Bosch PBD 40:
Ok, here comes a DeepL translation of German amazon reviews:
Negative:
- The column is a thin-walled tube. When you tighten the clamp, the column bends measurably backwards and the drilling angle changes slightly.
- The handwheel is more awkward than the more common 3-lever version.
- If you press laterally on the wheel, the machine has some play even when clamped.
- If you adjust the height of the machine on the column, the drilling point can move 2-3 mm laterally when you tighten the clamp again. So you always have to realign when you readjust.
- The drill chuck has slight play in all directions, but the concentricity is still acceptable for wood.
- The laser cross disappears when the distance between the machine and the workpiece is low, so you typically don't see it when the drill is close to the workpiece.
- I have been able to examine various examples of the machine, and clearance and laser alignment have some series variation or possibly change with the age of the machine. I would always use the center point of the drill instead of the laser.
There are many reports on the net about lack of precision and mechanical play in various places. I think you can work with the machine to +/- 1 mm accuracy in wood if you take your time. But fast repeatable, precise series drilling is not in my opinion.
The last pragraph does not sound encouraging!
A bench drill should be quite accurate, because otherwise a cordless drill is enough.
And unfortunately, this is the crux of the matter ... The tolerance limit is obviously seen very loosely by Bosch. It may still be sufficient for wood (school grade D), but it's not acceptable for metal.
It starts with the drill chuck, which is a joke, because expensive drill bits fall on the drill table if you are not careful. The lock (the red ring) is "unpredictable!!!) The play of the quill has already been sufficiently criticized.
They mention the weird wheel on that thing.
I do rmember actually trying that in a local shop, and I much prefer any 1 to 3 lever thingies on machines I tried to the indeed awkward handling that wheel provides
That guy is either talking through his hat or paid by competition.
First, he/she apparently expects a Ferrari 458, when the budget is for a +15 years old VW Golf/Rabbit. I'm already slapping my thighs (remember, I own a PBD 40).
Let's take the complaints one by one:
1: The column is a round, ground, polished steel tube. I see absolutely no deflection when tightening the head clamp.
2: the handwheel needs getting used to. I agree there, but after working with the machine a few times it's no longer an issue.
3: Not true. There is a bit of play if the head is not clamped, but this is true for every round-column drill.
4: This is true, and also true for every round-column machine on the market. But the play is not as large as he/she claims. And the laser helps here. Additionally, needing to move the head during a drilling operations is bad setup, and even worse: bad workmanship.
5: Drill chucks are never precise. If someone believes that, I have an Eiffel Tower for sale.
6: So what? The Laser is for rough alignment, nothing else. Ignore that and imagine you don't have a Laser. Most drills don't.
7: No comment. That's too subjective and emotional to me.
The last paragraph is the final joke. "Expensive drill bits fall on the table...". This person does not know how to mount a drill in a chuck? And should the drill fall, it will not land on the table (there's a hole there), further, the table is aluminium and can not damage a drill.
Laughable.
And apparently written in really ill will.