18V Cordless Belt Sander, 76 x 457mm Belt, 6 Speeds

A cordless belt sander is for the work that happens away from a socket or where a cable is a nuisance. Easing a door that is already hung, sanding a window frame in a building with no power connected yet, cleaning up a fence or a gate in the compound, working on a roof or a scaffold. A belt sander drags its lead across the very surface it is sanding, and cutting through it is a real risk, so removing the cable removes a hazard as well as an inconvenience.

The belt is 76 by 457mm, the common handheld size, so belts are easy to find in any grit. Six positions of belt speed from 120 to 350 metres a minute is the important control. Slow speeds suit paint, varnish and soft timber that would otherwise clog or burn the belt, and high speeds suit bare hardwood where you want stock off. Tool free belt release means a grit change is a lever and a few seconds rather than a spanner. The front handle adjusts for angle and the rear handle has a soft grip, which matters on a vertical surface where you are pushing rather than resting the weight on the work.