The Bosch 1640VSK fine cut saw is an electric hand saw. It has a rapid short stroke and flush cutting design that allow you to cut in tight awkward spaces. The blade changing system is well designed and easy to do. The Miter kit has a limited cutting range due to the length of the saw blade. It can't be used for anything much bigger than a 1x3 or toe molding. It is an interesting little saw but with many limitations.

Pros:
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br /- "Flush Cutting" means the blade literally slides on the surface and cuts protruding wood to that level. For example, you can cut a piece of wood poking out above a sub-floor so it's flush, since the blade will slide on the sub-floor itself. Of course, you can cut above the surface, as when shortening door-jambs because you are now installing ceramic tile and you want it to be under the door trim. In such cases, this little gem of a tool is a God-send. I'm not aware of a competing electric tool, and although a manual saw could work in a pinch, this saw does a much better and faster job.
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br /- The flush-cutting blades are quickly reversible, so you can cut right to left or left to right; depending on which is more convenient.
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br /- Accessories include other types of blades, with rougher teeth or for ferrous metals (aluminum, brass, copper).
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br /Cons:
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br /- While the Bosch Fine Cut saw is a first rate tool, the miter table attachment is nearly useless. During a recent house renovation, before my DeWalt sliding compound saw was on site, I tried one last time to use it for productive work. No luck. This table attachment was so unsatisfactory, it was tossed it in the trash. The piece of wood to be cut vibrates way too much, even when clamped, for a quality cut. Besides, the unit itself, including the "fence" is just too darned small for most woodworking tasks. It might do a barely passable job, if you plan to grout the joints, and paint the work, but it is wholly impractical for a cut that needs to be smooth and accurate. Any electric miter saw, or a decent manual miter saw, would do a significantly better job than this tiny miter attachment.
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br /- Of the half-dozen Bosch tools I own, this is the only one with a lousy tool case. It's cheaply constructed with plastic latches, plus the electric cord, saw, and accessories all have to be perfectly situated for the lid to close.
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br /Summary:
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br /- The 1640VS (Bosch Fine Cut Power Handsaw) does not include a tool case, miter table attachment, or clamps.
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br /- The 1640VSK includes the tool case, the miter table attachment, two Gross Stabil 6" F clamps, and a clamp to hold wood to the miter attachment, while cutting.
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br /The saw itself is mainly for remodelers or serious do-it-yourself types, since it's a speciality tool you won't use very often. When you need it, however, you'll be mighty glad you own one.
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br /My advice is to get the saw only (Bosch 1640VS) and a decent aftermarket tool case. Amazon sells the Gross Stabil clamps individually. Also, search Amazon for "miter saw" and you'll find some electric models for $100 or less. You'll spend a bit more in total, but have a much better setup.
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br /5 stars for the saw and two Gross Stabil clamps, 1 star for the tool case, 0 stars for the miter table attachment.

If you are making picture frames, installing flooring, crown molding, or base boards then this is the saw you won't want to live without. It leaves a very fine cut, with a little tear out. Not near as much as you get with circular saw type mitre saw. The angles for the included mitre box are dead on accurate. If you want to cut lumber for a woodworking project this is not the tool I would choose. Setting up the saw is quick and easy. Bosch did an excellant job of design in this regard. Two clamps set up the mitre box. The saw fits onto two posts on a hinged tab. A long thumb screw secures the saw to the tab. The only shortcommings to the saw are; small cutting capacity, and vibration (mine has vibrated the clamps loose twice). I'd like to see a wider variety of blades. A metal cutting blade, and a blade with a larger length (for more cutting capacity) seem the logical next step for Bosch to take. Add those two blades and this saw would get 4+ stars from me.

While I don't entirely disagree with the gent who gave this saw only three stars because it has "limitations" - yes, there are bigger reciprocating saws with much greater capacity - I still think this saw is a dynamite product for the kind of *very fine finish work* it was designed for.pIt has other uses, too: I would particularly recommend this saw, with its accessory miter box, to model makers - a group Bosch apparently hadn't thought of... It quickly makes very fine, accurate, repetitive cuts that are extremely difficult to do by hand. If you construct any sort of wooden or plastic models, in any scale, this saw will quickly become essential, surpassing even your trusty "Moto-Tool". There's simply nothing like it on the market.

