I used one of these in a cabinet shop when I was 18, where I really gained a solid appreciation for quality power tools.  I have had one since 1990, and use is constantly.  The only things that have had to be replaced are the pad, the power switch and the cord in all that time.  The frame is metal and built for professional use.  It is louder than the newer Porter Cable sander that I bought, but this one still works, the other one died after 2 years of daily use.  The newer sander came with dust collection, which I thought I would like.  However, the holes that have to be punched in the paper for the dust ports greatly shortens the life of the sand paper, and the plastic components just didn't hold up. To sum up, this sander is loud, dusty, and does exactly what it was made to do.  I use one daily and wouldn't trade it for anything else.