I've had this sander a couple of months now. It's excellent for larger jobs, as you can get both hands on the tool, crank up the power and really get some a$$ behind it when needed, yet still sand more delicate items by slowing the speed down. It's size is both good and bad. On the downside, if you are sanding items which require you to hold the item with one hand and the sander with the other it is somewhat difficult with this sander as it is primarily a two handed tool. Also this sander is larger than palm sanders and cannot get in some smaller areas. I've used it sometimes for several hours at a time and have found it to be comfortable to use. It is adequately powered. The dust collection is better than the other sanders i have, and the big bag fills quickly. My only complaint is that right in the center of the sanding pad is about a 1 inch hole with a small bolt to hold the pad onto the sander. This hole, being so large, makes it impossible to round corners with this sander. Bosch could have improved this easily. (the reason for four instead of five stars) This is a great investment if you do a lot of sanding and need a step above a palm sander, but keep your palm sander handy for rounding corners! Bosch 3725DEVS 3.3 Amp 5-Inch Random Orbit Variable Speed Sander with Dust Canister
I have owned the 3725 since it was introduced in the mid to late 90's and have been very happy with it's performance and dependability. I am an architectural finish carpenter (collumns, arches, wainscaoting, etc...) and this sander gets heavy use at least 3 days each week. I have replaced the hook and loop pad 4 times and worn out the anti swirl ring years ago (I either start the sander once placed on the material or place the sander on the material where it will be trimed "snipe area"). With the right paper this sander can be used for heavy stock removal as well as final sanding. I constantly use the variable speed option and find myself working the sander one handed. For heavy stock removal or fine balance it's nice to be able to use both hands.
Make no mistake regarding random orbit sanders and think they will perform every job. I use a palm (orbital) sander for easing edges, getting in corners, and sanding round overs.
There are other options out there at about half the price, but experience has shown me they will not perform half of the jobs the 3725 will (stock removal - final sanding).
I am a fan of the better Bosch tools. I love the jig saw. But after buying three of their sanders (a belt sander, and two ROS including this one) I will not buy another. All three were plagued by reliabilty problems and the belt sander had tracking problems. (I have used sanders from Fein, Makita, and DeWalt and have never had a problem with any of them.)The 3725 had a series of problems: repeated sudden inexplicable power losses not fixed by Bosch service, sudden loss of parts etc. It does sand quite well when working. It is smooth, gives good results, and easy to use. The dust removal with supplied bag is mediocre. I have not tried with vacuum.
I've owned a Dewalt & Makita Orbital sanders and I like the Bosch the best - stock removal rate seemed much faster than the Dewalt and Makita. I was a little concerned about the dust it was kicking up at first, but when the filter caked after 10 minutes of use the problem was gone. My one beef is the vac adapter. If you want to connect a shop vac you must purchase a seperate adapter - I don't like that idea. I would like companies include these items with the purchase. At the very least make it clear at the time of sale an adapter is needed for a shop vac. I would have given this item five stars if the adapter was included etc.
Excellent sander. There are a numer that are cheaper, but few that I like as much as this one.I have 5 different brands of various size and style orbitals. This is the one I generally reach for most of the time. The dust collection has minimal value, but to be honest, almost every stand alone dust bag on anything pales compared to connecting it to a vac.
It's not too noisey and it's a little bit smoother than the other brands I've tried. It looks to be well made and is fairly ergonomic. But if I can't find a vacuum attachment adaptor for it then I'll have to buy a different brand sander that does have one.
This sander touts itself to be ready for the toughest job, but after replacing the pad and having the main center bolt break after slightly over a year of use in a sign shop this sander comes up very short. I was dissapointed in this being a Bosch product and have recently purchased the Rigid 5" sander which is superior in every way, less vibration, smoother & quicker results, a carrying case, extra pad, sanding discs and other extras.
I only used this sander 3 times before it stopped working. When I contacted Bosch,they said to ship it to a repair center BUT I HAD TO PAY THE SHIPPING. Not sure yet what the action will be; they couldn't tell me if they could fix it r not. The sander was about 6 months old when it went down so it should be under warranty. I have had other Bosch tools in the past and liked them; I guess it is just the customer service--or lack of--that makes me dissatisfied.
I've owned this sander for over two years now and have used it on a number of projects. I'm a big fan of Bosch and own several various tools from the company. Bosch's quality is outstanding in my opinion. This sander is no exception. I chose the 5" over the larger 6" because the slightly smaller size is more appropriate for general purpose work on furniture (again, my opinion). This slightly smaller sander is a little lighter and easier to manage. The 6" is nice if you're working on large projects, but is unnecessarily large for most of my woodworking needs.
As other's have said, no RO sander will do everything, a smaller detail sander is still necessary for corners, etc. But for general use, this sander is exceptional. The variable speed is a must have for controlling the rate of removal and comes in very handy when working on sensitive areas. It is ergonomically comfortable to use with well designed handles. The canister dust collection is outstanding, although it must be cleaned often while using or it will start backing up and its effectiveness becomes considerably diminished. There is an available adapter for connection to a vacuum, which of course enables superior dust collection, but for all but large projects or constant use, the canister works just fine.
Bottom Line: I have several sanders and this is the one I always reach for first. I highly recommend it. - Sander - Bosch - Random-orbit Sanders - Random Orbit Sander'
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