DeWalt recently launched 5 new pneumatic tools that are designed for the industrial user, including an impact wrench, air ratchet, angle die grinder, reversible drill, and a palm sander. Considering how much sanding my employee and I do at my little furniture-manufacturing outfit, the new DeWalt’s palm sander was a welcomed addition to our collection of sanders.
DWMT70781L DeWalt Palm Sander Out of the Box
Looking over the tool for the first time, I noticed a few specific features I was happy to see as I’d grown accustomed to them in my current go-to palm sander. The first thing I noticed was how light the sander was. Coming in at just 2 lbs, it’s an easy to manage tool that should leave you less fatigued. Not only is the trigger touch-controlled (variable speed), the paddle recesses flush into the palm grip when completely depressed. This may seem like a minor detail, but the sanders without the recess are much less comfortable over time. I sand a lot of wood, so I was also glad to see a muffler inside the exhaust port. I think the intended purpose is to cut down on the noise, but the muffler also keeps most of the tool oil overspray from getting on the work piece. I was disappointed to see the only model offered has no vacuum attachment or dust collection capabilities, but we’ll look to future model expansion to include dust ports.
Gettin’ Dusty with the DeWalt Palm Sander
There’s nothing like settling in for an afternoon of sanding. Am I right or am I right?
Respirator – check
Headphones – check
Massive air compressor – check
Box of discs – check
DeWalt DWMT70781L Palm Sander – check
First impression: this DeWalt Palm Sander is fast. It feels like a BMW M5 and makes my Dynabrade feel like a 750iL. The orbit diameter is only 3/32”, which is definitely on the finer side (great for automotive work), but this really feels more aggressive than my 3/16” orbit Dynabrade. It’s a little taller too, which was noticeable at first, but not after about 5 minutes of sanding. I traded back and forth with my employee over the next couple of hours and we were both pretty impressed by how much we liked it.
In my experience, air tools seem to have a break-in period, after which they sort of feel a little more settled, so I wanted to keep this sander in rotation for a good month or two before finalizing my opinion. The DeWalt palm sander matched my experience: the tool seemed to find its groove after a good amount of use and oiling. The verdict? Well, the DWMT70781L is still in solid rotation by choice. It’s comfortable to use, removes material very quickly, and leaves a nice finish that’s virtually squiggle free. It’s the go-to sander for my employee and I grab it first for short sanding sessions, but anything over an hour or so, I’ll switch to the slightly smoother Dynabrade with dust collection.
DeWalt put a real strong foot forward with this sander. They’re easily in the running with the industrial heavy hitters – and at half the price ($99). I’m definitely looking forward to their palm sander model expansion (hopefully additional orbit diameters, dust collection options, etc…).
DWMT70781L Pneumatic Palm Sander Specifications
- Free Speed: 12,000 rpm
- Pad Type: Stick-On (PSA)
- Air Inlet: 1/4”
- Maximum Air Flow: 2.2 CFM (15.5 CFM @ 90psi)
- Orbit Diameter: 3/32”
- Spindle Diameter: 5/16”
- Weight: 2.0 lbs
