Power Tools


Most DIYers in India are desperately looking for information on power tools - types, makes, prices and so on. I have accordingly listed most of the posts on power tools to this page for easy access. Please note that comments posted below each page are often more informative than the post, so do check them out for further information.




How I got my Cordless Drill
For years, I had been telling myself that I don't need a cordless drill, that the two corded ones I have are more than enough. What's the big deal about a cordless drill anyway, I reckoned, it's drill and nothing more, right? I eventually settled for one by Bosch named the GSR 18 V-EC.[29 December 2016]

Bosch Drill Driver

Why I prefer Bosch and Makita Tools
The vast majority of power tools sellers today offer little to no service support or else provide this through service franchisees who do little but fleece the customer. To my knowledge only two manufacturers today provide company owned and run service centres: Bosch and Makita.  [25 January 2016]

VIDEO: My Two Most Used Power Tools
The power drill and router have to be the two power tools I use all the time and cannot imagine doing without. I thought I would try my hand at making a short video on the subject for youtube.com. Trouble is my non-existent video editing skills and the not so great quality of my ten year old handycam. But still it was worth a shot. What do you think?



A Versatile Measuring Tool: Bosch GLM 50 Professional
Utilizing precision laser technology, the Bosch digital distance measurer kit provides fast, easy, and accurate measurements every time you use it. Pocket-sized for easy portability, this handy tool offers length, area, and volume measurements in inches, feet and inches, decimal feet, and metric units." I bought this a few weeks ago and have since been amazed at the ease of making measurements. [19 November 2014]

Bosch GLM 50 Professional


Two Power Tools I Could Not Do Without
As far as power tools are concerned there are two tools I could not do without: the power drill and the router. I reach out for both these machines all the time and shudder to think what I would do without them. [23 February 2014]

Power Tool Companies in India
I have compiled a list of major companies selling power tools in India. The list is divided into two sections: one for foreign companies and the other for Indian companies. [16/02/2013]

The Circular Saw
The circular saw is one of the most useful tools for any woodworker or DIY enthusiast. It is a versatile cutter that can do most jobs easily and with a fair degree of accuracy. [18/02/2012]

 
The Versatile Electric Router

Choosing a Router
In India, woodworkers do not have much of a choice when it comes to power tools. Only a few of the top power tools manufacturers distribute their products in this country; other makes are imported by dealers who often provide little or no service. [26/05/2011]

Tools Review: Hitachi Belt Sander (SB8V2)
One power tool I often find myself reaching for is my belt sander. I bought it a few years ago and it has served me well. I use it for a whole range of tasks including some that others would traditionally use a plane for. [07/02/2011]

Disc Sander
I decided to buy a disc sander for doing smaller jobs with a degree of precision and finally settled on a 10 inch disc sander made by the well-known German company Proxxon. [5 February 2012]
 
Tools Review: Bosch Planer (Model GHO 26-82)
There are two models available in India currently and I went for the somewhat larger GHO 26-82 model as opposed to the smaller GHO 10-82. Both models appear to be similar but the bigger model has a larger chipping range or cutting depth. [2 February 2011]

Tools Review: Bosch Drill Kit (Model GSB 13 RE)
After reviewing various Bosch machines - and there is no doubt that Bosch makes some of the best power tools out there - I decided to buy the GSB 13 RE kit. Everything recommended that kit. The drill was variable speed, reversible and had a hammer drill capability. It also came in a box packed with DIY accessories, including a small hammer, adjustable spanner, sets of drill bits (masonry, wood and metal), a tape measure, cutter, hex bit holder for screwdriving bits and so on. It looked like great value for money.

The Dremel Rotary Tool

Dremel: The World's Most Versatile Tool
The world's most versatile tool has got to be the Dremel rotary tool. The tool has helped me fix, improve and make many little things around the house.  [14/10/2010]

Safety Checklist for Hand Held Power Tools
A DIY person must make sure that he or she takes the minimum necessary precautions to avoid accident or injury. The observations given below are pretty general but generally apply to hand held power tools, particularly drills, routers, circular saws, planers and sanders. [18/03/2012]

Using Power Drills: Some Tips
To get the most out of a power drill, proper bits and accessories are essential. The right accessory or bit can greatly enhance the usefulness of the drill. It is also necessary to know a little about bits and when and how to use them. [27/02/2011]

 [ends]

Comments

  1. I am looking for router plate insert for Bosch POF1400 Ace router in India, if anyone knows where its available please inform me.

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  2. Anonymous23 May, 2015

    could you recommend some good brand vertical bandsaws.

    Ajit

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  3. Ryobi has DIY version. Not sure if available in India. I brought it from Johannesburg

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  4. if you search bosch UK website for power tools you will find two categories one professional in blue color and other DIY in green color. if you compare the price of blue professional product from UK with indian bosch, you will be amazed because Indian prices are very low and model is same with same wattage. i am not aware of the quality of UK products. is there any difference between these two please comment.....

