Random orbital sander, which would you buy?

[visionguru]

Need help to pick a RO sander. Here are the choices and reasons for consideration:


Milwaukee M18 Reason: having M18 battery


Bosch ROS20VSC Reason: good reviews



Ryobi Reason: having battery

Background:
I'm not at all a wood worker. I plan to use the sander for resurfacing my deck, potentially be able to refinish furniture, and other uses around home.

What would you choose?

 

[Qualitytools]

I have always had good luck with BOSCH tools but all mine are corded

 

[tarbellb]

Bosch for better performance - better action, easy to handle for hours, better dust collction

Battery op- for obvious reasons, see also Ryans review on the main page of this site


Refinish a deck you say..... none of the above

You will be evaporating batteries and that Bosch is for finer work.

You want this, it will make short work of the deck and is ama$$zing- GET75-6N

GET75-6N Sanders | Bosch Professional

GET75-6N

www.boschtools.com

 

[Davefr]

I'd go with the Bosch corded unit. Sanding is a high duty cycle/high power task and will drain batteries quickly. I would only go cordless if duty cycle was low and access to AC was problematic.

 

[Keep]

I own that Bosch and have been very happy with it. Even during marathon sanding sessions.

It does a great job at dust collection. But I need to get a vacuum adapter as it fills up the container pretty quick.

 

[Skiff Builder]

For sanding a deck I would get a 7" Sander/Polisher. Equip it with a 3m med firm pad and use Good 3m 50 or 60 grit psa discs- you can get a roll of 50 of them.
It's a serious fast way to get it done. I have been using one for boat building since 2008. I call it the "Wood Eraser". It will remove finishes/blems/wood/fastener heads/ fiberglass laminates in short order. A bit of learning curve but you can do some finesse work with it also. It's my go to to strip/ level/shape. Throws clouds of dust but very fast and you'll be outside. Resp and eye protect.

Looks like a grinder , but slower revs.

Or rent a floor sander if you have no exposed fasteners.

 

[Badgerstate]

Need help to pick a RO sander. Here are the choices and reasons for consideration:


Milwaukee M18 Reason: having M18 battery


Bosch ROS20VSC Reason: good reviews



Ryobi Reason: having battery

Background:
I'm not at all a wood worker. I plan to use the sander for resurfacing my deck, potentially be able to refinish furniture, and other uses around home.

What would you choose?

Id go with the Bosch because its corded. With a high demand tool like a sander, youre going to have at least a few batteries sitting around if you want to go cordless and have enough juice to get the job done.
Ive actually got the Ryobi and its a decent little sander but I used to be a huge Ryobi homer and Ive got 6 of their 4ah batteries, so Ive got plenty of batteries for it.

 

[Snapped-off]

I made a thread about this several months back. I ended up with the Bosch. It's a good little sander.

 

[Sumboodie]

Need help to pick a RO sander. Here are the choices and reasons for consideration:


Milwaukee M18 Reason: having M18 battery


Bosch ROS20VSC Reason: good reviews



Ryobi Reason: having battery

Background:
I'm not at all a wood worker. I plan to use the sander for resurfacing my deck, potentially be able to refinish furniture, and other uses around home.

What would you choose?

I have the Borsch non variable speed one.
Works well. Doesn't go 20 million rpms if you lift it off the work too.

 

[johnu]

I bought the Bosch recently for a project and was very happy with it. The reviews were right about it..... very nice machine, glad I bought it!

With vacuum hooked up, zero dust. With dust holder very little dust.

 

[Shiftless]

I used a belt sander for most of the work when I sanded down my small <100 sq. ft. redwood deck.

 

[tyyost]

Sanding a deck is a tough job, especially if you buy a sander for cabinet making. You immediate need is beyond a cordless sander, so I’d cross that off the list. The Bosch GET75-6N and it’s 5” cousin are good places to start, as they are dual mode sanders and have a more aggressive orbit but can be dialed down a bit for more general use.

Most of the sanders you linked are small orbit, low power finishing sanders meant for smooth wood, and while that may work for your deck they will clog up coarse abrasives and take a loooong time. Like routers, many woodworkers use multiple sanders, as they all are made for different jobs, unfortunately the big box stores lump the all in the sanders section.

 

[BSWS]

I bought the Milwuakee you have pictured because all my cordless tools are Milwuakee and I've had good luck with them. I nearly took the sander back immediately after starting it. I'd swear the disc wasn't spinning enough compared to my corded Bosch. I went ahead and tried it anyway and was amazed. I've been using it about a year now and like everything about it. The little dust catcher is great, but if I'm doing a lot of sanding I connect it to my shop vac. I haven't touched my Bosch since I bought this. I don't know if it's the best thing for a deck, but for woodworking it's great.

 

[rlitman]

If this deck is 10x10 or bigger, I'd forgo everything above, and just rent a floor sander.
Be sure to sink any fasteners first. Second option would be a 3x24 belt sander.

