Makita BO4550 Finishing Sander
Tool: Makita BO4550 1/4-sheet Finishing Sander
My old school Makita BO4550 1/4 sheet finishing sander has taken a backseat to a host of Random Orbit Sanders in my toolbox but occasional projects call for a finishing sander. I stick to higher grit sanding with this one and use it when I can’t risk removing too much material.
Rating: 
Description:
- Powerful motor for maximum production
- Palm grip design for operator comfort
- 14,000 OPM for smooth handling
- efficient dust collector makes cleaner work
- 1/4 sheet capacity for easy acess to sandpaper
- Flush sanding on three sides
- Easy-clamp paper holders for fast paper changes
Experience:
I haven’t used this sander in a long time. I used make tables from burl slabs and would use these 1/4-sheet sanders for some of the million levels of sanding. My job as carpenter rarely calls for finish sanders other than R.O. but every now and then a woodworking project needs a good flat sander like this orbital finishing sander.
I don’t prefer Makita over another but I’ve used the newest Makita model and it’s quite smooth and feels better than this BO4550 which is a rattle machine. Maybe it’s just the new rubber grip surface vs this straight-up plastic housing.
Links:
Makita BO4556 2 Amp Finishing Sander
Makita No.b04552 Finishing Makita Sander
Filed under: Sanders | Tagged: Finishing Sander, Makita, Sander