Bench drill - Bosch PBD40

[Mark18PLL]

Okay so i am expecting some people to take the mick out of me for this, but that's ok lol.

I have been looking at bench drills for some time and posted on here a few months ago. I have found the Bosch PBD40 that looks good and the reviews seem favourable.

I am not planning to use heavily, some small projects and using general and forstner bits. Does anyone have any experience with this machine? I have been looking at various drills from meddings, startright, axminster etc, i don't really have the knowledge to drive to clean up a meddings/startright and the Axminster don't get the best reviews.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Trevanion]

I think there's a couple of people on here with one of those Bosch Jobbies and they rate them very highly if I remember correctly.

Everyone will tell you to seek out the old iron, and they'd be right. Not much to go wrong with the oldies and they're pretty trivial to clean up and get running sweetly in a weekend or two, they may not even need any work!

I've got a floor-standing Jet which I bought new in the box but had been sat in storage for 10 years, it's almost unfit for purpose to be honest because the amount of play in the drilling end is ridiculous, I've been meaning to take the head apart and see if there's any way of remedying it. If it wasn't for that it would be a pretty good machine.

 

[Racers]

It's the wrong colour, blue professional green amateur.
Plus some people have complained of lots of spindle play.

I have an axminister pillar drill and it's very good, I also have a fobco which is better but not by much.

You should be able to find a lightly used Startrite/fobco that doesn't need restoration.

Pete

 

[PAC1]

I have one and like it so much I sold my traditional drill press. The only fault other than colour is the wheel rather than lever to operate it. I have read complaints about a lack of accuracy but I have found it fine for woodworking

 

[Droogs]

Well it is a lot cheaper than a Nova DVR. As said above not from the professional/trade range of kit but then you are not going to be using it day in day out 8 hours a day, so will probably meet your needs

 

[MikeG.]

Well, it's got some fancy features. My concern would be how strong and stable it is. If there is any flex or excess movement that would spoil it. Before buying, I'd certainly want to see one in the flesh.

 

[PAC1]

MikeG I only use it for woodworking but having used some large Forster bit holes with no problem, I was sufficiently impressed to get rid of my 82kg drill press which was not accurate or easy to use properly. A change of speed meant faffing with pulleys and belts. Now I rotate a knob and it will change from 200rpm to 2000rpm or whatever speed I want. It sits on a bench and I can lift it with one hand and move it wherever.

 

[Mark18PLL]

Well it is a lot cheaper than a Nova DVR. As said above not from the professional/trade range of kit but then you are not going to be using it day in day out 8 hours a day, so will probably meet your needs

Wow that Nova DR looks a modern bit of kit with a price to match

 

[Mark18PLL]

MikeG I only use it for woodworking but having used some large Forster bit holes with no problem, I was sufficiently impressed to get rid of my 82kg drill press which was not accurate or easy to use properly. A change of speed meant faffing with pulleys and belts. Now I rotate a knob and it will change from 200rpm to 2000rpm or whatever speed I want. It sits on a bench and I can lift it with one hand and move it wherever.

Thanks Pac, that's really helpful

 

[Droogs]

I have to admit if I could afford one, it would be going to the dentist with me every time I went

 

[Mark18PLL]

I have to admit if I could afford one, it would be going to the dentist with me every time I went

Not quite sure what you mean and appreciate it might be a joke lol but all i can see is tumbleweed

 

[Droogs]

lol, just that the Nova is so swanky I wouldn't trust the denstist to use anything else

 

[Mark18PLL]

lol, just that the Nova is so swanky I wouldn't trust the denstist to use anything else

Ah, you see once a joke is explained its easy to understand lol. This is quite normal in my house as the kids (and wife) don't get my jokes.

 

[MikeG.]

Ah, you see once a joke is explained its easy to understand........

......but no longer funny, unfortunately.

 

[Nelsun]

I'm one of the happy campers on here and have little bad to say about it. It being portable is a big requirement for me which ruled out any of the big heavy types.

It's been plenty accurate (I ignore the laser and use an awl) and the digital depth stop is a great feature. As far as forstner bits go, I've used 42mm in oak and it's never batted an eyelid. The hold-down clamp thing never gets used as I made a table for it with a fence, t-track slots and wotnot.

If it died tomorrow I'd buy another one in a blink.

 

[Mark18PLL]

I'm one of the happy campers on here and have little bad to say about it. It being portable is a big requirement for me which ruled out any of the big heavy types.

It's been plenty accurate (I ignore the laser and use an awl) and the digital depth stop is a great feature. As far as forstner bits go, I've used 42mm in oak and it's never batted an eyelid. The hold-down clamp thing never gets used as I made a table for it with a fence, t-track slots and wotnot.

If it died tomorrow I'd buy another one in a blink.

Thanks Nelson, nice to hear some positives about it.

 

[silz]

A

 

[NormanB]

Had one for 18 months. It does the job it was designed for very well. It is accurate enough and actually portable.There is no equivalent in the ‘professional’ range which clearly disappoints those with colour coordinated workshops. Aldi occasionally have a cheaper clone on offer which attracts reasonable reviews.

 

[Matthew S]

I wonder if it is worth spending 3 times the amount compared to the Clarke CDP5RB which is a pretty solid drill press

 

[Bodgers]

I wonder if it is worth spending 3 times the amount compared to the Clarke CDP5RB which is a pretty solid drill press

I wouldn’t bother with the Clarke. They aren’t great.