DeWalt 20V MAX XR 18 in. Bandfile (Tool Only)

First impressions and setup

I put the DeWalt bandfile straight to work on a mix of stainless handrail welds, mild-steel brackets, and a few stubborn casting lines. Out of the box, it comes with two 80‑grit 18-inch belts, which are a good starting point for blending and general deburring. Setup is quick: flip the lever to release tension, slip on a belt, and set tracking with the tool-free adjuster. Within a minute I was grinding.

At 2.6 lb bare, the tool feels nimble and compact in hand. Add a compact 2.0 Ah or PowerStack pack and it stays well balanced for overhead and one-handed work. With a 5.0 Ah pack it’s still manageable, though you’ll feel the extra weight during long sessions. The grip and trigger are familiar DeWalt fare—no awkward angles, no learning curve.

Power and speed control

This bandfile has a brushless motor rated at 732 MWO and a belt speed up to 5,600 ft/min. In practice, that translates to surprisingly robust material removal for a cordless tool of this size. On stainless TIG welds, it maintained speed with steady pressure, and I didn’t hit thermal cutback during continuous medium-duty runs. The variable-speed trigger pairs nicely with a speed dial, which is key for dialing in just enough aggression without scorching or gouging. I kept the dial mid-range for stainless blending and bumped it higher for heavier stock removal on mild steel.

For delicate work—think removing a burr adjacent to a machined edge—the trigger modulation is smooth enough to feather in power. The top-end speed is genuinely quick; useful when you’re trying to avoid heat buildup by keeping contact light and fast. If you switch between metals and grit types frequently, the dial-and-trigger combo makes those transitions painless.

Access and ergonomics

The rotating contact arm sweeps 104°, so you can swing the belt to reach into corners, under brackets, or along the back side of tube joints. It also has a storage position that reduces the footprint in a crowded tool bag or cart. The compact head gets into places a 4-1/2-inch grinder simply won’t. I used it inside a rectangular tube cutout and along a gusset toe without wrestling the tool or my posture.

Vibration is controlled and the belt runs smoothly when tracking is set. You can lean on it more than I expected without the belt wandering. Noise is, as you’d expect for a high-speed abrasive, present—but more manageable than a full-size grinder. Ear protection is still a must.

Belt changes and tracking

Belt swaps are fast. The tension lever has positive feel, and belts come on and off without fighting the nose wheel. The tracking knob gives precise, incremental adjustments and stays put once set, even after a few heat cycles. I didn’t experience mid-task drift. If you regularly swap grits or switch to specialty belts (non-woven, ceramic, or Trizact), the quick-change setup saves noticeable time across a shift.

Because it uses common 18-inch belts, sourcing abrasives is easy. That’s a big deal if you’re particular about brands or need specialty grades.

Illumination that actually helps

The rotatable LED deserves a mention. Most onboard lights get blocked by the workpiece or your hand. Here, being able to rotate the light makes a real difference in tight corners, especially when blending inside a shadowed frame or under a flange. It’s not a floodlight, but it puts light where you need it without extra clamps or a headlamp.

Contact arm options and compatibility

The swap-friendly contact arm is one of the smarter design choices. Being able to change arms expands the tool’s range from rough blending to precise edge work. In my shop, the body accepted Dynabrade contact arms without drama, which opens up a huge ecosystem of widths and wheel profiles for different tasks. If you already own a drawer full of arms from your pneumatic days, that interoperability adds real value and reduces your cost to get this cordless setup dialed.

Runtime and platform considerations

On the 20V platform, runtime depends heavily on the battery pack and your aggressiveness. Abrasive work is high-draw by nature. With a 5.0 Ah pack and ceramic belts, I got through a steady sequence of weld blends and deburring passes on a small batch of parts before swapping batteries. For production-scale stainless work, plan on a couple of charged packs in rotation or a fast charger nearby. On the flip side, if you’re in and out of small jobs throughout the day, the convenience of cordless—no hose, no compressor—pays for itself in setup time and mobility.

The tool is chip-ready for DeWalt’s Tool Connect system, which is handy for shops that track inventory and location. It doesn’t change how the tool grinds, but it can reduce the headache of missing tools in a shared environment.

Real-world performance

• Stainless blending: Kept finish control with mid-speed settings; swapped to finer belts without losing tracking. Heat discoloration was minimal with light passes.
• Mild steel cleanup: Plenty of punch for knocking down MIG spatter and smoothing bracket edges. At max speed, it removes material quickly—watch pressure to avoid troughs.
• Tight spots: The rotating arm and slim head got me into corners on tab-and-slot assemblies that are miserable with anything larger.
• Auto and fab odds-and-ends: Great for gasket surfaces, door jamb spot cleanup, and de-burring cut edges on tubing.

Across all of that, I never felt the tool choke. It’s not a replacement for a 4-1/2-inch grinder for heavy beveling, but that’s not its job. For precision abrasive work, it’s right in the pocket.

Durability and maintenance

While I can’t speak to multi-year longevity yet, nothing in my time with it felt fragile. The belt path stands up to heat, the wheels didn’t glaze prematurely, and the tracking hardware stayed consistent. As with any bandfile, keep the belt area free of packed dust and periodically check the wheels for embedded debris. The 3-year limited warranty is a useful safety net.

What I’d improve

• No dust collection: For metal, this isn’t unusual, but if you occasionally work on wood or composites, you’ll want external extraction or dedicated PPE.
• Runtime for production stainless: It’s solid for a cordless platform, but high-abrasion tasks still benefit from multiple batteries or a hybrid workflow.
• LED lens exposure: The adjustable light is great; I’d like a slightly more recessed lens or a sacrificial cover to protect against stray sparks over time.

Who it’s for

• Metal fab and welding shops looking to replace or supplement pneumatic files without the tether to a hose.
• Maintenance techs and field installers who need portable blending and deburring with minimal setup.
• Auto body and custom work where access and finish control matter as much as raw removal rate.
• Anyone already on the DeWalt 20V platform who wants a specialized abrasive tool that punches above its size.

The bottom line and recommendation

The DeWalt bandfile delivers real grinder’s work in places a grinder can’t reach, with the control and consistency I expect from a purpose-built abrasive tool. The brushless motor has the headroom to keep belts moving under pressure, the speed controls are genuinely useful, and the rotating contact arm plus adjustable LED make access and visibility far better than average. Tool-free belt changes and rock-solid tracking speed up workflow, and compatibility with a broad range of contact arms—including the popular pneumatic-style options—extends its usefulness significantly.

I recommend this tool. It’s a strong pick for fabricators and techs who value precision, access, and cordless convenience. If you already live on the 20V platform, it integrates seamlessly; if you’re cross-shopping, the performance, ergonomics, and accessory compatibility justify adding a couple of batteries to your kit. You’ll still want multiple packs for heavy production runs and proper PPE for the unavoidable sparks and dust, but as a compact, capable, and thoughtfully designed bandfile, it’s one I’m keeping in regular rotation.