I was installing wood floors and was advised to get an undercut saw to trim around the door jambs. At my favorite store, the only saw available was the model noted and it was only available as the kit. However, it seemed that it might be useful so I bought it. In general, I have been very please with the saw. I don't know how well other undercutting saws work, but this one really does the job. I found the saw easy to handle and up to the challenges that I gave it. Now, regarding the miter kit, I am not pleased with it. I have tried a variety of methods to attach it to a workbench, to a stool, to a table, and so forth with mixed results. Using it to cut miters has been a real challenge, especially cutting small stock such as quarter-round molding. The piece vibrates violently unless I secure it with my free hand. I have found the clamps not to be very helpful so far. However, I do like the pre-sets on the miter and have found them capable of giving me the cut that I need. The blades dulled pretty quickly, but most of that problem is because of the hidden staples and nails in the door jambs when I was cutting them. Once I find replacement blades, I'm sure that I will continue to use the saw whenever I can. The miter attachment - well, that's another thing. Overall, the saw is very good, but the miter kit is a questionable value.

I own a few other Bosch tools, and they work flawlessly (especially their famous jig saw); however, I was a little disappointed with the 1640vsk fine cut saw. The tool works fine for flush cutting, but I bought it for moulding and picture frame mitering. On every type of moulding or frame I tried to miter there was left a small piece of tear-out...just enough to ruin the cut. It worked fine for 90 degrees, but it consistently left the tear-out at 45 degrees. I would loved for it to work as it is perfect in theory...small, easy to set up and use, easy to line up on a mark...but it just didn't work for me.

I have been using the Bosch 1640VSK for about a year now, and can say that is definitely a very handy little saw for clean cuts in awkward spots and for light trim and finish work. Although it is a small capacity tool, it does have the ability to produce, and is great for those little jobs that don't require your bulky, high production compound miter or chop saw. It also easy on your back when carrying it and doesn't take up a lot of room in the truck when transporting it from one job to next. It is much more versatile than an ordinary flush-cut jamb saw, but it is not a free standing tool when using it with the miter box accessory, meaning you have to use the supplied clamps to secure it to a sawhorse or workbench to keep it upright and stable. You can use screws and washers to fasten it to a 2X4, then to an unfinished wood sub-floor in a pinch. I use it routinely on small jobs to make very clean, accurate cuts on non-metallic raceway, small diameter PVC conduit, wood baseboard and trim. The tools only real drawback, at least for me, is that it cannot be used to cut even light gauge metal. I can't tell you how many times over the past year I'd wished Bosch had a metal cutting blade available for this tool. With that blade, it would also be perfect for other materials I commonly use and need to make clean cuts on, such as, small metallic raceways, thin-wall tubing, and strut. I recently contacted Bosch's Tech Support to see if a metal cutting blade was going to be available any time soon, but was told that there were no plans to produce such a blade. Aside from this limitation, I would recommend this saw for individuals who need to make clean flush-cuts or accurate miter-cuts repeatedly in small size wood trim and other non-metallic materials.

I am a home repair contractor and I have several other Bosch tools, and nothing bad to say about any of them. This tool I'm not so sure about yet. I bought mine today to cut oak coveing to trim a countertop. I did not have my 10" Bosch Slider with me and I really wanted to get this project done. brIt did not do too bad a job on the 45 degree angles, and it was not too difficult to clamp down on the top 2x6 rail of a deck where I was working. brThe problem I had was holding the stock in place from vibrating.brI had cut some materials to a 42 in length but could not hold it down on the miter table to make a full cut or to finish the angles. It vibrated out of my hands and onto the floor about three times before I finally got it cut.brI was short a few feet of finishing the job so I'll get a chance to try it again later.brI would never try to do any major trim work with it. Like I said I have a slider for that. But for smaller jobs of cutting a few pieces, it could be a suitable alternative. It sure takes up a lot less space in my truck and can be kept there full time.

Powerful and very steady balance. I have used this to cut door jams for laying tile. When I first turned it on, I was a bit skeptical; not wanting to loose a digit. Amazing power for such a small unit, but the balance of it at full power allows for an amazingly clean, and even cut w/ no kick back.
br /Expensive for a niche tool, but you would be amazed at the labour time it saves.
br /For door jams, you basically have to eye the amount to cut. I would suggest cutting the jam at least 2 times, the cut is so clean that if you over estimate the tile height, your can use one of your cuttings, to glue back after the fact.
br /I have also used this unit to "shave" interior window trim, that came out a hair too long on a miter saw.
br /This is a must have for a tile or window installer, for a homeowner; you will find uses for it.
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If you are in the business, then you know what a pain it is to set up your dewalt miter saw for punching out apartmenst or any area for second trim (shoe molding or scribe molding). This tool is the one for that job. I have owned three of them. of course it will not do what a top grade miter saw will do. but it is not suppose to. it also works great for thresholds and for trimming doors for flooring. i am in the fire and water restoration business and i believe you will find this tool very helpful.

I didn't find this saw useful for cuts requiring alot of control. I was hoping to use it to cut out baseboards for cabinet installations, but freehand cuts were not that accurate. With the miterbox, the saw pulled the work into the blade if it was not clamped very securely-- impossible w/ crown mould. Definitely not a substitute for a chopsaw.

