the quick background ... I be more diy than a serious woodworker\/builder . I have a old old house so lot of thing I have to make , molding be a big one . I originally purchase this to help sand some floor in a dinning nook , but have not make it that far yet . but I find another use that seem like it could help I out in . I be make a transition piece between tile in a redone bathroom to hardwood in the kitchen , but the floor do not line up level -lrb- do not ask I do not do the floor in the kitchen -rrb- . so the transition piece basically have to have a rotate bevel cut into the surface and I do not have a band see or table see that could do what need to be do . sorry the sander do not do it all , actually most of the cut be do by hand . now to the actual review ... so as I look at this rough cut piece of wood I pull out my DeWalt orbital sander and go to town . 30 minute later I be not impress with my progress . I think about what else I could do to expedite the process , and I come back to my new belt sander . now I receive it as a Christmas gift and it be still in the box -lrb- await that flooring project that be just oh so far away . -rrb- now I have never use a belt sander before , or see one in use other than on tv ... where they usually go fly across the room . I mean do a floor be one thing , sand on a difficult to hold down piece I have be work on for several day be another . I unpackage it , and low and behold it come with a 80 grit belt already install ... -lrb- well that save a trip to the hardware store for a change -rrb- . I thumb through the book , really straight forward . a simple lever to change the belt and a knob to adjust tracking . I fire it up and be amaze at how quiet it be , even on the fastest speed it be quieter than the orbital . the tracking be spot on from the factory . I setup my piece and in 15 minute or so I be do . now obviously I have very limited use with it so far , but the only fault\/nit-pick I can find right off be the speed control . it have excellent range , but not great linearity . three and down seem slow and want to bog down the sander , jump to four and you be cut fast . obviously it be adjustable between 3 and 4 , it just seem to have a sweet spot where you be a little low on power then to where you better be move quick . that spot probably depend on the wood and grit I imagine as well ... -lrb- really just something I notice and think I would pass along . -rrb- all in all I think it be go to serve I well . it be heavy and solid , feel pretty good in you hand even though it look like a brick . slow enough to do fine work -lrb- well as fine as a belt sander do -rrb- , yet powerful enough that I do not think floor will be a problem . the speed control be more than worth any trade off of not have it . and I be sure experience will help I fine tune what speed I need for what project .