The Bosch 4100-09 Table Saw with Gravity-Rise stand is Bosch’s answer to the biggest trade-off normally associated with portable table saws – the limited ripping capacity. In order to make a table saw portable you normally have to make it smaller and lighter (the Bosch GTS1031 has an 18-inch ripping capacity, and the Dewalt DW745 has 15-inches). And the problem is that you can’t rip a full sheet of plywood in half on a table with less than 24-inches.
Not so with the Bosch 4100-09! It’s got a 25-inch ripping capacity which is over the magic 24-inch mark and means you can make any cuts you want on a full sheet of plywood – which is very useful to contractors. It’s bigger and heavier as a result, but the clever gravity-rise stand means it’s really easy to move around, set up and store. The gravity-rise stand is a very well-thought-out design that you can use single-handedly and gives you the best of both worlds, portability and ripping capacity.
What to Look for When Buying a Table Saw
The central tool in almost all cabinetmaking shops is the table saw, probably the most useful single tool the average woodworker is going to have, because the work it does serves as a base for everything that comes afterwards. There are 3 main types – bench top, contractor and cabinet saw.
Once you’ve used a table saw you’ll wonder how you managed without it and you certainly won’t want it sitting back in the workshop when you’re out on site – hence the popularity of lightweight, portable saws. Whatever type you choose there are a number of features that you need to look for. In this Bosch 4100-09 Table Saw Review we’ll take a look at the power of the motor, the guard, the fence, the miter gauge and dust extraction. Since this is a job-site saw we’ll also look at the portability and sturdiness.
Powerful 15 Amp Motor
Despite its compact and lightweight design, the Bosch 4100-09 still has a powerful 4.0-hp 15 Amp motor which gives you plenty of power and cuts beautifully giving you a nice clean cut, even in hardwoods. It’s also got soft-start and “Constant Response” electronics which means the speed stays constant under load and is what gives you a clean cut.
Telescoping Squarelock™ Rip Fence
To increase the cutting capacity in this compact saw, the 4100-09 has telescoping fence rails; this means you can retract the fence rails when you’re moving it around or storing it, and then by extending the rails you get the maximum 25-inch ripping capacity. The 25-inch capacity is particularly useful – anything over 24-inches means that you can handle a full size sheet of plywood and makes it easy to rip a sheet in half – you can’t do that with a ripping capacity of less than 24-inches.
The fence itself is Bosch’s Squarelock™ Rip Fence which is the same quality fence that you get on all the Bosch table saws– in use it’s accurate and self aligning and slides smoothly on the track .
Miter Gauge
In line with pretty well every table saw on the market, even expensive cabinet saws, the miter gauge that is supplied with this saw is fairly basic. If you plan to do a lot of cross cutting then you should consider investing in an after market miter gauge. There are some excellent miter gauges on the market – read the reviews at Miter Gauge Reviews
Dust Extraction
Whether you are working on site or in the workshop, dust extraction is very important, and the Bosch 4100-09 has a 2-1/2″ dust collection port that you can attach to a Shop-Vac to safely and efficiently extract dust from the work area.
Gravity-Rise Stand
This is where this saw and stand combo really comes into its own. It’s been designed to be bigger than most portable jobsite saws but manages to retain the portability due to the clever gravity-rise stand. The idea is that you keep the saw permanently attached to the stand which means you have the following advantages:
- Although the saw and stand weigh 100-lbs together it’s really easy to move around – it’s well balanced and has eight-inch treaded pneumatic wheels which mean you can take it over any terrain. It’s actually less effort than the smaller portable table saws like the Bosch GTS1031 or Dewalt DW745.
- Once you get it where you want to be, it takes less than 5 seconds to set up. There’s no separate stand to carry and you don’t have to spend time looking for somewhere suitable to set it up.
- When you’re finished, it collapses back down and you can store it against the wall. It’s not quite as compact as the Bosch GTS1031, but it still doesn’t take up much space.
In a small workshop it’s absolutely perfect where you don’t have the floor space for a permanently set up saw. For the contractor, it’s not quite as compact as either the Bosch GTS1031 or Dewalt DW745, but gives you that crucial 25-inch ripping capacity.
Heavy Duty
I think this quote from one of the Amazon reviewers sums it up
I know a local contractor with one that is almost three years old and it works like day one. This is really a true test as they drag it from job to job, nearly 30 a year. It works outside winter and summer, rain and snow and has been pushed over dozens of times. If it ever does quit he swears he’ll buy another just like it.
Smart Guard System
Bosch are very proud of their smart guard system which is used on the 4100-09 as well as the GTS1031. It’s much the same as Dewalt’s system and is a three part modular system consisting of the blade guard, anti-kickback pawls and riving knife.
How much should you expect to pay?
You can find the 4100-09 for around $500 on the web. Click here to view on Amazon
What’s in the box?
Bosch 10-Inch Worksite Table Saw, TS3000 Gravity-Rise Table Saw Stand with Pneumatic Wheels, Squarelock Rip Fence, T-slot Miter Gauge, and Smart Guard.
What are other people saying?
The Bosch 4100-09 Table Saw has received a ton of excellent comments from users, who are particularly impressed with how well designed it is and how easy it is to use the stand
- “Fantastic Table Saw. Very good design. Recommended”
- “Exceptional Table Saw”
- “Best money ever spent”
- “Great saw, well thought out design, incredible stand, great storage”
- “Clearly the better engineered tool in my shop. Thank you Bosch! “
What kind of warranty is there?
The Bosch 4100-09 Table Saw is backed by a one-year limited warranty. Click here to view on Amazon
