Customer Reviews

Bosch CS10 7-1/4-Inch 15 Amp Circular Saw

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I got mine used from a pawn shop.
This review is aimed mainly at the other 3 reviewers.

@Materials: My, slightly older model, is all metal aside from the handle/motor casing. However, if you know how to use a circular saw you probably know how to replace a plastic nut with a 10cent metal one right? I checked new Bosh circular saws at a box store, and the base plates are solid aluminum plate. This tools materials are identical to all mid-range manufacturers, Ridgid, Dewalt, Milwalkee, and other Bosch tools. If you want an industrial tool with solid metal housing, it would be heavier, more expensive, and not on amazon.

@Base plate flex: The base does not flex, it is a solid aluminum plate. I could probably stand on it without it flexing. Cutting a stud requires very little pressure. The blade is supposed to do the cutting. When I use this saw on studs it glides forward effortlessly. When I unplug the saw, the blade keeps spinning, which is good, it means nothing is binding it up. Note where the handle is in the picture, it is directly above the large rectangular plate. If you are pressing so hard that the aluminum plate is flexing, you are definitely not using the tool correctly, even cutting through metals you shouldn't put much downward pressure.

@Country of origin: Yea it's made in China, like every single modern power tool in existence. DeWalts are made in Mexico, not much difference. If you want a low amp, low wattage, power tool made out of solid steel and weighs 30 pounds made in the USA post-great depression when we had protectionist trade policies and a unionized manufacturing base, you need to go to estate auctions, not amazon or your local box store. Bosch originated in Germany by the way, not the USA, and as far as I know were never made here.

@General operation: The blade speeds up fast, and cuts easily. If you want a edge to be a factory edge, you don't use a hand tool, you use a table saw or radial arm saw at the minimum, and even then you wont get a factory edge. If you can't cut a straight line with this, it isn't this tools fault. But I cut studs with this all day long, and somehow they're all plumb with nothing but a tick mark.

Rant about country of origin: People always talk about this on tool reviews, cheap china crap etc. It always amazes me how people pay $100 for a saw, then expect it to be made in the USA out of solid aircraft grade aluminum, and it's the same people who think union workers get paid too much, and the same people who hate China yet continue to buy their products, and then complain about it after they do while not even noticing the impossibility of their expectations. If you want a union tool made in the USA, out of USA alloys, get ready to actually support someone making a living wage. $500 would not be unreasonable to expect, and the person who helped fabricate the tool would actually spend the money they got in our economy instead of overseas. But it's trade policy as much as it is consumer habits. Look up tools made in America on Google, and you will not find a single circular hand saw.

I purchased this saw at Lowes and it is by far the worse saw I have ever used. The base is attached to the plastic housing and any pressure on the handle will cause the base to flex causing the cut to be out of square.

One problem with Amazon reviews is....

often the wrong product is displayed, that is the case here. the cs10 has a magnesium base, not composite, as picture shows as of the date of this review. The base is the same color and material as the shroud. The Cs20 has the composite base.

often reviews are for a different product, that is the case with some of the reviews here.... I think Amazons carries reviews over from previous product versions, just a guess

this saw is worth the money (caveat below)...and most importantly, if you appreciate dust collection when working, buy the CSChute adapter, and it will hook right into your festool hose. A big plus, as Porter Cable used to be the dust collection kings with circular saws, but have now stopped making them, so Bosch gets my business. PC ruined a good thing...

The saw has plenty of power, some new blades are in order, as the blade provided is not very useful.... that is common with all saw makers. The tool does include a wrench for blade removal.

As for the quality of this tool.... as with all tools, you must evaluate the quality vs. the price. So far, the quality of the tool is commensurate with the price of the tool. Of course the tool is made in Asia, at this price point, all tools are made in Asia. Is the tool equal to a Festool TS75, no, different tool, and TS75 is 5x the price, no comparison. This is a construction grade tool, not fine woodworking tool.

After a few days of use, the saw does have a design shortcoming that might effect you getting a perfect square cut. The saw motor seats about 1/8" above the base, it does NOT make contact with the base. As another poster mentioned, when you push down on the saw handle, the saw motor (and the blade) flex a bit, causing a non square cut. You have to custom cut a wood insert to fill this gap, so the pressure on the saw handle, does not force the blade to angle away at the bottom of the blade.... the base is a bit flimsy to start with, even though its magnesium, this gap is clearly the weak link in the design. Not sure what the heck Bosch design engineers were thinking. Hard to imagine a tool designer could miss this. I use the saw for rough cutting, so I find my fix acceptable, but shame on Bosch for selling such a tool, and not producing a fix, such as a slide-in insert to remove the gap, to prevent the flex. oh well... Bosch IMO is a "hit or miss" tool maker, some tools they make are ahead of the pack, others like this one, well, they are behind the pack....but the dust collection is good, if that is important...

added 8/3/11
To clarify, circ. saws use different methods to accomplish stability of the blade, i.e. to prevent it from cocking. When the saw is set to different depths, the holding system and rigidity of the base is what determines how stable the blade is during use. When fully plunged down, it would make sense to have the upper part of the saw which hinges upward for reduced thickness cuts, to make full contact with the base, on both sides of the motor, this would prevent the blade from cocking at least in this one position. And this is what I was referring to above. Bosch missed this simple support system... which should be mandatory in that ONE position, so you can be assured one stable position. Porter Cable Saws, the all metal ones I used to use were very solid... but again, no dust collection, so for my use, not a contender..

I bought this saw from a big box place recently and I hate it. This suprised me as I have other Bosch tools and love them. My problem with the tool is the depth of cut locking mechanism is plastic and a piece of junk. It has come apart twice and started to strip out the plastic locking nut. I'm taking it back and never buying anything like this again. Do not waste your money.

Like the other two reviews, I am very disappointed in this tool.
I own many Bosch tools and have never been disappointed in any of them, but this saw is poorly engineered, there is way too much flex between the saw and the base, making square cuts impossible.
Bosch blew it on this one.

I own several bosch tools that have been real good but this one is the exception. It doesn't live upto the bosch name.. It's designed poorly. I work in construction for over 30 years and would not buy anymore of their saws. Even the guys I worked with didn't like. I put it back in the truck and grabbed my old bosch because it' been reliable and survived several falls. I'm afraid I'll breack it

I didn't even buy this tool I took a look at the advanced plastic base and wondered if my kids toy saw would be just as good come on bosch how about making tools out a metal of some sort please do not waste money on cheap tools invest in quality tool and pass it down to ur kids