Product Reviews

 The nicest little sander money can buy, January 3, 2000
Reviewer: "toolpig" (Troy , KS)

I could not agree more with Jim Thompson on this sander. You can tell that alot of thought went into its design. It is so much more useful than ordinary belt sanders. For one thing the balance is perfect. You don't have to torque your wrist to get it to sand level. Because of the in line design, you can see both sides of the belt when you are sanding. Of course you have to watch it and keep it moving, but it's alot less work with the little Bosch than the others. It's a little slower than the fastest sanders. But what you sacrifice in speed, you gain in control and accuracy. I wouldn't buy one to sand floors, but for finish work you can't beat it. It's light enough to use one handed if you have to. It easily becomes a table top horizontal sander by flipping it over on its flat top.(it's even better with the sanding frame) The dust collection really does work. The front handle comes off for tight spots. Belt changes are a cinch with the lever action release. The variable speed is a lifesaver with soft woods, detail work where you don't want to take too much off or even rough grinding on chisels and plane irons. I have several Belt sanders from different manufacturers and this truly is my all time favorite.
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Thoughtfully designed and precisely built, November 17, 1999
Reviewer: Jim Thompson
This is an extremely well-designed and well-built sander. I have used many sanders and been disappointed by poor design and bad belt-changing clamping systems. Its variable speed eliminates the need to press harder or softer on the sanding surface, cutting down on the chance of gouging material or cutting divots in the surface. Changing the belts is easy: pull on the side lever and the belts slip on and off. There is an belt alignment adjustor which I set the first time I used it and haven't touched since. The front handle is removable for sanding up to obstructed edges. The dust bag actually works, and the sander can be hooked up to a dust collector. Most importantly, there are two accessories for the sander which make it versatile. The sanding stand turns the sander into an upside-down bench-mounted sander, and the optional fence provides a way to easily and accurately sand endgrain on wood. It's built in Switzerland and it looks and feels like it was made by Swiss watchmakers.
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 Adequate for the money but.., February 24, 2006
Reviewer: Robert F. Leroux "Handmade-Buy"

Light, almost too light; and relatively quiet. Not as agressive as I would like, even with 60 grit. Dust collection bag still obtrusive and tends to spew extra fine dust into ones face if the unit is held at a ninety degree angle. The angular design makes for a secure fit upside down in a bench vise so one can hand feed smaller pieces for shaping. I rarely use a belt sanders and then only to hog off amounts to then use the RO sander.
Bottom line: I love Bosh anything so if I had the money I would have spent extra to get a heavier duty machine by Bosch.
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I LOVE this sander (blush) :), January 9, 2006
Reviewer: R. McGowen

While I take pleasure in owning and using quality tools, I am not one to gush or even normally write a review. That said, I LOVE this sander. Here's why:

Well-balanced, low center of gravity. Feels right when held, don't have to make conscious effort to hold true.

Variable speed. Note: Variable, NOT multiple speed. Speed varies infinitely depending on trigger pressure, just like any variable-speed drill. Speed dial on trigger acts as speed limiter, a not-to-exceed setting. Otherwise pull fully for max set speed and back off trigger to slow in those must-be-careful spots, then pull fully again for max speed. Truly intuitive, fluid.

Light weight enough to use without effort, yet heavy enough to do its intended job. Certainly not for massive stock removal day in and day out, but perfect for frequent use my small shop and occasional light construction duty. If you need a brute, buy a brute. If you don't, don't beat yourself up with one. Treat yourself with this Bosch.

A dust collector that works. Very, very little on my mask at the end of a session of sanding. Only a light powder on the surface of the work and a coating on the sander attracted by static. No dust laden air, no immediate sweep-up. Empty the bag, blow off the sander, wipe the sanded piece. Done.

Flat top and fence attachment extend its functionality, providing a small bench top sander.

Quality Swiss-made.

Okay, so I gushed a bit. Great tools are such a pleasure to use and all too rare a treat.
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 Bosch 1274DVS 3" x 21" Dustless Variable Speed Belt Sander, June 7, 2005
Reviewer: Robert B. Osterberg
Very well designed and manufactured machine. Balance is near perfect, and use with one hand is comfortable and always in control. Compared to a similar designed sander, made by AEG, this sander is much more comfortable and better balanced. If you are a serious woodworker, this belt sander will spoil you. Once you use this sander, you will not want to use a sander with a different design again.
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best of all light duty belt sanders , May 22, 2005
Reviewer: BluesSRV "William"
I worked for years using an inexpensive belt sander with no dust collection system to speak of , at the time none had these .
I wanted something a bit larger and tested several newer models out .
I found myself with a ryobi in similar design as the bosch .
It was fine and I truely enjoyed the balance .
Then I had an issue with the speed control getting hot and soon it quit and off the find another brand . This time it was makita and a rather large 3 x 24 inch belt with one speed .
Yes it was powerful and heavy , most of the time I felt I would surely destroy anything and everything it came in contact with , one moments hesistation or lack of concentration and you found yourself with a deep grove because it tipped . Unbalanced side set motor , some people like these , I do not . I am all for learning to control and use a tool but I do not stand for a tool with a built in project distruct mechanism . Porter cable has an old time still in production inline giant that works very well , my father had one , just don't plug it in when on it's feet trigger lock on , facing a double pane glass picture window . There is no stopping it and yes it does perform a nice mid air drive very slightly slowed by the forced penetration of shattered glass .

I leave this Makita sander for the jobs that need alot of fast stock removal , perhapes if I were refinishing a ship deck this would be the tool of choice . I was informed by the tool dealer in town this was the best sander around and it has been around for a good long time .
I want a belt sander to smooth edges and a small to large surfaces with confidence that's all , nothing that wants to drag me across the work suface at the flip of a switch .
This is where the bosch comes in , light and balanced , quiet and smooth , you are now in control not the tool .
Yes as someone else said the dust bag is not the one pictured on the box , out of curiousity I phoned bosch and it was politily expressed they had issues with static electical discharges that some people using the sanders did not understand , some people must have forgot simple science concepts and thought they were being electrically shocked with a high voltage .
Never the less the bosch did send me one of the original bags along with it's fittings and I must say the new square bag is better .
You can empty it very simply by putting a shop vac nozzle to the plastic bag port and suck the contents out and even if you want to do the job right shake the bag and all comes clean . No need to play with the plastic closure clip .
This sander does what it is designed for very very well indeed .

Light continues work with easily controlled stock removable for the finishing of a fine wood project that possess flat sides , not for what some find it for , clearing away years of warp and splinter on some rough fashioned sun deck that can comfortably seat 120 guests .

For this type of industrial endevor get the big ones , that's what their function is in life .

If you are looking for a belt sander for fine furnature work or do other work requiring precision and control and have always stayed clear do to the fear of belt sanders then the bosch IS without question the one , for you !
In closing , this belt sander does last and hold up very well , I have had not one single problem with mine , it has done alot of time saving work with me .