best 3 x 21 belt sander out there
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am a professional carpenter/cabinetmaker and I recently bought the dewalt 433k for work. I used to favor porter cable sanders until I saw this sander at a home enhancement store and compared it to other brands. I chose the dewalt for its 3 wheel system for getting into tight spaces, the cord being located on top, multi-position handle, variable speed and large kit box. When I used the sander it preformed perfectly.
One note though, when I bought new belts by porter cable, they didn’t track well and would tear up on me. The dewalt belts I then bought worked flawlessly ( later in comparing the belts the PC belts have a thinner backing then the dewalt which leaves me to believe the paper on the pc belts stretch simpler and causes the tracking to go off and tear the belts.)

DW433K Power Sander
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is one sander that can/do.If you want a hefty sander, one that sands flat, one that works as advertised, one that will give you results better than you wanted or expected then this is for you! It’s hefty but it helps with control and staying flat. This sander has power to spare, I used 80grit on some oak and pine after using a router/surfacing jig to get out the rigids (my other cheapy sander burned out,got my money out of it tho’)and it took no time compared to my other one. The weight helps to counter the power of the sander which will take off if you don’t work with it. Let the sander do the sanding…that’s what this baby does, no need to push down at all, if you do…OOPS now you’ll know why. But the design, balance, weight and power all work with each other as long as you stay over it and let it do it’s thing. The dust pool is something else, be prepared to get dusty. Read it’s going to be fixed in later models, how much later? Fix the dust problem and it’s an simple 5!:)

Fantastic solid performer!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Update: February 3, 2007. This belt sander has finally failed after having for a couple of years. Sanding floors edges again and ran for about 2.5 hours non-stop. It got pretty hot and then a loud ratcheting sound came from the rear roller mechanism. I guess it finally let go.

This is my second Dewalt tool. I’ve taken a liking to the yellow and black trademark. I was searching for a new belt sander and did some research and found this at the local home enhancement chain. I needed a belt sander to take down some repaired hardwood flooring to the existing level and wanted something honestly compact with an equal amount of heft to aid with sanding. The Porter Cable units were too large and bulky for my inclination. The dust pool unit is questionable in terms of how its secured. It seems to like to want to go off to the side nearly causing it to pop off, but it hasn’t happened yet. It does a decent job of collecting dust. I’ve also had no problems with belt tracking after using a variety of manufacturers’ belts. The variable speed feature is a perk, but be warned that if you do not read the directions carefully about the 10 percent decrease in applied voltage the motor will seem to want to die in the 1st speed setting. Its very sensitive to voltage requirements. I thought I had a defective unit until I switched to another outlet and it came back to life!

Dewalt has come out with an innovative design with the 3 rollers that really seems to work well. I’ve gotten into some honestly tight spots with the front smaller diam. roller. The platten was pretty flat compared to some of the competitors products in the same class, which provided very satisfactory results when doing initial leveling of a repaired section on a hardwood floor. I’m usually a devoted customer of another power tool manufacturer (check my other reviews), but I’m very pleased with this buy. A Very solid and capable piece of machinery.

Died after a half hour of use
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I picked one up at the local home center. After using it for a half hour of sanding it died. When I pulled the trigger it would start then come to a halt in a few seconds. Checked the belt to make sure it hadn’t seized up. My only guess is that it was a switch problem.

Back to the home center and exchanged it for a Porter-Cable.

disappointed
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Well what can I say? I like most of the Dewalt line of tools, but if they made the rest of their tools like this one, they would go out of business quick! The tracking was eratic,vacuum dust control doesn’t work at all-(unless you hook a shop vac).

And for the real clincher—the back drive wheel shaft started wobbling and vibrating after about three hours of total run time.

I checked for a loose bearing or bolt but the wheel wouldn’t go by hand, no play at all, which shows that the run-out was caused by the axle shaft bending-most probably due to poor metal quality. Took it back and got a porter cable 352vs–which so far has performed fantastic after many hours of use.

DON’T waste your money
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I give this sander a zero stars but the case 5 stars. The sanding belts don’t track, be prepared to buy lots of belts, it eats them. The dust pool doesnt work at all. I bought this at a home center and really returned the first one and exchanged it for another Dewalt, giving them the benefit of the doubt. Same results “JUNK”. Save your money or buy a Porter Cable or Makita.

