Makita BO5041K Random Orbit Sander

The Makita BO5041 random orbit sander is a little more capable than many of the other palm-style orbit sanders we’ve looked at due to it’s extra handle and slightly different design. Let’s take a closer look at this one.

Check Pricing or Buy Now
Amazon
Home Depot

Sanding Power & Motor

This sander has pretty standard sanding power for an orbit sander this size. This sander has enough power and sanding capability to be useful for home, shop and job sites.

It has a 3 amp motor and can run at variable speeds from 4,000-12,000 OPM. This is actually a pretty impressive OPM range compared to other similar sanders.  The ability to go all the way down to 4,000 OPM could be useful for some and slower speeds could be used for polishing, for example. This sander does seem a little noisier than some of the smaller orbit sanders but it’s not unbearable, just worth noting.

The random orbit action is good on this one and it produces a very smooth finish without having to apply much pressure at all during sanding. During operation, this sander starts up smoothly and also stops faster with it’s pad control system. The smooth operation is pretty easy to get used to and you’ll miss it on other sanders that don’t do the same if you use this one for a while.

The sander is powered on with a two-finger sized trigger underneath the handle. The trigger can be locked with a button that is on the left side of the handle if you want to keep operating without manually holding down the trigger the whole time. This can be a little tricky to get used to for some people if they are used to the typical switch on the front of an orbit sander, but it works well.

Makita BO5041 Random Orbit Sander Action
Makita BO5041 Random Orbit Sander Variable Speed
Makita BO5041 Random Orbit Sander Power Trigger

Handheld Design

This sander only weighs 3.5 lbs despite it’s extra handles and features. This sander offers the typical top and vertical shaft grip that you’ll find on most palm-style orbit sanders. In addition, there is a handle on the back that contains the power trigger and then also a rotating handle up front that can be rotated around the vertical shaft. This creates a huge amount of versatility how this sander can be gripped with either one or two hands. You’ll be able to maneuver this sander easily, get good overall control of the sander, and put pressure from all sorts of various angles when sanding. This is one of the biggest advantages of this sander over some of the others we’ve looked at.

Makita BO5041 Random Orbit Sander Grip

Sanding Pad

This sander has a 5 inch hook and loop pad that will hold any 5 inch hook and loop pad with 8 dust collection holes. This style and size is pretty common and it’s easy to find replacement parts. The sanding pad holds well discs well and if you use higher quality discs it tends to work better. The hook and loop pad is a part that you will need to eventually replace, as they wear out over time. The hooks can become damaged with use and that’s what causes it to lose the ability to hold the discs. It’s a good idea to try to care for the surface of the hook and loop pad to prevent damage. Keeping it clean and free from dust buildup will also help a lot to keep it in working order.

Makita 743081-8 Hook and Loop Pad 2
Makita 743081-8 Hook and Loop Pad 1

Dust Collection

This sander comes with a dust bag that actually works pretty well, even though it’s not perfect. The sander itself seems to have pretty good suction and the dust bag is slightly larger so it doesn’t fill up so fast. It will still produce some dust clouds but not as bad as some other smaller orbit sanders. The best way to collect dust is with a dust collection system. It can be a little tricky to figure out how to connect this one, since it has a smaller dust port and doesn’t come with any universal adapters.

The dust port on the sander itself is smaller with an outside diameter of about 13/16 inch. The dust bag nozzle can be removed and used as an adapter for connecting this to a Makita dust collection system such as the Makita VC4210L Dust Extractor.

Makita makes a vacuum hose, part number 192108-A, that will fit directly onto the smaller dust port. The connector on one end is 3/4 inch on the inside and 1 inch on outside. The other end is 1-1/4 on the inside and 1-1/2 inch on the outside.

Makita 192108-A Vacuum Hose

People have also good had luck with trying to connect to other hoses kits and adapters. There’s lots of options for 3rd party adapters and hoses out there and you should be able to find something that will work to connect to whatever size port or hose you have. Or just use a lot of tape.

Build Quality

This sander has a good overall build quality and it feels like a solid tool when in hand. People who own these sanders find that they stand up well to lots of use over time and if you get a good unit out of the box it should be a workhorse in your tool collection. There are some plastic parts on here but nothing that has really caused people any consistent breaking issues.

The biggest weak point is the hook and loop pad, but that is also considered a replaceable part on these types of sanders. You will eventually have to replace the hook and loop pad at some point, and maybe more often if you put this sander through rigorous use. So it’s not really a knock on build quality, just something to be aware of.

Makita BO5041 Random Orbit Sander on Table

Included Accessories

This sander is available in a couple versions. There is a sander-only option, model number BO5041. There is also an option that includes a hard carrying case, model number BO5041K, which we recommend.

People who own the hard carrying case find it to be more protective of the hook and loop pad, which can prolong the life of the hooks on the pad. Something to think about if you are trying to decide between the two options.

Makita BO5041K Random Orbit Sander Kit
  • Sander
  • Carrying Case
  • Rotating Handle
  • Dust Bag Nozzle
  • Dust Bag

Other Available Accessories

There are some other accessories and replacement parts available for this sander worth pointing out.

Makita 192108-A Vacuum Hose

Makita 192108-A Vacuum Hose

Makita 743081-8 Backing Pad

Makita 743081-8 Hook and Loop Pad 1

Setup & Assembly

This is a pretty easy tool to setup and get running out of the box. There’s not much to assemble or calibrate. As usual, it’s good to read through the manual to make sure you understand the setup and maintenance recommendations, but you will be up and running with this sander very quickly.

Warranty

Makita offers a 1 year warranty on defective parts or workmanship. This is good enough to help you out if you have quality control issues in that first year of use.

Pros

  • Smooth sanding with random orbit action
  • Good dust collection
  • Good grip and handling
  • Rotating handle adds to maneuverability and capability
  • Variable speed
  • Can be used for polishing
  • Doesn’t overheat

Cons

  • Hook and loop pads require maintenance/replacement over time
  • Makes a little more noise than other smaller sanders
  • Smaller dust port can make connecting to non-Makita dust collection systems a little tricky and may require unique adapters

Technical Specifications

Amperage

3 A

Max Speed

4,000-12,000 OPM

Pad Size / Type
5 inch hook and loop
Size (Height x Width x Depth)

6 in x 4.9 in x 8.7 in

Weight

3.5 lbs

Dust Collection

Yes

Cord Length

8 Ft

The Verdict

The Makita BO5041 random orbit sander is an excellent sanding tool with a lot of positives and not a lot of negatives. It’s wide range of variable speed makes it useful as polisher in addition to a sander. The rotating handle is awesome and really makes this easy to maneuver and control. If you don’t mind spending the money this is a great pickup for a random orbital sander.

Check Pricing or Buy Now
Amazon
Home Depot