I've used this tool on various tile jobs and it works great when it comes to removing the door casing. It saves so much time sliding the tile under instead of trying to fit the tile to the profile of the casing. It doesn't do heavy duty jobs but then again thats not what its designed for. Highly recommend this tool for anyone installing tile.

I bought this handy contraption because the Bosch brand has never let me down. It's just the tool for cutting wood trim and does a great job on PVC pipe, too. Plus, this saw has all the features I value. I like using it freehand to square off or flush cut studs and rafter projections when prepping for drywall in my half remodeled 1930's vintage home. It can reach into places where getting a handsaw is impossible. It has a variable speed dial that lets you match the tool to the material. It's a shame it doesn't come with a blade for metal cutting. I don't use this tool as much as some of my other Bosch products, like my Progressor jigsaw, but it sure is great to have on hand. Never know just when you'll need it. Thanks, Amazon!

It's strange how a tool I never knew existed will drift into my awareness and within a few weeks I will have developed a need for it. I am not so much into fixing things because I like the work, it seems to be because I am fascinated by equipment and will learn a trade or skill just to use whatever new device holds my attention at the moment. And it comes in handy, especially in a case like the Bosch Fine Cut saw.. When I first saw one a few weeks ago my first thought was, "How cool. But silly. A power handsaw. Is that not a great oxymoron? And what would you use that for?"
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br /I liked the way the unit was reversible, the backbone of the saw action is integral to the blade and all the main unit does is provide power. The blade attaches and snaps over to either side in seconds. There are presently only 3 blades available, a coarse, a fine, and a true flush cut fine blade that will only run in one direction due to the offset. I would expect a carbide blade or an abrasive of some sort will be coming soon, as I have often needed a way to trim metal in a similar manner. But still I was unconvinced.
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br /About a week after that I got a project to remodel some cabinets in place and instantly discovered "what for". But I resisted at first, thinking I could pull it off with a Japanese backsaw and a recip, even though there would be some problems with scratching the cabinet interior. Before I could get started, I was called to replace a broken board in a redwood pool deck, a five foot section had snapped off of a 12-footer. It would have involved clearing away a railing and everything atop the good wood to remove the long piece and then trim it and replace. An hour, just for that.
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br /I picked up the saw immediately. ($99.00 at Lowes) along with 2 extra blades, as I have read they are somewhat delicate.
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br /It took longer to run extension cord to the job than to fix it. I marked the broken board to the length of the repair piece and put the Bosch to work. Two minutes, max, I had a perfect cut without a nick on the adjoining boards. One more job like this and the saw has paid for itself. It is hard to find that in a tool.
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br /(Added later) - Well, there was that job- replacing a water-damaged bottom panel under a kitchen sink. I probably wouldn't have even considered the job if not for this saw. A little hard to handle in close quarters, but I had the old panel out in about 20 minutes, with no damage to the cabinet. Like surgery.
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br /There may be other units out there that perform as well, I have seen cheap jamb saw for twice the price, and I have heard a plate joiner can be pressed into service for things like the deck. But the Bosch was in the right place at the right time for me, and I am very satisfied with the purchase.
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I found this to be handy for use in my apartment. I have found the miter attachement useful for chopping small picture frame molding. It is a little difficul to get good alignment on the miter attachment, but for the price, size, and noise level the job is pretty good.

I've used mine about a dozen times. Trimming door molding when installing floor tile. Cutting new door trim, picture frames, etc. It's a great tool - it's only limitation is the blade selection. Two styles, both with very fine teeth. Could use a coarse tooth and a really fine tooth for metal (thinwall, aluminum tracks, etc.)
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br /Miter box is right-on accurate. It has to be clamped to a table to work (or to a scrap 4x8) - this can be a pain, but not too much. One thing I really like - little mess. If I'm working inside my home, I really don't want to use the chop saw and get sawdust everywhere - this is the perfect solution.
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br /Update: Over five years later, the design is unchanged (a friend just purchased one) and my saw is still working like a champ!

I am a contractor and I use this Bosch saw regularly. We use it on the job for cutting door jambs and casings to allow flooring to fit underneath. The miter box is a great addition to the saw, especially for small and/or delicate trim. Regular saws just chew them up, but this saw makes fine cuts easily.