Efficient but messy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Even with 80 grit paper this machine takes wood down quick moderately effortlessly. It requires some strength to keep it wandering. My only real complaint is the bag is useless and the dust just goes everywhere other than the dust bag. Wear a mask!

Works as Advertised
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After reading all the ratings on this sander, I was skeptical as to whether I should buy it or not. Being an adventurous person, I bought it, used it, and I like it. Never had a bit of distress with it, but want to comment on some of the issues that were brought up by other users. I too, thought that there was a lot of dust when I first used it, but that’s what sanders do. I was somewhat skeptic of the dust pool system until I opened it after a moderately small sanding session. WOW! It was nearly full. The bag does fill up quick, and on larger jobs I will use the vacuum attachment. I was a small nervous about the belt tracking, because when I first started the sander, the belt looked like it was coming off. I followed the directions, and never had any problems. Don’t use cheap belts. I use 3M Purple belts and have never had any problems with it. Last of all, do not attempt to pick up the sander by its handle when it is plugged in. The unit is front heavy, and as you attempt to lift it, your finger will press the switch, and then @#!*%#. Either unplug it first, or lift it with both hands.

DON’T BUY
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought one of these. What a piece of junk. But it’s the best looking piece of junk I’ve ever bought. And it comes with a real nice case. Regular belts did not last more than 60 seconds. The expensive ones lasted a bit longer. I’m just a hobbyist, not using it for construction. I tried an expensive belt on a flat piece of plywood to see if it would tear those up too. It did. Adjusting the tracking knob just stretches the belt on one side. If you’re rich, buy this thing and throw the sander away and keep the cool case. I returned it.

DeWalt belt sander
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This belt sander , with its vertiable speed is one of the best sanders I have ever used. And with its sanding frame it makes into stationary belt sander easily and quickly.

Brilliant sander
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The sander performed well and met most of my expectations. But, the dust pool boot tended to slip off its mounting easily and required frequent reattachment. And the dust pool capability for coarse sanding is inadquate, leaving most of the sawdust on the floor beneath the sander. But, I didn’t buy the sander for its dust pool capability. One distress spot is the tracking adjustment. The mechanism seems to jam and once the tracking screw is tightened, it can’t be released without forcing the roller back into position. Frequent applications of WD-40 seem to be helping. Otherwise, I am pleased with the sander.

Not fit for a pro
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
this sander is the cloud on my sunny day. I’ve owned Three I know. cool look. will not last for more than a week of heavy use. buy a porter cable. the first one died in an hour. the second finished the job. Three days and then sat for a few months. first week it came out. dead. replace it. still under warranty. next one dies 2 days later. don’t buy unless you will only sand with it maybe 30 hours of your life. or you like needless trips to the store.

Belt Eater
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Bought one on Sunday. Within 15 minutes of use it had eaten 4 belts. One jammed, took 30 minutes to clear. I read and re-read the directions on tracking adjustments. Pretty simple it seemed, but it didn’t work. No matter what, the belts migrated into the housing and were hurt in small order. Took it back the next day.

Only eats cheap belts!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was a bit skeptical after ordering one of these, as I’d read the reviews of people claiming that it eats belts.

My personal expirence is that this sander is balanced perfectly. It’s got power, it’s got an brilliant dust system, and it chews right through the wood exactly as I hoped it would.

I went to the store and got two kinds of the same grit (80) belts. One was cheap, the other was much higher quality. Both were bidirectional belts. One was flush-joined, the others weren’t.

The flush-joined belts have lasted very well. They track perfectly. They’re more expensive, but they work reliably.

The other, cheaper belts have tracking nightmares. I believe it’s due to the way the belt is made. The joint is not flush, and leave a raised diagonal line across the belt. This seems to be the reason the belt is mistracking. With _very_ careful manipulation of the tracking adjustment _while_ sanding, I was able to keep one of these cheap belts going for about fifteen minutes before it hit the housing and was chewed to pieces.

