Those are great machines!! I had one I bought new maybe 15 years or so ago and it was worth every penny. If you outgrow it the next step up is a widebelt. At the time it was one of the best drum sanders I could find. Most of the competition was inferior to far inferior, so worth a little extra $. I haven't kept up with whats available since I sold mine when I went to a widebelt about 11 years ago. But will tell you this, if its the same quality as mine was, you have a good machine and should get a LOT of use out of it. As for variable speed, I never needed it then and don't need it now. Far more important to know how to use the machine correctly and not overdo it. Had to explain this to the guy who bought mine several times, as he just kept burning up belts trying to remove too much in a pass!!!

good luck,
JeffD