Considering a 6" Orbital Sander

[Michael Zerance]

I have been considering getting a 6" sander for a while. I've been eyeing the Bosch 1250DEVS which is the dual mode sander. I like the idea of the dual mode but I'm not sure how much I would use it. The other option is the Bosch ROS65VC which has the vibration control system but not the dual mode. Any thoughts?

[Mike Heidrick]

Any chance you have a Festool or Mirka dealer close by and can demo a Festool 150/3 and or Rotex or a Mirka Deros? You are at $245 in a Bosch 1250devs so it would be worth trying a 150/3 to me. Its not dual mode but significantly less vibration and fatigue if you use them for extended periods of time. I bought a 150/3 with the thought of buying a rotex later would give me dual mode and 5mm stroke. Have NEVER needed the rotex. I do a good job is surface prep of my work though before getting to the sanding steps IMO.

[Michael Zerance]

There is a Woodcraft store close by that I assume would have the Festool, not sure about the Deros. I'll check it out.

[Chris Fournier]

I am a big fan of the 6" ROS, much faster than a 5" and less work due to its increased weight.

[Greg R Bradley]

Bosch 1250DEVS is horrible to use as general ROS. Think of it as similar to the Festool Rotax. Both are great for heavy removal and then switch to RO mode to clean up some of the damage done. Two handed, lots of vibration, noisy.

Bosch RO65 is similar to Festool 150/3. Pleasant, low vibration, quiet sanders usable one handed.

[Robin Frierson]

I purchased the Bosch 1250DEVS and found it a fine working sanding with good dust collection, but too much sander for me. So it was returned. Its a two hander for sure. Very powerful. I prefer a light one hand sander that floats along on its own with just a little guidance. I am currently still using a PC 333 which is a great sander for the price, but when it goes I am thinking Fesstool 150/5 es or the Mirka. Big Bucks but I dont have room for a drumsander anymore so all sanding will be done by hand. Am worried about the Mirka as I keep hearing reports of problems. The woodcraft near me no longer stocks the Mirka but lots of Fesstool, so cant compare the two. So will probably go with the Fesstool.

[Frank Pratt]

I got a Bosch ROS65. Very smooth, good dust collection.

[John TenEyck]

What Frank said, get the Bosch ROS65VC. It sands beautifully and leaves no swirl marks - at least I can't see them. The dust collection is top notch - rated highest in a FWW test when vacuum is not used, and that's how I use it, and has essentially no vibration. I've used it for an hour or two straight and my hands are fine afterwards, and the motor doesn't get hot. Great machine and very fair price. If you buy the kit you get both the 5" and 6" pads.

John

[Van Huskey]

The first question is dual mode or single mode. Unless you plan to shape with a sander then I find the easiest was to answer this question is how often do you start with grit below 80. If you often start with grits below 80 and/or do a lot of polishing then a dual mode may indeed be for you, Festool, Makita and Bosch all make good dual mode sanders but my guess is you probably don't need one so I will move onto the single mode ROS.

If you were to query all the WWing forums and ask for a money no object recommendation for 6" sanders I pretty much guarantee you will see a theme emerge. For those that have used all of the really good ones, the Mirka Deros is going to almost certainly be the top dog, but it does have a $600 price tag, hard to justify especially if you have never used one. Second is the Festool ETS EC 150 (note this is the brushless version and not the same as the ETS 150. These two brushless sanders are a good step above everything else out there and even though, in this case, the Festool is the cheaper option it is still $485. If you do want to discuss these options I will be welcome to but they are well above the Bosch in price.

The Bosch ROS65VC and the Festool ETS 150 (no EC meaning it is brushed) are the best of the rest. The Festool is available in 3 and 5mm stroke and the Bosch sits right in the middle with a 4mm stroke. My preference for a general purpose ROS is a 5mm stroke, the bigger the stroke (or in this case technically the orbit diameter) the fast it will remove material and the reality is as long as you are using grits compatible with bare wood prep the finish will be just as good. If you are sanding film finishes in very high grits a shorter stroke will produce a finer finish but just. Between the two, which I have owned and sold both, the Bosch is 85-90% the sander the Festool is and is priced over $100 less so it is arguably the value leader.

These are all good sanders and are certainly all better than the mainstream 5" ROS you get at the big box stores.

