Description
Product Description
Variable speed control dial matches the speed to the application, auto tracking belt system, sands flush to wall with nose and side of sander, front grip, dust bag. Specs: 120V, only 85dB, ft./min. 690-1,440 , 11-5/8″L, 16.4 ft. power cord, double insulated, weight 9.5 lbs. Includes: (1) #80 abrasive belt, dust bag. Belt width- 3 inches.
Amazon.com
Makita’s 3 x 21-Inch Belt Sander, model 9903, combines power and speed with ease-of-use features and less noise for fast and efficient stock removal. The 9903 is ideal for woodworkers, carpenters, furniture makers, floor installers, deck builders and general contractors who require a best-in-class belt sander.
The 9903 features a powerful 8.8 AMP motor with electronic speed control to maintain constant speed under load. The variable speed control dial allows the user to match the speed (690-1,440 ft./min.) to the application. The 9903 also features less noise: at only 84dB, it is one of the quietest sanders in its class.
Ease-of-use features include an auto-tracking belt system that tracks the belt without adjustment, and a front grip for comfortable operation. The low profile design provides better balance, and the extended base allows sanding flush to wall with nose and side of sander. The 9903 is easily maneuvered with the long 16.4-foot power cord, and the highly efficient dust collector reduces dust in the work area. An optional sanding shoe is available for precise sanding depth control.
The Makita 9903 is engineered for cabinetry and woodworking, and is ideal for wood panels, furniture, closets, and more. The 9903 is just another example of Makita’s commitment to innovative technology and best-in-class engineering.
About Makita’s Power Tools
Makita delivers precision, accuracy, capacity, and innovation to woodworkers. Makita has full range of miter saws, jig saws, circular saws, routers, planers, sanders, nailers and staplers, blades, compact cordless drills and impacts, and more. Makita’s woodworking solutions are engineered for pro contractors, for use in high production settings and in home shops.
About Makita
Makita is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial quality power tools and offers a wide range of industrial accessories. Makita applies leading-edge innovation to engineer power tools that are more compact and energy efficient, yet deliver industrial strength power and results. Makita U.S.A., Inc. is located in La Mirada, California, and operates an extensive distribution network located throughout the U.S. For more information, please call 800/4-MAKITA (800/462-5482) or visit makitatools.com. Makita is Best in Class Engineering.
Warranty
Every Makita tool is thoroughly inspected and tested before leaving the factory. If you are not satisfied with any Makita tool within 30 days of purchase, return it and Makita will provide a replacement or refund. Each Makita tool is warranted to be free of defects from workmanship and materials for the period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase. Should any trouble develop during this one-year period, return the COMPLETE tool, freight prepaid, to one of Makita’s Factory or Authorized Service Centers. Please see makitatools.com for complete details.
What’s in the Box
Makita 9903 3 x 21-Inch Belt Sander, abrasive belt and dust bag.
From the manufacturer
Makita 9903 3″ x 21″ Belt Sander
Front Grip Design
Makita’s 3 x 21-Inch Belt Sander, model 9903, combines power and speed with ease-of-use features and less noise for fast and efficient stock removal. The 9903 is ideal for woodworkers, carpenters, furniture makers, floor installers, deck builders and general contractors who require a best-in-class belt sander.
The 9903 features a powerful 8.8 AMP motor with electronic speed control to maintain constant speed under load. The variable speed control dial allows the user to match the speed (690-1,440 ft./min.) to the application. The 9903 also features less noise: at only 84dB, it is one of the quietest sanders in its class.
Additional Features:
- Dust bag for a cleaner work environment
- Long 16.4 ft. power cord for easier maneuverability
- Sands wood or metal and removes paint and rust
- Double insulated
Key Features
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
Important information
1010 watts
110 volts
softwareguy –
Great mid-size belt sander!This sander is small enough to use without tiring, but large enough to remove a lot of wood in a hurry. Its a nice compromise for people (like me) who thought the Makita 4×24 belt sander was too heavy to use for long periods of time or on a non-horizontal piece.This is my go-to belt sander. I use it several times a week and I still enjoy it. My bigger belt sanders are heavy and awkward, this feels like it’s the “right” size. Its heavy enough not to wander and dance, but light enough to easily control. I should not have waited so long to buy one.
