The new Dewalt 20V Max XR cordless belt sander is finally here!
Dewalt’s first cordless belt sander, model DCW220B, features a brushless motor, 3″ x 21″ belt, quick release belt change, variable speed trigger, and Wireless Tool Control for dust extractor activation.
The sander is described as being ideal for carpentry, remodeling, and general contracting applications.
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The speed selection dial has 25 positions for a higher level of control.
It has an over-molded auxiliary handle and lock-on function.
The sander ships with a dust bag, as well as a dust chute that’s compatible with Dewalt Airlock hoses as well as standard 35mm dust extractor nozzles.
The Wireless Tool Control System allows for remote activation of compatible Dewalt vacuums and dust extractors, such as the Dewalt FlexVolt DCV585.
Price: $299 for the tool-only (DCW220B)
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Nathan
Never thought I’d want or be interested in a cordless belt sander. I don’t have a use for it but I’m sure it would be useful for contractor or 2
Chris I
You had me in the beginning, not gonna lie
Jared
Pricey, but it’s about time! Happy to finally see it launch.
It’s smaller than I would prefer.
fred
I guess that making a cordless belt sander with decent runtime is no trivial matter. It would also seem that belt sanders may not command the greatest market share or demand as ROS or even pad sanders. So, it’s not surprising that Dewalt is a bit late to market with this one. I’m not invested in the Dewalt battery platform – so this is not for me – but I guess it will sell OK. Meanwhile my go to belt sander for shop use is my old corded Porter Cable 503 (3×24 worm gear chain drive) – but since this tool is too heavy for vertical use – I sometimes go with a PC 371K (2.5 x 14) used one-handed. Too bad that both are long-ago discontinued.
fred
BTW – I should have said that the PC503 is not designed to be used vertically or overhead – even if you are Paul Bunyon and can handle its 15 or so pound weight.
Rand
That belt sander is the king of all….go worm drive
fred
Like worm gear saws this sort of power transmission provides extra torque. Coupled with the chain (rather than belt) drive it makes for a very robust tool – with 80-year-old models still working. But if you starve the gearcase of lubricant – by running the sander upside down or use it in a vertical position – you will trash the tool. It also requires you to add lubricant from time to time.
AP
Is it bad I want my tools to die so I can buy brand new? Seriously, I doubt my Makita belt sander will ever die but geez I do not like the cord!
fred
You could always repurpose it. I saw someone who took a PC 503 from the 1940’s (mine is early ’70’s) and used it as a lamp base.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/46232333658109001/
AP
Not exactly my style, Fred, but I do like it. I was thinking of maybe flipping it upside down in the vise and using it that way.
fred
See my note above. It can’t work upside down as the gearcase lubricant (heavy oil) will no longer be in place.
AP
I’ve got the 9903 Makita, don’t need to worry about lubricant, don’t think so anyways. I probably wouldn’t leave it upside down all the time. Maybe if I had the space, two vices and could pull it off.
Plain+grainy
I notice the Dewalt is made in Mexico. 3×21 inch belt. The Ridgid 18v belt sander is 3×18 inch.
BrianA
Very interesting, Acme says CO is Mexico, product isn’t on Dewalts site. Will they market it as Made in North America with global components. All the yellow fanboys are going to lose their wobbly leg they already stand on for “Made” in the USA.
Ray
Over priced!
Stuart
Ryobi: $139
Kobalt: $139
Ridgid: $149
Metabo HPT: $169
Milwaukee: $279
Dewalt: $299
While higher, $299 isn’t out of line for the industry.
MFC
$279 was out of line for the industry. If it was a flexvolt beast of a machine then I could maybe see it being worth Milwaukee’s ridiculous price, but compared to most of the other manufacturers, they are increasing the price two-fold. If they had it at $199 I would grumble, but $299? Nope.
