Bosch / Fein update

[Newshound]

Well I had to go to Argos for something else and 70 notes is in my impulse buy bracket, while 170 isn't.

First reactions, the case is a bit flimsy and wouldn't survive rattling about in a van, and you only get a 32 mm plunge saw for wood and a wood/metal sector saw (plus the delta sander, but I already have one of them). From the agents web site the range of extra blades is very much more restricted than the Fein but still spent another £80 having one of each. Build quality looks OK, like say Ryobi somewhere in between Ferm / Silverline and Makita / De Walt.

Doing a bit of kitchen fitting at the moment, used it for a couple of plunge cuts into wood, quick and efficient but nothing I couldn't have done a bit more slowly with a chisel.

One of the jobs was putting a timber edging on the back edge of a peninsular unit, decided to leave these at 44 mm on the 38 mm worktop to save planing and to make the tops look a bit more substantial. Came back from another job to find SO admiring my handiwork, but smirking somewhat. Yes, the cutlery drawer on the back side of the peninsular no longer opens. Doh! First job in the morning, use the sector saw to take 1 mm off the top of the drawer front. I guess this will justify the Bosch on its second use just for buggeration factor alone.

I'd not dispute that the Fein would earn its keep for a pro, but for me it will probably only come out once few months, and the price difference would buy me an Axminster morticer. It's a bit like the rotozip, very useful if you have the application but how often would you use it. I think we are paying a bit of a premium for the "blade" idea on what is basically a delta sander. Perhaps I've been spoilt by being able to get a perfectly functional random orbit sander for a tenner or an adequate biscuit cutter for £30.

[The Medway Handyman]

The case is somewhat flimsy, but the Fein equivilant doesn't come with one anyway. Flimsy case better than no case? You don't get anymore in the way of extras with the Fein anyway.

Do try the delta sander pad & sheets. It runs rings around a normal delta sander, truly impressive. I'd rather buy the Bosch than a delta sander even if it were only used for that.

Thats about right, but its an ocassional use tool.

[Newshound]

I did, but it seemed to me to be much the same performance as my Wickes Delta. Nothing like 80 grit on a 4 1/4 angle grinder :-)

[Lurch]

On Tue, 7 Aug 2007 22:30:06 +0100, "Newshound" mused:

On the sanding front, I'd give the Bosch a try if I were you in place of the delta sander you already have. I've used other peoples delta sanders and IMO they don't touch my Fein for speed, getting-into-corner-ability etc...

YMMV. Dunno what the Bosch is like.

[Lurch]

On Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:46:40 GMT, "The Medway Handyman" mused:

You are Drivel AICMFP.

[dg]

Can we hurry up and decide between these two, as I am feeling very impulsive, and I am avoiding my local Argos by doing a temporary 3 mile detour every day!

Is it confirmed that the bits/blades etc are interchangeable between the two?

dg

[The Medway Handyman]

No. The Bosch blades have a ring of holes around the main fixing hole to give a positive location - AFAIK the Fein is different.

[The Medway Handyman]

Buy one & try it. If you don't like it you have 30 days to take it back;

"Most things we sell are covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. Just return them to any store, unused, in their original undamaged packaging, in a saleable condition, along with the receipt* and we'll give you a refund. "

How they gonna know if its been used?

[chris French]

I've been in an Argos when they opened a package someone was returning to check it, and refused to refund

[Andy Hall]

That's one reason why it's a bad idea to shop in Argos..

[The Medway Handyman]

Depends how assertive you are Andy. My spouse bought a fax machine from them. When I realised it only took special ink cartridges at a totally exhorbitant price I took it back. They said it had to be in the original packaging.

I returned home (a mile away) & dug the box out of the bin, returned to Argos & dumped the lot on the counter, with the polite suggestion that they could put it back in the box if they wanted too, but I wanted a refund. They muttered a bit & refunded it.

I've also heard that returned goods are simply put back into stock without checking them. B&Q also do this apparently.

I have personal experience of sink units from Wickes with no clips or seal strip. On both occassions they have taken the box containing said items from a sink package on the shelf. When I mentioned that the next customer buying a sink would find the same items missing, they looked nonplussed - clearly didn't grasp the concept.

Whenever I buy from any superstore I unpack the item either in store or in car park to make sure everything is there.

Buying from Argos has its pro's & con's like everywhere, but they were the first to sell the Bosch machine.

[Andy Hall]

True, but you have to be assumptive and assertive with these places.

For that scenario, I believe so, yes.

As do PC World and a number of other places, although they do at least put a sticker below the shrink wrap that the item has been "pre-loved"

- probably in the biblical sense.

At any rate, the maxim is obviously to check packaging very carefully for signs of previous opening.

One sink short of a kitchen?

I do for more expensive things that could have been previously unpacked or opened, but ask for that to be done at the register before paying. Alternative is to ask an assistant to open the package.

Okay.....

[Newshound]

Not quite so simple; the Fein site explaines that they are moving from a plain hole to a "star" hole. So a fairly simple adaptor on the Bosch would let it take older Fein blades

[dennis]

But not a bad idea from Argos' point of view as there are a lot of crooks out there that will steal bits from the items and return them.

I would have told you to b%^ off. They have no obligation to take it back and then they get some ungrateful b&^% shouting at them because they are too stupid to put it back in the box.. I suppose you had installed the ink too which makes it almost unsaleable. I wonder what you say if someone says they don't like your work and want it put back for free?

Not IME they don't.. not unless the customer claims that they haven't opened it. Maybe they should learn from Argos that you can't trust some/all customers.

[dennis]

Most PC Worlds have a shrink wrap machine in the back so they can re-wrap anything they like.

[dennis]

That will be the new patent they need to stop someone making a copy after the first patent runs out. It probably doesn't have any beneficial effect to the user.

[manatbandq]

messagenews:f9deio$n6u$ [e-mail]...

And that means it never happens? Sorry, don't fool yoourself. Your experience is lacking. There's plenty of evidence that it does happen.

MBQ

[Stuart Noble]

messagenews:f9deio$n6u$ [e-mail]...

There's plenty of evidence that they auction returned goods by the pallet load. A lot ends up on EBay

[chris French]

In message , "dennis@home" writes

I've returned stuff I've not used and had the box opened and checked as well.

In the case I mentioned , it was pretty clear that the chap seemed to have used the item (I forget now, I think some sort of power tool). So it was quite reasonable for them to refuse. I was just pointing out that taking back a tool you have used an expecting a refund is not guaranteed to work. Nor should it, rather taking the piss really.

Indeed, people abusing such return policies tends to lead to them being reduced/restricted/applied more strictly etc.

[Clint Sharp]

In message , " [e-mail]" writes

My two local B&Q stores (one's a mega) most definitely check stuff to see that it's complete. They even open tins of paint to check you've not dropped a brick in there or filled it with some other stuff after using the contents.