Random orbital sanders with effective dust control?

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

I'm looking for advice on ROS and related beasts that have good dust control. Festool and such are entirely out of the budget - this is for a non-profit community space with very little money. I never sand inside, just use my ancient dust port-less sander outside with a mask on the very rare cases where I need a power sander. However, users want sanders at the shop.

Any advice?

We've got a shop vac and a delta 50-850 dust collector - I assume I'll make a downdraft surface to attach to the delta and attach the sander to the shop vac?

Thanks!

[Mike Chalmers]

I use a Bosch ROS65VC-6 with a 2.5hp shop vac which has a Dust Deputy in the line. Works very well. Very little dust escapes except when sanding things smaller than 6" (then I use my DeWalt 5").

[David Helm]

My aging 5 inch P-C model 334 has a dust port that, when wrapped once with duct tape, exactly fits the smaller hose on my Shop-Vac. Don't ever have problems with flying dust.

[Bruce Page]

I have a Festool sander that has excellent dust control but I also have couple of Porter Cable 333VS that also have excellent dust control when hooked up to my Fein T3. Not as good as the Festool but close.

[Geoff Crimmins]

I expect that most any ROS will have good dust control when hooked up to a good shop vacuum. I have a Festool Mini dust extractor that I've been using with a cheap Dewalt ROS, and dust doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Jim Dwight]

I agree with Geoff, both my DeWalt 5 inch and 6 inch send most of their dust, nearly all of it, down my shop vac hose (Bosch 5 meter). The Milwaukee I had before that worked well too. Festools are probably better but not enough to justify their price to me. I do want to try one with their aggressive mode. There is a Bosch that has it but it is $250 or so, still half the Festool models but pricey to me for a sander. But just to get dust collection, that is essentially any of them.

[Robert Parent]

I have a Bosch 5 inch variable speed which well even with the vac running at half speed. I have also used a Rigid 5 inch which also worked well.

Robert

[Tim McCarthy]

I purchased a Ridgid 6" ROS about two years ago. With it's little dust bag I was quite amazed at the amount it picked up. I recently discovered that with the bag removed it accepts a 2 1/4" hose from a shop vac. The hose fits very snug and although I haven't tried it I can only assume that it would be nothing short of outstanding! Quite a nice sander that I'm very happy with.