NEVER AGAIN!!! (more cheap buy woes...)

[KingwoodFan1989]

The model # is ROS20VS. $60 for the one with the soft case, $70-80 for the one with the hard shell case.

[Strokes77]

My shop time is very limited. It infuriates me to waste it messing with tools trying to get them to work.

I am a huge advocate for Buy once... forget the Bosch and go BIG.

[daddo]

I recently bought the 5" Makita and the first use it ran all day and into the evening and has done very well since. It is performing better than the Porter Cable that finally bit the dust.

I wanted a second one for doing dirty metal work (A beater- cheap to replace and save the Makita), so I bought a cheap Ryobi 5" 
  for that job. The darn thing is doing fine after hours and days of torture- go figure.

[KingwoodFan1989]

Just looked at some of the negative reviews on Amazon for their next model up...a pattern there was an integral part breaking a lot. I just looked at some reviews of their next one up after that, and the problems in the few lower reviews weren't as consistent. A couple said it wasn't super smooth, and a few others said that it was hard to control, but I had the same problem with the lower end Bosch that I have now, and for all I know those could just be problems with the individual units. Anybody used this one? It's the ROS55VC (5" pad). How about its 6" brother? It's $220, but at this point I'm thinking spending a little more isn't such a bad idea. 

[Stwood_]

Friction ring, a $2.29 part. Hmmm, must replace the old old style belts.



6" sander. I'll ck my model #. It's been a good sander. I have it converted to PSA discs, same as my festool that I switched to PSA.

[fredhargis]

The 3725 I have used for more years than I can remember is the ancestor of the ROS 65 model. The newer one has the vibration reduction, though to be honest mine has never been a problem when the speed is set to my comfort. I'm reluctant to suggest you get one since you've had that problem but if I have to buy another it will be a Bosch. For the record, about 4-5 years ago I thought my Bosch may be nearing the end of it's life and I bought a back up...a PC 390. It still sits unused (other than a function check) waiting for my Bosch to kick the bucket.

[s9plus20]

   

   
It used to be that one could buy into a good brand and have a certain set of quality expectations met.  Companies used to seek  to improve market share by improving their product and their service. It doesn't seem so anymore. They only want to increase profits by cheaper manufacturing methods or else by off shoring to China. These companies also want to cover the high volume sales and are willing to sacrifice their brand name.

I still have several Black and Decker routers that are top notch.  Homelight used to make great entry level chain saws all the way up to logging models.  I still have my entry level XL.  Those brand names no longer represent quality.

My 20 year old Bosch jig saw is great, but the new ones don't seem to be built as well from what I read on the net.

Its "Buyer beware" for sure!

[Stwood_]

Copy the *buyer beware*. I've noticed all of my preferred brands have cheapened up. Porter cable and Bosch.



My (6") bosch sander has been stellar, along side the Festool. I haven't googled it for availability, but would buy it again if I had too. Model # 3727DEVS.

Edit. Googling shows it to still be available.

[KingwoodFan1989]

Copy the *buyer beware*. I've noticed all of my preferred brands have cheapened up. Porter cable and Bosch.



My (6") bosch sander has been stellar, along side the Festool. I haven't googled it for availability, but would buy it again if I had too. Model # 3727DEVS.

Edit. Googling shows it to still be available.

That was the one where some people said they had problems with a central part breaking. I'm also concerned about the availability of 6" disks. I have a bunch of 5" ones that I guess I could give to somebody else, though.

How is the flatness of the 6" pad? They do have a 5" version of it, but I'm not sure if I trust their 5" pads anymore at this point.

[Stwood_]

The original 6" pad is flat, and still on the sander. I have a conversion on it for PSA sanding discs, which is all I use. I will not use H&L backed sanding discs unless the last dog dies and I cannot get PSA any longer.
I'm not aware of any problems with this sander. But I haven't read any reviews (no reason to) since I bought the sander about 10 years ago.