Best Finish Sander?

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  • conwaygolfer
    Established Member
    • Jun 2008
    • 371
    • Conway, SC.
    • BT3000

    Best Finish Sander?

    I have been using a 1/3 sheet finish sander. Flat surface and does a good job. I keep reading on here about the ROS sanders. I am curious as to which is best for finishing surfaces?
    I once bought a Craftsman ros at a yard sale and was very disappointed. The old addage about getting what you paid for was true in that case. It barely had enough power to spin. Perhaps a better one would do a better job.
    Do they leave swirl marks/scratches?
    Thanks in advance for your input.
    I figure I am always open for a better or more useful product (tool).

    Thanks,
    Conwaygolfer
  • JimD
    Veteran Member
    • Feb 2003
    • 4187
    • Lexington, SC.

    #2
    This is what I use and like:



    There is a Porter Cable that was rated a little higher the last review I saw but is also about twice as expensive.

    All sanders will leave visible scratches if you use them with coarse grits and do not remove them with finer grit paper. Not making scratches that are visible assuming a reasonable finishing grit was part of the review I am remembering. The Milwaukee was pretty good. I finish with 220 grit if I am clear finishing and do not see scratches.

    Jim

    Comment

    • iceman61
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2007
      • 699
      • West TN
      • Bosch 4100-09

      #3
      Bosch ROS here, can't remember the model number but it does a great job. I use it professionally.

      Comment

      • conwaygolfer
        Established Member
        • Jun 2008
        • 371
        • Conway, SC.
        • BT3000

        #4
        Thanks JimD - I appreciate it.
        Just curious though as to how they compare with a finish sander that simply vibrates instead of spinning. Seems like the ROS would be faster doing the same job. Any thoughts?

        Thanks,
        Conwaygolfer

        Thanks Iceman also. Just saw the post. Do you think your Bosch would do better than what I am now using?
        Last edited by conwaygolfer; 05-06-2012, 07:46 PM. Reason: add comment

        Comment

        • Daryl
          Senior Member
          • May 2004
          • 831
          • .

          #5
          I use a Ryobi ros. it leaves a much nicer finish than the vibratory type sanders.
          You mentioned that the Craftsman sander didn't spin very well. Ros sanders don't "spin" like a disc sander, they are vibratory and the disc will make a random orbital rotation. More pressure, less spin.
          Sometimes the old man passed out and left the am radio on so I got to hear the oldie songs and current event kind of things

          Comment

          • Pappy
            The Full Monte
            • Dec 2002
            • 10453
            • San Marcos, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 (x2)

            #6
            I have 2. One is a PC 332 I bought at Sam's years ago and the other is a Bosch, don't know the model number. The PC is single speed without dust collection and was originally for pressure sensitive disks. I changed the pad out for hook and loop.

            The Bosch came with a hook and loop pad, dust collection, and variable speed. Dust collection is to a filtered box that is attached and works better than I thought it would. Often I will bag the sawdust for each species for use as shop made filler. I don't think I have ever used the variable speed.

            Bottom line. The ROS is a basic tool and all of them work fairly well. I would recommend getting one with some type of dust collection and a hook and loop pad for the paper. The hopok and loop allows the changing of grits and be able to reuse the disk.
            Don, aka Pappy,

            Wise men talk because they have something to say,
            Fools because they have to say something.
            Plato

            Comment

            • LCHIEN
              Internet Fact Checker
              • Dec 2002
              • 20913
              • Katy, TX, USA.
              • BT3000 vintage 1999

              #7
              the 1/3 sheet sander you have is called an orbital sander, its pad vibrates in an orbital pattern designed to "minimize" marking patterns.
              A Random orbital sander is described in the Wiki article I have copied below:

              Random orbit sanders, also called Dual-Action or D.A. sanders (referring to the rotation of the disk and the head) are hand-held power sanders where the action is a random orbit. First introduced in the early 1990s, random orbit sanders combine the speed and aggressiveness of a belt sander with the ability to produce a finer finish than that available from a standard, slow speed orbital finishing sander.
              The random orbit sanding pattern is produced by simultaneously spinning the sanding disk and moving it in an ellipse. This ensures that no single part of the abrasive material travels the same path twice. Because of this unique random sanding action, the tool does not leave swirl marks, and is not sensitive to the direction of the wood grain. This makes it useful when sanding two pieces of wood that meet at right angles. Random-orbital sanders use sandpaper disks, and many include integrated dust collectors. Disks are attached using either pressure sensitive adhesives or a hook and loop system. On models equipped with a dust collection feature, a vacuum effect sucks sanding dust through holes in the paper and pad, feeding it to a bag or canister.


              I think you'll find a good quality ROS better than an orbital sander. Good brands: Makita, Porter cable, Bosch, DeWalt and maybe others.
              Last edited by LCHIEN; 05-06-2012, 09:39 PM.
              Loring in Katy, TX USA
              If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
              BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

              Comment

              • Warren W
                Handtools only
                • Dec 2011
                • 4

                #8
                Thanks for the tips!
                I love you not because of who you are,but because of who I am when I am with you.

                Comment

                • gerti
                  Veteran Member
                  • Dec 2003
                  • 2233
                  • Minnetonka, MN, USA.
                  • BT3100 "Frankensaw"

                  #9
                  If money is no object and/or dust collection is paramount, you can't go wrong with a Festool sander. They are very, very good.

