Bosch PBD 40 (603 B07 000)

The best-selling machine from Bosch

Bosch PBD 40 is constantly at the top of the drilling machine rating and in the top of sales. The secret of its popularity lies in the fact that it is stuffed to the top with numerous features that help you perform drilling operations faster, more accurately and more conveniently. The machine is equipped with a 710 W motor. It has a keyless chuck that allows you to use tooling with shanks from 1.5 to 13 mm in diameter. For metal work, the manufacturer allows the use of drills with a diameter of up to 13 mm, and for wood - up to 40 mm. Cutting tools larger than 40 mm in diameter (such as large spade bits, Forstner bits, or toothed hole saws) will not fit through the presser foot that is used to clamp workpieces.

Reliable transmission with stepless speed control

An interesting feature of this machine is the gearbox transmission with two speeds. In the first gear (200 - 850 rpm) there is a large torque and a low speed of rotation of the cartridge, in the second (600 - 2500 rpm) - on the contrary. In both gears, the speed can be very precisely adjusted using the front panel rotary control, controlled by the digital display. At the same time, during drilling, the machine, thanks to the electronic speed stabilization module, maintains a constant rotation speed, regardless of the load. But it should be noted that Bosch PBD 40 is sensitive to mains voltage. If there are constant surges and voltage drops, the rev maintenance function does not work well.

Device and interesting features

There are no cast iron parts in the design of the Bosch PBD 40 machine, so it is lightweight (11.2 kg) and can be moved from place to place without straining. The cast base plate is made of aluminium alloy. It is also the base on which the machine stands. It is not possible to tilt it to drill holes at an angle. On the slab there is a column with a gear rack along which the “head” moves. It is lowered down manually using the “steering wheel” (stroke 90 mm), and returns to its original position almost independently due to the presence of a spring. The "steering wheel", by the way, has a soft lining and therefore does not cool the hands with metal (this is important, because, as you know, it is strictly forbidden to wear gloves when drilling). There is a mechanical stop that serves as a drilling limiter. Four holes are made at the base, allowing you to screw the machine to a workbench or pedestal in order to fix it in a fixed position (due to its low weight, it is not particularly resistant). The base plate also has T-slots. They are needed to fix the rip fence (included) or machine vice (Bosch MS 80 G or PROXXON PRIMUS 75 vice is suitable), which can serve as a more effective replacement for the standard eccentric clamping device. Since the base is not adjustable in any way, for working with large parts such as boards, battens and metal profiles, you may need a Bosch PTA 1000 roller stand. Bosch produces a large number of accessories and fixtures for this machine, which are sold separately.

Not work, but pure pleasure

In addition to the above-mentioned ability to adjust the speed without fussing with belts and pulleys, the manufacturer has added several more interesting features to the design that make life easier for the master. These include, for example, bright LED illumination of the work area and a handy laser marker. No less useful is the digital drilling depth indicator, which helps to quickly make serial blind holes. In terms of the number of these “assistants”, the Bosch PBD 40 machine has practically no competitors in the segment of home drilling equipment. At the same time, all controls are convenient and understandable, and adjustments are made quickly and easily, without “dancing with a tambourine”.

And a couple of words about the sad

Talking about the advantages of the machine, it is impossible not to mention the disadvantages. Bosch PBD 40 has several of them. The most important is a small backlash of the cartridge, which is a “congenital defect” and is present in almost all instances of machines of this model. Judging by the numerous reviews, the runout of the cartridge is about 0.2 mm - not at all critical for woodworkers, but sometimes unacceptable for metalworkers. Therefore, we note that the Bosch PBD 40 is not what you need if you want to buy a precision drilling machine (and the manufacturer himself notes that this is home equipment, not intended for work in production). However, the Internet is full of videos with instructions on how to eliminate the backlash of the cartridge on the Bosch PBD 40 machine, and with straight hands, this defect is quite easily “treated”. The second drawback is the noisy operation. Due to the straight gear transmission, the machine howls quite loudly during operation. Therefore, the instruction for its operation strongly advises the use of headphones or earplugs.

A burning question: does the Bosch PBD 40 machine have analogues?

But the main drawback of the machine is its price. The Bosch PBD 40 is considered the "Rolls-Royce" of drilling machines, and it costs accordingly - a little expensive for a home workshop. Therefore, many are wondering: is it possible to find something similar, but cheaper? Oddly enough, but there is an almost complete analogue - the Scheppach DP 60 drilling machine (as well as its copy Parkside PTBMOD 710 A1). It has the same power and almost identical design, it is also equipped with a two-speed gearbox with continuously variable speed control, it also has a bunch of “helpers” (except for the speed maintenance function) and at the same time it costs half as much. Perhaps the difference in price is explained only by the fact that Scheppach does not have such a “promoted” name as Bosch.