Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Experience:

I have lots of experience with this tool. I bought it new before I was really a carpenter at all. I remember getting a really awesome piece of burl and wanting to plane it down. I do still have that burl which I made in my apartment building hallway in 1989.

Fifteen years later, I used this plane to work on The Glass House in New Canaan, CT. I guess that makes it a famous plane since it was in a published picture.

Comments:

The model 1900B that I bought in 1989 still works. I bought new blades and replaced them over time but nothing to the motor. The cord is always a pain in the ass with this thing but it’s not a brand specific complaint. You should hear the screaming wail this thing makes. It has sounded sick for the last 10 years, certainly not what it sounded like new. It works and I use it and I see no reason to buy a new one until it’s dead. Then, I will cough up for the Festool EHL 65 E.

The depth adjustment knob pulls the plate upward into a foam pad. It really never worked very well and mine has been tightened to it’s max depth almost permanently. I rarely loosen it because this plane just doesn’t eat very much at a time. 3/64″? hmm…

[View with PicLens]

Links:

I’m shocked to see the Makita model 1900B in 2009!
Makita N1900B 4 Amp 3-1/4-Inch Planer
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Makita KP0810 7.5 Amp 3-1/4-Inch Planer
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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: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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 – Current popular Makita!

Makita No.b04552 Finishing Makita Sander – Similar Makita model

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Features:
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Experience:
True enough, I haven’t had the Makita saw for long. My decision toward the Makita was based on magazine reviews and Amazon.com feeback. When I first set this saw up on my job, I literally could not believe how smooth it is. There is no compare! I am not exaggerating when I say this is by far the smoothest machine in my shop; literally, silky smooth. It puts my Bosch 3915 to shame in terms of it’s incredibly smooth action. It’s a carpenter’s wet dream. Every pass through the material is a cut of precision and there’s a light to illuminate each perfect slice. (Don’t laugh at the light, it’s handy for getting those last few cuts at the end of the day without having to setup real work lights)

Comments:
Unfortunately I’m suffering buyers remorse to some degree but I’m committed to this saw so hopefully I can adapt to the features that trouble me. Being an old hand at adapting to new technology, new levers and buttons and even new ways of thinking I am still confused as to what good putting the angle indicator at the far right of the table does?

Something new to me is the steel lever for changing the angle. It’s as fluid and easy to operate as making a cut, however the slide lock is a large twist knob above the angle lock knob and it sucks! When do you lock the slide? I lock it when I am moving the saw; unplug, lock down the motor, turn to 45º, lock the slide and transport… but no! With the Makita if you lower the housing you can’t get the tight grip you need to effectively twist and lock the slide. Even with the housing up, it requires sufficient torque to effectively lock the slide in place. I go through the step of tightening the control, thinking it’s locked, then I upright the saw stand and the damn thing slams backward. WTF?
A complaint other than the slide lock and the tendency for sawdust buildup limiting full slide motion, is the tiny fence. True, Makita offers a better fence as an ‘optional accessory’ and that’s because it needs it. With the Makita LS1013FL you are cutting your crown moulding flat. Not even standard 3 1/2″ colonial will be supported by the itsy-bitsy little fence.

The pin that locks down the housing works better than Bosch’s spring-assisted twist thingy. The depth stop is nice, doesn’t get in the way and is easy to adjust.

This saw has a weird balance to it on the stand. I think it’s awkwardly balanced in general with a lot of weight up high that cantilevers beyond the base.

[View with PicLens]

In Summary:
It’s the smoothest tool in my shop. It’s as pretty as can be and that fact worries me. I am not always gentle. I’ve had it a few months and I haven’t gotten over the little things that bother me. Really, who can imagine actually producing an angle indicator that you can’t see? It’s like they forgot we needed one and threw it over in the corner because it interfered with some mechanism. Hey designer, the angle setting is the one thing I look at, need to check and make adjustments to on a regular basis.

This saw is another cause of frustration for me. On the one hand it is the best chop saw I have ever owned and on the other hand it suffers from a uniqueness that some may not be able to overcome. It’s like they made the best car the world has ever seen but put the steering wheel in the back seat.

The LS1013FL at Makita.com (Product Data)

Makita LS1013FL on Amazon.com (Good price and reviews!)
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In the above gallery, my Makita LS1013 sits like royalty atop the completely garbage Ridgid MS-UV which I positively regret purchasing.

