Bosch PBD 40

Precision machine for fine or precision work – I purchased this machine to do quite fine modelling work. It is quite brilliant. I had to read the manual thoroughly to get a handle on the set up and operation, but once I sorted everything out I got started. I also ensured the drill table was set up at about 200-300mm below eye level for the work I do. My first job was drilling 1.25mm drill… Read more

through 6mm of Zamac (zinc alloy) which can be quite hard. I found the wheel drop system very useable and smooth. The laser guidance was really helpful and the display showing drilling depth from the start of the work allowed me to watch the drill proceeding at 0.1mm intervals. This minimised the likelihood of drill breakage or jamming. The chuck is perfectly precise with no eccentricity noticeable. Without a machine vice (purchased separately) which pivots and clamps on the supplied table the fine work I do was not possible. Overall I must say that this drill exceeds all my expectations and is a credit to the designers and manufacturing capability of Bosch or their contractors. I just wish my old watchmakers lathe was as good a performer.

Does the job for me – I bought this unit because of its size, accuracy and ease of use. Iv just started wood working for a hobby but many times iv used it for drilling out accurate metal holes and iv bought some drum sander attachments from Carbatec. So im getting lots of varied uses. More than happy with my drilling results Just for your info Bunnings had this at… Read more

429.00, Amazon delivered for 409.00 . When i requested the Bunnings 10% price match offer i was treated like crap and refused . Some of the staff are a bit arrogant. Lost me Bunnings !!

Happy with the machine - though there are very negative reviews about accuracy all over – The best parts of this machine are 1. Portable and light - this is truly great for my setup, i can easily lift and carry it around, set it aside and bring it back to the workbench 2. Superb power belies its size and delicate look. Have drilled large holes in knotty wood and seemed to be effortless 3. The digital speed adjustment works… Read more

beautifully and removes the headache of the belt adjustments 4. I have no trouble with the accuracy of this machine. I put in a 10 mm drill, make sure it is well aligned in the chuck and when i measure the hole, it is 10.1 mm. This accuracy is more than good enough for me (and should be for anyone else) 5. Every feature and every adjustment is repeatable and simple 6. Quick change chuck makes tightening of the drill bit easy

The not so good parts are

1. The travel could have been higher; when you put in longer drill bits this becomes a limitation. 2. You need two hands to loosen the drill in the chuck, which means, the drill falls off to the bed most of the time, before you can hold it. 3. The laser light is not super accurate. I use it more to light up the job than to eyeball off the position. There may be an adjustment possible to correct this, but i couldn't be bothered.

I don't mind the steering wheel type handle, but it requires some adjustment of the hand through the turn

I had a lot of apprehension buying this machine because of so many negative reviews. Esp about the chuck wobble. It does feel that there is a play in the chuck when you move it around. But strangely enough, the hole size is perfect and with just 0.1 mm off the dia, it means that the wobble / play is negligible.

This is a great machine and currently at least, my best purchase in the workshop. What a little beauty.

Badly Inaccurate – The chuck on my unit rotated about a millimetre off-axis. That meant that the tip of a brad point-drill describes a two-millimetre circle. However the head is not stable so when the bit contacts the wood, the entire head then wobbles around! There's no provided compensation mechanism - which sounds hard to believe but there is literally nothing… Read more

at all.

It just drilled a hole for me that was 2mm off the mark in both axes. That was a 5/8" twist bit in merbau and there was no obvious reason for it to deviate. I assume that's a combination of the head wobble and the rotational axis error.

Edit: I subsequently found the merbau was a bit knotty. I maintain it shouldn't have been able to drift that much, but it wasn't entirely spontaneous.

If you're in the market for a $400 low-powered drill press that offers sub-2mm accuracy this might be for you. I can't imagine that's a large demographic. I've given up with mine and plan to purchase a normal one. These look high-tech and accurate but no they really aren't. It has some alright features but who cares if it can't drill a hole in the right place?

You know the drill – The Bosch PBD 40 Drill press is a bench top unit and part of the "green" family of tools. Bosch have "green" for DIY use and "blue" for professional/commercial use. My old drill press died and I needed a new one. As like the vast majority on the market, my old press was a belt driven unit. The belt can be moved to different wheels to get a… Read more

different gear or drill speed. This is a bit painful, and I am basically lazy. Consequently, I would tend to drill at the one speed for everything. Not ideal, and produced some burning on timber and killed more than a few bits when drilling steel. The Bosch unit, whilst expensive for a DIY drill press offers electronic variable speed, all you need to do is dial up or down the speed as desired. No more belt changes! It is different in most presses in that the whole drill unit moves up and down the column, rather that the table. This is very easy to do. The unit also comes with a very useful clamp, LED work light and laser guide, which is very accurate. The unit has a small screen which displays, drilling depth, RPMs, and has the light & laser on/off buttons. It is very easy to set the drill depth stop so setting a constant depth is simple. The unit has a wheel rather than levers that most drill presses have. It has a 710 watt motor so has plenty of power for most jobs. PROS: 1) variable speed, 2) Good laser & LED light, 3) Light, so easy to move around 4) Loads of power 5) Good clamp and fence 6) simple depth stop. CONS: 1) wheel is not as good to use as traditional levers 2) can't drill on an angle - you would need to set up a chock or something to do this. Overall a really good drill press for DIY, and well worth the extra money because you get so much for it and the quality of the build is very good. It also has a 3 year warranty for peace of mind. I put an auto steering wheel knob on the wheel, and it has improved the usability greatly.