Customer Reviews
Excellent Performer - with a Few Issues 
2008-04-02
I bought the 1274DVS with the idea of sanding some oak floors for refinishing. So while I've dropped that approach as too time consuming I DID push the daylights out of the sander.
It has worked extremely well in terms of its primary purpose - that of removing stock. However, there are several design issues that could be improved upon.
1 The dust bag is both in the way AND ineffective. It also requires a screwdriver to remove (unless you want it falling off all the time). So if you get one find a flexible hose that will attach to the dust outlet and a shop vac. That is not as easy as it sounds.
2 The power cord - which is stiffened to protect it - exits directly to the rear thus reducing how far one could move the sander back in close quarters. Not an issue if you are sanding something on sawhorses.
3 The front handle should flip up (like its larger sibling). Its comfortable enough to use but I finally just took it off.
The sanding has been pushed for long periods and I have had no belt issues - with tracking etc. I did toss all my older belts as they seemed to want to come apart due to the heat generated. Handling the sander is easy with a good grip and even with the front handle off.
There is a lot of noise and dust so wear protection - mask or respirator, hearing protection and leather gloves.
Hope this helps!
Great sander 2008-03-28
I have been generally happy with the purchase of this belt sander. I've found the variable speed to be a nice feature and power is not lacking. The base plate is not cast aluminum but the graphite platten plate appears to work fine at reducing heat buildup so I'm not too worried about warping.
The cloth bag is not as shown in the photos, viewing the parts diagram for this sander on the Bosch web page explains the change. The dust collection works well provided the duct remains clean (mine packed full within a few minutes of sanding pine at 50-grit) I had to completely take apart the sander to clean out the duct but it appears to work well now.
Not a heavy duty sander 
2007-10-11
My first project with this tool was ~64 sq.ft. of peeling deck planks. I broke or shredded 3 belts in the process and the handle got very hot. By the end the graphite pad had worn badly and also left a number of black marks on my decking. My old Dewalt 430 had none of these problems on the same type of decking.
Also the sander doesn't seem wide enough. A new belt sticks out about 1/8" over the side and tracking adjustments don't help. Maybe this is why belts fail so fast. If I had bought this at Lowes I would already have taken it back.
On the positive side it is light and compact and the dust collection works well. It's just not up to the abuse I need to be able to give a sander.
Excellent sander...and very wise choice. 
2007-09-20
I bought this sander from Amazon several months ago, and I've sure given it a good workout since I've had it. It tracks very well, and is powerful enough for even the toughest jobs. Changing the belt is far easier than most models....a big plus. This is the first Bosch tool I've owner, and it has made me a believer in the brand. The tool is exceptionally well constructed, and built to last. I couldn't be more pleased with the purchase.
Worked well for a while 
2007-08-02
I had the Skil version of this sander (made by Bosch).It worked great for a few years. Dust collection bag out of the way. Fits in tight places. But then the plastic lever to change the belts became weak and eventually flapped around. Finally I could not change the belts. So I took it apart and tightened it. Then it got loose again. So I sent it to Bosch service for repairs. Asked Bosch to put on a new lever, straighten the tracking, and put new bearings in it while it was there. Cost over $50 to repair. When it came back the lever worked again but still flopped around. It tracked lousy , and the bearing were not changed. -- No better than my own tightening. So I tossed the sander on the junk pile and bought a Porter Cable.
Porter Cable dust bag is in the way all the time, so I do miss this sander sometimes. I liked the fact it worked on a table flipped over. Maybe the belt change lever is better now??
Cheap dust bag not the one pictured otherwise good product 2008-06-03
Product seems to work fine, however I would like the item to be exactly like the picture. The one that was sent to me had a cheap looking bag attached which did not look like the picture. It did not have the black support or even Bosch written on it anywhere. (Say cheap generic bag if that is what you are going to include with the product)
Clogs easily 2008-06-03
Sander tracks reasonably well (not great - yet far better than the old Craftsman that was thrown out), is able to handle rough grits easily (unlike the AEG I gave up on). Does what I ask it to do (rough sanding) BUT will clog quickly (something that seems to be prevalent in other reviews I have read). The primary reason for writing this review is to advise that it is easy to clean the clog with an air compressor gun (not like another reviewer who disassembled his machine to remove the clog with small screwdrivers). As another reviewer noted the dust bag is less than adequate (I run it directly into the shop-vac - which leaves a clean surface and little dust in the air). For the price a decent machine that still could use some improvements in the problem areas, but not one of Bosch's best products.
Tool Happy! 2008-05-14
This is one fine tool for the job of sanding our boat! I don't think I would have found a better deal anywhere else for as good quality and $ as I did here at Amazon, not to mention the fantastik 2-day delivery! Thanks again, Amazon!
Excellent Belt Sander 2008-04-23
I have an old Tudor-style house with lots of oak paneling and trim. My other sanders are 5" and 6" Bosch random orbit units, and 1/4 and 1/2 sheet Porter Cable finishing sanders. The Bosch 1274DVS belt sander fits in perfectly when I need more aggressive sanding action on the wood paneling and oak doors. I've even found it light enough to use on vertical surfaces and even overhead trim for short periods. It's very effective removing the old finish and quickly exposing the raw oak for refinishing. I use the 1274DVS first and then follow-up with the random orbit or finishing sanders for perfect wood preparation.
Although others don't care for the bag dust collection (and neither do I), my method for controlling dust is to remove the bag completely and attach the sander to my shop vacuum using the Bosch hose. I probably capture 90% or more of the dust.
I've had no trouble with this sander since I bought it from Amazon 18 months ago. Then again, as a homeowner, I try not to abuse my tools so I've been fortunate with the overall reliability from my Bosch, DeWalt, and Porter Cable tools.
I would buy the Bosch 1274DVS again in a heartbeat. By the way, I just ordered the Bosch 1276DVS belt sander (4x24) from Amazon to give me even higher productivity refinishing pine paneling in my den.
Bosch 1274DVS 21" Belt Sander 2008-04-19
Sands as expected: fast and easy to control. Dust collection works ok. Needed to blow the system out with compressed air to clear a blockage, once in 2 hours of sanding. I order the Bosch SA1051 Sanding Frame to go along with this purchase. Unfortunately the seller of the frame, MaxTool, not only did not have item in stock (even though they clearly specified they did have) they were not able to get one within a two week period after my order. I canceled this order.
