Bosch-GEX-150AC-Random Orbital Sander

[Lord Nibbo]

Any one got any views about this Bosch-GEX-150AC-Random Orbital Sander ?

 

[Scrit]

They're OK, but the dust extraction isn't anywhere near as good as the Festools. I changed from the GEX to Festool a few years back for that reason.

Scrit

 

[beejay]

It is well made and would probably not disappoint but the Metabo SXE450 has the added benefit of variable orbit setting without costing the earth and thats the one that I will be opting for soon.
beejay

 

[Lord Nibbo]

They're OK, but the dust extraction isn't anywhere near as good as the Festools. I changed from the GEX to Festool a few years back for that reason.

Scrit

I'm leaning towards the bosch because I've got one of these

I've already got a bosch belt sander fitted with the above adaptor to an old vax it works a treat. So I wont be using the bag filter. Is the festool worth the extra?

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi LN

Is the festool worth the extra?

IMHO the Metabo sxe450 is the best ROS. In all of the tests I have seen it beats the Festool.

I use the Metabo connected to the Trend vac and it works a treat.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Nick W]

I use the Bosch Gex 150 Turbo attached to a Trend T30AF and it works well.

BTW Has anyone tried the Mirka Abralon stuff on a ROS, and do you know if you can get pads to fit the above?

 

[Scrit]

I've already got a bosch belt sander fitted with the above adaptor to an old vax it works a treat. So I wont be using the bag filter. Is the festool worth the extra?

Actually, yes it is. The Festool has 8 holes out near the periphery to collect the dust through:

whilst he Bosch has just 6 holes, further in:

Not a lot of difference, you may think, but this means that the Festool is a much cleaner machine to work with, especially if you are sanding material which generates clouds of fine dust such as MDF, paint, solid surface material (Corian, etc), fine dust hardwoods, etc. I've found it possible to use my Festools without a mask whereas I always needed one with the Bosch - and I generally sand whilst attached to a vacuum cleaner, too. This cleanliness issue, combined with reliability, has made the Festool sanders a favourite of solid surface fabricators.

BTW Has anyone tried the Mirka Abralon stuff on a ROS, and do you know if you can get pads to fit the above?

Yes, tried it for a while but went back to the alox stuff because the Mirka was too prone to breaking up before it reached full life on the lower grits plus the progressions are too open for my liking - it's expensive so you need to make sure you wring every last minute of use out of it. The backing pads weren't lasting as long, either. Mirka supply backing pads to fit most of the common 150mm machines, Nick, so it shouldn't be a problem sourcing them. Works almost as well as 3m (Scotch) Trizact in the higher value grits (i.e. 500, 1000, etc), though, for quite a bit less dosh. My feeling is that it is better used for smoothing out sealed/primed/lacquered timbers thatn for initial sanding.

Scrit

 

[Corset]

I have the bosch sander, its hooked up to the festool dust extractor. Its a good sander but it does not get all the dust (backing up scrit there) i got mine cheap of ebay new for £80 quid so i can't complain. I have it used it quite a bit recently and i have had no problems with vibrations etc.
The bosch papers i got from axminster do see to last better than some of the generic ones i picked up but i guess that is a bit obvious.
Owen

 

[Nick W]

Thanks Scrit, but having looked at my post I meant Abranet. #-o