In the latest edition of our Bosch Professional overview, we unleash the power of rotary hammers and reciprocating saws, as well as exploring the latest safety features
With the Bosch range of BITURBO 18V Rotary Hammers you’ll be very hard pressed to find a material you can’t drill or chisel through – all with the increased comfort of reduced vibration. In keeping with the whole ethos of the range they are, in fact, more than a match for their corded counterparts.
The smallest in the BITURBO range is the GBH 18V-34 CF SDS plus, producing 5.8J (Joules) of pneumatic energy. Next up is the SDS Max 18V-36 C with 7J. The SDS max 18V-40 C will deliver 9J and the largest SDS max 18V-45 offers 12.5 joules of pneumatic hammer energy.
That kind of output from one 18V battery is a testament to the power and efficiency of the ProCORE18V and BITURBO systems. In each case the numerical designation represents drilling diameter in concrete with hammer drill bits, with the GBH 18V-34 SDS plus achieving 34mm, the 18V-40C 40mm, and so on. A soft start function helps you more easily guide the drill into the material.
Whilst many builders still talk in terms of weight when it comes to rotary hammers – asking for a 7kg hammer, for instance – Bosch has moved away from that classification because its tools are so much more powerful than the weight class would immediately suggest. The SDS max 18V-45 C 12.5J, for example, would bear favourable comparison to the 8kg, and mains-powered, GBH 8-45 DV.
Both deliver the same impact energy of 12.5 joules but, even with the battery attached, the 18V is actually lighter. Not only that, but in common with the rest of the BITURBO rotary hammer range, it benefits from a host of additional features in safety and connectivity, including an
Active Vibration Control system with a decoupled D-handle. Active Vibration Control is particularly useful on tools that are inherently Han Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) susceptible, such as reciprocating saws. Humans are mostly liquid and, as a consequence, are very susceptible to vibration. The only way to stay safe is to take a break from tools that vibrate as a matter of course.
Thanks to a combination of clever engineering and design aesthetic the GSA 18 V-LI C Professional cordless reciprocating saw can be used safely for longer periods. A large, spinning counterweight, is complemented by a deliberately curved or bent design from blade to the D handle. It’s that offset which means that the vibrations are not running directly back into the arm from the blade.
If machines with the level of power of Bosch’s BITurbo Rotary Hammers catches in the material – and you’re not prepared– they can cause serious injury, which is why they’re fitted with KickBack Control. Because the system is activated via an accelerometer sensor the safety function will protect you even if you’re not operating the tool correctly – by not having a side handle attached or holding it correctly, for example.
Indeed, so committed is Bosch to safety, that even the newest standard 18V Professional machines, such as the GBH 18V-24 C Professional Cordless Rotary Hammer with SDS Plus, are equipped with KickBack control, as are tools that are not meant to be used with a side handle at all. This safety feature is by default always on, but it can be deactivated, with the machine displaying a yellow light to indicate that it has be turned off.
Bosch has also introduced the entry level SDS Plus Rotary Hammers – the GBH 18V-22 – but even on this machine KickBack Control and Vibration Control are in evidence, as well as a brushless motor. Indeed, it also has its own compatible dust collection box in the form of the GDE 12. Regardless of the machine, safety should be an easy message because, as a tradesperson, if you’re not working you’re not earning.
Hammering it home To quite literally hammer home the point, Chris Murray and the Bosch training team conducted a head-to-head comparison drilling into a 28mm C40 high strength concrete slab – a race that the battery powered machine marginally won. In terms of runtime, you’re looking at around 12-15 minutes of continues chiselling on a 12amp hour ProCORE18V battery in this kind of application.
The BITURBO ProCORE18V platform doesn’t just beat standard 18V for capacity but also in speed. Again, in another video test with the training team, the BITURBO GKS 18V-68 GC cordless circular saw was pitted against a GKS 18V-57 G. With a bigger motor, larger blade and more power, the BITURBO is a comfortable winner. How about the 18V 150C BITURBO Combi versus the standard, each equipped with a 28mm auger drill bit? Again, it’s the BITURBO that blasts ahead of its rival.
Dust off
Bosch is running an entire campaign on dust control in 2024, and it is targeting the issue with every part of its product portfolio, including accessories. Hollow drill bits that can collect dust have been around for a while, and include the Bosch Speed Clean examples, but they are prone to clogging. The recently launched Bosch solution is an SDS drill bit that can be easily dismantled and cleaned.
Wall mounted GDE dust collectors are already available in the range, and these have been joined in recent years by on-board dust collectors. The GDE 16 Plus fits on a number of rotary hammers, including the 18V-24 C Professional Cordless Rotary Hammer with SDS Plus, the 18V-26 C, and on the brand new 18V 28 C. There’s also an M Class Bluetooth enabled dust extractor in the pipeline as well. Chris (Bosch power tool trainer) demonstrated a GDE 18V-12 on the new GBH 18V-22 Cordless Rotary Hammer and the amount of dust when drilling into concrete was negligible.
For further information on the Bosch Professional range of rotary hammers visit Rotary hammers & demolition hammers (bosch-professional.com).
If you would like more information on the GSA18V-LI C Cordless Reciprocating Saw visit GSA 18V-LI C Cordless Reciprocating Saw | Bosch Professional (bosch-professional.com).
To learn about KickBack control, visit Bosch power tools for trade and industry | Bosch Professional (bosch-professional.com).
