If youre thinking about purchasing a premium portable table saw, you might want to wait a couple months. Just recently, we received information from Bosch Power Tools about a new range of portable table saws. We were impressed by the features and decided to test it.
We are excited to announce the new Bosch 4100 series 25 cm saws. These will be the first table saws with European-style guarding. Bosch is calling it the Smart Guard System but around our shop we call this style of guard the only system that makes sense.
Guards on U.S.-style table saws are generally unwieldy and actually encourage you to remove the guard and not put it back on. The European guards work with you and stay out of your way for almost all common operations. This guard has been used on the Powermatic PM2000 and SawStop cabinet saws, and it is becoming the norm in the country.
What is different about this guard? Plenty. First, all the parts of the guard can be removed and attached without tools , and in just a few seconds. The system has a riving knife, which is essentially a splitter that moves up and down with the blade , that means you dont have to pull the splitter off to make joinery cuts, such as when making rabbets or tenons. The blade cover on the Bosch is attached to this assembly and is split into two halves that move independently , this feature will give you maximum blade coverage.
The Bosch guard also contains the anti-kickback claws on U.S. guards. However, we find them to be insignificant (and European saws don’t require them).
The only thing missing on the Bosch guard that we see on other European saws is an extra dust-collection port on the guard. This saw is designed for high-end jobsite usage, so dust isn’t an issue.
This saw is a great choice for woodworkers that need a quality saw but don’t have the space to store a larger unit. When we were on the woodworking show circuit, I had a Bosch portable saw and was impressed by the power and accuracy of this tool.
The saw also sports a digital rip fence on the 4100DG-09 version, which the company is calling SquareLock (the 4100 is the base bodel; the 4100-09 includes a stand). The LCD display can be read at a distance of 1/163 cm, and also offers metric readings. Other features include a soft-start motor with digital feedback that keeps the rpm up when under load, a 64 cm rip capability, and an arbor-lock system to allow for quick blade changes.
And price? The 4100DG-09 version with the digital rip fence, 40-tooth carbide blade and cool Gravity Rise stand will retail for according to company officials.
We applaud Bosch for taking the lead on this important safety issue. You’ll be astonished at the safety features of a saw equipped with this guard.