One thing that will make all these sanders work more efficiently and significantly increase the life of the abrasives is using a vacuum. While Mirka, Bosch, Fein and Festool make great HEPA vacs they are also rather expensive, while loud a standard shop vac with the inexpensive Clean Stream filter makes a low price alternative and though they are arguably not as good for the lungs you get all the benefits for the sander/abrasives. Get a good quality small diameter hose (The Bosch VAC005 is the budget choice) and be aware that any vac without variable suction may need some air bled off prior to the tool to keep from sucking it down onto the surface and if you want auto on/off with the tool like the more expensive vacs there are aftermarket options like those from iVac. The Mirka and Festool sanders have the benefit of having a removable cord so you can use expandable PET hose sleeves, tape or zip ties to connect your electrical cord to the hose and only deal with one "tail".

In the end, you picked the best ROS in the price range, there are better with bigger price tags but no matter what your budget is I would factor in the vac/hose situation as I would rather use any of these sanders with a vac than the next one up the chain without a vac.

[Jim Becker]

I went Festool years ago and haven't looked back. The 150/3 is my "go to", but I also have a Rotex. (both older versions) They are pretty much vibration free and I don't get numb hands like I did with the PC sanders I used prior. Other than occasionally replacing the H&L pad, they have been problem free and still look and perform "like new" almost a decade later.

[Prashun Patel]

I'll bite: why a 6"? If you need something aggressive, you might do better to buy a belt sander.

[Mike Chalmers]

I'll bite: why a 6"? If you need something aggressive, you might do better to buy a belt sander. 6" has about 40% more sanding area, therefore, much more rapid sanding. As well, the quality of the finish is far superior to a belt sander. no real comparison. Two different sanders for two different jobs.

Thus endeth the epistle.

[Jim Dwight]

I have a DeWalt 5 inch ROS and a DeWalt 6 inch. I bought lots of paper for the 6" when I got it but have used up only the coarser grits. I don't notice that it sands significantly faster than the 5 inch and it is much more difficult to control, especially one handed. Lots more vibration too. I don't think it's as simple as a larger sanding surface = faster sanding.

I have the $250 Bosch on my wish list. I need to redo the hardwood floors in our house and I plan to justify it to do the edging. It would replace the 6 inch DeWalt. I suspect the 5 inch will remain my primary sander.

What about the $99 Festool?

[Van Huskey]

What about the $99 Festool?

First, unless you find one at a local dealer that somehow has avoided the onslaught you won't find one, at least for $99. Second, the Pro 5/ETS 125 is a poor choice as a general use ROS it has a very fine stroke (2mm) and not a ton of power, though the power is appropriate for the stroke. It really is a finish sander better used for 180 grit and above.

Unless your work is primarily narrow stock when you get a quality 6" ROS the 5" will likely collect dust (on the shelf versus in use).

If you are really in search of a true one handed 6" ROS do yourself a favor and demo the Festool ETS EC 150 and Mirka Deros the difference between them and the taller brushed ROS is similar to the difference between an Escalade and a 911.

[Michael Zerance]

Lots of great replies.

I will probably go with the Bosch ROS65VC; I would like to get a feel for it first, though. Anybody know offhand if any retailers stock this sander?

I was starting to lean towards the Festool but I'm not yet ready to head down that road.

Thanks, fellas, for taking the time to respond; it is much appreciated!

[Michael Zerance]

...that Deros is enticing, though.

[Marc Burt]

I was a hold out to 6" for a long time. "I dont do that big of pieces" I told myself. Plus I had (still have) a ton of 5" paper. But about 6 months ago I switched. Wish I'd done it years ago!! I went the Festool route and picked up an ETS 150/5 & 150/3 and love them. I have the newer brushless model in 125 but I don't like the ergonomics.

The 6" makes sanding so much faster.

[Van Huskey]

...that Deros is enticing, though.


A word of advice, do not try one out if you aren't prepared to spend the money, especially if you have used air sanders in the past. I have watched several people at my local pusher play with one and either leave with one or wish they could, the ergonomics are like no other electric sander. One thing I like that I never thought I would use is you can set the top paddle up as just on/off or to control variable speed within a range you set, I have learned to love this function as I can speed up when I want to be a little more aggressive in an area or slow down when I want more control near an edge. This also teaches/reminds you that you only want to keep a very light touch on an ROS 99.9% off the time.

[Michael Zerance]

A word of advice, do not try one out if you aren't prepared to spend the money, especially if you have used air sanders in the past. I have watched several people at my local pusher play with one and either leave with one or wish they could, the ergonomics are like no other electric sander. One thing I like that I never thought I would use is you can set the top paddle up as just on/off or to control variable speed within a range you set, I have learned to love this function as I can speed up when I want to be a little more aggressive in an area or slow down when I want more control near an edge. This also teaches/reminds you that you only want to keep a very light touch on an ROS 99.9% off the time.