I've read most of the reviews on this saw and had to add my two cents. I've owned this saw for almost 5 years and used it quite a bit each year - until I got exasperated with it each time. Each time I've ended up regreting using it, primarily on the bottom of door jambs where it is supposed to excel. The problem I have with it, is that it is TOO powerful and despite the appearance of being "variable speed", it isn't. It can easily rip up a jamb if you don't get it just right and you must hold it VERY firmly or it will tear out your hands as well. It does a decent job on smaller trim work, working with it in the miter box. Here the miter box attachment helps control this beast. Still, it needs a true variable speed control. It could also use thinner blades, more in line with the Japanese pull saws. The thickness of its blades and its un-variable speed make for burning of the blade and/or the jamb, as well as sticking in the jamb cut while you are doing it. I've often resorted back to my Japanese pull saw after starting a cut with this. Anyway, that's my two cents. It sounds like other do like this, but after 5 years of experience with it, I just don't use it any more because of these problems and unreliability.

I am a weekend warrior with very limited shop space. I use this saw to cut oak up to 1 X 2 for trim applications and edge banding of small projects around the house. I purchased the saw after seeing a rave review in a woodworking magazine.pThe instructions for setting up the miter box were reasonably clear. The saw needed to be aligned out of the box, but alignment was fairly simple. The miter box must be clamped to a solid surface and is a bit of a balancing act (I use a fold-up metal saw horse) but so far I haven't dropped it. The miter box cuts both 45s and 90s accurately, and I haven't tried other angles. The box has a dust port, but this has limited utility given the very small amount of dust produced.pThe saw itself is also able to flush cut freehand. The saw cuts a bit slow, but then I prefer to go slow for accuracy. It is meant to be used very much like a hand saw, where you cut at an angle across a corner of the wood being cut.pThe kit comes with a fine-toothed backed blade for flush cutting, a coarse and a fine-toothed blade for use with the miter box.pI don't know of any other product to compete with this one. It can both cut small moldings and flush cut accurately. A production woodworker may find it a bit slow. Too bad it doesn't have a metal cutting blade.

Very good tool for cutting in pleces where it is difficult to reach with other tools. The miter is also good, but it is less accurate than a circular saw. The tool is good considering that is also inexpensive compared to other, more precise and professional solutions. The tool is a must have for difficult to reach places. Bosch 1640VSK Fine Cut Finishing Saw Kit with Miter

The saw works great. However, the miter kit is a different matter. It does not give you the height adjustment for the type of moldings you want to cut. Also, the miter angles, I am not sure they are totally accurate. For small molding, I think it works. It not the best in terms of the miter kit.

My son in law called and wanted help tearing out some old subfloor. I used this saw to cut flush along the walls through the old 1 1/4" subfloor. This saw suprised both of us on its power and ease of use. I know now what he's getting next year for Christmas.

I've used this particular saw before, but did not have one in my personal arsenal of trim tools. I like its ease of use. Actually, the job I purchased to used it on this go-round, I wound up not doing by recommendation of a professional trim carpenter friend of mine.
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br /I had 4 windows and a door with jambs that needed to be built out to match the sheetrock for trimming. All required pine fill pieces, some of which went from 3/4" to 0" over a 6' length. The thought of cutting these huge "shims" with any accuracy on the table saw was a bit daunting. So, I figured I could easily cut myself 1" pieces, glue it into place, and come back later with the Bosch 1640 and flush cut them.
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br /My friend discouraged me from doing so do to the fact that my 1" addition would require a "rip" cut rather than a crosscut for which the saw is actually designed. He also pointed out that the supplied blades were not conducive to rip cutting. Knowing the wood was going to be ultimately enameled, I knew there was a fudge factor involved where any small gaps could be spackled, and I opted to attempt cutting the necessary "shims" on the table saw. All worked well and the finished paint job looks wonderful.
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br /However, I'm wondering if anyone has attempted longer rip cutting in a similar situation with hardwoods, (e.g., oak or maple that will be stain/seal/varnished) with any success? Also, do they make a "toothier" blade for the 1640 that one might be able to get reasonable preliminary rip cuts accomplished in harder woods?

This is actually a review I wrote for the Bosch planer. But as I already had written a previous review It would not allow a 2nd one. So I am writing it here.
br /I think some of these reviews are fake. After cmy problems with this planer I noticed that some of the other reviews were so glowing. so I clicked on " Ted Peterson".
br /Surprise, surprise. He has made 8 reviews. All 8 were Bosch products!! All 8 were rated 5 star!! And all 8 were gushy in their praising of Bosch perfection. All 8 repeatedly mentioned the Bosh name and could not find ONE bad thing to mention in the performance of 11 tools. Have you ever bought 11 perfect tools?
br /Same for " Skip Morris". 9 reviews. 9 Bosch tools ( and nothing else). Nine 5 star reviews. Nine Bosch love affairs.
br /I think they work for Bosch.

I own a few other Bosch tools and they all work flawlessly as does this great handsaw kit. Bosch brand has never let me down. I really enjoy using this handy tool. Thanks Bosch!