We took a closer look at the Bosch reciprocating saw that came in the combo kit CLPK40-180
Tool Review: Bosch Reciprocating Saw
Model Number: CRS180
Pros:
Balance, Lock-Jaw
Cons:
Would like to see a bigger difference between two speed settings
Specifications of the Bosch Saw
18 Volt Lithium
Lock-Jaw
7.6lbs.
1-1/8″ Stroke
Speed setting – 0-2,400 / 0-2,700 rpm
Variable Speed Trigger
The Nuts & Bolts
Specifications
Bosch makes some of the best power tools around. All their tools are designed for the professional and made to be used and abused day in and day out. Well, the Bosch reciprocating saw is no different. Now just looking at some of the specs, you might not have noticed a whole lot of difference such as a variable speed trigger, 1-1/8″ stroke and a two speed setting that produces an rpm of 2,400 and 2,700. But that is where the difference stops. The first major difference that you can not see, but feel is the balance. While this is pretty similar to other reciprocating saws on the market coming in at 7.6 lbs., the way Bosch distributes this weight is something you can feel. Now we are not knocking the other major manufacturers as they have great balance also, but once you pick up the Bosch, you can feel how well the saw as a whole is built. The weight is even across the whole body of the saw. The D-handle is nice and big for those who prefer larger gloves in demo mode. The front hand rest is nice and big and gives the user plenty of room to hold on to even under the toughest conditions.
Now you may have read our reciprocating review on the Sawzall and Makita and how much we like the blade locking system, but the Bosch Lock-Jaw is truly the best we have seen. As with the Makita, a user can change the blade with one hand, which does come in handy at times. The big difference which you can feel and see, is the locking mechanism. The Bosch is nice and solid. The blade gets locked into place and there is very little room for debris to enter into the chuck and jam the blade in the lock, which is a little different from the Makita.
The Review
One of the carpenters at our current job site we are working at is removing a room from his house. He has a back room that was once a porch. The old owner turned the porch into a room and instead of pouring the correct foundation, he just built the room on the current set up. As you know without the proper foundation, you will certainly get problems down the road. As you can guess, the room started to sink and what foundation was there cracked. Instead of jacking up the room and taking the corrective action, Jim decided to start from scratch. So we thought what perfect time to take the Bosch over and have some fun. Now all of us over at his house have used a Bosch reciprocating saw before and always had great luck with them, we have never used this model. After removing the roof and exposing the joist, we started using the saw to have some fun. We started cutting through some joist and other areas to see how well the saw was to maneuver, even in tight spots. Again the balance is great, so it was very easy to control, even in the tight spots. The battery lasted us a long time, not sure how long, but well longer that it takes to charge another battery to replace the old battery, so we didn’t have any issues with the battery either.
We cut through Conduit, metal window frames, flooring and other items. We tried to get the saw to bog down and bind the blade to see if it would rip out of the Lock-Jaw, but the only luck was just before the battery would die. We could get the saw to bog down some, but never did get the blade to cut free from the tool. We probably went through a good 30 blades and each time, the blade would pop right out of the tool with no problems.
For our video all we wanted to show you was the saw cutting through some wood and metal. Instead of showing one of each, we decided to insert a 1/2″ piece of Rebar into a landscape timber to show it in one cut. Now what we did do was cut a little into the landscape timber to help speed up the video. So that way when we started cutting, we were cutting the Rebar and wood. We used a metal blade and if you have ever used a metal blade on softwood, you know how slow it can cut through. Anyways, we wanted to put a little stress on the saw, so you could see it in action and see if it would bog down. As you can see by the video, it cut right through the material and didn’t bog down or even have any problems. We kinda of knew this before we started, since we had used it in the demo house the day before. But again, we wanted to show you the saw in action.
Conclusion
Over all this is a great reciprocating saw. You will pay a little more with some Bosch products, but by far for this saw we would recommend paying a little more. With the little extra cost, you get a lot more tool. As with the other Bosch tools, they are truly professional grade power tools. The balance is great and the Lock-Jaw system is the best in the business by far.
Bosch Power Tools and Accessories is one of the divisions within the $1 billion, 4,000 employee strong Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, which is the North American branch of the largest power tool and accessory manufacturer in the world, Robert Bosch GmbH. Bosch provides a complete line of corded and cordless power tools and accessories engineered to survive any jobsite and allow professionals to take control of their work. Bosch Tools
Saw is great and they have the best holder for the blade, even better than the Makita.