The metal housing is wonderful. The weight is fantastic. Using this sander on flush doors is a workout! I can’t hardly wait until next spring when I use it on my deck before I stain it. (Just went into a house last winter)

This is a fantastic tool, and an even better toy. It’s a hefty piece of equipment. It did get pretty warm after an hour of solid use in >90 degree heat, but I didn’t burn myself changing belts or anything.

Highly recommended.

The excellent, the terrible and the hideous.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The history: I have owned this belt sander for a small over a year. It was given to me as a birthday present, and I have used it maybe three times. The first use was in a fixer-upper house that I was painting and (obviously) fixing up. I used it in this house probably for about 3 hours total. The only other time I can remember using it clearly, was about a week ago on a small wooden bench that I am trying to build (new leisure activity). I may have used it here and there on other things, but this unit has probably less than 5 hours on it, and definately less than 10 hours on it.

WORTH NOTING: I am a loyal DeWalt customer. I know many people will look at me cross eyed when they hear that- but I’ve had fantastic luck with the tools that I’ve owned from them in the past 2-3 years, and I own MOSTLY yellow power tools. Their cordless drill and reciprocating saw are possibly my favorite, most used tools. I’ve tortured those two and they look and act groundbreaking new.

The Excellent- This tool is AWESOME to use. I spoke to someone who loved the Porter Cable because it was simple to get into tight places if you removed the dust pool, was well balanced, etc. In my limited encounter with the Porter Cable (you can see how often I’ve used belt sanders) I found the Dewalt design to be MUCH better. With its lower center of gravity and fantastic balance, it is simple for me to maneuver- even going up vertical walls/doors, etc. It is heavy- but because of the balance it is heavy when it needs to be and simple to handle when it needs to be. If you are sanding something down on the floor, the weight pushes straight down and you just need to hold it steady to keep the sander from taking off like a race car. Very small if any downward force is required to use this tool in this fashion due to its being just heavy enough. And, as I mentioned, if you are going up a wall or door- the balance makes the tool seem not quite so heavy. I can pick it up and hold if flat to a wall for quite some time without any fatigue (maybe an hour before you start to notice). This machine is also PLENTY powerful enough, and can eat through wood like anything I’ve seen. 5 stars for usage characteristics in my book.

The Terrible- The dust pool port is not “fantastic”. I can see why people say it doesn’t work, as it seems to work sometimes and not others. I have been thinking of buying the adapter (approx. $15) to hook this up to a shop vac for dust pool- but haven’t gotten around to it. Again, I don’t use this tool enough.

A lot of reviews have stated that this machine eats belts. I haven’t seen this to be the case at all- I’ve only bought 2 belts (different grits) for this machine, and after all the use (a WHOLE 5 hours or so) they are starting to frey a small on the sides. The freying is even though, and I would expect this from the heavy sanding that I’ve been doing. I reckon these belts could last 10-15 hours with cleaning. Maybe I’m lucky.

Directions- Maybe I’m not excellent at reading directions, but I just find Dewalts instruction manuals to be lacking. In my encounter with any of their tools, there is usually one or two key pieces of in rank that gets left out- or at least is hard to find. Once you figure out the missing piece, everything is fantastic, but finding that piece can be frustrating, and sometimes you may not even realize that your problem is something due to a setting or feature of the tool. For instance, if you hadn’t read the in rank painstakingly, you may not have realized how the tracking works on this sander- and may not have even known that you needed to track it. Maybe a poor example….but I hope the point is there.

The Hideous- My last project about a week ago was building a SMALL bench (small= nearly doll sized). I had a small piece of wood that I needed to sand down. I was using this tool and everything was working fine. I place the piece down, went to do something else, came back, got setup to continue sanding again, pulled the trigger and….nothing. Yup, it was plugged in, yup the plug was working. I was shocked to be honest. No smell, no noises, nothing. Just a dead tool- that was running PERFECTLY when I stopped using it 5-10 minutes before.

This was a friday night, so I had to wait until monday to call and get it fixed. I was really shocked and miffed that I had killed a DeWalt tool under such small use (again- 5-10 hours!). I figured, no problem – It’s still got the warranty.

