Bandschleifer- Mittelklasse oder Profigerät, Makita 9404 oder Festool BS75e

Overview

The presenter compares his Makita 9404 and Festool BS 75 E belt sanders based on workshop experience, rather than a formal test. He mainly uses the Makita for rougher work and renovation tasks, while the Festool is his regular workshop machine for sanding glued-up panels. He gives no numerical ratings.

Key Differences and Features

• Price: The Makita with its sanding frame costs roughly half as much as the Festool with frame, which can exceed €800, depending on the retailer and offer.
• Belt width and weight: The Makita uses a 100 mm belt and weighs 6.3 kg with its accessories. The Festool uses a 75 mm belt and weighs 5.1 kg. The presenter considers weight less important because the machines rest on the work surface.
• Adjustments: Both machines have variable speed and belt-tracking adjustment. The presenter keeps the speed at maximum when sanding wood and rarely needs to readjust tracking once it is set.
• Abrasives: Both use standard belt sizes, with a broad choice of abrasives across different brands and price points.
• Stationary use: Both offer stationary-use options, although the presenter does not own the Makita stand. The Festool can be mounted upside down on a table. He could not find the corresponding Festool stop accessory and suggests checking spare parts if needed.
• Dust extraction connections: Connecting a vacuum to the Makita may require a suitable adapter. The Festool hose fits directly.

Sanding Frames and Results

The presenter considers the sanding frames the main reason for the difference in results.

Festool

The Festool frame is a substantial cast-aluminum part with fixed bristles. It arrived adjusted and worked well for him. Its alignment and lateral play can be fine-tuned, and the frame can be raised and lowered while the machine is running. This makes it easy to inspect the surface and continue sanding.

Makita

The Makita frame is a simpler, lighter sheet-metal design with a coated underside and limited adjustment. Fitting the sander into it can be fiddly, and the frame may have some play. Its four small metal tabs can bend, potentially affecting how the frame runs. The frame’s edges also catch on board edges more often.

On glued-up panels, the Makita produced slight but noticeable unevenness when pressure was uneven. The Festool produced a flatter, smoother-feeling surface without noticeable dents. In the presenter’s experience, this difference was due largely to the sanding frames, rather than the sanders’ motors. The Makita frame offered more control than sanding without a frame, but did not match the Festool’s surface consistency.

Dust, Handling, and Abrasives

• Dust collection: Belt sanders can be difficult to keep dust-free, especially when removing a lot of material. The Makita collected dust better in the presenter’s use; more dust remained on the workpiece with the Festool, particularly when sanding across the grain. Neither machine collected all the dust.
• Handling: The presenter found the Makita’s taller handle and closer hand positions less comfortable. He prefers the Festool’s longer, lower-feeling layout for control, while noting that this may come down to personal preference or familiarity.
• Mesh abrasives: He tried mesh abrasives, including Mirka’s 75 mm version, but stopped using them. He found no dust-extraction benefit on a belt sander, experienced more belt tearing, and saw the graphite coating beneath the belt wear faster. The resulting graphite dust made the sanding dust look gray. Mesh belts did not meaningfully outlast standard belts; cloth-backed belts lasted longer.

In a demonstration using the same grit, the Makita left less dust on the surface, but its frame caught on an edge. The Festool left more dust, while the sanded surface felt smoother. The video’s machine audio was reduced by 20 dB, so it was not an accurate comparison of the machines’ original noise levels.

Verdict and Recommendation

The presenter personally prefers the Festool BS 75 E for regular panel work. Its adjustable frame, lift mechanism, comfortable handling, and more consistent results make it easier to produce smooth, flat surfaces. Its main drawback is weaker dust extraction, and its high price makes the value decision difficult.

The Makita 9404 is a capable, less expensive choice for rougher sanding and general tasks, with better dust collection in the presenter’s experience. Its frame is the main compromise: it is less precise, more awkward to use, and less robust. The presenter would like to see a better frame for it.

More broadly, he recommends considering a belt sander with a good sanding frame for large solid-wood surfaces. Even a good random-orbit sander with a hard pad may not produce equally even results across large panels. With experience and suitably fine—not overly coarse—abrasive, a belt sander can also be used on veneered panels. Professional shops often rely on wide-belt sanders for highly precise, large-scale sanding.

Speaker’s Perspective

The comparison reflects the personal experience of a single presenter. His preference for Festool is driven mainly by its sanding frame and the surfaces it produces, while he values the Makita’s lower cost and better dust collection for rougher work.