Dewalt launched a new benchtop sander at Lowe’s, model DXBD4801.
The new Dewalt DXBD4801 sander has a 4″ x 36″ sanding belt and a 8″ sanding disc. It’s powered by a 7A motor.
Features include die-cast aluminum tables, miter gauge channels, and from the looks of it a multi-size dust port.
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There are plenty of very similar-looking benchtop sanders on the market from brands like Rikon, Wen, Jet, and (eww) Vevor, and it’s unclear how the new Dewalt stands apart.
Still, it’s good to see Dewalt expanding their line of woodworking benchtop tools and I hope there will be more.
Price: $299
fred
These are rather ubiquitous tools – and as you hint at – why the Dewalt commands an MSRP of $299 is not immediately apparent. The re seem to be 2 styles (configurations) to be had these days. My ancient Craftsman – sets the belt along a horizontal plane with the disk up front – more like the Wen which sells for $110
https://www.amazon.com/WEN-6502T-4-3-Amp-Belt-Sander/dp/B07KL4QGSQ
Amazon also lists several that look more like the Dewalt – from Bucktools (not a familiar name for me) – some in the Dawalt cost range.
What I’ve used most over the years is a stationary version from Delta – acquired during the Rockwell years. It sports a 6-inch belt and 12-inch disk
Stuart
I’ve been indecisive about getting a benchtop sander and have been kicking myself for not getting the bench grinder-style Craftsman from Sears years ago. That one had a disc plate and a 1×42″ belt. Maybe I’ll eventually get a Rikon.
Mike
I have the Wen model and it is fine but I think I would rather have the HF Disc Sander or a strip sander. Even for the $100 or so paid I have not found a ton of value in the machine. I would get the oscillating Rigid before ever considering a $299 yellow one.
Michael
The RIDGID Oscillating Edge/Belt Spindle Sander model# R4840 is on sale at Home Depots that still haven’t sold them for $129. Home Depot has cleared out their NXT tools made by Delta for some unknown reason.
Might be worth checking it out since the old EB4424 and new Kobalt are priced at $299.
Eddie the Hook
Buck tools is considered a good manufacturer of bench top sanders & grinders.
PW
I don’t think that Wen is really comparable – it’s a class down, with a 4.3A vs 7A motor and 4″ vs 8″ disc sander.
It looks like comparable lesser brands are running around $200 spot price today. I think $300 price is just inflation. I bet it’s a forward looking price…
Bonnie
Looks like just another white-labelled product, but for the brand-loyalists I guess it’s nice to have something in a matching color. It looks near-identical (down to the sheet metal work) to the old Porter Cable 4×36 bench-top.
PW
This looks to me like a slight rework / rebrand of the Porter-Cable sander that was long sold at Lowe’s: https://www.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-5-Amp-Benchtop-Sander/3163789
It looks like SBD bumped up the motor and painted it yellow.
I’ve noticed that the P-C brand seems to be slowly phasing out at Lowe’s. Existing stationary power tool offerings (drill press, planrer, etc) seem to be getting split up between other brands like Craftsman and Kobalt.
This seems like a bad omen for the Porter Cable nameplate.
Kas
This! Porter Cable ghost products…shame.
I have this sander from Porter Cable, the multi speed router and a few others that are out of production now. Porter wasn’t the best but sometimes, they built their stuff really well. This being one example of that quality.
I expect to see more facsimiles show up sooner than later.
Stuart
Porter Cable has been on the way out for a while. To my knowledge, with few exceptions it only exists at Tractor Supply. All of their woodworking tools, such as Porter Cable routers, were discontinued a few years ago. Porter Cable’s last social media posts were over 3 years ago. I consider the brand to be defunct.
Rog
Porter Cable! There’s a name I’ve forgotten about already
Philip McCollam
The Dewalt benchtop sander is rated at 8amps. If accurate that would be over one horsepower, that sets it apart at the $300 price point. Most of the low and mid price point models are manufactured by the same one or two companies.
scott taylor
I have the PC biscuit jointer I bought when HD was clearanceing them out 10+ years ago. I think it is 557, it is a beast. Could not pass it up at $50.02. I have used the time and time again for face frames and glue ups, but dang is it heavy.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I think PC was the first out with a rack and pinion adjustment for the fence height. Far superior, at least back then.
Alexk
I paid around $60 from Harbor Freight around 6 years ago. If I press hard, the motor bogs down. So…..I don’t press hard. I occasionally use it to round over or shape something. If I was using it regularly and working it hard, I’d want one with more amps.
Like most things now, I’ll wait and see how it holds up in reviews. Probably prefer to give Rikon my money.
BWavra
Someone is making it for them. The model number with the DX at the beginning lets us know.
Stuart
Agreed, but a majority of consumers don’t know or care about the difference. For all intents and purposes, this is a new Dewalt product.
Nathan
I too was thinking it’s an update and new paint model of the porter cable one. I’d consider it but not for 300 when you can buy others cheaper.
Meanwhile I do keep thinking oscillating belt sander /spindle combo before this type. Triton or Ridgid. Maybe the hf one
Bonnie
The oscillating combos are great if you have a very small shop and need to consolidate two tools into a footprint. But after owning both, the oscillating combos are much better spindle sanders than they are belt sanders, and I go for the HF belt sander way more than the oscillating rigid I have.
Rog
I have the Central Machinery belt sander that I got for a song and it’s… slight above average? Not bad, not amazing, just fine.
Chris
I have the porter cable branded version of his tool and it’s been great. I’ve used it for wood and metal working and it seems like it’s more than capable of what I’ve been asking of it. So I would expect the same from the Dewalt. Dewalt should definitely expand its lineup of benchtop and floor standing tools.
Jronman
To add to your comment at the end of the article about more benchtop tools, I would like to either see a next gen DW735 planer or a higher tier with helical head and digital readout. Something to compete with the new Grizzly. The DW735 is lagging behind the two closest competitors in terms of modern feature set.
Stuart
Helical-style costs more. Helical costs even more.
Amos Dudley
I was in the market for a tool like this last year. I owned the ubiquitous HF one that another commenter linked, and was dissatisfied with the flimsiness.
Ultimately I went with a Multi tool belt / grinder PA362, which seemed to have a good compromise between being a good quality, strong bench grinder and being a proper belt + disc sander, at a more affordable price than buying a Baldor. The RPMs alone on the grinder make it an extremely aggressive belt sander if you need to remove a lot of stock. If you already have a bench grinder, you can add just that Multitool belt to convert it.
Anyway I’m pretty thrilled by this unit. There are a lot of low horsepower belt sanders in the market, but nothing compares to having a grinder, belt sander, and disc sander all on one extremely compact station. Extremely high quality, which is nice to see in a world full of plastic covered junk
MM
If someone needs a step up from the homeowner tier machines but doesn’t need a full on industrial model, this is an area where Grizzly shines in my opinion. They make some excellent combo machines with a 12″ disc and a 6×48″ belt. They have 1750 RPM, 3400 RPM, and variable-speed models. Those are excellent, heavy-duty machines, they did not skimp on the cast iron, they weigh around 150 lbs.
They also have a different model which combines an oscillating spindle with a 12″ disc, which is pretty nice too, I’ve had one on my wish list for a while now. I was spoiled in that the fist oscillating spindle sander I learned to use was a massive old 7.5HP 3-phase industrial one. Compared to that, the plastic and bent-sheetmetal home models feel terribly imprecise and they’re just not pleasant to use. I have no need for some huge beast like that, but I do want something more capable than the benchtop models.