I called DeWalt and was advized of the nearest service center. I brought it in to the place and found out they no longer service DeWalt warranty items since about 3 months ago. They were nice enough to tell me the next closes place, who told me they couldn’t repair it under warrant unless I had my buy receipt. They were an “Authorized Repair Center” not a “Dewalt Repare Center”. Who would keep their receipt for 3 years? They said it would probably be about $50 total to fix, and it is a $200 tool. I told them that I had read many reviews on here that showed this as being an ongoing problem, so I’d rather save the $50 if it’s going to happen again- and place it towards another sander that won’t break.

I called Dewalt again and found that their closest Dewalt Service Center is about an hour and a half drive away. I can mail it in, and probably will- but the bottom line is that this is a no-warranty warranty. Sure, we’ll replace it if it breaks- but it’s going to be a lot of hassle for you!

The Bottom Line- For use, this is a Fantastic tool. But, it breaks down MUCH too quick. If you are going to spend $25-40/hr to sand something, just hire someone else to do it. I wish it had held up, since it did operate very well. It is, at least for me, a huge hassle to go through the warranty. I like Dewalt tools a lot, but I would probably look elsewhere for a belt sander if I had to do it over again. I reckon this is a case, maybe, where the commerce of the tool was very excellent- but the manufacturing was lacking. Maybe it’s a cheap switch they use? I don’t know. Look at the Porter Cables, or the Bosch sanders.

Excellent sander, needed parts.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
When I received my sander, I tried using it straight away. It immediately ate a belt. What I didn’t know is that the belt adjustment screw was missing. After checking out the manual I realized what my problem was. I called DeWalt and they sent me an adjustment screw straight away. I’ve now used it quite a bit and have had no further problem with it. I did buy the dust collector attachment and use is every time I use the sander. I recommend it highly.

It caught on FIRE
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this as a recond. tool trying to save some money. I was surprised at the weight of the sander but that was not a problem. The first problem I had was that the belt got stuck. Upon further investigation I found that the rear roller had melted and stuck to the belt which the stuck on the flat part of the sander. I cleaned this up and bought a new belt. A couple days later I was using the sander again. The motor was slowing down so I emptied the dust collector and continued using the sander. Then it started smoking and it caught on fire. I quickly threw it on the floor and the fire went out. I took it to the service center and told him that it caught on fire. I was then questioned where was the fire. How should I know when I saw fire I got rid of it as soon as possible. I then questioned if it would be repaired or replaced and I was told repaired. Now come on it was on fire it should be replaced. My ancient Makita which was stolen would run and run and never caught on fire. Not sure if this will be my last dewalt product but I will look at other options next time.

got a lemon
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I was so excited about this sander. Sorry to say after using it for less than one day it was eating belts, the tracking adjustment did not work. It spewed dust despite often emptying the bag and was a huge disappointment. When I called Dewalt they had me take it to the local Dewalt store for return and said a new sander would be shipped to me. The service person said they would only repair it, not return it. I called Dewalt customer service then the store manager who finally agreed to replace it with a new sander. It arrived and the preliminary test seems hopeful.

Pleased
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Reading all the negative reviews and I formerly chose purchasing the sander would be more distress than it was worth. I looked at quite a few others but in the end, they each had something I couldn’t live with. I chose to take the risk and hoped I wouldn’t regret it.

It was the right choice. This is an brilliant piece of equipment. I’ve used it on concrete, hardwood and softwoods alike with out any problems. It churns through projects with out slowing down.

I’ll agree the dust collector isn’t the best, but with the amount of material it’s going through, only a vaccume dust collector could solve the problem. Besides, I’ve never seen a dust collector on any piece of equipment catch everything.

I may have gotten lucky, but it’s worth the money.

Excellent ergonomics, but the excellent ends there
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this sander based on a Fine Woodworking review. Ususally they get it right, but not this time. I bought the sanding frame kit. The frame itself works well, but the stand can not be used with the dust collector and the frame doesn’t fit in the stand well. The case that comes with the kit holds all of the pieces and is enormous and of small use to me because of its size.

