9.7Editor's Score
Makita’s BO5041 5-inch random orbital sander is a great choice for DIY projects at home as well as larger sanding projects in a professional woodworking shop. It combines a high-speed motor with a comfortable design to make large jobs fast and less fatiguing than they are with other sanders.
The BO5041 is an effective orbital sander for home or professional work. Its motor has plenty of power, running its sanding head at speeds up to 12,000 OPM, and the variable speed control let you dial it speeds as low as 4,000 OPM. Coupled with different grit-rated disks, this flexibility means you can handle just about any sanding situation you might encounter.
Its compact design and adjustable handle allow you to navigate tight spaces and corners. You’ll also notice the comfort of the rubberized grips if you use this sander for extending sanding sessions. It uses an 1/8-inch random orbit pattern that eliminates visible swirl patterns on the finished surface, and the built-in vacuum collects the dust that the sander produces.
The BO5041 enhances the earlier model in Makita’s random orbital sander series by adding a front handle for better control with two hands, and it works quite well. The handle can be rotating around the housing of the sander when it gets in the way of your work.
The speed control dial is placed in a convenient position on top, so you can dial in the right speed as you sand. It also has a continuous operation mode that works with a lock button and trigger switch that you can turn off with the trigger.
Makita’s 3-amp motor continues to provide the power for this sander, and it’s more than you should need for most jobs. The sander won’t get bogged down with rough surfaces as long as you remember not to lean on it.
The random orbital action is also top notch, producing finishes that could have been done with a belt sander. We were impressed with the efficient time-savings we got from this sander compared to others.
Random orbital sanders are designed assuming the operator doesn’t apply pressure while it runs, so try to avoid pressing down on them.
Random orbital sanders like the BO5041 are fairly safe as far as power tools go, and Makita’s sanders are designed to minimize electrical and physical hazards. The dust collection system removes health hazards from the work area’s atmosphere while you run the BO5041.
The main difference between the BO5041 (as well as BO5041K ) and the BO5031K is the design of its grip and housing. The BO5041 has an adjustable front handle that makes controlling the sander with two hands much easier. You’ll also notice that the speed control is located on the top of the BO5041’s housing, while the BO5031K’s speed control is on the side.
Beyond these differences, though, these two sanders have the same motor and orbital head, but the BO5041’s enhancements make it preferable to the BO3031K for all-day work.
We like the power of this orbital sander’s motor. It’s able to sand down rough surfaces fast without needing to lean on it. Whether we were finishing a rough cut or touching up boards after a quick belt sander pass, the BO5041 made quick work of it. This sander is comfortable to use for extended periods. After hours of constant sanding, our hands weren’t hurting from the vibration thanks to the rubberized grips and the fact that we didn’t need to apply much force to get the job done. Another nice touch is the adjustable front handle. We could sand in corners and up against vertical walls inside of a box without too much awkwardness. We just had to get the hang of moving the handle and turning the sander in those situations.
The dust collection system on this model is adequate, but we recommend getting a good shop vac to hook up to it. Otherwise, the BO5041 may not catch all of the dust when you’re sanding particularly rough surfaces.
Customer reviews of Makita’s BO5041 often focus on the comfort of using it for hours without the discomfort that you have to endure with cheaper made sanders with solid grips. The rubberized handle and top grip makes it a handheld power tool that you can use without heavy gloves or frequent breaks.
The plastic housing is durable and made to survive major day-to-day shocks like being dropped onto a concrete floor.
Occurs frequently, isn’t it?
Most users reported that it could take a beating without breaking. Many were also happy with the dust collection system, though quite a few people recommended finding a hose to attach the sander, so a shop vac could give the built-in vacuum some help.
Others were happy with the performance of the sander and the ease of changing sanding disks. It’s possible to do a complete sanding job with a full set of grits. The motor can do 90% of the work without any need to press down on the sander.
Overall, this sander gets a thumb-up from the vast majority of buyers who were impressed with its performance at such a reasonable price point.
Random orbital sanders are small power tools that sand down rough surfaces with a spinning circular head. Because a spinning head will leave swirl patterns if it only spins in circles, the random orbital head was developed. Random orbital sanders move their heads in two ways at the same time. They spin in circles with small elliptical patterns that add randomness to the heads movement. This results in a smooth finish without swirl marks.
Random orbital sanders are a good choice for working with large amounts of small wood stock that needs to be sanded to a finish. They typically come in a 5-in size that makes them not as efficient as a belt sander if you need to sand down large areas like a deck or wood floor. They’re not as well-suited to following straight edges or getting into corners because they use circular heads, but they good for sanding raised or uneven surfaces when compared to belt sanders.
When we finished the testing for this Makita BO5041 review, our conclusion was that it’s a great addition to any homeowner’s power tool collection. It’ll handle most sanding jobs a DIY woodworker will do, except maybe a large deck.
Professional woodworkers will appreciate the design of this sander. It’s made to be comfortable to use all day, and it has enough power to handle a rough surface without wearing you out.
