Thread: Hard to find Bosch Power Tools

Originally Posted by garagegrump

In WA Bosch are at serious risk of being swamped in retailers by Makita, Dewalt and Milwaukee.

I think that happened a long time ago. Seems like most tradies are using either Makita or Milwaukee these days. The latter have exploded in popularity over the more common names.

I wanted their 12V Clix kit and had to import it because they have never stocked it here. I threw the 110V charger supplied with the Kit in the bin because I already had one. Bunnings and Bosch had a big divorce a few years ago when Ryobi went into Bunnings as their main powered tool supplier from memory and Bosch is mainly sold through Total Tools these days from what I can see.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I wanted their 12V Clix kit and had to import it because they have never stocked it here. I threw the 110V charger supplied with the Kit in the bin because I already had one. Bunnings and Bosch had a big divorce a few years ago when Ryobi went into Bunnings as their main powered tool supplier from memory and Bosch is mainly sold through Total Tools these days from what I can see.

A lot of brands disappeared from Bunnings stock catalogue after Masters came and went. "Minwax" for one. The lack of choice of retailers and Australia's relatively small market, increasing domestic and international web sales, make for a challenging market for all wholesalers / importers, so brand and stock rationalization is an economic necessity.

Many of our staple lines are disappearing, try finding NC lacquer, Wipe-on-poly etc as many local distributors cannot generate the sales volumes for economic transport of "dangerous good" manifests, so online sales are hardly viable for those lines either. Not such an issue for power tools, but dead stock costs money.

Originally Posted by bueller

I think that happened a long time ago. Seems like most tradies are using either Makita or Milwaukee these days. The latter have exploded in popularity over the more common names.

I guess that's true at least for battery operated stuff. But apart from drill/driver, I'm not really interested in battery power for my own use.

It doesn't help that the entire tool market is focused towards pushing battery tools onto tradies.

Thinking about high quality corded tools, actually there isn't a great selection in Australia in general. Given the only difference between ourselves and the European market is the power plug (and ours is the same plug which the giant Chinese market uses), this seems silly.

I guess I'm just going to bit the bullet and look overseas.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I wanted their 12V Clix kit and had to import it because they have never stocked it here. I threw the 110V charger supplied with the Kit in the bin because I already had one. .....

I hate it when you are basically forced to buy a charger that you don't want, pay freight on it, then bin it.

Usually, if I cannot find something locally at the right price then I import direct from Europe - same voltage, VAT-free prices, fast delivery - just change the plug on the product or charger.

Japan's even worse. Not only do they have their unique 100 volt electrical system, but Tokyo and Osaka have different frequencies - 50 and 60 Hz. [Like Sydney-Melbourne rivalry on steroids.] I know, they make 230 volt export models, but many/most retailers in Japan do not stock them.

Check the voltage rating on the charger itself. Many are universal and the only difference is the plug.

send an email off to bosch australia and see what they can do for you?

i have some older Bosch stuff and it is really sturdy , much better than newer stuff. the current Makita track saws are arguably better and parts are cheap. Dewalt is another brand that should get credit, their higher end corded stuf is very good.... the flex battery stuff is up there also.

Originally Posted by garagegrump

I guess that's true at least for battery operated stuff. But apart from drill/driver, I'm not really interested in battery power for my own use.

It doesn't help that the entire tool market is focused towards pushing battery tools onto tradies.

Thinking about high quality corded tools, actually there isn't a great selection in Australia in general. Given the only difference between ourselves and the European market is the power plug (and ours is the same plug which the giant Chinese market uses), this seems silly.

I guess I'm just going to bit the bullet and look overseas.

It is not that they are pushing battery tools it is more the tradies want the battery gear so they sell it. They make and sell what the majority of consumers want and battery gear is nearly always better for the tradie and much safer and you don’t have the added expense of getting your tools tagged every month

Didn’t a lot of stores stop selling Bosch around 2-3 years ago ? I remember a lot of specials at the time.

Originally Posted by garagegrump

I've been a fan of Bosch product for a long time, but their current "presence" in WA is frustrating, and I'm wondering if it is an issue in other states as well. It seems that they do not stock their dealers with much other than their battery driven lines.

As a user of the FSN track/guide rails I was hoping to add a GKS 85 G circular saw (which is designed for the guide) - can't be found in a WA shopfront or in an Aussie online shop.
OK, so an alternative might be the slightly smaller GKS 65 GCE - also not in WA or any Australian online shop.
Right, so what about the really nice GOF 1250 LCE router? - Nup.
Or the GST 160 CE jigsaw? - No dice.

Has anyone found any of these tools sold in Australia?

In WA Bosch are at serious risk of being swamped in retailers by Makita, Dewalt and Milwaukee.

I'm considering ordering from Overseas, but I'd love it if I didn't have to...

I've ordered most of my newest Bobbie Bosch from O/S: principally the UK & Germany.

Have a FSN track setup myself, fairly basic & comprised of - if memory serves me correctly - a couple of 160s, an 80, angle guide (Mafell) & a few requisite joining plates.

I've currently been using Mafell saws on the tracks. One plunge saw & a KSS X-cutter. Just purchased a GKS 65 GCE second hand from the UK, which was pretty cheap, somewhat offset by the prohibitive cost of postage. One thing advantageous about sourcing product from the UK is the generally rapid & reliable delivery times: usually less than a week or so. Don't really know about the vagaries of international postage, but I've had to wait over 4 months at times for deliveries from the USA & Germany. Ridiculous!

Whilst both Bunnings & Miter 10 seem to both be retail agents for Bosch Oz, I don't believe that the FSN guide rails & acc's are actually officially imported, meaning that there's zero local demand for their GCE (i.e. tracksaw) gear either.

As you're using the FSN guiderail system, why not investigate Mafell's saw range? Pro-grade saws seem to be their particular specialty, with a range of over 15 saws fully compatible with the FSN guide system.

Yes they're expensive. They're also the best saws on the market. True quality never comes cheap.

Originally Posted by Ratbag

...As you're using the FSN guiderail system, why not investigate Mafell's saw range?...

Isn't Mafell design and quality brilliant?

But their prices make Festool look cheap.

In Bunnings today and saw a fair collection of Bosch power tools both corded and cordless

I too like the Bosch Blue Professional Range and have a friend who owns a tool store in Sydney who started out with Bosch.
De Rossi Industrial in Lidcombe and I've had over 30yrs of business with him and his company.
PM or email me for his contact information!
OR
How about going direct to Bosch Power Tools Australian Office to ask the question...

Contact | Bosch Professional