posted by: Zen
7/18/2006

posted by: EvilTwin
6/28/2006

I was looking for a 6" random orbit sander that could be used with a shop vac for dust free sanding. When you get right down to it, there are not that many choices. The Metabo SXE450 and its discontinued Rigid clone the 2610, the Festool RO150 and the smaller ETS 150 series are its' closest competitors. The Fein MSF636-1 is way overpriced and the Makita BO6040 had middling reviews and no dust collection. I bought the Bosch sight unseen and have been very well pleased with the results.This sander is no lightweight. Use 80 grit sandpaper on the aggressive setting at full speed and it will walk you around if you don't have a good grip on it. But that is the same as the much more expensive Festool RO150 and that sander costs about double the Bosch. On the less aggressive setting or with the speed lowered down a bit it is easier to handle but does not remove as much material. Using a medium grit sandpaper on the smaller orbit, it is very smooth and makes quick work of sanding chores. Dust collection using my Fein vac is excellent, I can find no dust on the work when hooked up. Dust collection is integral to the tool, it's not an afterthought and it shows in how well it works. In Summary:Pros: Very powerful, smooth, well constructed, excellent dust collection, Made in Germany, cheaper than the FestoolsCons: Heavy tool, not small, can be a handful on wide orbit setting, more expensive than the Metabo