MM
My knee-jerk reaction was the same: yikes, this seems pricey. However, the price isn’t out of line for a corded professional tier belt sander. The guys I know who use belt sanders hard all swear by Makita (corded), and poking around I see they sell for about this same price if not higher. One guy swears by his Metabo (also corded), and I see that model costs $450. What remains to be seen is just how durable this sander is and how well it performs. If it can perform I don’t think $300 is unreasonable for a professional who will get good use out of it.
…it’s too pricey for me though, this isn’t a tool I wouldn’t be using all that often so I can’t justify spending this kind of money on it.
MFC
Yeah, but that’s the thing. I know DeWalt’s quality and have about 30k in their cordless tools. This is not going to last as long as the corded Makita you’re talking about. I have a 20+ year old black and decker that’s still kicking, but I have killed multiple brushless motors on dewalt’s 20v line and this one will be no different. It can last a few years, but when it dies, it will be better to toss it than repair it. Brushless motors use less energy, but they don’t stand up to heat or abuse.
Rodgerio
While I agree with you in the sense because of inflation this unit isn’t cheap; serious tradesmen that work day in and day out doing actual hard labor want the best tools in the market. I’ve been in this trade for a very, very long time and I can tell you firsthand Milwaukee and Dewalt are the best brands in the industry. You are paying for quality and paying for actual quality. Ryobi and Kobalt are for home owners that are neither are worth the money and lack the quality for those in the serious trades. Believe me I’ve tried these brands and they just don’t last and every minute I am not working is a minute I am going in debt.
Most won’t say this because they don’t want to rock the boat; but if work a entire week/weeks or months as I’ve done you aren’t capable of anything other than quality.
BigTimeTommy
Agreed
Saulac
Cordless would take belt sander racing to the next level.
Steve
Absolutely, would love to see it.
John
Funny how they can put wireless tool control on a belt sander but not on their new miter saw 😔
Tom
Really? It’s on the version of the saw that’s on the market here in New Zealand. I assume you’re talking about the DCS781?
John
Yes the 781 in North America doesn’t have a wireless tool activation. Hopefully they add that feature. If so I’ll buy it.
Big Richard
John is right, they omitted the Wireless Tool Control from the NA version of the DCS781. Europe/Australia/NZ version has it. You guys also have the 10″/250mm DCS727 miter saw that we in the NA market do not. They love to tease us.
fred
May have to do with pricing in different markets or how SBD marketing in different locales assess what their customers want and are willing to pay.
Sometimes I think that the manufacturers exclude certain features or accessories so as to be able to market tools at a lower price in some markets. In other markets higher base prices may be more palatable so they include more, Makita does the same thing – with some tools being sold in Japan, Australia or New Zealand may be fully kitted out – while similar models sold in the US come more bare bones.
Stuart recently mentioned the Makita XGT Blower (GSA01Z) – sold in the USA more or less bare bones – with several accessories sold separately. In Japan (e.g. at Amazon.jp) it is sold as # AAS001GZ with almost all of those accessories included in the box. I think that Stuart said that he bought his via Amazon.jp – because of the added accessories plus lower price even after shipping.
When I was working, one of our businesses was heavily invested in Makita cordless. In a few instances we’d source a batch of new items from Mississauga Hardware – because they would have a model ahead of availability in the US or with accessories (like tool bag) included in the price. I’m not sure that today’s Canadian prices would still make that practical.
Big Richard
You are not wrong. That and regulating bodies. From my understanding, dust control is taken much more seriously abroad. Even the Euro version of their ROS, DCW210, has Wireless Tool Control. Ours on this side of the pond does not. But it is good to see a tool like this belt sander incorporate it. Now they just need more cordless dust extractors to pair with these tools….
MFC
Double what it should be. Guess I’m sticking with my old corded faithful until it goes on clearance or winds up in a liquidation pallet.
Chip
I am currently looking at the Ryobi 3×18.
I have laminate countertops to install 300 ft from temp power.
The sidesplashes are never less than 1/4 inch off of matching the top,currently using a flap disc on a grinder.
