Festool Pro-5 vs Bosch ROS65VC-5 2nd Impressions...
#15
Nice review.  I've had a Bosch ROS65VC-6 for about 3 years now and have nothing but good things to say about it.  It sands very smoothly and on horizontal surfaces I've sanded for well over an hour at a time w/o getting tired; bored maybe, but not tired.  The extra mass has never been an issue, but I can see where it would be if you tried using it on a vertical surface for very long.  I was blown away when I found I could sand face frames with no visible cross grain swirl marks where I moved from stile to rail.  I also found I do more harm than good by hand sanding after I'm done with the Bosch, so I no longer do.  I stop at whatever grit I decide on and move straight to finishing.  I know that goes against what has always been preached, but it works. 

I have both pads for the Bosch ROS65VC and recommend it.  Normal use is better with the 6" pad, IMO; it just makes the sander more stable and the job gets done more quickly.  However, some media only come in 5" disks so you need one if you want to use those products.    

John
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#16
(04-12-2017, 11:20 AM)Dave Diaman Wrote: Try the Festool sander with the vacuum setting turned all the way down. That is the way they are designed to be used. When you crank the vacuum up it will actually suck the sander to the wood causing it move the paper and wear out the pad really fast. I have also found this will cause additional vibration which my may be feeling.  It can also effect the finish quality you get quite a bit.

Hi Dave -

Thanks for the suggestions.. My Fein vac doesn't have any power adjustment on it...  That being said, I did rig a bleed hole in the hose that is in the 5/16 diameter range that was open during the testing.   I did run the sander last night with the vac hose removed from the vac adapter but offset on the vac adapter to less than 1/2 overlapped.   Lots of bleed air getting in.    Even with no vac attached, it didn't seem to affect the vibration or twitchy-ness of the sander.

Don't get me wrong, the Festool is a nice sander, just not a quantum leap like I was expecting from all of the hype when I compare it to the Bosch that I have.  Maybe time will change my mind....   The Pro-5 is a quantum improvement over the sub $100 DeWalts, PCs and even the cheaper Bosch units I have used.
MKM - Master Kindling Maker
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#17
(04-13-2017, 10:22 AM)Bit_Fiddler Wrote: Don't get me wrong, the Festool is a nice sander, just not a quantum leap like I was expecting from all of the hype when I compare it to the Bosch that I have.  Maybe time will change my mind....   The Pro-5 is a quantum improvement over the sub $100 DeWalts, PCs and even the cheaper Bosch units I have used.

I wonder where the Pro-5 fits in the Festool line, though.  They haven't (that I can find) a retail price yet on it.  The ETS line is more what I'd consider their better ROS.  Bigger motor (heavier).  Price-wise, the Pro-5, might be a good comparison.  Spec-wise, you'd probably need to move up the Festool line to see any differences.  I really don't have any idea of how the ETS might compare to the Bosch, though.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#18
So the Pro-5, assuming it's $200 price point, and assuming you don't have maybe one of the "bad" ones, at that 200 price, easily beats the <100 ROS on market.

It's also general consensus that the Brushless EC125 handily beats almost every other 5" sander made, including the Pro-5?  Price not withstanding?

However the $250 bosch sanders, can beat the pro-5?
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