The Single Worst Tool Fail in Modern Times? 3M Xtract Sander

There is a potential issue with the 3M Xtract Electric Orbital Sanders. I tested the sander myself to find out if it was true. The 3M Xtract Sander is dying on some users and I think I know why.

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[souprmage]

Great to see 3M's response. It's never about a product having an issue or not, it's about how the company responds to the issue once it's made aware. And 3M seems to be handling this issue very well. I wouldn't expect anything less from 3M, so it's great to see them adjusting and moving forward.

[LYTOMIZE_Woodshop]

Investigative journalism has died in many markets here in 🇨🇦 due to corporate takeovers and budget cuts in newsrooms of all kinds. The work and research you've put into this is extensive - well done, Sir. I hope you fully publish this video once the holiday weekend is in the rearview mirror! Keep up the great work!

[GasolineBoots]

I appreciate that as soon as you realized there was a legitimate issue you took action. Thank you. Integrity and communication are essential and you excel at both. Well done Sir. Please keep up the good work.

[jlivewell]

As usual, your integrity shines through. State the facts, and truth is revealed.

[howardbashinski]

First, trust nothing you read in internet reviews, and especially on reddit!

I think it depends on when you bought your sander. The earlier ones, and I don't know the dates, have some issues. I had one of these and it stopped working after not much use. 3M paid for me to ship it to them, fixed it, and had it back to me in 5 days. There was an update to the electronics, and again I don't know when. They installed a new electronics board and it has worked fine ever since. It is the best sander I have ever used. 3M support was excellent. Also, I contacted 3M thru the company I bought the sander from. This company facilitated the interaction. Finally, do you know there is a reset procedure for the sander? It's not in the manual but you can get it from 3M. I've never had to use it, but it's there. Love this sander!!

[danrouth]

Not everyone has the physical ability to operate a palm sander with a dust extraction hose attached. We run ours over a down draft table and they had the same problem within months of use. I bought two of them to replace surfprep sanders. They out performed every sander in the shop when they worked.
Great to know that 3m is standing behind this issue.
Thanks so much for the video and excellent information you provided sir.

[lylespurrier]

I have a 6 inch 3m orbital sander. I am so glad you put this information on what to do when a customer has trouble with one of these sanders. I did not have any trouble until after I saw this video. I tried to use this sander a couple of days and it would work for a few minutes and stop. I now this this information. I hope they are willing to fix it for me. I have never spent the amount of money on a hand held sander and I love the way it performs. It does a great job and saves me time as it really cuts the wood. Thanks ever so much----Lyle Denton TX I hope you see this posting.

[muddslide]

This is why I like your chanel, you keep it real for everyone not just your pocket book. Like a lot of other chanels do. Thx Matt

[fidgetshouse]

Good job, Matt. You looked out for your audience and put them first. You have a lot integrity.

[tom.coomes]

You did a Fantastic job researching the problem areas and putting it all out there for your audience. Thank you for having our by.😁

[scottbyrd]

Matt,

First off thank you for doing this video as I was one that responded to you in emails. As far as static for me I never experienced it as I wear Milwaukee Level 1 cut resistance gloves during my woodworking to avoid splinters and overall protection. The gloves are coated and provide better grip to these applications of small tools. The gloves probably prevented me from feeling the extreme heat felt in handling the sander and also probably prevented me from being shocked. I ordered my sander from Amazon. I would think that they rotate through a volume of this products stock but it may have come from a smaller vendor that may have sent it on behalf of Amazon. Now in defense of your reputation and recommendations I bought this sander based on your reviews. I totally agree that it is a very good sander and even with me using a dedicated shop vacuum and rockler hose the dust collection is amazing and it does perform very good as a sanding standpoint. I experience very little dust compared to my other sander. Pair it with 3m cubitron 2 sandpaper and it’s amazing. Yes I do experience the shut down.

