Bosch PBD 40 - not showing depth

[akirk]

I have bought the Bosch PBD 40 recently which is a drill I believe many others on here have - a question if I may...

as I understand it from the manual, if I press the left of the four little buttons to move from speed to depth
then press the second button (with drill point touching top of wood), it should reset to 0
then as I move the drill up and down I am expecting to see the depth change (neg one way and positive the other) - however it just remains on 0

see image for copy of bit from manual...

what am I doing wrong?!
many thanks in advance!

 

[Nelsun]

That sounds like what your doing and your expectation are correct - drop the bit to touch the surface, press the "0" button (the display changes to "0") and the display then changes as you raise and lower the drill.

Besides a mechanical fault with the display... and please excuse me asking... but have you locked of the vertical movement of the drill (tightening the lever [fig. L] on your left as you face the drill)? If the drill body isn't locked off then turning the wheel on the right won't engage the depth sensing wizardry.

 

[akirk]

good question - no, not locked off - but if I tighten that lower red lever, then I can't move the drill up and down with the wheel - Clearly I am missing something (brains?!) - I went and locked it and for a second had a flicker on the depth gauge (by 0.1mm) but then back to 0 - might be on the correct tracks... but can't see how you get free movement of the drill and yet lock off that lever?

 

[shlumaan]

This is an old chat but as someone who uses this drill for a very long time sounds to me your depth gauge rod at the back top of the drill is locked (with the second red liver) and doens't allow you to plunge. Once you release it it will allow you to drill and you should see the digital display change. Mine used to work until recently and suddenly it is also stuck on '0.0' and that seems like a fault inside the machine. If anyone has any advice on how to try and fix it would very much appreciate it.

 

[akirk]

mmm, playing with the two levers does seem to give some form of occasional measuring - but nothing where the numbers go up and down directly with the movement of the drill, nor at a point where the movement of the drill is smooth and easy... sounds as though there may be something wrong...

 

[shlumaan]

Heya. Absolutely,must be faulty. I've used mine for two years with great accuracy. It's down to the 0.1mm. Is yours still under warranty? You should have it looked at. I'm gutted that mine became faulty recently out of warranty

 

[Phill05]

Once you have set 0 (tip of drill on material) I would have thought you only need to read depth of cut not anything above workpiece or am I missing something

 

[akirk]

sounding likely - just noticed it is not showing the speed on the display either - less than two months old

 

[akirk]

Once you have set 0 (tip of drill on material) I would have thought you only need to read depth of cut not anything above workpiece or am I missing something

no need to read above, but you might expect the readout to show a - value if you raise the bit above the reset point?

 

[shlumaan]

Once you have set 0 (tip of drill on material) I would have thought you only need to read depth of cut not anything above workpiece or am I missing something

The machine doesn't 'care' if you are plunging into material or not. The depth gauge on display changes as you move the drill downward. However, as one other member mentioned, the locking lever needs to be engaged first for the depth to start measuring the plunge.

 

[Phill05]

The machine doesn't 'care' if you are plunging into material or not. The depth gauge on display changes as you move the drill downward. However, as one other member mentioned, the locking lever needs to be engaged first for the depth to start measuring the plunge.

I am aware of the locking handle once locked the rod slides through a reader this is how it reads where it is, My question was "it only needs to read depth of cut not anything above workpiece"

The OP said "as I move the drill up and down I am expecting to see the depth change (neg one way and positive the other) - however it just remains on 0"

 

[Stevekane]

On a slightly different tack,,these drills sound like they might be a bit unreliable,,I suppose the problem with having fancy electronics incorporated?
And as a BTW I would have expected to see a Neg reading in a situation like that too.
Steve.

 

[Phill05]

Why would you want to see a Neg reading can you not see if the drill has lifted out of the work!!!

 

[akirk]

No reason to see a neg reading at all other than as proof that it is working!
Logically if it is reading correctly one direction will be positive the other negative I assume that the depth reading neither knows nor cares whether the drill bit is in wood!
Am away now for a couple of days so will do some more testing with locking handles over the weekend…

 

[Padster]

As you say many others have this drill, myself included and I've never had any issues. You may have a faulty model if you aren't seeing rpm either, but you do need to have the back positional lever locked, the front will tighten if required to use the depth gauge (physical rather than reading) this doesn't need to be locked, then as you use the wheel your depth movement is displayed.
You also say speed is not showing - has it ever?
If it has, it suggests something has changed or you've done something different, If it's never worked I would have thought you'd have noticed before now.

HTH

Padster

 

[PerryGunn]

sounding likely - just noticed it is not showing the speed on the display either - less than two months old

If it's that new, don't mess about, just get it replaced under warranty...

 

[Andy Raglan]

Try tightening the height lever harder. It needs to fully depress a plate around the side in order for the depth display to work.

I have had the same problem as akirk but found I was simply being too gentle with the height lever, not wanting to break it.

I can confirm it doesn't break!

Hope this helps and all is now well.

 

[akirk]

Sorry - should have updated! A friend showed me this and I have had it working for a while! Lovely drill