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  5. I am not sure whether the professional range of Bosch products sold in India and Europe are the same in terms of quality. A lot of Bosch products for the developing markets is made in Malaysia, China and elsewhere. The products sold in Europe are probabaly mostly made in Europe.

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    Replies
    1. Hi,Some of Indian Products also available in Online . If you have a DIY or home improvement project in mind, get the right Powertools

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  6. sometimes i just want to shoot myself in the head just becoz i was born in india. why do indian versions of almost all power tools have to be so damn cheap...Circular Saws????all of them seem to have some poorly constructed cheap quality base plates...that screams inaccuracy..why cant we have magnesium like the ones on the european and the us market, im not looking for power, any 1000watt tool would do for me...but i need accuracy...i want my rip cuts to be perfect...just give me a good quality base plate, please thats all i am asking

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  7. Hi Indranil, I've been a lurker here for some time now but I've never commented. I'm now coming out of the woodwork (no pun intended) and I'm hoping to get some advice from you. I've been woodworking for about 4 years now. I'm based in Pune and over the years I've built up quite a selection of hand and power tools. I'm now looking for a decent table saw. I saw a few in the local market and was not impressed at all. I do understand there is very little choice when it comes to power tools here in India. I saw a Makita (which does not have very good reviews), a Bosch (which is too expensive) and a Ferm saw (which seems decent) on Industrybuying.com. Any advice on these or other brands that you may have come across? Any process that you can recommend?

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    Replies
    1. Go for the Bosch table saw - from the right dealer it should cost about 40k or even less. Get an installment plan or something but best to avoid something that you might regret later. Metabo also makes a very good table saw but that is more expensive than the one by Bosch.

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    2. yes the Metabo ones are really expensive and they always seem to be unavailable. Thanks. This helps.

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    3. Hello Indranil, I have no words the way you simplify and explain things. This blog has been a great motivator for me that for sure.

      @hrishib Good to know you from Pune. Me too A DIY in the vicinity sounds great.

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  8. nice blog .i am keeping reading you are blog .you are sharing valuable infotmation Bosch and Makita power tools are good .not only two brands are good but also some brands like hitachi ,cumi are also good.and service also super thanks

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  9. Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! Joeri

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  10. As a hobby wood worker, I need to buy a power tool to do proper sizing / milling of wood. Do you recommend table saw or band saw. If you could advice on brand, that would help me.

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  11. Either will do. For bandsaw, I think there are many Indian companies making fairly good ones. You need to check them out personally to find out what would work for you. As for table saws, I think you mean benchtop saws. Table saws are pretty large machines and expensive for the hobby woodworker. Benchtop saws are made by a number of Chinese companies as well as companies such as Bosch, Makita, Scheppach, Einhell among others.

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  12. Hi Indranil
    Thanks for creating such a nice platform for woodworking. I need some advice in buying a Mitre saw, I like Dewalt dw714 255mm blade, but couldn't find any reviews. Please help me. Thanks

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    Replies
    1. Paritosh, apologies for the delayed reply but blogger has been misbehaving these past few months. As for a mitre saw, I am not very familiar with DeWalt tools personally but have read good reviews. I prefer Bosch and Makita because these two companies have been around in India for many years and provide decent support. But DeWalt could be a great choice too if you get the right tool and promise of after sales service. Best of luck.

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  13. Has anyone been using a CNC machine to cut out your parts? What has been your experience with such machines?

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  14. Thanks for your review. My situation is just like you with a set of missing tools and I am thinking about getting a new one . impact driver comparison

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  15. cordless vs corded drill which one is best for bricks ?

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    Replies
    1. Definitely corded. I have a cordless hammer drill and it doesn’t even come close to a corded drill.

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  16. I was also looking for the same and finally got the best and relevant information here. Thank you so much to post such informative content.

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  17. First of all thank you so much for sharing this post. You provide the best information about Power Tools. If you want more information please visit us at powertools.co.ke.

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  18. Anonymous24 May, 2021

    Dear Indranil,

    Thank you for your blog chronicling your woodworking journey. It has helped a lot, especially for a country like ours where good resources for such hobbies are scarce. I have a question about ripping down large sheets of plywood - how do you do it with any degree of accuracy? I suppose a circular saw would be good, but do you know if we get circular saw guides or tracks here in India. I have tried other methods like using square section steel rods
    and c clamps as guides, but I can never seem to get the cuts 100% accurate.

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    Replies
    1. I would be too happy to respond but as a matter of principle have stopped responding to ananymous requests/comments. Feels weurd to respond to a faceless, nameless entity which could be a computer programme for all I know!

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