Sanders

I'll never forget the first time I used a random orbit sander. What a dream come true! Especially when coupled with a decent dust extractor. Power sanders are another part of what makes it possible for me to enjoy weekend woodworking.

That first random orbit sander was a Bosch, the first higher quality power tool I purchased. Because of that experience I have turned to Bosch several more times as I filled out my selection of sanders and, for the most part, I've been really satisfied.

Random orbit sanders. I use the Swiss-made Bosch 3725DVS 3 Amp 5″ (back left) for the heavier work. This is my second generation of Bosch's 5″ random orbit sander. I used the first one a lot. It didn't wear out; I gave it away when I purchased this one for its new features, and expect to use it for many years to come.

Random orbit palm sanders. I've been using the Bosch 1295DVSK (back right) for finer work. It's light and deft, but not as durable as the 3725DVS. I actually wore one out. I think edge work is hard on that model's bearings. Since my dust collection system is designed for Bosch tools, I decided to replace it with the same model.

A bit later I read about the new Bosch ROS20VSK 2.5 Amp 5″ sander (front) and decided to give it a try, too. I was in the middle of a tough sanding project when it arrived, maple with lots of angles. I was going to use it for just a few minutes to check the bearings and then put it away until the new 1295DVSK wears out, but I really like it, so I've continued using it. This is a nice upgrade. It's a bit beefier (2.5 amps compared to 2.2 for the older model), with a nicer palm grip and a direct connect for the dust collection hose (finally!). If it holds up, I'm going to like this sander.

¼-sheet sander. Surprisingly, the Bosch 1297DK 2 Amp has become a favorite sander, so much so that I bought an extra one as a spare in case this one wears out and it has been discontinued! But the first one is still going strong. The sander is smooth and well balanced. It's really nice for rounding edges (I don't like sharp edges on anything I make).

I use 3M SandBlaster sandpaper with it, which I back with additional strips of masking tape to make it last longer; otherwise, I've found the backing rips and tears on edges and corners before the grit is used up. The paper-changing system is quite clever and fast, and holds the paper firmly in place.

The supplied hole puncher isn't sharp enough and often tears the paper too much. Initially I compensated for this by using it only to dent the paper in the right places, and then I drove the holes through with a Phillips-head screwdriver. More recently, I drilled through the tips of the punches and embedded small brass screws sticking up an 1/8″ to punch cleaner holes. When the sander is connected to a vacuum, most of the dust gets whisked away.

½-sheet finishing sander. I also use its big brother, the Bosch 1293D 3.2 Amp, which is nice for bigger surfaces, although I don't find its sheet clamping system to be as cleverly designed as the 1297DK. Its hole puncher is better designed, though.

4″ Belt sander. I had a cheap belt sander years ago, hated it, and got rid of it. More recently, I picked up the Bosch 1276DVS 4″ x 24″ 10.5 Amp belt sander in anticipation of a kitchen/entryway remodeling project for which I intend to put down a wooden floor, probably bamboo. But we got tired of the constant state of remodeling and decided to take a break and put off that project for a couple years.

Fortunately I've been finding other good uses for this big, heavy-duty, 13½ pound machine, enough to know that it's a well-tuned, easy-to-adjust, very robust sander. I attached it to my vac and was impressed that most of the dust gets sucked away (don't know if it would do very well with just a dust bag attached). The only bad thing I've read about this sander is that the platen wears out fairly quickly, but since they're inexpensive to replace, I'm not concerned about that.

3″ Belt sander. Belt sanders are aggressive machines, and the 4″ is just too big for a lot of the work I do, but using it has made me realize how much I appreciate this tool. So I started looking around for a 3″ belt sander. There are a bewildering array of machines in this size!

The first thing I needed to do is figure out whether to get a 21″ or 24″ model. After poking around for awhile, I learned that the 21″ size is more common, so I decided to focus my search there.

The second thing I needed to do was wade through reviews that were all over the map. Of all the woodworking tools I've researched, this is the one that has the least amount of agreement in terms of reviews. In fact, I was just about to get a different machine when I took a look at a considerable number of end-user reviews that were in disagreement with the glowing review it had received in one of the finer online woodworking magazines.

So I sat back and thought carefully about what I wanted. First, I have a heavier-duty belt sander, so I don't need the smaller one to be a brute. Second, I want a machine that is much lighter and easier to maneuver. Third, I want, as usual, reliability. Finally, I want versatility. When I put those four factors together, the choice was surprisingly easy and brought me back to Bosch.

The Bosch 1274DVS 3″ × 21″ variable speed 6.6 amp belt sander weighs only 7.1 pounds, just a bit over half of what the 1276DVS weighs. It has an inline motor, which makes it possible to have a flat top and low profile. Just as with the 1276DVS, it has three optional accessories: a fence, a sanding frame, and a bench-mounting stand that is well designed to enable clamping to a surface using the included clamps either on its back horizontally or standing up vertically (there are some good photos of the stand in use in this FineHomebuilding.com review. It looks to me like it also would be possible to mount it more permanently using 5/16″ bolts in place of the clamps.

I've used the sander several times now to sand maple, both freehand and on its stand with the fence. It worked really well to flatten the face of some glued-up maple. I didn't use the sanding frame, but still found it very easy to control, especially with the variable speed option. I also used it to sand some ¾″ edges, something I would've had a difficult time doing with the bigger belt sander, and again found it easy to control. It's quite amazing how much faster it is to use a belt sander and then finish with a palm sander!

The belts track well—in fact I haven't had to do any adjustment yet, even after swapping in a different grit—and they are easy to change. It's a bit noisy (94 db), so I wore earplugs, something I don't do when I'm using palm or random orbit sanders. My Bosch vacuum hose fits directly to the sander and vacuums away almost all of the dust. Very effective! I don't know how well the passive bag does. It has a nice long 13' cord. The front handle comes off to enable close-in sanding.

This Swiss-made tool has been around for more than a dozen years, so I think it's probably going to be as reliable as I'm hoping for. I found it reasonably priced at Klingspor's Woodworking Shop, which was nice because I was able to order a variety of belts at the same time, and I really like the quality of their belts (and discs). I had to look elsewhere for the optional accessories. They weren't inexpensive, but I think they'll be worth it for the versatility they add.

All-in-all, a really fine addition to my shop!

Dust vac. I hook all of my sanders to the FEIN Turbo Vac 9-77-25. It does a great job, virtually eliminating the generated dust. That's important to me. When I got my first random orbit sander many years ago, I did a job without a vac. Dust went everywhere! I had to wear a mask, and afterward I had to sweep and vacuum even the walls and the ceiling. Never again.

For years, I used a Sears Shop Vac, which did the trick, but I had to wear ear plugs. When that one wore out, I turned to FEIN, which is more powerful and much quieter (you can talk to someone while it's running). The Turbo Vac includes a built-in tool switch; when you turn on your tool, the vac starts up. When you turn off your tool, the vac keeps running for a few seconds to clear the hose. Nice touch.

I use their paper dust bag, which is huge and lasts a long time (part 913048K01), together with the 1-micron filter (part TII1MCRN) to ensure the air returned to my shop is relatively dust free. When used together with the paper dust bags, the 1-micron filter lasts a very long time.

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