ROS advice

[Ian Radin]

My porter cable 7346 just died (front armature bearing). Lasted about a year and a half of light usage. The one before that, about three years. The first one about 15 years. I do not wish to emulate the guy who sliced off a finger on the table saw and when the foreman came running shouting "what happened said I just put my hand here -whoops there goes another one". Therefore, I am looking for another brand. BUT…I have certain conditions. Must take PSA paper (I have a large supply of 5 and 6 inch). With the PC I could change pad and counter weight and use either (5/16-24 male thread on pad). Do not care about dust collection as my shop in hot and humid Miami is in a shed which opens wide. Any suggestions for a replacement which takes PSA and in a perfect world would handle both 5 and 6 inch pads (were I in heaven it would also accept 5/16-24 pads) and runs on electricity. Price is of secondary importance as I am old.

[John TenEyck]

Take a look at the Bosch ROS65VC sander. You can buy it in 5" or 6", or as a kit with both, and you can buy PSA pads for it. While you stated it was not of interest, the on board dust collection is top notch. Most importantly, the sander is a joy to use and leaves a swirl free finish.

John

[Ian Radin]

John, thanks for reply. Was all set to buy, but being uncharacteristically prudent, decided to call Bosch. Hook and Loop only arrgh.

[Jim Cunningham]

After a few Porter Cables, I have had a Ridgid and am totally happy with it. I just bought a Ridgid 3/8 " variable speed drill and so far so good

[Peter Quinn]

Mirka and a few others sell adaptor pads that convert hook and loop to PSA, essentiy it's a thin rigid intermediate pad with hook and loop on one side and the PSA pad material on the other. So you pretty much have your choice. There aren't many decent sanders left short of pneumatic that still come with PSA IME. I my home shop I won't use anything but h&l because PSA gets costly when I switch grits and loose the disk, they never really stick again.

If money is truly no object I'd look at a mirka deros or ceros kit with both 5" and 6" pads and the PSA convertor.

The dust collection is not there for you...it's there for the paper and the sander! Your paper will last longer if you don't keep grinding the saw dust back into the wood as you go, and your tools will last longer if they aren't driven hard in a cloud of dust so the air intake constantly sucks in fine dust. These things make a lot of heat, most have little fans to push air over the motor, that means flow, and if you operate them in a dusty pit that equates to vastly reduced service life. I have festools sanders and their dust collection plays a roll in motor cooling from what I read years ago...pushes cool air around the motor as it sucks up dust. So consider a vacuum, your sander will thank you.

[Chris Padilla]

So consider a vacuum, your sander will thank you.

Your lungs will thank you as well and in general, you'll just have a cleaner shop, too.

[Ian Radin]

Sincere thanks for all the replies. Went with (gulp) ceros with 5 and 6 inch discs and H&L to PSA conversions. Bought some H&L paper and will switch over as i use up PSA. Bought from Supergrit (Red Hill abrasives). A very nice family company. With ref to dust, big windows (no screens) and door with fan at my back. At least at the house sale after I croak people will say "nice tools". Finally some respect.

[Allan Speers]

Festool just came out with brushless versions of their three top ROS's.

This certainly changes the game a little bit. Worth considering.

[Prashun Patel]

Nicely done! I love my Ceros.

two cents of advice, tho. I notice mine works best when using a shop vac. I think getting rid of the dust on the surface helps keep the abrasive in solid contact with the wood, which makes it cut more efficiently. I therefore suggest you at least run yours with a shop vac's filter removed. You can evacuate that outside. For a hose, the Porter Cable PW382 hose works well. PTree has it for about $20 through Amzn. It screws into the port on Ceros for a secure connection. It includes adapters so you can fit it to larger shop vac inlets if necessary...