Bosch added another gun to its Full Force line with the RN175 Roofing Nailer. Like other roofing nailers the RN175 features a coil-style cartridge and is smaller and more balanced than a framing gun might be.

The RN175’s single-action, side-loading nail canister functions a lot like dropping a speed-loading cylinder into a revolver, so load time is smoother and faster than older clunky styles. Like the rest of the line the new roofing nailer sports an aluminum housing, steel wear plates on the tool body, and carbide inserts to protect the nosepiece.

It will accept a load of wire-collated 0.12 nails from that range from ¾” to 1-3/4” inch length and will work with 60-120 psi. coming through the hose.

Expect to pay around $300 at the local home center.

RN175 Roofing Nailer [Bosch]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Bosch’s model 4410L miter saw is the kin of Cain, the Terminator’s son, and ten inches of high-RPM fury rolled into one. As far as table-top miter saws go, it’s hard to beat the dual-bevel sliding arrangement found in the 4410L. You get the smooth action of a sliding miter saw, and as a bonus, two angles of adjustment. You can change the angle of the blade relative to the backstop and relative to the wood’s top surface, allowing very complex cuts. There aren’t many woodworkers whose trades require such an elaborate range of adjustment, but they’ll appreciate how this saw makes very complex geometries possible. Geodesic dome out of two-by-fours, anyone?

You do pay a price for both Bosch’s name and the saw’s extensive feature list. Amazon’s asking price is a cool $526, which is reasonable compared to the saw’s $1,100 list price. The money will get you excellent quality, with positive detents for precise adjustment and cast angle markers that won’t fade with time. Of course not to be left out, it also comes with a laser beam attached to the head stock.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]
4410L [Bosch]

The guys at the Bosch accessory department really hate switching bits. Evidence of this can be found in the AutoStart bit system. Bosch says that there’s no need to switch out to drill a pilot hole when putting holes in hard surfaces like marble anymore — it’s all done with one bit. Here’s the kicker: Bosch says the AutoStart doesn’t walk when you’re putting the pilot in, either. 

We have yet to see any completely walk-proof bits, but this does look pretty close. The heart of the bit system is a spring-loaded retractable pin that sports a cone-shaped carbide tip. The tip makes a super-small dent to place the hole and stays in the dent while you start the hole, so the bit gets a good hold before the teeth get to the surface and start grinding away bits of material.

Bit sizes range from 3/16” to 4-1/8” for the initial launch. It looks like a simple, rugged system that will make a bunch of tile guys happy at the very least.

AutoStart Bit System [Bosch]

As of a few days ago, Bosch announced that their new “Full Force” pneumatic lineup including three finish nailers and an 18-gauge stapler are available at retail outlets nationwide. We mentioned them in a preview post a few months ago and it appears that Bosch has made good on the delivery schedules.

The new lineup includes the following four tools: the FNA250-15: 15-gauge angled magazine finish nailer, the FNA250-16: 16-gauge straight magazine finish nailer, the BNS200-18: 18-gauge brad nailer and the STN150-18: 18-gauge finish stapler.

Check out our overview on the newest pneumatics on the market for a quick rundown. We suspect the more contractors’ hands they fall into, the more converts Bosch will bring over from a yellow or green gun –- however, only time will tell.

Bosch also says that more pneumatic fastening products are slated to become available in the next few weeks.

SN-350 Framing Guns [Bosch]
Preview: Bosch Full Force Framing Nailers [Toolmonger]

Not to be outdone in the accessory category, Bosch announced out the P2R2 in back in May. It’s not a combo driver but rather a combo bit which drives Phillips, Square-drive and the combination heads like deck screws.

We can see contractors everywhere lining up for this thing — mostly because it would almost completely eliminate the need to carry a bunch of bits and endlessly rotate them out while on the job. It’s one of those little things that make life a lot easier.

We’re just guessing here, but the pricing will probably be somewhere in the two- or three-dollar range and most likely come bundled with other tools and in standard sets as well once they get rolling. We’re sure the cabinetry folks can hardly wait.

P2R2 Bits [Bosch]

Our friend Rick wrote to us about a problem he was having with his PS40-2. It seems he found out what happens when you use a straight bit in a quick change chuck.

I’ve got a little bit of a dilemma. So I had let my brother-in-law borrow my Bosch PS40-2 (The Impactor) When I gave it to him I only gave him the bit so he could use it with a 3/8″ socket set for his brakes.

Anyway – today I was over at my in-laws and he still had it and I needed to screw some sheetrock screws into some plywood and figured I’d use my handy dandy PS40-2. Problem was I didn’t have any quick change Phillips bits. So I used a regular bit (half inch tall one, or 3/4″ or whatever the normal ones are). I screwed in a few screws and everything worked great – I even pulled it out once or twice. Well at some point between the 4th and 8th screw, it seemed to sink into the quick change chuck a little more than it had been – and when I was done I could no longer get the bit out. I’ve tried everything – but there’s barely anywhere to get some purchase to grab it. I’ve gotten a good hold on it with a needle nose pliers and still no dice. The Quick Change chuck only comes up a little – but it doesn’t pull up all the way to completely disengage.

