My new Power Tool Review - Bosch Professional GSB 18 V-LI & GDR 18V-LI Combo Pack (Drill & Driver)

SO there comes a time in every well used drill/drivers life when this happens...



Now broken 2007 Bosch Professional GSR 14.4-2

My favourite drill since 2007 when it replaced a horrible bosch green drill driver that had terrible motor speed control. So why another bosch if I had a bad experience? because I had just left a company where I had a 2003 model bosch professional 18v drill/driver and the thing was absolutely awesome. I bought the bosch green after leaving my previous employer, thinking it would be of similar quality. I quickly concluded that it is more for the home handy man who just needs to drill the odd hole where precision is not essential. So anyhow, back to how I broke the bosch pro, I was drilling away with a 90mm hole saw in a side piece of drain pipe (connecting new downpipes from recently built pergola into existing pipes) and it grabbed... hard. As you can see from the pic, the handle broke clean off! Pretty un-usual I know but it was previously dropped in 2012 from a ladder while I was installing gyprock in my new family room and it fractured in the place it has now broken off on. I was impressed it has lasted this long, as you can see it has had a hard life, doing everything from precision drilling in my electronics projects to screwing in hundreds of screws into gyprock, fencing, it has constructed a shed, helped speed up replacing a cylinder head on Cressida, you name it its been there done that. It was pretty darn good for a 14.4 volt tool. Had plenty of torque and control for everything I demanded of it. So next I did this:

Patched 2007 Bosch Professional GSR 14.4-2

 Some super strength aryldite and fibreglass mesh tape from gyprocking I had laying about. Truth to say that it fixed it pretty darn well, I cant break it with my hands strength! Well, maybe its time for a new one anyhow, the batteries were starting to show their age and I could feel a bit of looseness/backlash in the gearbox.

So off I went hunting about, DAM tools are expensive! Although, the bosch pro 18v I got in 2003 was worth about $500 and the current equivelant seemed to be around the $300 mark not on special. The GSR 14.4-2 was about $160 from memory, a bunnings special at the time.
I looked at other brands but I don't know, I just like the bosch professional line. I always did.

Driver doesn't really fit...

The new pack!

So after comparing prices at every retailer, I found a pack of a drill and a driver, 2x 3ah batteries with a third available by redemption and charger for $369. More than I planned on spending but not too bad considering what you get. I did not initially want a separate drill and drill/driver as I thought it would be a waste but I thought back how many times I have switched between drilling and driving and it probably makes sense. The drill also has a hammer function which I did not want but theres no choice to go without. I wont be using the hammer function. Why? because all that dust created drilling brick, stone, concrete etc is abrasive - the drill breathes that stuff in and it will chew out everything it can get into. For this reason I prefer to have a separate cheapie hammer drill that can be turfed once it stops working. Also I need precision drilling from time to time and I have seen how hammer drills wear out the chuck teeth prematurely. Anyhow, I just wont use it, its not chunky or much heavier so no problem really.
One thing that is slightly annoying is the case that it came in does not accommodate the Impact driver. In the case it kind of fits if it is in the correct spot but it was essentially just thrown in. Even though the sticker on the box shows it as being official content. Also there were no manuals which is no big deal but I like to have the manuals - to make sure its all there, the accessories if any, and just to know what the specs are.

Cool feature - Battery Gauge

No big deal though, Ive got to say this drill is without doubt the best I have had yet. Its more comfortable, the weight is well balanced and the motor speed control of the 4 pole brushless motor is the most precise I have ever seen in a drill. On paper its got almost twice the torque of my old one, and even that was enough! Oh another feature I really like is the battery gauge on the battery packs. Great if you can remember when the last time you used it was - so many times I grabbed my old drill, run it, oh yeah it feels like its got charge, get to where-ever (installing stuff for mother in law - hanging picture frames, installing locks etc) and after a few seconds the battery dies. Crap. I never even saw this feature at purchase so it was a nice bonus!

So I haven't used it in service yet but im sure it will be good. If theres anything to report, I will update it in this post!

Bosch Professional GSB 18 V-LI & GDR 18V-LI

So my summary of Pro's and Con's:
    Pro's:
Excellent motor speed control
Good price (when on sale!)
Precise rotation of the chuck - completely no wobble (ie the drill bits rotate on centre)
Battery gauges
Good looks and well balanced size, I have a dislike of overly long pointy drivers...
3rd free battery via redemption (specific to the deal I got but still, that's an $80~ battery!)
    Con's:
Case doesn't fit impact driver
Didn't come with manuals
No longer made in Sweden or Germany...

All up, I except this to be a really good drill outfit.

p.s. sorry about the poor layout of photos - but in the editor it all lines up correctly?!? I dunno...