Sanding, On paper, sanding sounds easy. You purchase the sander, add the pad and it should be smooth sailing, right? Wrong!
Uneven surfaces, swirls… the tool feels like its fighting you. That’s because you purchased the wrong tool or has a weak battery. Is there such thing as a cordless sander that’s capable of doing what corded version do but without the bulk?
Bosch thinks so with their latest addition to the lineup. How does it perform in real life? Is it easy to use for finishing tasks?
That depends on the job and what you’re willing to haul around. We take a look under hood and discuss performance and battery systems along with real world pros and cons. First off, it’s powerful.
Reviewing The Bosch Cordless Sander Performance
Brushless Motor Performance
The motor is a brushless motor from Bosch. And what that means are consistent torque. When you are pushing the pad into the wood and there is some resistence, most cordless sanders will stall out if you push down too far.
That result in gouging out the wood. With this Bosch unit, I found it had a bit of an edge over other units at maintaining its speed. This results in more uniform finish.
It is a small technical difference, but it make for a better job. If you’re like me and have other Bosch tools, then the battery system matters. You’ll get compatibility with 18V and 36V Power For One batteries.
Battery System Compatibility
So its not a whole new system purchase. It’s an add-on to your current system. You can swap out batteries between your sander, saw and drill.
No need for second charger. That’s a convenience that will help both serious DIYers and pros keep their work moving smoothly. But it’s different depending based off how you use it.
Tool Balance and Handling
The tool balance. The battery makes the back end heavy. That’s good when sanding large flat surfaces such as tabletops.
It prevents pad from lifting off wood. But that weight is a liability on tricky edges and vertical surfaces. On a table your wrist will provide stability.
Hold the thing in air longer than five minutes and it’ll complain. A second important aspect is how they manage dust. They have an onboard collection system that catches smaller dust particles.
Dust Collection System
That keeps shop clean, but more importantly it helps keep you healthy and seeing what you’re doing. Inhaling fine sanding dust can be harmful. And you cannot see the surface you’re working on through cloud of debris.
On larger projects, the bag will fill up in no time. You’ll need to stop and empty it out. This is a small annoyance with huge benefits.
Sanding Pad Versatility
The sanding pad is the same size as others You can easily get them at any hardware store or online, and they’re inexpensive. They aren’t proprietary, so you won’t be waiting on specialty replacement pads. Not all sizes are practical for bigger jobs.
With this size, you’ll end up having to do multiple passes, which takes longer then using an industrial sized sander. They’ll fit into tighter spaces and give you better control. Speed vs. It is about versatility.
Price and Final Verdict
It’s a mid range price. Not most expensive. Not the least expensive.
You are paying for the power tool integration and the name. For the casual user, a generic cheaper brand may be all that is needed. When finishing cabinets or furnitures, you want to know it will work right.
That’s where Bosch shines with precision. Cheap tools tend to fail on that measure. If you’re looking for a consistant cordless sander, buy it; it’s worth having.
It doesn’t replace skill with a good finish. It take the mechanical hassle out of the sanding process. It has a powerful brushless motor.
It has a convenient battery system. Good dust collection, helps keep the work space breathing. A solid addition if you already run Bosch battery system.
Makes the process of sanding a doable task rather than a tedious chore. It could of been better but it’s fine.