The sander is excellent ergonomically, I used it comfortably for about 6 hours straight while sanding a hardwood floor. But, the dust pool was poor to start with and stopped working entirely after less than an hour. Apparently the plastic dust impeller broke, based on my visual inspection. I also knocked the dust bag off several times, as described by others. The design is just not up to snuff in my opinion.

The other positive is that DeWalt will take it back for the first 90 days, so I’m sending mine back.

A Novel Design With Some Excellent Features, Some Average
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The Dewalt DW433K 3″x21″ belt sander has a design that sets it apart from typical belt sanders. The most noteworthy feature is that it has 3 rollers. The single front roller of the typical belt sander has been replaced by a pair of smaller rollers. The top roller has raised flange on the side nearest the motor. This is to deject the belt from wandering off the rollers and chewing up itself and the side of the belt sander. In my encounter, this feature works well. The sander manual warns the user not to install the belt so it overlaps the flange. It takes a few moments to do this because it is hard to see that end of the top roller.

The control that centers the belt on the rollers is still necessary and it is like that of typical belt sanders. It is a metal stem with a plastic knob that changes the orientation of the assembly that holds the front rollers as it is screwed in and out. The sander came with a belt on it. When I turned it on, the belt came off toward the side away from the motor, which did no permanent harm. But, when I turned the plastic knob to adjust it, the control did nothing. The stem felt as if there was no pressure on it and the roller assembly did not go. The belt still came off when the sander was turned on. As I fiddled with this for awhile, I heard a click as if something had come unstuck. Then the control started to operate and the belt stayed on. The control has worked ever since.

The belt is not released by the usual stiff lever that most belt sanders have. There is a circular knob on the side of the planer with a raised handle. It applies and releases the belt tension. I find it simpler to operate that the typical lever release.

The belt speed is set by a dial built into the back of the handle. Since the sander must be went around as it is running, I prefer this design to one that controls speed by how far the trigger is pressed. Gripping the handle with a “pistol grip” does not disturb the setting of this dial. This sander sands more rapidly than my ancient 4 inch Sears belt sanders. The lowest speed setting of “1″ is quick enough for pine lumber. The dust ejection spout has an fascinating warning on it: “Collected sanding dust from sanding surface coatings (polyurethane, linseed oil, etc.) can self-ignite in the sander dust bag or elsewhere and cause fire Reduce risk. Empty bag often and strictly follow sander manual and coating manufacturer’s directions.”

I (and my bathroom scale) estimate that the sander weights about 11 pounds. I find it not too terrible to pick up off the floor with one hand and heavy enough so I don’t have to press down on it when sanding. The sander has the feel of a well made piece of mechanical equipment. It reminds me of feel of the better types of stationary sanding stations. ( The DeWalt website advertises a “sanding frame” accessory to convert the sander to a stationary sanding station. I have not tried this accessory.)

The cord on this tool exits from the top of the sander. I find this helpful since I am conscious of where the cord is going. Several times, in using sanders where the cord exits from the back of the sander, I’ve went the sander backwards, caught the cord under the belt and snapped it off. The cord itself has a rubbery instead of stiff plastic feel and it remains flexible in cool temperatures. ( The low 40′s is all I can vouch for, here in southern NM.)

The sander has a dust collector that is a stiff enclosure rather than a flexible bag. (There are no disposable filters in this enclosure.) To use the sander without the dust collector, you can remove the collector and turn a lever on the planer body that shuts off the dust ejection spout to it. This is a nice feature, since the collector itself is nuisance, like the dust collectors on most sanders. The designers apparently tried to make it hard to fortuitously knock the collector off. There is a sliding mechanism that attempts to lock the collector inlet into the body of the planer. The collector also clips to the body of the planer. The inlet of the collector is made of a durable hard rubber instead of plastic. This is excellent because the collector is easily knocked off. The design only makes it hard to place it back on. Typical publicity photos of this planer do not reveal that the bottom face of the dust collector nearly touches the surface being sanded. This does not interfere with normal sanding, but when I set the sander down on a cluttered work table, the collector often lands on some object that knocks it loose.

The dust collector spout on the sander’s body is roughly rectangular. The DeWalt website advertises an adapter to connect the planer to a dust pool hose. This adapter is not included in the kit.

