Belt sander may be one of those power tool that be not pull out often , but when you need to remove large quantity of stock , you will want to have one . the 9403 , 4x24 sander be powerful , have good balance , good belt tracking and easy belt change . this Makita also pick up a very decent amount of sand dust , have comfortable handle , a nice soft-start , and , most importantly , chew through stock with ease . this belt sander be possibly the best 4x24 on the market . I be very , very pleased with it . it be a genuine pleasure to operate this Makita , compare to my old craftsman 3x21 which I have receive as a gift year ago . I spend as much time adjust the belt tracking on the Craftsman as I do sand , but since I use it infrequently , I just put up with the excessive noise and generally less than stellar performance . after use the 9403 for 2 + year , I shake my head everytime I use it , wonder why I wait so long to replace my old one . I find myself pull this sander out and use it more often . long cord be always a big plus for I , often eliminate the need for extension cord in the shop . I just can not find anything negative to say about this machine yet . note : be advertise as ` quiet ' at 84db be pretty relative since -rrb- 90db for sustained period will deafen ... hearing loss be cummulative over time around high db power tool -lrb- router , table and miter saw , plate joiner , etc. -rrb- even if rate under the 90db threshold ... wear ear protection -lrb- check out Peltor H10A Professional Earmuff Hearing Protectors -rrb- .