Your reviews are very much appreciated. I totally support the honest reviews and still would have bought this sander. As far as 3m goes I have a message for you. Like any company should be don’t oust Matt for bringing this video to light. Honor your product, fix the issue, and your business will grow as you take care of your customers regardless of industry or small businesses. Appreciate Matt for being honest on your product and utilize his insight and information as he conducts this based on the level of possible customer base you have.

Future businesses that have products that need a better idea and honest review should consider consulting with Matt as he dives deeper into the level of use of the products and a level that reaches professionally, and small business or home based. There are more small businesses that are reached at Matt’s level.

Now Matt I got a question. Is there a model or serial number that would be considered “1st generation “ of these sanders.? I’m afraid I’m going to have to send mine off for repair or replacement as it stops too much for me to continue using slowing my work.


Thank you for all you do Matt and I will always value your input on tools I plan to purchase!!!

[brandonkinsey]

I picked up the 6 in about 6 months ago. This is great that you were able to gather this info for the community in the event I have issues with my Sander.
I have had no issues so far but I am running it with dust extraction.

[garymeyers]

I was one of the respondents to your request about the sander. I've not had a failure but it was interesting to hear about the shocking. I'd forgotten to mention that to you in my reply. I've tolerated it thinking it was just static build up. I now have rubber anti-fatigue matts around the work bench so I'll have to see if the static shocks are still there when I get to the sanding phase of the current project.

[raygoble]

First, kudos on your testing and discovery of possible issues, including lending it out for a third party to check it out. Second, great job with both the tone and content of your questions to 3M. So many people go straight into an aggressive tone when contacting a manufacturer or vendor, poisoning the interaction. Finally, the response from 3M is notably refreshing and transparent. Kudos to all invloved.

[Mark-bnlk]

What a good video! It is a win-win to see a no-nonsense guy like you interact with a big company and to see that company deal openly and honestly with you concerning these issues about their product. We can conclude that 3M is a responsible company. Every product I have of theirs, including this sander, is of good quality. I recently bought a pair of inexpensive 3M safety glasses. They fit my head perfectly, have good clearance for dust masks, and have no odd pressure points around the ears. Their abrasives are beyond compare. Glad to see the issues in this video worked out on a positive note.

[philipzielinski]

I appreciate that you completed the investigation before publishing. Shows integrity like journalists should have.

Also, good on 3m for redesigning. Fortunately it doesn’t appear there are any injuries or damage. That also is probably why there isn’t a full on recall.

As for the “commercial use only” I’ll bet that if they include that disclaimer (though, clearly not enforced) they fall into a different category of safety certification requirements. “Consumer tools” needing one set and “commercial tools” having another.

[rockinrabbi]

Thank You Matt, for standing up for us little guys and doing some investigative research. As a wanna-be woodworker, I purchased the sander per your review/recommendation, as I believe you conduct open & honest opinions about the products you use. Please, please don't ever lose that integrity. It's what helps you stand out from others with large, YT followers. Thanks again.

[richardwadsworth]

It's good to hear there are still companies that still don't just get the money and run. That stands behind their products. And address issues. Love the information, and I wouldn't be discouraged about buying a product that a company stands up for quality issues. And not just ignore!

[seanhayes]

Great video and thanks for reaching out to us users. I also had static shock issues with my pervious shop vac set-up, including Cen-Tec "anti-static" hose. But living in CO at 7600ft the dry air is a challenge. After contacting 3M and asking about anti-static protections in their Extract Dust Extractor, there are actually not any dedicated means of protection (were not at the time of my calling over a year ago), I went the Festool CT Midi I HEPA Dust Extractor that was stated to have internal grounding protections and with the cloth covered hose. I've had ZERO issues with this set up. You can also find 3D files online for a 3M to Festool port adapter, so it works seamlessly.

[Mr.Rohwer]

Thanks for the video. I got one right after 3M released it, I could be described as an active hobbyist and have put hundreds of hours on the clock with this sander. I’ve never had an overheating problem, but mine has shocked me from day one. I always thought it was something to do with my dust extraction. Now I’m thinking I may want to try and get it swapped for a newer variant.