                  Comment

                  • durango dude
                    Senior Member
                    • Mar 2011
                    • 934
                    • a thousand or so feet above insanity
                    • 50s vintage Craftsman Contractor Saw

                    #10
                    I use a Ridgid R2600.

                    I picked the Ridgid over and above a Makita. I liked the solid feeling, the variable speed, and the decent dust management (it handles dust VERY well).

                    I also like the low-profile PC sander, and the Bosch detail/finish sander.

                    PC makes a nice compact belt sander that is worth a close look.

                    Festool is well beyond my budget - but I'd agree --- it's the best.

                    Comment

                    • jussi
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 2162

                      #11
                      I'll second the Festool suggestion (if it's in the budget). I have a ets 150/3 and it's one of my favorite sander (surpassed only by my ro125). It's virtually dustless and there is very little vibration. It works extremely well with a variable speed vac. Because there are so many ports for dust collection the sander tends to stick on the work piece if the vac is set too high. If your only going to be using it for finish sandin with high grits then I suggest taking a look at the ets 125. Has many of the same features as the 150 but with a smaller diameter and smaller stroke. And a smaller price tag.
                      Last edited by jussi; 05-07-2012, 10:38 AM.
                      I reject your reality and substitute my own.

                      Comment

                      • vaking
                        Veteran Member
                        • Apr 2005
                        • 1428
                        • Montclair, NJ, USA.
                        • Ryobi BT3100-1

                        #12
                        The way I use my power sanders:
                        Belt sander - very aggressive. It is a shaping tool more than it is finishing. As finishing tool it is only suitable for rough jobs, like decks.
                        ROS - main finishing tool in my shop. I use it with paper grits from 100 to 180, sometimes 220. I have Ridgid.
                        Orbital sander - for very fine finishing and for getting into corners where ROS can't reach. I use it with grits 220 - 600. Such fine grit will do nothing on bare wood (because wood grain itself is comparable to grits 180-220 depending on the wood), but is useful with multi-layered finish like lacquer between coats. The finest grit disks for ROS that I have seen is 320, with orbital sander you can use regular sandpaper and finding sandpaper with grits 240 -600 is easy. I have a 1/4 sheet Hitachi.

                        I like both of my sanders. Ridgid has its native dust bag but it can also be hooked up to shopvac for bigger jobs. Hitachi has an optional punch plate which allows you to punch holes in the sandpaper that you attached to the sander. Holes correspond to holes in the sander plate and allow for built-in dust collection to work.
                        Alex V

                        Comment

                        • JimD
                          Veteran Member
                          • Feb 2003
                          • 4187
                          • Lexington, SC.

                          #13
                          I also have an old Rockwell speed block sander. PC now sells the same sander. It is not a random orbit sander. It moves the sander through an arc but doesn't have the larger simultaneous circular movement going on. It is pretty agressive and the sides are soft so I often use it on concave surfaces. It takes 1/4 sheet of sandpaper. One of the worst things about it is no dust collection.

                          The Milwaukee I metioned in my first note is a true random orbit sander. It removes material quite quickly. If it isn't removing it fast enough, a coarser initial grit will typically solve it. If it is removing material too fast, a finer initial grit will slow it down. It has variable speed but I rarely use it.

                          I have a decent 3x21 belt sander - a Ryobi - which is variable speed. It gets used the least. The belts tend to separate at the glue joint when they get old. It also doesn't remove material noticably faster than the Milwaukee. It has dust collection.

                          I am not sure that the Festool sanders are really better. The reviews I've seen did not reach that conclusion. Festool nicely integrates their tools with their vacumns but I'm not sure they are consistently the best tool available. I hook my Milwaukee up to my old Rigid shop vac through an Onida dust deputy and get excellant results. I upgraded the filter of the Rigid to a HEPA filter. My setup doesn't look like much but works well - for a small fraction of what Festool wants.

                          Jim

                          Comment

                          • Cochese
                            Veteran Member
                            • Jun 2010
                            • 1988

                            #14
                            Even my battery Ryobi does a decent job. Not a bunch of power, but it leaves a nice smooth surface.

                            In the market for a corded soon for larger and longer jobs. The grip isn't ideal for long sessions. I really like the handles on the Ridgid R2611, however I'm not too keen on keeping two different disc sizes, not to mention the relative lack of selection and pricing.

                            I have a PC XP 7424 that I have for my cars, and am not about to introduce dust to that particular tool. Right now I'm looking at the Bosch 3725DEVS or the PC 390K. The Dewalt D26456 looks identical to the latter.
                            I have a little blog about my shop

                            Comment

                            • LCHIEN
                              Internet Fact Checker
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 20913
                              • Katy, TX, USA.
                              • BT3000 vintage 1999

                              #15
                              i have the DeWalt V.S. ROS. I recall when I was shopping several years ago there was a review in one of the magazines and they concluded there was actually a lot of difference between the various big name ROSes, partly because the parameters of the random orbits could be changed so much (as opposed to a table saw which just turns a blade in a fixed position at some fixed RPMs). I don't remember the details but for example some ROS were very aggressive and others were less so. It might be helpful to find such a recent review before you buy.
                              Loring in Katy, TX USA
                              If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                              BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                              Comment

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