Bosch 4100 10-Inch Worksite Table Saw

Comment: Our construction company owns several of these, it is a great saw because of its adjustablity, features and power. Once the motor bearings wear out however you can't get a new or rebuilt motor to swap in so you have to take (or ship in our case) the whole saw to a service center. If you can't get to a service center (we are on an island) and send in just the motor for a rebuild they won't - for some reason- test it (how hard is clamping it to a bench?). So you stand to get the motor back still broken even if you tell service to "replace all the bearings".

Comment: I just purchased the Bosch 4100 saw and noticed some slight changes over the model 4000. I hope they have improved the reliability of the motor. My older model 4000 Bosch quit working when the motor died. I had it for about 6 years, and it saw limited use. The cost to replace the motor was almost as much as the entire saw cost new, so I bought the 4100. One change that the newer model saw had was the table surface. The older model had a polished aluminum finish while the newer model has a rougher sand blast finish. I personally like the polished finish much better. All in all, it is a good saw with a motor that needs some refinement.

Comment: This is my first table saw. Or rather it's my third as I had to return the first two. I wanted something to redo my interior trim and then to have around for future projects. My first two attempts were a $130 Harbor Freight cheapo (fence not accurate and just generally a poor design) and a SKIL 3400 which is supposedly a $200 saw but the design/quality of the blade guard/antikickbacks was poor and impossible to adjust to blade. I understand now why most are forced to run the saw with these features removed.

After this experience I went to the local big box store which had the Bosch and Hitachi so I could view in person. The fence on the $225 Hitachi would go out of square when tightened. I was blown away by the quality of the Bosch and I wanted a saw with safety features that I wasn't going to be forced to remove.

I got this saw from Amazon in 2 days via Prime. I've no idea how much it cost them as it's HEAVY. I opted for the saw without the gravity stand as I'm short on space. The other saws I tried I could carry around myself easily. The Bosch requires 2 people. I can barely pick it up, it's that beefy. Heavy is good in terms of accuracy when the saw is running. If you need to move it around solo you will need the gravity stand. I may end up buying it.

The quality of the unit and fit and finish is simply top-notch. If you appreciate things that are well made and well designed, this is the saw for you. It comes with a quick install guide. Reading this I had the riving knife, guard assembly and anti-kickbacks installed first time in under 5 minutes, no adjustment required, everything is just correct. How amazing is that? Now I know how it works, it's 30 second job to remove/reinstall them. Also the blade guard is a totally different design that just works.

The fence is fabulous also. Smooth sliding and doesn't loose accuracy when you lock it down.

[...]

It's a $400 saw, you can get cheaper ones for sure but this product redefines the saying "you get what you pay for".

Comment: Bosch 4100 table saw...This saw came set up right out of the box, no adjustments were needed. It does a great job cutting and was pleasantly quiet compared to my last saw.
Its sturdy and gave me a feeling of security when using it. I also purchased the saw dust collection bag which works well. I can see myself using this saw for a long time.

Comment: I owned and liked the earlier model, but traded up to a Powermatic cast iron table top saw. For safety reasons, I later bought the 4100, and use it often for stiles, rails, and small sheetgoods. If you can buy the 4100 'Bosch-refurbished,' do so, as I did.

You can read about kickback repeatedly, but once you've experienced it, you then truly understand and respect its potential danger. Despite using care and mechanical devices when ripping, I have been hit hard and fast via kickback. So what? you say.

The pitch you have likely heard about riving knives ("RK") is not hype. If you understand the physics, the merits of an RK are obvious. Or, try ripping with an RK-equipped TS, and you can virtually feel the increased safety. The 4100 is at least $2000 cheaper than any other RK-equipped table saw worth having. The blade guard and pawls are as ingenious as the gravity stand under the saw--brilliantly engineered. The safety devices are so easy/flexible to use that you may actually do so.

The 4100 does have T slots (vs. the 4000). And if you've read about a problem with the lateral table extension, it would only arise if you bought it as old stock from a retailer--and Bosch will correct the problem quickly and gratis.

Although the Bosch has a certain toy-like quality (nothing about it is heavy or really solid feeling), it is a precision machine. With the use of a quality blade, inset cabinetry can be cut flawlessly.

P.S.
Revisiting kickback . . . I believe the documentation instructs the user to be sure the fence is parallel to the blade. That information is technically incorrect and flat out wrong if you are not using a riving knife--where you will bind the blade, burn wood, and jamb the splitter. Verify that the blade is parallel with the table slot; then, using the slot as a guide, be sure the far end of the fence moves away from the blade, if only just discernably so.