Bosch 1294VSK 2.3 Amp Corner Detail Sander Kit

This is a new machine to me. So, my rating is notwithstanding durability (can rate durability only with much time). More on maximizing the life of the machine below.I have been fine-working wood for smoothness, beauty and detail for about 40 years now, including working in a commercial furniture-making shop and then my own cabinet business.Just finished sanding one of my northern red oak floors in my house and could not have finished it to anywhere near the quality that it is now without this Bosch 1294 VS machine. The floor is now "silky" smooth.....right into and against the tightest molding crevices and all the way UNDER the baseboard heat panels. No other tool in my past (including my fingers!) could have done this.......nothing else.I am fanatical about sanding wood to its ultimate beauty and with this machine I can get the inaccessible areas of a wood project to a level of smooth detail that I only dreamed I would be able to one day. I guess I would say this tool is unique because it gets into places no tool I have ever used before can.This 1294 VS has the apparent quality and usefulness (affectiveness) equal to any of the best woodworking tools I have used in my life. And only such woodworking tools as Porter Cable's (Delta) 503 (chain-drive) belt sander really, really please me. In fact, after starting with a rented Clark drum sander and edger, I fine-sanded the interior of my oak floor with my old reliable "503". The Bosch 1294 VS (the newcomer :) ) took care of the tight details.This Bosch I have is the 1294 VS.....not the VSK. So maybe this VSK is different than mine...but I doubt it. This machine is made in Switzerland. That should tell you something. The Swiss also make the best hand pruners on Planet Earth.......FELCO. I know because I absolutely love wood and working with wood. I have the Felco #7's.So far so good.I have determined that to make this machine last I am keeping my hands away from the vents and NOT pressing down on the machine as it works (ok....maybe just lightly). I am going to let the tool do the work for me. This machine has one helluva fan in it. To prevent over-heating the electric motor, this fan forces air through the machine at a very, very high rate......so to go easy on the machine......... it is imperative that I keep my hands away from the vents.

The machine itself is good and reliable as other reviewers said. It leaves the surface very smooth without swirl marks or scratches like belt or rotary types.However, this is more like a scaled down version of the multi-purpose vibrating tool, like then Bosch MX25EC-21 2.5-Amp Multi-X Oscillating Tool Kit than a machine designed solely for the purpose of sanding.It lacks a built-in dust collector. Attaching to a shop-vac isn't nice, even if you found the right attachment. First of all, when I work on my staircase, the shop-vac is too big to sit on the steps. Second, the shop-vac is loud, adding to the already loud sanding noise. Third, the big hose on the shop-vac restricts your motion and angles. Fourth, any attachment that protrudes out don't have holes to collect dust.I also wish that it would have attachment for smaller and larger sanding surface. Smaller surface would allow more pressure on a small surface, thus better for removal. Larger surface would polish big areas better and more evenly. The finger tool, while small, protrudes out on a flexible plastic bar so it can't apply pressure neither. There is a convex finger attachment for concave surface, but where's the one for the convex surface?It works better on some jobs than others. If you work on small things like furniture which has softer wood and softer vanish, then you'll love it. However, if you use it as a detail sander for refinishing hard wood floor like me, then you'll be a little frustrated. It's not powerful enough to remove the tough vanish on most floors, even on 40-grit paper, which is the coarsest grit available for this type of machine. I had to use a hand scrapper first, then use this sander to smooth out the surface.Tip 1: Be careful not to cover the air vents or else the machine would overheat.Tip 2: You can apply a little pressure to the head using your other hand, but don't over do it or you would wear out the machine and paper faster.Tip 3: Air coming out of the side very strong. You can use it to blow the dust off the surface.

Good sander. We'll see how long it lasts. Sandpaper to fit it is very expensive.

Very pleased. The price was reasonable and the quality of the product is excellent. There is very little vibration making this tool very easy to use.

I need replacement parts and have a hard time finding them... I purchased two units and both have broken in the same way.. the steel clip that hold the extension plate broke on one the other unit the clip is fine but the plastic clips that hold that in place have broken...Please email me a site to buy parts or allow me to return both units as I am barely satisfied..I need two extension plates ( might as well by 10 cause they will break)2 steel clips ( again buy extras)I'm not sure what the other part is called but I need it too..I'm really hoping this seller will contact me