On January 3, 2025, Makita released a cordless belt sander out of La Mirada, California. The model is the GSB01, a 3 in. x 21 in. sander on XGT, Makita's cordless platform, and "40V max" is Makita's name for the XGT pack voltage. It's sold tool-only as the GSB01Z, so the battery and charger aren't included, and the announcement doesn't print a price for the tool or for a pack. TMWB hasn't used this sander, so everything below comes from Makita's press release and product graphics.
The press table calls the sander "AWS capable." AWS is Makita's Auto-Start Wireless System, a radio link that can start a paired dust extractor when the sander starts. Makita's feature graphic adds a detail the text leaves out: the AWS transmitter is a separate purchase (part number 198901-5), so it isn't in the box.
What does a 3 x 21 belt do?
A belt sander takes a surface down until it's flat. A 3 x 21 belt is 3 inches wide and 21 inches around the loop, which runs over two drums, one at each end of the tool. The abrasive travels in one direction, so the scratches follow the belt. That's the difference from a random-orbit sander, which spins its disc and also moves it in a small orbit so the scratch pattern breaks up. The belt removes wood faster and leaves lines, and the random-orbit sander is the slower, finer step that comes after. Typical belt-sander work is flattening a glued-up panel, leveling a solid-wood edge, or blending a repair patch.
A loop on two rollers can drift sideways and climb off the drums, and tracking adjustment is what keeps it centered. Makita lists auto belt tracking on the GSB01, which means that correction is handled by the tool.
How fast does the belt run?
Makita prints a variable range of 390 to 1,540 feet per minute, set with a dial. That's belt surface speed, how fast the abrasive travels around the loop, and it's separate from how fast the tool is moved along a panel. For scale, 1,540 ft/min is about 18,480 inches per minute. Makita also says the GSB01 sands up to 20 percent faster than its corded 9903 model. The release gives no test method, so "up to 20 percent" is a company claim against its own sander and not an independent comparison.
What about the grip and controls?
The large front grip adjusts so the sander can reach wood the flat shoe can't cover in one pass. Makita's graphic shows it set at 30 degrees backward, vertical, or 60 degrees forward, for sanding flush to a wall with the nose and the side of the sander. The same graphic shows an adjustable LED light on the tool to illuminate the work area. A lock-on switch keeps the motor running without constant trigger pressure, and a variable speed dial sets the belt speed.
How big is it?
Overall length is 17-1/4 inches and width is 5-7/8 inches. The 21 inch figure is the belt loop, so the housing is measured separately. Net weight with a battery is 9.9 lb, but the release doesn't say which XGT pack that includes, so the figure can't be tied to a specific battery. A dust bag is included and collects powder on the tool until it's emptied, though its volume isn't given.
What does "tool-only" and "40V max" actually mean?
Cordless tool names carry a few conventions that are easy to skim past. "Tool-only" means the box holds the sander and nothing else, with no battery and no charger, which is why Makita gives it its own SKU (the stock keeping unit, a retailer's ordering code) ending in Z. The same sander is sold in kits that include a battery and a charger, and those would carry a different number. "40V max" is a bit of marketing arithmetic, since the pack is rated at its maximum voltage under no load, and Makita uses that wording as the platform name for XGT. The practical result is that the sander only works with XGT packs, and the earlier Makita 18V batteries don't fit.
How does it relate to the corded 9903?
Makita's comparison point is its own corded 9903 belt sander, which uses the same 3 x 21 belt size. A corded sander has an advantage in sustained power because it isn't limited by a battery, so the claim that the cordless model sands up to 20 percent faster is notable, even if the test behind it isn't described. The release is silent on the motor type, though Makita's graphic carries a brushless "BL" mark. A brushless motor uses electronics instead of carbon brushes to switch its coils, which usually means less wear and better efficiency, and the release doesn't attach a measured number to that.
Taken together, the announcement positions the GSB01 as the cordless alternative for people who already work on the XGT platform: same belt size as the corded standard, comparable or better speed on Makita's own testing, and the convenience of working where there's no outlet. The unknowns are the price, the battery behind the 9.9 lb weight, and the belts included.
Where does it fit?
The GSB01 joins a field of cordless sanders on a platform that's most useful if you already own XGT batteries. A first pack and charger are separate purchases, and Makita hasn't priced them in this announcement. The release doesn't say which belts ship with the tool either. What it does give is a short, concrete spec sheet: a 3 x 21 belt, a 390 to 1,540 ft/min range, auto belt tracking, an adjustable grip, a lock-on switch, and a bag. The rest, including price and the battery behind the 9.9 lb figure, is still open.
Sources and image credits
- Makita press release, January 3, 2025
- GSB01Z product page
- Product images: Makita
