Thread: Whats the best random orbit sander in your opinion

Well I have a Makita BO6030 which does a very good job with very very low vibration and excellent dust collection.

The BO6040 also has a dual orbit feature similar to the extremely expensive Festool machine, which I am sure is a good machine but I bound to get a good slapping from the Festool fans here.

All I can is:

Originally Posted by markharrison

Well I have a Makita BO6030 which does a very good job with very very low vibration and excellent dust collection.

The BO6040 also has a dual orbit feature similar to the extremely expensive Festool machine, which I am sure is a good machine but I bound to get a good slapping from the Festool fans here.

All I can is:

I have a Bosch PEX12AE 125 mm sander. It's great for the rough stuff but when getting finner, you just cannot beat the 1/3 sheet pad sander. having said that Makita is also a killer brand you cannot put a fag paper between them! (Mark, if the festool boys come around let me know we'll sand them into oblivion )

Ciao,

M.

Well, mates, the Festool police have arrived!!

Of course the Festo 125/3 or Rotex 125 would be the go, but if budget does not allow:

1. Look for decent dust extraction--something you can hook to your shop vac.

2. Go for the Hook and Loop pads, not the adhesive ones. You'll get more re-use from your sandpaper.

3. Something with a pad brake so you don't get caught laying the tool on the piece and getting a gouge.

Bosch and Makita both make good products, just look at the features.

[See now, that wasn't so bad was it? ]

I have a makita bo5021kx1 which is a great little machine if you dont want to spend much money.. If i could get any sander it would be the milwaukee ros 150e..very well built machines and very powerful.

Shinano.
Pneumatic sanders just seem to do a much better job, especially on table tops. Maybe its the speed they run at, but when forced to use an electric one, I usually give up and finish off hand sanding with a cork block.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

Shinano.
Pneumatic sanders just seem to do a much better job, especially on table tops. Maybe its the speed they run at, but when forced to use an electric one, I usually give up and finish off hand sanding with a cork block.

Cheers,

I have read that about the pneumatic sanders as well but you need a serious compressor to run one.

The good electric machines do a good job. As usual, you get what you pay for.

I'd just love to get one of the Festool sanders, but I find for fine work my 1/3 pad sander works very well - and it's only a cheapie. So I'm having a hard time talking myself into the Festool outlay.

I'm interested in what people are saying about air driven sanders. I bought a fairly hefty air compressor earlier in the year and it doesn't see much work. I'd be very interested in hearing more about this option.

One of the reasons I have been attracted to the Festool sanders is their reportedly great dust collection. I HATE DUST. But I have found using my el cheapo sanders that I just have to hook the DC up to one of those Carbatec nozzles and position it near to the sander. It works very well.

Festo RO 125/3, it's a good versatile size, I have used it on large surfaces and small, it's essential to hook it up to a good dusty.
Zelk

We have a Makita random orbital, (does a great job) about 8 years old, used on hardwood, sanding panels, boards and rounding over edges on wany edged boards. It has had its velcro pad replaced once, and now needs a new one, they are NOT cheap, does anyone know a cheap supplier of bits like that?

How big an air compressor do you need to run an air sander? Would our 2.2hp be big enough? (Only just bought it, so all is new to me), all we can do is blow air with it at the moment, so need to learn what tools to look for.

Donna

Go for the Metabo Duo 250 has a 3mm and 6mm orbit it is just the ducks guts

Originally Posted by flynnsart

How big an air compressor do you need to run an air sander? Would our 2.2hp be big enough?

The short answer is no. It's probably only 12 CFM. Most of the air sanders that I know would consume more than these compressors can compress in the same time so you will end up doing a lot of waiting for the compressor to catch up.

If someone does know of an air powered ROS that the smaller compressors can drive I would be interested to know more, but more from an academic point of view. I don't need one at the moment or for the foreseeable future.

Originally Posted by smeds

Go for the Metabo Duo 250 has a 3mm and 6mm orbit it is just the ducks guts

I have to agree here, got myself one and threw my old one out straight away after using the Metabo for a minute.

Originally Posted by smeds

Go for the Metabo Duo 250 has a 3mm and 6mm orbit it is just the ducks guts

Nope can't do the duo.
Andrew's budget is

Maybe for around $150-200?

The duo's somewhere between $350 and $420 depending on where you shop and if it's on special.

sorry

As has been stated above, I cannot overstate the importance of dust extraction
when using the ROS. I have a Bosch 150mm ROS and I always hook up to a vacuum cleaner with excellent results. However the Bosch will cost about $280 maybe cheaper at some places.
Les