Belt sanders are designed to sand surfaces that are already substantially flat and the pad of the sander does the sanding rather than the rollers. If you are a naughty woodworker who sands with the rollers, you should consider the fact that the design of this planer may not suit you. The lower front roller had a slightly raised central section about 2.25 inches wide that helps keep the belt centered. With the dust collector mounted, you would have a hard time using the rear roller. I, myself, don’t try to use the rollers for sanding.

I dislike tool cases that require the contents to be precisely positioned before the case will close. The case is of average difficulty to use (i.e. I have average dislike for it.) To place the sander in the case, the dust collector must be removed. You must learn exactly how the sander sits in the case. There is ample room for the tool’s power cord.

I rate this sander as four out of five stars to indicate that it is an above average belt sander.

Less than one hour total use
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I recieved one of these for Fathers Day two years ago. I didn’t have a project to use it on until after the warranty expired, but being new I hadn’t even thought about it not working. For some reason it would run fantastic, then for no reason, quit. It didn’t seem hot, but I tried it again a while later and it ran for a few minutes then quit again and never did work after that. Belts seemed to be a problem to, but never had a chance to really adjust them much before it quit. It sounds like other people have had the same problem with them quiting. If anyone knows what the cause is, please email me at crowpeak@hotmail to tell me what to try and fix. In the in rank it shows how to change brushes, so I might try that and see if there are any loose wires or something. This sander never did get much of a workout. Worked fantastic till it died! I will never buy another Dewalt tool.

Belt align knob doesn’t work- eats belts
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I have had the DeWalt DW433K for several years now in my woodshop. It gets moderate use- more than a hobbiest, less than a flooring service provider I guess. Its been returned once, and in the shop once, and is now kaput.

First one was DOA, just locked up and wouldn’t run. Second one worked for awhile, but ate belts. I took it to the local service center, and they fixed it. It’s worked fine for several years now. But recently it started eating belts again, and the belt adjustment knob did nothing.

The tool works well when it works, but I won’t get another one. I like the location of the handles, and it has adequate power. The belt tension lever would be better if it locked in the open position, and the dust pool bag attachment is just goofy. But the tool is nicely balanced and pretty tough.

DeWalt sometimes like to pile on the features, making a basic tool more complex. Call it fresh disease. I reckon this tool suffers from a mild case of it.

I’m back to the Porter Cable or the Bosch.

It mostly gets the job done
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I just returned my second of these belt sanders.

The first of the two I had for just one evening and it was having problems keeping the paper aligned. It “ate” the paper and as I was cleaning the unit out, the rear roller broke. I took the unit back still trusting the DeWalt name. Every manufacturer botches a tool irregularly and I have used plenty of DeWalt tools that met and exceeded expectations.

I brought the second sander home and started using it that very evening. It took a very small amount of time (perhaps 10 to 15 minutes) to get hot enough to burn myself on the metal of the housing which is all to conveniently near where the thumb rests during use. The paper had to be constantly monitored as it would creep along the path unless the adjustment knob was twiddled to its satisfaction often. Even keeping those in mind, the pool bag clogged up very easily and I eventually gave up on the pool bag and just had someone sweep up after me.

This sander was a disappointment given both the brand name and hefty price tag that came along with it. This review would have been a one-star except that throughout the entire proceeding, it kept the sandpaper moving at a nice regular speed and with plenty of power which is, after all, why I bought a sander.

Smoking and dead after 1st light to medium duty project
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this sander because Dewalt claims to make fantastic tools that last. I believed this and bought this sander plus a 12.5 inch Dewalt planer.

This was a mistake and a waste of my valuable time and money. I sold the 12.5 inch planer because it was extremely LOUD, sweekie, and a few screws came of during operation so OK fine. The belt sander smoked up and died while I was removing laminate from an ancient dresser. I was able to end two drawer faces and half of the top and then it smoked and lost much of its power. I had it plugged directly in power outlet on 20 AMP breaker so using to thin of a power cord as the cause was out of the question. I will see what I can do about getting it fixed and then sell it as well. PLEASE take my advice

and avoid buying dewalt tools. Without rage in my opinion the dewalt line is very low quality and there is a excellent chance that you will be sorry if you choose dewalt.