:What brands do you guys like?

: Mike

The Makita BO5021-K 5" variable speed sander. I chose this 5" sander because it has a D handle design like my old Bosch. I like this because it allows me more one or two handed holding positions which helps relieve vibration fatigue. Plus the dust outlet is a round tube that could be easily connected to a shop vac. And when this style is connected to a vac the balance moves to the D handle because of the weight of the vac hose. Plus, the Makita uses the same 8 hole pattern 5" hook and loop sanding disks I had stock piled for my Bosch ROS.

The Makita 743022A 5" contour surf backing pad is required for interior sanding. At the same time I bought the Fein Turbo I trigger activated shop vac to use with the Makita ROS. The Fein vac is very quiet and very strong. Fein makes a stepped hose adapter that mates the Fein hose to the Makita ROS dust port perfectly. I also found the Fein hose and the Fein stepped adapter allowed me to connect to other sanders and tools I had that I could not do so before. I upgraded the standard cloth filter on the Fein vac to the 1 micron filter kit and paper dust bags.

This grouping of the Makita ROS and the Fein vac is great! This is the best I've used. If you are in the market for ROS and vac I recommend this pair.

I've used this for a number of years now and I'm very happy with it.

For more details and sanding information see my "Shop Tips" page @ http://www.laughingloon.com/shop.tips.html

Rob