The Bosch ROS20VSC random orbit sander offers a small, lightweight design and variable speed capabilities. There are a mix of positives and negatives for this particular sander. Let’s take a closer look.
Sanding Power & Motor
This sander is powered by a 2.5 amp motor that can operate at variable speeds from 7,500-12,000 OPM. The motor runs quietly and doesn’t overheat, even with long periods of use.
The variable speed settings are nice to have but people find that they tend to leave it set at the fastest settings to get the most consistent performance out of this sander. People also find that this sander starts to get a little tougher to control at slower speeds, which can add to use fatigue.
People who use this sander find that it has enough power for lighter use but sometimes comes up short on tougher jobs or surfaces. People notice that when you push this sander down harder on surfaces it can bog down. Even though it bogs down, the random orbit action still keeps it working fairly effectively. This should be thought of more as a finishing sander than anything else, but it can handle tougher work if you are patient with it.
Handheld Design
This is a lightweight sander at 3.5 lbs. It has a good grip design and it’s comfortable to hold for most people, both one-handed and two-handed. It can be held on the top grip, the vertical post or both.
Smaller hands might struggle to find comfort during longer jobs. Some people find that when using lower speed settings the vibration can be a little fatiguing. If you intend to use this sander for longer periods of time you may want to take some of the negatives into consideration but for most people this should be a comfortable sander to use.
Sanding Pad
This sander has a 5 inch hook and loop pad that will hold any 5 inch hook and loop pad with 8 dust collection holes. Bosch has their own patented design called Hook-Tight™ and they claim that their hook and loop pads include over 35,000 hooks on the pad which apparently is up to twice as much as other pads. With all that, the pad works fine and hold well, and that’s all that matters in the end.
Some people who buy this sander find that their pad is cupped by 1/64 of an inch or maybe even a little more. This seems to not be a very common issue but it comes up enough it’s worth mentioning. If you have this issue you may notice it’s hard to get a smooth sanding capability throughout the whole pad. Some people work with it and some hit up Bosch support to get a pad that is less cupped.
Dust Collection
This sander actually has pretty decent dust collection capability, even with the container that attaches directly to the dust port. Of course, it will work better when hooked up to a vacuum or dust collection system, but people are surprised at how good the dust collection container can work. The container fills up pretty quickly though and need to be emptied quite a bit. For best results you will want to use a vacuum or dust collection system.
There is an adapter for connecting this to vacuum hoses, part number VAC002. This is included in some kits for this router, so take a close look before buying if you need this one. This adapter can be used to connect 1-1/4″ and 1-1/2″ hoses to tools that have ports for 35mm hoses.
Build Quality
For a more affordable sander, the build quality is pretty good. There’s a good mix of plastic and metal parts on this one, but it’s designed to be lightweight so more plastic is expected. Most of the issues people have with this sander have to do with performance under load, rather than issues with the tool breaking or falling apart. So for those reasons we feel this overall is a well-built budget tool.
The cupped sanding discs could potentially be an issue for some, and Bosch support seems to be more than willing to help correct that issue for people who run into it.
Included Accessories
This sander is available in a couple kit versions. One kit comes with the sander, dust container, hose adapter and a carrying bag – model number ROS20VSC. The other kit includes a hard carrying case in place of the carrying bag – model number ROS20VSK.
People who own the hard carrying case find it to be more protective of the hook and loop pad, which can prolong the life of the hooks on the pad. Something to think about if you are trying to decide between the two.
- Sander
- Carrying Bag or Case
- Vacuum Hose Adapter VAC002
- Dust Container
Other Available Accessories
Bosch offers some of the parts in the kits as individual accessories, you may typically only need these if you need replacement parts.
Bosch RS034 Hook and Loop Pad
Bosch 2609170071 Friction Ring
Bosch 2609199179 Dust Container
Bosch 2609170071 Friction Ring
Setup & Assembly
This sander is very easy to setup and start using. We recommend to read through the manual so you don’t miss out on any of the small details for use and maintenance. But otherwise this is about as close as you can get to being able to just pull a tool out of the box and start using it right away.
Warranty
Bosch offers a 1 year warranty on defective parts or workmanship. This is good enough to help you out if you have quality control issues in that first year of use.
Pros
- Not very loud
- Random orbit action is good
- Good grip
- Good dust collection
- Doesn’t overheat
Cons
- Issues with cupped sanding pads on some units
- Slower speeds make the sander feel harder to control and cause more vibration fatigue
Technical Specifications
2.5 A
7,500-12,000 OPM
5 inch hook and loop
6 in x 5 in x 9 in
3.5 lbs
Yes
8 Ft
The Verdict
The Bosch ROS20VSC random orbit sander can be a good, affordable sander for people with lighter sanding applications and refinishing needs. It might not have enough power for tougher applications and can bog down when you put more pressure on the sander and surface you are sanding. The dust collection is pretty good on this one. Overall, people that use this sander like it and find it to be a useful tool in their lineup.