3×18 has the smaller front roller,vs 3×20 and 4×24 FYI.
For you shop people cordless doesn’t make sense,but service work and new installations are a different animal.
Am cord free,just do not have a belt sander.
bg100
Laminate countertops seems to be the perfect use for this sander. Maybe for live edge slab sanding too, depending on how it performs under a little more load. But man that price is a bummer.
Roger
Don’t look at the Ryobi… It gets very hot and belts pop very quickly. The rubber over mold on the roller cylinder degrades. The adjustable front handle is kind of a pain. Belt tracking is a little weird. At least mine, I have to set it to slightly track outwards for it to remain on track when working the surface.
IF yellow won’t do it for you, then orange or red are still way better options than Lime green.
Chip
I agree that it may not be the best.
But a $200 premium for the m18 which I have batteries for,is not worth it to me.
I will have 1 1/2 hrs use per year on avg.
bg100
I love the brushless sanders I’ve got from DeWalt. But that price is a real turn off. I’m not asking for a belt sander that turns on a dust collector automagically, because field-use belt sanders aren’t set up very far away from the shop vac. I feel like SBD could have dropped the price if they didn’t include a frivolous extra. Won’t be buying this at full price.
Roger
I just realized its 3″ X 21″ !!!
Not 3″ x 18″ as I thought it was going to be. My experience with the Ryobi leaves me wanting better reliability from all the belt pops the lime green machine has haunted me with.
If it can manage the heat build up, then it will be a great purchase.
Sam
My guess is that the current inflation kicked up the price to $299. It was probably $199 or $229 if the inflation wasn’t kicking Dewalt tool prices up. The Dewalt xr power detect circular saw (bare tool) was originally about $179 2 or 3 years ago but its now been jacked up to $250!
Big Richard
Lowes had it posted briefly at $279, and Summit Racing still has it $263.99. So Acme’s $299 price may also be due in part to their current DeWalt sale ($50 off $300, so add $1 to your order and this sander is $250).
But I agree with others that the price seems a bit steep. $229 and I would have pre-ordered it months ago when it first started showing up. At this price, I’m torn.
Kingsley
Crucial spec: How fast/far will it it go along the road if you tape down the trigger?
MFC
Lol.
BigTimeTommy
Expensive and small.
rob
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accidently sanded the power cord. I’ve been waiting for this. 3-5 week backorder sucks.
Plain+grainy
The Milwaukee M-18 belt sander(3”x18” belt), is made in China. There is a buy more-save more sale of select Milwaukee tools ends April 30th. Sale price for two M-18 sanders should be under $200.00 each.
Plain+grainy
Maybe we will see similar sale prices on the Dewalt 20v belt sander.
Plain+grainy
Milwaukee buy more-save more is at Acme. $175 off $550 purchase. Other deal ranges also.
JoeM
Yeah, Atlas Tools is already selling it! Looks rather nifty, to me!
Big Richard
On a somewhat related note, Farm & Fleet has the 1/4 sheet sander, DCW200, on sale for $79 through March 12th – https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/1334535-dewalt-dcw200b-20v-max-xr-brushless-cordless-1-4-sheet-sander.html
TImL
Also somewhat related. ACME has a Dewalt deal going on currently and the $100 off $500 is 20% off before tax. That tier hits free shipping too.
Big Richard
Truth. If you add this belt sander and another $1 of qualifying items, you get $50 off, so $250 for the sander instead of $299.
Micah
That deal is good enough for me to bite – thanks for sharing!
eddie sky
I like my Makita since it can lay upside down, and trigger lock on, act like table sander. However, my Makita is still corded.
Now, I wonder if one can put a traction belt on and use while sitting on a skate board!
Chris
Awesome! $300 seems way to steep though.
Will
Can’t wait to see the tests and reviews. I have an old corded Makita that is so reliable, but does have some cord splices, oops. If this turns out to be a winner, it will be awesome to cut the cord… But not like I did with my Makita.