.At first it seemed a little heavy, but after I got use to it and let it work, it did a fantastic job. This 1/2 sheet sander oscillates much more than the others and does the job in half the time. It leaves the surface dead flat and is very kind to veneer.It has vacuum pick-up holes in the paper/sander like a random orbital sander. If you hook it up to a vac the dust is minimal ( This may require a little tape around the outlet to fit your hose). The punch plate does not come with the sander. So unless you can find the special pre-punched paper, you need to order the plate from a Makita rep or make one.Added January 2009The bad news is that I recently ran out of the pre-punched Makita sandpaper and my local shop stop carrying it. Sometimes when I'm working on a small project, it's really nice to have the pre-punch hook & loop paper for fast/easy grit changes. The good news is that I did some investigating and discovered that the Festool ½ sheet hook & loop is interchangeable with the Makita. Of course the Festool paper is no bargain but it works great on my Makita sander and the dust control is awesome.Eight years of intermittent use and it still runs great.