Bosch Cordless Angle Grinder
GWS 18V-10 SC Professional
I have been using the Bosch GWS 18v-10 SC Professional almost every day for the last 6 weeks in a variety of challenging conditions and for a series of unique purposes that it may not have been originally intended. This is not to say that I am being unsafe, I am confident that what I am doing and how I am doing it is replicable and safe provided you have some experience and the appropriate safety equipment.
If you have any questions or suggestions for me then please ask. I am always happy to talk.
My first impressions when I opened the L-Box was that this tool looks great – it blends the right amount of familiarity with some space-aged aesthetic touches. I immediately liked the battery health readout located midway up the tool on the back. It also has the speed adjustment button and speed indicator embedded within it. Everything is instantly obvious how it works and very usable with gloves on – important for me in the freezing weather.
The removable handle is thick (maybe a touch too large for my dainty hands) but strong and very easy to grip and offers some vibration reduction. As usual, you are able to choose between the left and right-hand configuration. There is no option to have the handle on the backside to assist with cutting on the side.
The guard and I hear many folks already saying “I remove the guard immediately” but, it is so easy to adjust with one sturdy switch and has a capacity of up to 125mm that I now use it very actively. I have found that after a little experience, the guard can also act as a guide when trying to trace a shape – something that I now do not think I could live without. A small but valuable detail.
This is where I start to sound a little obsessed. The spindle size is M14 which is pretty standard but the tool-less locking nut is unique, at least in my experience. The backing pad has a slightly rubberised centre that enables easy exchange between discs with slightly different boreholes – this is a game-changer from trying to find and keep the multitude of spacer rings – and the quick-clamping nut with bar is a remarkable incremental innovation. You can tighten and loosen without the need of a pin-wrench which means one less tool and less weight to carry and again, it is very useable with gloves on. I cannot, no… WILL NOT live without this again.
The Bosch ‘Simply Connected’ Bluetooth module is very simple to use and allows for some tweaking on how the tool operates. It enables adjustments via the Toolbox app for active tool feedback and speed selection. I imagine the App and the options that it offers is also if very useful if you have a large cache of tools.
I use the ProCore 18v 8.0Ah or 4.0Ah batteries. As a small angle grinder, it delivers power equal to a 1,000 W corded grinder via brushless motor and ProCORE18V battery. This is enough power to support the torque that is offered by the grinder and allow the brushless motor to really sing. You can select to run at 4,500rpm, 6,000rpm or 9,000rpm. Honestly, I find myself working with 6,000rpm more often than not. It is fast enough while still very manageable. With the work I do, I sometimes have to work one-handed and I have found the 9,000rpm too powerful for my needs although at these speeds, the material removal or cutting ability is very VERY impressive.
To quote the website, “the GWS 18V-10 SC Professional also features Drop Control, intelligent brake system and KickBack Control.” I was worried that these features would nanny me too much but, again, I am happily surprised that they are effective without being intrusive. I have not tested the drop control and do not intend to. The intelligent brake is useful and reduces to the possibility of hurting yourself after you turned the tool off and your concertation may have dropped. The kickback control is excellent. It has only jumped-in once or twice but always in a relevant circumstance and has definitely protected my wrists from that nasty jarring that can occur when the disc digs in.
Having previously never loved using an angle grinder, I find myself very fond of the Bosch GWS 18V-10 SC Professional. It has been a total game-changer for me and really offers some brilliant ergonomic innovations and improvements. Its being cordless only accentuates those details to make it an extremely versatile tool.