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One product at the Bosch event which received close to no attention was the little SPS10 screwdriver.  It lacks the show-stopping bang of the new Full Force pneumatic line — however it’s a quiet acknowledgment that the millions of ixo’s and SmartDrivers that sold in the last couple years aren’t a fluke. Palm drivers have emerged as a well-defined class of their own, and Bosch has entered this market with the SPS10.

The box says it’s aiming at the professional cordless screwdriver market.  Having experience with three other units in the palm driver category — the Dremel Driver, the Skil ixo2, and the B&D SmartDriver — we decided to see how the SPS10 stacked up against one of its slightly older brethren.

For the head-to-head we pitted it against the only other competitor we had on hand that’s not owned in some way by Bosch –- the Black & Decker LI3000 SmartDriver.  The LI3000 also runs in the middle of the pack of palm drivers, so it’s a good horse to pace from.

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Last week, we had the opportunity to visit with the folks at Bosch in Chicago about their 2009 lineup. The first item on the long list of new gear Bosch is rolling out this year is their Full Force Technology nailers, the stars of which –- mostly ‘cuz they’re the only ones out yet — are the SN350 series framing guns.  The phrase “lean and mean” was tossed around a lot by many folks at the event, and while we admit that it’s largely a catchphrase, it applies in this case.

The Full Force in the name refers to Bosch’s new pneumatic system which was designed from the ground up and works differently than the traditional gun. To start off with, it’s around twenty percent smaller than, say, a Paslode or Hitachi, and it’s a little more powerful. (more…)

A little while back Bosch announced the rollout of their new “Edge” metal recip demo blades.  Bosch’s marketing department created a lot of fanfare around the release and did a good job trying to make ‘em exciting, which is difficult — because it’s a recip blade, not the sexy front runner in a hard-hitting leaflet campaign.  Here’s what it boils down to:  Bosch says that, thanks to its new tooth design and many other features, the Edge cuts faster and lasts longer.

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Imagine carrying just one set of bits to the job site whether you need to drill into metal, concrete, wood, tile, or a combination of materials.  Bosch brings that daydream into reality with their multiconstruction bits.

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I first saw a digital rangefinder in the hands of the appraiser who was measuring the square footage of my third house.  It was a cool tool, but I didn’t think the casual use I would put it to would justify the couple hundred dollars they cost at the time.  Jump forward a few years — walking through the local hardware store I saw this Bosch rangefinder priced around $130, well within “almost reasonable” range.

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As you can see from this mangled piece of trim, I recently had a router mishap. Thankfully I wasn’t injured — the only casualty was the oak trim — but it was exciting for a few minutes there, and the incident brought to mind a few things I thought I’d share.

When I was ‘round about fourteen, our assistant shop teacher –- a very grizzly, annoyed sort of man –- brought us all around the nearest shop station, told us to pay attention, and gave us the most effective demonstration ever.

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Sure, the new sub-compact driver class is sweet. But if all you really want is a screwdriver why should you be robbed of modern conveniences like a removable battery, comfy rubber grip, and sub-$100 price? Think of Bosch’s new 4V “Max” as the Lexus of cordless screwdrivers: It looks like a Mercedes, but it’s based on a cost-practical Toyota.

The “Max” features all the conveniences we’ve come to expect from screwdrivers in the $50 range — an ergonomic grip, LED lighting, a magnetic bit holder, and a wide trigger — but you also get two removable batteries and a charger for around $75. That’s a great investment in my book, especially if you might burn through more than one charge a day — and hope to keep the tool for more than a couple of years. Your extra $25 essentially buys you a non-disposable cordless screwdriver.

4V Max Screwdriver [Bosch]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

By simply routing the edges on your projects you can propel them from mundane to super-slick.  Around two years ago I was looking for a hardcore trim and edge router and shopped around till I found the Bosch 1.0HP Colt router.  Since that time I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s completely worth the $100+ price tag — it’s one of the more solid tools in the shop.

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When an American bricklayer says “tuckpointing” he’s talking about repairing mortar between the bricks of an existing wall, which often includes removing existing mortar.  This tough and dusty job becomes even tougher in situations where you might want to save the bricks from damage in order to put them back.  So Bosch designed a grinder especially for that purpose.

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We’ve been fans of the sub-compact cordless power tool class since its inception a few years ago.  It started with the PS20 10.8V Li-Ion and continues today with the newest PS50 Multi-X — or, as we like to call it, the little, blue, freight-train-looking Bosch.  This tool can switch from cutting to grinding to sanding with a simple accessory swap.

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Over the last two years we’ve noticed that the PS20 — or GSR 10.8V, as it’s known across the pond — doesn’t have much problem moving off the shelf.  However, a quick check of the Axminster site will put you face to face with the GSR 10.8V/free watch combo.

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