Table saws probably conjure up visions of power leads and hardto- manoeuvre equipment in fixed locations. But Bosch has blown away those scenarios with its powerful BITURBO tablesaw offering. The tool produces 4500rpm with 1600W of power in a lightweight, compact and mobile design that achieves best-in-class cutting capacities of 70mm cutting depth and 635mm ripping.
The high-tech brushless motor and ProCORE18V battery are the muscle behind this impressive heavy-duty set-up, delivering corded-power equivalency with the added mobility of the 18V battery system.
The saw runs a 216mm blade which allows for a lighter and more compact design than 254mm options, and features include ergonomic handles to reposition the saw quickly, a protective onboard fence and blade-guard storage for easy and safe transport.
On the all-important safety front, this unit includes soft start, motor brake, restart protection, a new blade-guard design, a safety switch, and the ability to connect to a vacuum or dust-extraction system.
Your digits and lungs can all breathe a sigh of relief.
TEST #1: POWER AND PASSION
Bosch’s BITURBO range has pushed the limits of the single 18V battery with its ProCORE18V battery system (up to 2000W on some tools in the BITURBO range), and that’s the kind of power required with a tool like a table saw. Ben from Vanwood remarked, “We use table saws all day long for the cabinetry and panelling that goes into our van fit outs. We have a corded saw at the back of our workshop where all our cutting takes place. But with the Bosch, we sat it right behind the van we were working on and saved ourselves walking to the back saw every time. This might not seem like a big deal, but it saved a pile of time over the day.
“The saw is easy to move around (21.6kg with battery) due to not being corded, and its compact design made life easy.
“As far as cutting per formance was concerned, it produced beautiful results. We have been cutting both panelling and more substantial 16mm plywood sheets. Our edges on every cut have been stunning. The combination of the Bosch BITURBO table saw with its 1600W/4500rpm and the Diablo finishing blade have been excellent.”
TEST #2: FLEXIBILITY
Watching Ben use the BITURBO in his workshop made it clear why tradies fall in love with a cordless system like this one. It has all the power and cutting capabilities they need, but with the added flexibility of being able to place the saw where it suits to work the most efficiently.
“There’s a handy sliding fence guide which extends out for cutting larger sections,” said Ben, “and the longevity of the battery was impressive. We have been using the 12AH on the saw for most of the week, and it still has a 25% charge left on a single charge.
“But above all, the thing I enjoyed was the flexibility the saw offered. If you either have a small workshop space or need a compact portable table saw with heaps of grunt and a small footprint, look no further than this Bosch BITURBO table saw.”
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
This table saw has been a great, powerful, yet portable, set-up.
Sometimes the word portable brings up visions of lightweight quality with weak stability or structure. But even though this portable table saw is compact and lightweight, it is also strong and solid. The rail and guide were precise, accurate and easily produced the type of high-end finishes needed for refined cabinetry and precision detail work.
Finally, the added safety features like soft start, motor brake and restart protection allow workers to use the saw with peace of mind. RRP $1,099.
Visit bosch-pt.com.au/au/en/biturbo/