Festool Pro-5 vs Bosch ROS65VC-5 2nd Impressions...

[Bit_Fiddler]

I received my Pro-5 Sander about a week ago, but had didn't have the same sandpaper for both....  I now have 150Grit Rhynogrip for both.  I also downloaded a DB meter app for my Samsung S5 phone.  I set the phone on a folded up towel about 2 feet from the sander & board on the workbench.   I'm using a Fein Turbo 2 vacuum at full power located about 10 feet away with the Fein hose.

I grabbed a 12"x12" chunk of white oak that had been run through my drum sander with 150 grit... lots of sanding lines on the board.  Both the Pro-5 and Bosch sanders were set to their highest speed - 6 on both dials.

Again, the  impression is that the Pro-5 is a LOT lighter than the Bosch - maybe up to half the weight of the Bosch without actually weighing it.   The Pro-5 is a lot smaller than the Bosch as well - the handle should fit smaller hands easier than the Bosch.   I have big hands, so the size of the Bosch isn't an issue, but the weight can be.  For myself, the extra weight doesn't bother me on flat surfaces, but it has bothered me when I have a lot of vertical surface to sand.  The Pro-5's lighter weight will be a definite advantage on vertical surfaces.

The Pro-5 seems a little louder than the Bosch, definitely a higher pitched noise than the Bosch with the same FEIN vacuum attached. It is measuring a consistant 80-82 db on the app.  The Bosch measured 76-78 db on the app.  The Bosch sander seems to have a lower overall tone to the noise it generates compared to the Pro-5.     The Pro-5 seems to vibrate my hand slightly more and the vibrations feel sharper for lack of a better word.   Both are dramatically better than the $50-70 DeWalts, PC and cheap Bosch sanders I have used in the past.   I was to stop the larger disk rotation on the Pro-5 by applying moderate pressure, but the smaller oscillation never stopped.  It was much easier to stop the Pro-5's rotation with the GRANAT 150 paper installed for unknown reasons.   I really have to bear down on the Bosch to stop the larger rotation. Dust collection was very good on both - hard to tell a difference.   Both sanders seemed to remove the drum sander lines in about the same speed, but the Pro-5 seemed more twitchy on the board than the Bosch.  Not bad, but noticeably different.  Both sanders have nice, long power cords.  

I was able to insert the Fein hose into the Festool vac adapter with the snap-in collar snapped in.  I use a Fein vacuum adapter on the Bosch to work with the Fein hose.  

I did notice that both the GRANAT and Rhynogrip papers moved on the Pro-5 pad more than they did on the Bosch sander.  The Pro-5's vent holes were about 1/3 covered after just a few minutes of sanding.  Really working the paper onto the pad when applying didn't seem to make a difference in paper movement.

If I had to pick one sander, I'm not sure which way I would go - leaning Bosch, but wish it was lighter.

Bosch/Rhynogrip 150 paper and Pro-5/Rhynogrip 150 left far fewer swirl marks than the Festool/GRANAT150 paper did.  The Rhynogrip finish was close to usable, the GRANAT finish needed another finer grit or a finish sander.  The Pro-5 sander was also harder to control with the GRANAT paper on it.  I can't speak to the durability of the 2 different paper types yet...

Hope this helps someone.....
Dave

[EvilTwin]

Appreciate the testing.  As somebody that owns both a 5" Festool and 5 and 6" Bosch sanders (both Swiss made versions), I can say from my own experience that the Bosch sanders are just as well made and work as well if not better than the Festool.  The Festool (ets 125 I think...) is smaller and lighter, but in some instances I prefer the larger bosch.   Both do very well at DC.  I have never tried to bog down either sander, though I would guess the bosch would be stronger than the Festool, probably due to the size of the motor.

[Strokes77]

Which model Bosch is the one you guys are referring to?

Which bosch is the best ros? I can't find the 5" model for sale?

[Bit_Fiddler]

I had the models in the title, Bosch ROS65VC-5....   I bought mine at Amazon a couple of years ago.   I've seem them at the borgs and Rockler stores as well.

Dave

[AHill]

Appreciate the testing.  As somebody that owns both a 5" Festool and 5 and 6" Bosch sanders (both Swiss made versions),

Swiss Made?  Both Bosch and Festool are German companies.

[AHill]

I had the models in the title, Bosch ROS6VC-5....   I bought mine at Amazon a couple of years ago.   I've seem them at the borgs and Rockler stores as well.

Dave

The actual model number is ROS65VC-5.  You left off a digit.

[AHill]

Good writeup.

It's worth noting both sanders have a 2 mm eccentric orbit, but the range of Orbits per Minute (OPM) on the Bosch is 5500-12000 and it's 6000-14000 on the Festool.  Since the Festool weighs only 2.4 lbs. and the Bosch is a whopping 7.25 lbs, it's no surprise you feel a lot more vibration from the Festool than the Bosch.  Perhaps the mass of the Bosch damps out the vibes more than the Festool.  I would have thought the Bosch would be quicker sanding, given the additional weight, but your tests showed no difference.

[Bit_Fiddler]

Thanks for the heads up on the typo for the model number....

I'm not entirely sure how much faster one sands than the other - I didn't test for material removed or really do a speed test.   I did run them for the same amount of time and kept the sanders moving during that time.

As I think about it more, I'm thinking I still like the Bosch better, with the 1 exception of the size.   The weight is really an issue for long sanding periods on vertical surfaces and the physical size of it prevents you from getting into smaller spaces with it.   The Festool has a definite advantage there.  With all of the talk I have heard about Festool over the years, I was a little surprised that the Bosch vibrated less and was quieter. 

The paper creep on the Festool is a bit annoying to me, but I don't know how much difference that will actually make over time...

Either model is a HUGE step up from the $50-100 Dewalt/Porter Cable/Bosch ROS units that I have used in the past.  A premium tool makes this dreary task significantly more pleasant.

Dave

[Dave Diaman]

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.

[EvilTwin]

Swiss Made?  Both Bosch and Festool are German companies.

Bosch is a German company, but they do make tools in different countries. The 6" sander is a 1250 devs and I've had it for over ten years. I'll have to check on the country of origin, it may be Germany or Switzerland. The 5" sander is Swiss. I'm fairly sure I have one or two other Bosch tools that are Swiss made as well. Some of my 12v cordless stuff is made in Malaysia.