Best Random Orbital Sander for DIY projects

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bp122

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Hi there

I am looking to invest in a Random Orbital Sander for my projects as I, like everyone almost, hate sanding!
My projects tend to be simple and small, mainly hardwoods like Oak, Sapele and Beech.
I do not have any type of sander t the moment, this will be my first (hopefully only) one.

Upon reading the reviews, the Dewalt 6423k seems to be the best all rounder for the price, but some also swear by the Makita BO5030 with a few votes going to the Bosch GEX.

Any suggestions, experiences and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards
B
 
What is your budget? And are you invested in any of the tool brands that have cordless batteries?

If low budget I'd say go for an Erbauer from screwfix. If you have DeWalt batteries already then stick with them and get the a cordless 18v DeWalt to your taste.

There is alot to be said for cordless small power tools, and also for the Erbauer range from screwfix which is pretty extensive. Obviously they don't have the quality of the pro brands but unless you plan on using them everyday then take advantage of the offers they have on.

If you want something to really invest in then you can look at the Festool sanders as they are very impressive and also the Mirka sander which I think takes a larger sanding disc which cuts down on sanding time.
 
Hi Spence,

Thank you for responding.

My budget is under £100.
I have two Dewalt power tools (combi drill and an impact driver). Other than that I don't have any cordless tools.

The usage is only going to be on DIY scale projects and not extensive.

I hadn't considered the cordless option as I assumed them to be more expensive than the corded version, also I didn't think I would need the versatility of a cordless one. But I will check the price of those as well to see what is what.

Regarding the Erauber range, I didn't really look into it because many people didn't steer me down that route purely because it is value range, not being very powerful and some have issues with motor stopping when overheated (more frequently than the name brand ones). This is again what I have only read in places (online reviews, buying guides etc)

I shall take a look at them as well if they are worth considering.

I'd love to get the festool range, but I cannot justify it for my usage, I feel.
 
I would try to stretch your budget a little and go for the metabo sxe450. I did a quick search and saw it for £125.

I have this sander and it has done everything I have asked of it. I bought it based on reviews at the time, albeit a few years back now.

I like Bosch blue stuff, but each time I look at a tool, it is always slightly inferior to the competition. Same with the sander, it just didn't seem quite as good in comparisons with the metabo.
 
I've got a Makita BO6030 which is the bigger brother to the 5030, it's great! Works silky smooth and quiet compared with some other sanders. The extraction of the dust works quite well too and blows it into the bag without too much stuff in the air.

You could drop a bomb on a Metabo SXE450 and it would be fine, absolutely indestructible. We've absolutely hammered the hell out of two of them for 5 years now and they're still going strong, just needed brushes and pads changing, bit like tyres on a car.

I'd probably still have to choose the Makita over the Metabo though as it runs quieter and smoother but that may be down to the fact the Metabo has had an absolute battering over the years. They're both excellent. I do prefer a 6" sander over a 5" sander, but I mainly work on large stuff.
 
Another vote for the Metabo, I wouldn't swap mine, does and excellent job paired with abranet disks
 
Lons":38y85iek said:
Another vote for the Metabo, I wouldn't swap mine, does and excellent job paired with abranet disks
+1 for this combo. I used it for my garden table restoration this year and it worked a treat. (I'm a DIYer, and I've tried cheaper ones, had to buy thrice before I realised the Metabo was the way to go)

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 
Thank you all.

Another make I hadn't considered in Metabo.

After reading the reviews, here is where I am stuck:

1. Metabo gets a good amount of votes from many on this forum, at 350 watts and paired with 150mm abranet disks.

2. For the same price, Makita 6030 is also available albeit with a 310 watt motor

3. For £45 less, the erauber 150mm sander from Screwfix has a 450 watt motor and has really great reviews on their site.

I just want to see if anyone can compare the options 2 and 3 from personal experience.

sammy.se":2jnlgq5v said:
Lons":2jnlgq5v said:
Another vote for the Metabo, I wouldn't swap mine, does and excellent job paired with abranet disks
+1 for this combo. I used it for my garden table restoration this year and it worked a treat. (I'm a DIYer, and I've tried cheaper ones, had to buy thrice before I realised the Metabo was the way to go)

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

Sammy, when you said you bought cheap three times, which makes did you go for?

Thanks in advance.
 
The Dewalt DWE6423 is very good. Easy to handle and the vibration’s no worse (possibly better) than other 125mm or larger RO sanders I’ve used. Dust extraction is also very good, especially with a Mirka interface pad fitted. They’re available for £75 if you shop around.

Not used a cordless sander but wonder about suitability for anything beyond small jobs as the run-time is always going to be an issue considering you run a sander for far longer uninterrupted periods then you run a drill or saw. And, if you’re using active dust extraction (as opposed to passive collection to an attached bag) you’ll have mains power anyway.
 
bp122":11nsv27r said:
Thank you all.

Another make I hadn't considered in Metabo.

After reading the reviews, here is where I am stuck:

1. Metabo gets a good amount of votes from many on this forum, at 350 watts and paired with 150mm abranet disks.

2. For the same price, Makita 6030 is also available albeit with a 310 watt motor

3. For £45 less, the erauber 150mm sander from Screwfix has a 450 watt motor and has really great reviews on their site.

I just want to see if anyone can compare the options 2 and 3 from personal experience.

sammy.se":11nsv27r said:
Lons":11nsv27r said:
Another vote for the Metabo, I wouldn't swap mine, does and excellent job paired with abranet disks
+1 for this combo. I used it for my garden table restoration this year and it worked a treat. (I'm a DIYer, and I've tried cheaper ones, had to buy thrice before I realised the Metabo was the way to go)

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

Sammy, when you said you bought cheap three times, which makes did you go for?

Thanks in advance.
I had bought machine mart (£50 ish, really bad at anything apart from light sanding) and Axminster (Second hand).

To be fair, the Axminster one was good, but didn't last long... But while it worked it was ok. Metabo is much better.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 
sammy.se":nl2g6adz said:
bp122":nl2g6adz said:
Thank you all.


To be fair, the Axminster one was good, but didn't last long... But while it worked it was ok. Metabo is much better.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

I came across one of your other posts where I saw the before and after shot of your garden table.
That was the tipping point for me (not that other sanders I have considered won't do what yours did, but it just helped me make up my mind) and I have ordered the Metabo. I also looked around a few websites to find the Abranet discs and ordered a few grits along with a Mirka pad saver.

I shall see how it goes. I finally came to a conclusion, thanks to the input from all of you.

Cheers!
 
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