I have a 5" Dynabrade pneumatic sander that I loved using. It is light, well balanced, smooth, and fast. I can guide it around the workpiece with one finger. Unfortunately, it does not have any provision for dust collection and that's just not an option anymore. If the Deros operates similarly but with dust collection, I may want to give it greater consideration.

[Van Huskey]

I have a 5" Dynabrade pneumatic sander that I loved using. It is light, well balanced, smooth, and fast. I can guide it around the workpiece with one finger. Unfortunately, it does not have any provision for dust collection and that's just not an option anymore. If the Deros operates similarly but with dust collection, I may want to give it greater consideration.

Mirka is best know for air sanders (mainly in Europe as Dynabrade et al control the market here) but have moved into the electric sander business over the last decade because it is a greener/cleaner option. By using long life brushless motors which are small and can fit in a similar form factor to air sanders they give commercial and industrial buyers another option. There is no need to run and maintain huge compressors and the electricity use is much lower. Add to that the high level of dust collection and it becomes clear why they are an attractive option.

[peter gagliardi]

I tried the 6" deros and the festool ets ec 6" side by side for a week. Kept the festool-better ergonomics, better power, less vibration, no fiddly buttons or palm actuated baloney.
Deros is a nice sander, but i aint paying $100 more for a lesser machine than the festool!

[Martin Wasner]

I have a 5" Dynabrade pneumatic sander that I loved using. It is light, well balanced, smooth, and fast. I can guide it around the workpiece with one finger. Unfortunately, it does not have any provision for dust collection and that's just not an option anymore. If the Deros operates similarly but with dust collection, I may want to give it greater consideration.


The little bit I've handled the deros, it doesn't fit my hand well. I find the handle cumbersome for some operations.

The ceros though.... If you like the dynabrade, you won't as much after the ceros. It cuts faster, leaves a better scratch, is lighter, and doesn't require a ton of compressor to operate. I can't speak of the dust collection, as I don't use it. My only complaint is the cord is heavier than an air hose, 90% of the time that doesn't matter, and I've still got dynabrades for when I need them.

[mreza Salav]

Once I went 6" never take out my 5". Festool 150/3 has been a good sander (although I give it 4.5/5).

[Van Huskey]

The little bit I've handled the deros, it doesn't fit my hand well. I find the handle cumbersome for some operations.

The ceros though.... If you like the dynabrade, you won't as much after the ceros. It cuts faster, leaves a better scratch, is lighter, and doesn't require a ton of compressor to operate. I can't speak of the dust collection, as I don't use it. My only complaint is the cord is heavier than an air hose, 90% of the time that doesn't matter, and I've still got dynabrades for when I need them.

Why sell him on something he can't buy... except used. :D I agree I liked the Ceros better much closer to a pneumatic but the Deros is the closest thing you can buy new now, the Festool ETC EC is bigger and heavier than the Deros and lacks the palm paddle and even on FOG it is considered by a slight majority to be the better sander. The Ceros is/was the closest thing to electric sanding nirvana but alas it is gone but I have come to love the Deros ALMOST as much. What I really miss is my 2.5" Ceros, which I wish I hadn't sold. One of the cool things about the Ceros was the ability to buy just the sanders once you had a power pack for 40% less.

[Wade Lippman]

My experience is a little different I guess. Someone had the ROS65VC on sale for half price, so I bought a pair, intending to replace my aging PC333.
They are great sanders, but are big and heavy. I prefer small sanders.

I also bought a pair of the German Rigid R610 6" when HD closed them out for half price. Again, they are great sanders, but I just don't like using them.

I recommend actually using one before buying it. Your preference might not be the same as ours. (If you were in WNY I would have a great bargain for you.)

[Van Huskey]

My experience is a little different I guess. Someone had the ROS65VC on sale for half price, so I bought a pair, intending to replace my aging PC333.


When you mentioned the PC 333 (a sander probably most of us have had at some point) it reminded me of how PC was ahead of the curve on brushless ROS. They put out the great little 390K 5" brushless about 10 years ago and it never got any traction despite winning several magazine tests.

[Martin Wasner]

Why sell him on something he can't buy...

I have this lame duck hope that Mirka will fix whatever was incorrect and re-release the Ceros.

[Van Huskey]

I have this lame duck hope that Mirka will fix whatever was incorrect and re-release the Ceros.



I agree, I would happily trade both my Deros for the Ceros versions, as life worked out I traded my Ceros for Deros instead, I thought about keeping them but decided on doing the recall... maybe I shouldn't have.