Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Bosch GSA18V-083B Compact Recip Saw - The Lighter Cutter Upper
Home Fixated: If you’ve ever used a reciprocating saw, it probably didn’t take long to earn a permanent position in your tool collection. Recip saws can make quick work of lots of tricky or miserable jobs. With the right blade, you can cut pretty much anything, including steel, nail-embedded wood, and less traditional items, which we shall explore shortly. You generally pay a price for this power and ability, though, in terms of weight and size. There are smaller options available, and we recently received a Bosch GSA18V-083B Compact Reciprocating Saw, which we single-handedly put through its paces.
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6 comments:
What an interesting idea for a reciprocating saw… I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a one-handed reciprocating saw in action, but this baby bosch really seems to pass the test. Personally, I’m not sure how comfortable I would be handling a reciprocating saw one-handed, but since this model is so light, it could be doable. Another factor I am a little worried about is the vibration factor, as sometimes this makes these kinds of saws harder to handle and steer. The handle, however, looks akin to a drill handle and in that way I guess it wouldn’t feel foreign, besides the fact there’s a blade there instead of a screw tip. I’m certain this tool would come in handy at job sites and maybe for certain instances during strike, which I’m not quite sure about exactly what would call for a tiny reciprocating saw, but I’m sure someone has found themselves in that position before.
The Bosch reciprocating saw almost makes you want to go about and just use it for everything. The sales pitch looked pretty good to me, I don’t know how you can it make more convincing than that. Without a doubt it looks less bulky and less weight without even picking it up. I’d want to try it for myself. What I would like to know is if there is another product like it that is somewhat similar and see how the Bosch holds up. With an added light to the saw, does it drain the battery faster, or because it is an LED light it doesn’t burn as much juice, so you won’t have to worry about having a battery backup as quickly. With the handle essentially being towards the front end of the tool, it looks like it helps give it a balance in weight making the hand position more central. The trigger safety is just a feature most tools should have to begin with.
I’ve used a little recip saw like this before and I have to say, it really is great. It is light, powerful and can fit into tight spaces. It really does not have much less power than a full size recip saw but you can have much better control because it is lighter (not that control is usually important when using a recip saw). I can see this tool being a major asset in theater because we are usually not dealing with big wooden beams so the power wouldn’t be an issue and sometimes we use recip saws unconventionally and having that extra control might be nice. The vibration is a concern though, A large part of the size of the normal saws is vibration reduction. This little guy has less of that and can tend to vibrate more than its full size counter part. This model is newer than the one I used and I assume the technology has changed since that article said there was little vibration in the tool
I love reciprocating saws. Mostly because when you’re using them (at least in theater) precision isn’t a priority. I find it difficult to be precise with these saws because most of them are large, heavy, and unwieldy. These new lightweight compact reciprocating saws could change that. I too would be skeptical of a saw that size, but it seems like it can hold its own against some of the larger models available. I’d be interested in trying this saw and putting it through my own battery of tests. Especially at strike, these saws can get a lot of use and cut through a variety of materials. I just don’t know if they would hold up to a strike at a college theater. The light weight and the smaller frame with less vibration could help one be more precise with this saw. And though it may not be necessary during strike, more precision is always a good thing.
I actually quite like the idea of this saw, initially, I admit because I think the little recip saw just looks so cute. It looks like t definitely picks a punch thought and, honestly I sorta wish I had had one of these working in my high school's scene shop. If you have enough space, the standard saws all is a complete beast, and truthfully nothing can match its versatility. But in portable off-site applications, I believe this tool can replace it. It looks not only more compact , but also lightweight, and if you've handled a saw all before, you understand the want for a lighter tool, especially if you're going to above your head into ceilings or tops of walls, as plumbers and contractors are wont to do.
This could also be very useful for hobbyist woodworkers, although, I admit, a jigsaw might be more appropriate for woodworking rather than construction. All in all, a cool update which adds versatility to an already incredible versatile tool.
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