 

[tyyost]

Just to make the point a bit more clear on the difference in stock removal, the Milwaukee has a 3/32 or a 2.4mm orbit, where the Bosch you linked has a 1.2mm orbit. The Bosch GET75 has a 4.5mm orbit and a non orbit mode with forced rotation, similar to the big disc sander linked above.

Given you three choices I would buy the Milwaukee if I had a supply of batteries to burn, or I’d shift my search to sanders with a bit more power and orbit to do the work.

 

[BlackLS2]

Rent a belt floor sander, or 12/14 inch circular floor sander, unless you have serious time to kill. Quick. Looks great.

For small RO.....I have the Bosch...its great.

 

[Sumboodie]

Just to make the point a bit more clear on the difference in stock removal, the Milwaukee has a 3/32 or a 2.4mm orbit, where the Bosch you linked has a 1.2mm orbit. The Bosch GET75 has a 4.5mm orbit and a non orbit mode with forced rotation, similar to the big disc sander linked above.

Given you three choices I would buy the Milwaukee if I had a supply of batteries to burn, or I’d shift my search to sanders with a bit more power and orbit to do the work.

I had no idea they could be had eith different orbits.


I'll have to check what model Borsch mine is.

 

[engineer2]

I prefer a quarter sheet sander. No special paper needed and you can get into corners easier.

I've had a Bosch for years. It eats the orbital bearing every year (easy to replace) and the paper latching lever every few years.
Makita just came out with quarter and 1/3rd sheet cordless ones that I will be looking into.

 

[loganb]

I have the bosch and it does a great job but agree with the others, for a deck its not the right too. You need a belt or flooring sander

 

[xjfish]

I own that Bosch and have been very happy with it. Even during marathon sanding sessions.

It does a great job at dust collection. But I need to get a vacuum adapter as it fills up the container pretty quick.

x2. I have used mine heavily without issue. Recommend it.

 

[gba2331]

If this deck is 10x10 or bigger, I'd forgo everything above, and just rent a floor sander.
Be sure to sink any fasteners first. Second option would be a 3x24 belt sander.

I tried this with a floor buffer/sander (the circular one, not a drum sander) and it didn‘t work. The sanding disc only got the high spots and quickly snagged and crumpled up. The last treatment was a sealer that is amazingly tough to get off with a big 5" sander, so a small palm sander would take forever.

A belt sander or drum sander (for refinishing floors) would be the way to go, but my best option is to gently power wash and recoat.

 

[rlitman]

I tried this with a floor buffer/sander (the circular one, not a drum sander) and it didn‘t work. The sanding disc only got the high spots and quickly snagged and crumpled up. The last treatment was a sealer that is amazingly tough to get off with a big 5" sander, so a small palm sander would take forever.

A belt sander or drum sander (for refinishing floors) would be the way to go, but my best option is to gently power wash and recoat.

The big circular and square oscillating pad sanders are just there to polish something that's pretty perfect to begin with. They're kind of a waste for most floor jobs.

A belt floor sander will level a deck down post haste. Keep in mind that it can easily level oak floors. Decks are far softer. I own a 4-pad USand random orbital sander. It's quite a bit slower than a belt, but I can guarantee you that with some 36 grit on there, it'll still level a deck easily.

Sanding efficiency is directly related to how fast sawdust can get out from under a pad. That's why dust collection in an RO is critical, and why belt sanders are the fastest. Large orbitals are super slooooow for the same reason.

 

[67carl]

deleted

 

[jonshonda]

For starters the sander you use/rent/borrow depends greatly on the condition of your deck and what finish is on it. My first hand experience with a painted deck, cupped boards, pealing paint is a sheet floor sander was pretty much worthless. A floor drum sander with a multitude of grits did the trick to remove the paint, and cupping.

I did use the big bosch listed above for areas the big floor drum sander didn't reach. Mirka abranet paper with Mirka backing plates will make you regret all your previous sand paper purchases.

I have the little bosch listed above as well, and it is fantastic for small projects when paired with a shop vac. A swivel attachment for the sander to Vac hose attachment would be money well spent.

 

[Jsf721]

I own the Bosh looking unit but its branded Mikita-works great and I am not wood worker just use it for a few small jobs every year.

 

[tarbellb]

I own the Bosh looking unit but its branded Mikita-works great and I am not wood worker just use it for a few small jobs every year.

I suspect (know actually) that your Makita is in fact a Makita, and is not a Bosch rebrand.

But I also know the Makita is a fine palm sander, miles ahead of the Milwaukee corded, which is real garbage.

 

[tarbellb]

Also jonshonda is spot on with his post #24

 

[visionguru]

Thanks everybody for your comment! Learned something about sanding a deck.

I bought the bosch:

This is what my deck boars look like:
The old stain has mostly worn off. I think light sanding should be OK for me to apply new stain. In a few years, I'm gonna redo the deck.