Do I want a ROS or a sheet sander?

[Rich Engelhardt]

ROS for sure. You’ve don’t have a ROS yet?

Hi Matt,
I have a DeWalt 5" ROS that's seen better days. The pad is really dinged up.
I also have a Porter Cable 5" that I got free when I bought my PC 690 router a few years back.
The PC is a piece of junk. It started to vibrate so bad it was hard to use 1/2 hour after I first used it.
Then the dust bag blew off and now it won't stay on.
So much for my freebie...


Anyhow - -

I decided to give the Ridgid 6" ROS a try.
I might have a whole house of floors to scuff sand & I figured if I do a 6" will work better.

[Mitchell Ristine]

I have two bosch ROS20VSC. I also have a DeWalt sheet sander ... somewhere.

[Joe Jensen]

Just to add, the larger the pad the flatter your surfaces will be. I use 6" ROS 99% of the time but I do have a 1/2 sheet sander (Festool) that I use on table tops or any other flat surface where you can see any irregularities. If I had a giant shop I'd love to have a stroke sander. I would seriously consider a 6" ROS if you are changing.

[Pat Barry]

One advantage of a small sheet sander is getting into corners, inside a box for example.

[Joe Jensen]

I have a small rectangular sander to get into corners. 5" round gets just a bit further into a corner than a 6" and you get a lot flatter result with the much larger area of the larger pad.

[Ed Edwards]

Don't everybody bid a once... Maybe it's the water in Clearwater Only $425.00 shipped ???


PORTER CABLE 505 TYPE 2 HEAVY DUTY SANDER - *** MADE IN USA *** >> NEW <<
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[lowell holmes]

What kind of woodworker are you. I would get two sanders.

[Miles Williams]

I replaced my Dewalt sheet sander with the 5” Bosch 2-3 years ago and have been so much happier. Better results and quicker to change sheets. +1 to the Norton 3M sheets. You can normally save some money by ordering them online.

[Stan Calow]

Lowell's right. You need more than one. If you only have one, get an ROS. I've been picking up others at garage and estate sales, mostly quarter sheet, for $5-10 each, with the goal being to set them up to have one with each grit I'm going to use. Lots of old PC and Dewalts out there.

[Doug Hepler]

Rich,

I have an old Craftsman sheet sander that can be set to oscillate or to move back and forth. With the latter setting it is occasionally useful for finish sanding large surfaces with fine sandpaper. IMO that is their reason for being. I rarely use power sanding but when I do, I normally would use my Bosch ROS.

Doug

[Bill Adamsen]

The better quality ROS - especially the new brushless models - are really fantastic. The 150mm (6") units like the Festool ETS 150/3 (and other brands of a similar ilk) are really versatile performers. If you are getting just one sander, as other folks have mentioned, consider one of the modern ROS.

I also have a number of Porter Cable half and quarter sheet sanders. They work well for prepping finishes (paint and clear) for the next coat. They don't have dust collection, they're loud, and functionally they have a very narrow use. But I love the finish and the stickit sandpaper. I have a buddy with a Festool (RS 2 E) that does have dust collection and works extremely well for the narrow scope for which these sanders are designed. I will likely upgrade at some point to get the dust collection. To my knowledge they are technically not ROS but rather just an orbital sander.

My view is that the large 150mm ROS by firms like Festool or Mirka are the most versatile and efficient electric powered hand sanding machines out there.

[jack duren]

I still use my Porter Cable 332 and 333 sanders. Still work good...

[Brian Henderson]

The ROS is always my go-to sander, although I have piles of them, belt sanders, palm sanders, half-sheet, even one of those Mouse sanders that is great when you need something really small. right now I have 2 DeWalt ROS, one of which I just ordered a new pad for and the other I've worn out the switch on so I have to order one of those as well. As pretty much everyone has said, it's not so much the tool, it's the paper you put on it, just buy online from a reputable company and you'll do fine. I've tried a lot of them, everything from Klingspor to Mirka and really, so long as it's a good brand, I don't think one is any better than any others, just find something that you like and stick with it.

[julian abram]

Seems like I got trapped in the endless vortex of building a lot of large panel cabinetry the past few months. I purchased Bosch OS50VC 1/2 sheet to help on the large panels, it has been a wonderful tool. Smooth action and best sander dust collection filter/canister I've experienced.