A while back we had a chance to test the Bosch 18V cordless band saw BSH180-01 ($398, Ohio Power Tool) against some of the competition and found it to be a very nice tool. For a long time Milwaukee was the standard but now there are several other players in the field making for some stiff competition.
The Bosch tool was aiming to fill a need for a smaller lighter band saw specifically for overhead work common among electrical and mechanical contractors. The Bosch definitely accomplished its goal at 60% lighter and 40% smaller than the full size Milwaukee M28 0729-21 ($429, Ohio Power Tool) & Makita BPB180 ($476, Amazon) units. The downside of this compact Bosch unit is that the saw opening in only 2.5”x2.5” vs the full size units at 4-3/4”x4-3/4” for larger stock. Also both full size units are 2 speeds with variable speed trigger while the compact Bosch is single speed at 530 SFPM.
The Bosch is not alone in the super compact area however DeWalt is also coming out with a similarly sized unit to the Bosch we got to see at the 2010 STAFDA DeWalt booth visit. The real surprise player in the field is the Stout X-band ($258, Amazon) band saw. You may have seen a late night infomercial on this unit which runs on cheaper Ni-Cd batteries and is clearly a lower quality/priced item. Despite its lower quality it has been somewhat popular and the fact that it can works with a unique chop saw style stand is also a big selling point for this unit.
Having used all the competitors, minus the DeWalt, we really feel the Bosch BSH180 is a very strong contender, the weight/balance is terrific and it makes this tool a very comfortable one handed tool. For serious work a corded band saw is going to be doing most of the cutting, a cordless would be for small jobs or tight spaces and the Bosch is the clear winner there. Our one complaint would be that the Bosch uses a 28.75” blade which nobody else uses so blades will be much trickier to find than the standard 44.875” or even the compact 30” several others use.
If you should have questions about any Bosch 18V tools give the guys at Ohio Power Tool, 800-242-4424, a call and they will be happy to help. Also if you will be in the Columbus area for any reason stop in during May or June and get a FREE Power Box 360 (see link for details) with the BSH180-01 along with a few other goodies.