My Makita 6820V is a real noise maker that has zipped in tens of thousands of drywall screws and still seems the same as the day I bought it. Typically left in my tool storage, I bring this screw driver to the job when it’s necessary. This is a tool that I’ve owned for 15+ years and is still sold today. There’s a reason for that. (The 6820V has been discontinued but the Makita 6821 is strikingly similar)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Features:

Experience: Another tool I’ve had forever that’s still working perfectly. The Makita Drywall Screwdriver I bought even before my first screwgun because my very first jobs were commercial work in downtown San Francisco. I framed out many apartments in metal studs, even fabricating this place in 1990 as an apprentice carpenter. I don’t like putting up drywall. I don’t particularly like using this Makita constant-on screamer but I’m glad I have it for those few times when I am doing the sheetrock. (Hopefully no more than a bathroom or closet.)

Comments: The only comment I have is; Watch out you don’t get pricked when you reach into your pouch filled with screws! I’ve used other brands such as the Dewalt but I prefer the Makita.

Links:

Makita Variable Speed Drywall Screwdriver at Amazon.com

Drywall Screwdrivers at Makita.com (Product Data)

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

Experience:

Well, like I said I ran down to the store and picked up the 10″ 2703 only to find out that it wouldn’t fit in my Rousseau 2700 Table Saw Stand. One of the reasons you find Amazon.com links on this site is because it’s where I buy lots of my tools including a new Rousseau Saw Stand. Delivery from Amazon.com is amazingly prompt and I had the new stand in two days! (In fact I ordered my PLS-180 for use on the jobsite the following day, I’m not kidding. I honestly don’t know how they do it. … and the prices can’t be beat!)
The 2703 is not what a fine woodworker thinks of when deciding on a shop tool but my shop has always been limited in size, from apartment to garage to rental space to basement, etc. Believe it or not I have used this 40lb. Makita contractor saw for beautiful and finely crafted furniture. Sure I’d love a giant Delta with a Biesemeyer fence but I don’t have the money nor the feasability for such a monster in my shop and make due with this Makita.

Comments:

It’s not the smoothest of the bunch but it’s a real performer. In a few minutes I will rip out some Mahogany pieces for a Frank Lloyd Wright reproduction lamp consisting of 1/4″ boards. Instead of using my band saw, since the pieces are only 3″ wide, I will use the 10″ Makita 2703 and then send them through my thickness planer. I’ve created at least a half-dozen jigs for use with the Rousseau fence, including a tenoning jig which I use frequently. After ripping the pieces I will use this Makita to cut a 45º bevel instead of using a 45º router bit. (True, I might have to hit the edge with a plane before assembly but what I am saying is, I trust the accuracy of this saw for fine cabinetry work and I use it for just that.) I’ve mentioned before that using a tool requires a bit of ‘craftsmanship’. I’ve seen the same material passed through the same tool by two separate people with totally unique results. Take care, set up properly, use jigs, feather boards, push-sticks and be precise. As with just about any tool, beside Festool, you can’t just shove the material in and expect it will come out perfectly. I am skilled. I don’t need a billion dollar set-up to make an accurate cut. By day this saw sits in my client’s driveway or yard and thousands of feet of every kind and length material is cut. Stack upon stack of Pine, Azek, Fir, Mahogany, plywood and more… and then it comes home and rips beautiful little pieces for my shop work. Bubinga, Ebony, Walnut, Cherry… Excellent saw.

Only one part has ever broken and that is due to inept employees who couldn’t figure to turn on this table saw; push down on the switch before pulling. They just broke it clean off. After five years with no maintenance my Makita saw needed some cleaning and WD-40 on the threaded rods that raise and lower the blade and motor. I like the bevel and height adjustment and dread the older Makita twist design. My friend just bought the Ridgid table saw, which comes with wheels and stands on it’s own. I wouldn’t trade for a day. My Makita sitting in the Rousseau stand is superior by my estimation, regardless of wheels, smoothness and additional features.

My table saw is in use every single day, including weekend projects. I rate this machine highly. In today’s market I don’t know what I will do when it’s time is up… but I will consider the fact that this one has served me far longer than previous saws and never failed me on the job.

Links:

Makita 2703 15 Amp 10-Inch Benchtop Table Saw at Amazon.com

Makita 2703 at Makita.com (Product Data)