Amazon Customer –
NiceNice quality and power. The belt tracks perfectly. Would recommend to others. But its a little pricey.
Chris –
Easy to useHeavy but works well. Does an excellent job in sanding evenly.
David C. So Cal –
Silky smooth and quiet – it is a keeperI’ve restored and made furniture and cabinets for 40+ years and have owned many different sanders, of all types. Most of my hours were spent on a Rockwell – Porter Cable 503 belt sander (it’s the worm-drive sander that looks looks a locomotive). Compact and powerful, the 503 is my gold standard for belt sanders, but is just too heavy and too powerful for this old man. After it snagged on my t-shirt and crawled up my chest, nearly strangling me to death – I knew it was time for a change. (By the way, this is why old men grow beards – without one, I would be chinless today.)My first mistake after that incident was to go to the “Lo”cal big box home improvement store and get a different Porter Cable (352VS) sander. As soon as I unboxed the thing, I knew it was junk. The front roller was way too stiff and the fit and finish on the thing were horrible. When I ran the thing, it screamed so loud, I was afraid it would destroy what is left of my hearing. It was returned within an hour, and I suggested that they send it back to the vendor as defective, or at least awful.Needing to keep working, but fearing for my life, I checked Amazon and saw that the Makita 9903 had mostly positive reviews. I’ve used only Makita cordless tools ever since they went to LXT, but only have one Makita corded tool – an angle grinder that just refuses to die. I considered the 9920 because it takes the same size belts that I’m used to, and I’ve got quite a few of them in stock – but since it has the same size motor as the 9903, I was afraid it would bog down when I get rushed and do the thing you’re never supposed to do (I burned up my first 503 that way, and still feel the guilt to this day).>>>Sorry for the long pre-ramble, the “actual” tool review begins now.
William M. Bates –
Good sanderaA good sander, easy to us and set up. I did not like how it set on the work surface, made seeing your results, I bough it to replace. Porter Cable sander that I had used for 18 years and could not be repaired. Borough to but, gave it away and bought a used Porter Cable on eBay. This is a good sander, but it did not fit my shop, which has all Porter Cable tools.
Sally J –
Power and reliable trackingI bought the 21″ Makita 9903 Belt Sander after my old Skil 18″ sander’s on/off switch stopped working for the umpteenth time, and my other el-cheapo 21″ belt sander was stolen (thank goodness for small favors).I’ve used the sander now for a month to sand down 2×6 and 4×4 rough sawn surfaces on redwood and doug fir I’ve used for finishing a deck (railings, fascia, stair trim). Absolutely perfect tracking all the time, no matter how hot the belt gets, no matter how much pressure I apply, no matter how long I’ve used the belt. I start with a 50 or 80 grit, then shift directly to a 120 grit belt for final finishing. I’ve sanded approx. 20 4×6 16 ft boards, both sides and edges, plus another 10 4×4 8ft posts… all 4 sides, among other things this far.Power galore and perfect belt tracking, simple adjustment to bring belt to edge if needed (and it stays there)… what more could a belt sander need to do? Changing belts is just as simple as with any other belt sander I’ve used over the years — pull back on the clamping lever (it says open), slip belt on, close clamping lever… and let ‘er rip.I also very much like the flat ‘top’ which allows you to turn the sander over and sit it on it’s ‘top’ to use the belt surface as the stationary member while holding the work piece by hand to shape edges, corners, etc. with much greater precision of cut (hand held piece, as opposed to holding the sander).I also own a Makita sawzall (or whatever they’re called) and have owned and used it extensively for several years (purchased in 1992? or ’95? or somewhere in that time-frame). It’s been extremely reliable, never any problem in the most demanding work I have thrown at it… so I decided to buy the Makita belt sander as well for the hoped for reliability and trouble-free use. Normally I opt for Dewalt power tools… still own and use my Dewalt Professional Radial Arm Saw that I bought in ’75… never had a problem with it and I have used it extensively and in heavy work-loads over the years…. it’s still as stong, steady, & precise as it was in ’75. But, in the belt sander catagory, I didn’t like the Dewalt design as much as the Makita (turning the sander over and using it as a stationary sander while holding the work piece by hand is a great feature).I’ve used other 21″ sanders borrowed from contractors from time to time, and though power was alway’s great, the tracking deteriorated greatly with with the belt’s use or the temperature/pressure I applied.I couldn’t be more satisfied.
