Bosch Reviews

I knew Bosch made quality tools and router bits so I thought I'd try the Blue Granite set. I've only used the 2 largest bits in the set, but they performed great...never slowed down through concrete and rock.

Having owned many spades in my life I can safely say this one is the greyest one that I've had. Usually I go for the green ones, but this one goes really well with my new Widescreen TV. Other than the colour being really nice I found the spade action on this baby really satisfying. Digging holes with this beauty really is a sensual experience. If your in any doubt buy it. Well I liked it.

I purchased this kit about a year ago and since then, I have found many uses for it. Of course, the ideal use is to use the digital protractor for installing crown molding, but it comes in handy any time you need to measure accurately an angle. Recently, I used it extensively putting up baseboard and trimming out my basement windows. I also use it to set up my saws, but it is a little big for some jobs. I recommend highly getting the kit instead of just the protractor itself: the extension leg is perfect for measuring small things (it can extend back behind where the two legs join together as well). The carrying case is nice and keeps this valuable and somewhat expensive tool safe.

I've owned this tool for about 3 years and truly love it. It is very quiet for a pneumatic tool. It is also extremely smooth, the smoothest of any jig saw I've run. The power rivals that of the best electric jig saw. It is really good for cutting metal and fiberglass, both of which raise issues with electric saws. There are two draw backs that make it less than perfect. It uses a lot of air. It takes all that my 5 hp (industrial) compressor can deliver. This makes it unsuitable for most home garage-shops. A small drawback is the fact that as an air tool, it should have a better system for blowing chips away from the blade area while cutting.

Some of my crew have asked me if I own stock in the BOSCH Tool Company (I probably should). As with all of my BOSCH tool purchases, my expectations for quality and efficiency are high and these hole saws do not disappoint. Fast on the drill, and fast through material, this clever design will be greatly appreciated when time is of the essence. I chose to submit my review for the 2-1/4" saw because it is a common size, but if you are wondering-Yes, I bought all of the available sizes. This should sum things up.

I am a professional cabinet maker. I bought this unit to complement my other Bosch router so that I do not have to change bits. This is a friendly and ergonomic tool. Very nice start up feature. The heighth adjustment did need to be tightened to eliminate movement during use and maintain accuracy. Excellent tool for the price!

This centering cone should be standard equipment with any router. It's absolutely essential for accurate template guided work. I made a lot of firewood before I realized that my baseplate and template guide were not centered on my bit. It's especially frustrating when doing inlays and your work pieces don't mate perfectly. This simple centering cone fixes all that and you don't necessarily need a Bosch router to use it.
Most higher-end routers come with baseplates that have two sets of holes to mount it to the router base. One set is fixed and is used at the factory to align the baseplate close to center. The other set is elongated and allows you to fine tune the placement of the baseplate on the base. The factory holes are close, but not perfect. If you need to do precise work like inlays, you'll want to use the second set of holes, and to use those, you NEED this centering cone.
Attach a medium-sized template guide to the baseplate, say or 3/8" or 1/2" then attach the baseplate to the router base loosely using the elongated set of screw holes. Gently push the long end of the centering cone into the router's collet and tighten the collet to the point where the cone is snug, but can be moved in and out of the collet with a little force. Now continue to push the cone into the collet until the cone comes in contact with the template guide and keep pushing until the cone can't be pushed in any more. This will pull the baseplate into exact center on the collet. Before removing the cone, gently tighten the baseplate screws without moving the baseplate. Remove the cone, chuck a bit, and you're ready to do some precision work.
Remember, all template guides are not made alike, so it' a good idea to pull out this cone and re-center whenever you change the template guide.

I purchased the Bosch fixed based router last fall before the combo kit came out. I eventually mounted the fixed base to my home built router table. It is a bit of pain to remove the base from the table when I wanted to use it freehand. Since Bosch created a reat quick release for the router motor I decide to Purchased the plunge unit for portable use. The base also has fine depth adjustment (1/64") marks so you can actually adjust within 1/128th depth. The unit stops are easy to read and adjust. The motor slips in and out easily but can't fall out by accident. When you place the router into the base the bit is dead on center. No worry about bit cuts wandering if the base is running against a fence or pattern as you run your router. The plunge base works smoothly and the lock mechanism is easy to use.

If you have the Bosch EVS router then use your fixed base in your table and buy this to make your unit quickly portable again.

I use this accessory with drill bits for wood/metal and those arrow shaped tile bits in rotation only mode.

You can hammerdrill with this 3 jaw chuck, for example the bits that come with the blue Tapcon screws, but I prefer sds bits with the 5/16" hex shank for drive sleeves, it is faster to use and a much stronger grip on the drill bit.

My 3 jaw sds chuck did not come with a manual but I figured out that if you pull the collar down and to the left you can quickly and quietly adust the jaws, I dont know what that is about but Bosch has put it so there must be a reason.

I turn my Bosch Bulldog into a drill when I play the uncharged cordless battery game. Sometimes its even handy to use alongside the cordless drill driver.

I had to get used to the rubber boot over the jaws, but really you just push the drill bit through the rubber boot and tighten with the chuck key (all 3 holes for a good grip)

I just learned that SDS means slotted drive system.

For anyone who isn't sure which jigsaw blade to buy, the 101B is the absolute best blade for almost all woodcutting in wood under 1 1/4" thick. It leaves the cleanest cut and is the easiest to use for design cutting of any blade on the market. I've been using them for 13 years and I've tried everything else.