Yesterda y I found myself in need of an electric sander.  I was working on some doors that were not able to close properly.  After using a hand plane to give them a proper fit, they were left looking rather rough.  As the job was going to require a lot of sanding, I knew I needed to get a power sander.

Lowe’s had many different power sanders on display.  Specifically, though, I needed an orbital sander.  These are much better suited for small jobs or finish work than the full size belt sanders.  Unfortunately, the selection for orbital sanders was nowhere near as thorough as the variety of belt sanders that were available for purchase.

Of the few that were in stock, they ranged in price from $30-$80.  There was a Black & Decker one; I think they called it “The Mouse”.  However, I knew I wanted something that I would get more than one or two uses out of.  Fisher Price tools just don’t cut it.

There were also two different ones made by Skil, but again, Fisher Price tools just don’t last.  That was it for the low-end models. 

The first mid-priced orbital sander I looked at was a Porter-Cable.  This manufacturer was once very respected, probably more so than DeWalt is today.  Unfortunately, the quality of Porter-Cable is nothing like it used to be (it is probably not a coincidence that this happened around the same time that their tools started to be carried by Lowe’s.) 

The Porter-Cable went for $50, as did the other mid-grade manufacturer; Bosch.  I am hesitant to purchase any low-priced Bosch power tools.  This company makes hammer drills and jack-hammers that can go for more than a thousand dollars.  As that is the case, I have a hard time believing that they also manufacture $50 orbital sanders.  My guess is that these low priced tools get “shopped out”.  I imagine that their sanders would be made from generic components, simply encased in the patented green Bosch tool casing.

There was one feature of both the Porter-Cable and Bosch that I did like: they each have a collection bag for gathering all the dust that is produced when sanding.  This feature was also included on the most expensive sander they had available; the Dewalt.  But $80 was simply too much to spend on a tool that I will only use once or twice a year.