Vulcan2016 –
This is a beast!This is the belt sander you want if you want quality. It probably weighs 3x of other brands and costs about as much more. However, it will last forever. I like the fact that I do not need to constantly adjust the travel on the sanding belt – holds its position well. Don’t buy this if you are sanding a ceiling 🤣, otherwise a great choice.
Chris –
Arrived USED, Belts would not secure in placeThis appeared to arrive USED as it was not sealed in any “brand new” type of packing. Which explains the price difference than HD. Sanding belts would not stay in place on this one, constantly had to manipulate the belt positioning knob during operation. There was a sharp groove in the belt guide that instantly ripped the sandpaper if the belt moved too far to the left. This is a top-of-the-line model, so I returned for refund and will purchase a more expensive “new” one from HD I guess. Disappointed.
georgia kuhlman –
fast shipment and a great product!i was expecting shipping to be much longer; so i was bowled over at the tracking that said my makita 9903 beltsander was on it’s way.i just spent a great afternoon putting my new best tool through it’s paces. i’m a woman…one accustomed to hard work…and even i was a little wary of the weight of this superb worker. after a few hours of tryouts, i barely noticed the weight…it’s well balanced and that accounts for the ease of use. at that, i never once let it go full weight on the dug fur i was trimming down, and i didn’t get tired. the belt trimmed and beveled beautifully. i don’t have a table saw and don’t want one. i rip cut my lumber with a steady hand on my circular saw. however i needed some wood center braces for under my new shed set on concrete. hard to get them as snug as this virgo wanted without a powerful belt sander to take off no more than about 1/32 off the top. makita did just that uniformly and in a snap. darned nice dust collector. that puppy was jammed. really does it’s job.i did a ton of research before buying at the best price anywhere (and fast free shipping as well!) i wanted to have one that can be used in a vice. when i pulled this one out of the box i realized i will have to wait to make a wood frame myself for it; my vice, big as it isn’t wide enough. also, i have to puzzle over just where to afix the vice sides…it will lay flat upside down, but gripping the sides may take some thinking.gouges are very possible with this puppy going full throttle, but just take an afternoon and some wood scraps and get used to the feel of this totally great little worker and you should have no trouble. when i gouged a bit i just did a descending light circular setdown and it cleared right up. i start on a table tomorrow and am eager to use this hard worker. oh, and i noticed the roller at the front is good-sized and i plan to use it to finish some large curves for a big trelis i plan to build next month. this is gonna be one very used piece of equipment, for sure!
Cernunnos –
Rugged and effectiveFinally, a solid, well built belt sander! I had owned a
DEWALT DW433
belt sander for years which I purchased on the recommendation of a major home-building journal and boy, was that a mistake. It was, in a word, junk. Every time I used the DeWalt on a major project, it would break down and after the 4th time I had had enough. I chucked it in the garbage and ordered this one. I have only used the Makita 9903 once, but I can say that when I was done, I still had an operational belt sander.The Makita is ruggedly built and the fit and finish are high quality. It has plenty of power and the balance and ergonomics are such that you can use it for extended periods with reasonable comfort. The dust pick up when combined with a vacuum is nearly complete. Belt changes are a snap with the release lever which tucks neatly into the chassis and operates with ease. The tracking is easy to adjust and holds well once set. The only thing I found odd was the size of the platen which is considerably larger than the width of the belt. However, this fact does not seem interfere at all with its ability to sand and in fact guards against the tendency of some sanders to chew up belts if they are not tracking exactly in the center of the platen.While I have not as yet used this sander extensively, if it’s durability and reliability are anything like my other Makita tools, I have no doubt it will serve me well for a long time to come.