Anyone use a Bosch 1506 Shear?

i used to have, i think it was a porter cable shear (and a porter cable nibbler). i think we're talking about the same thing. i didn't like it, hardly ever used it, sold it on eBay (at a tremendous loss, i think i paid over $400 for it and sold it for one hundred something). i thought i was going to be able to cut to a line but it seemed to vibrate and jump around too much to do that. i don't know what it would be properly used for. i thought maybe i could use it to chop up sheet stock to take to the scrap man. maybe it could be used to like hog out a hole and then use another tool to finish? that is if we're talking about the same tool. i got a plasma cutter, that's when i sold the shear. i'm not especially happy with the plasma either (i shoulda gotten one that cuts heavier stock) but i think it's better than the shear at least, prolly MUCH better.

b.w.

oh, i just noticed you mentioned the model number in your subject line, visited a couple web pages for a pic.

yeah, the one i had was similar to the 1506. i dunno, maybe i was using it wrong, but it sure seemed like it was not at all easy or even impossible to get it to cut to a line. starting the cut would bounce and not be able to start the cut on the line. if it had some kind of "soft start" maybe. but then i doubt if it would have enough torque to make the cut. that's just my experience, i 'm not a professional, maybe others have different experience, opinions, advice. i'd think if you needed to chop off a piece of sheet metal to bring to another tool to finish, it would be good, but i couldn't get it to do anywhere near any sort of "precision" work.

wow, i was hoping i wasn't going to be the only person to comment on this. hoping some of you pros out there would comment too.

b.w.

I have had the previous model, which is very slightly different, since about 1978.

It is good for some things, but not the answer to all your dreams and problems.

First, they are a bit overrated in terms of capacity. Cutting 16 gage steel with it is a lot of work, and not very practical. Even 18gage is gonna be pushing it a lot of the time. I find it works pretty well on

20 gage and below.

Second, because it doesnt remove a strip, like a Kett 3 blade shear, it gets pretty tough to handle it on anything but short, straight cuts. The curved offcuts have no place to go, and you have to either keep stopping and chopping out little bits of steel, or wrestle with big sharp reluctant parts that are still attached.Then, the finished pieces are not flat, due to the stresses of the shear pushing one side up and the other side down.

Third, blade alignment is critical, and fussy. Blade clearance must be correct for the thickness, and checked pretty often. Blades have 4 sides, and then you need new ones, and they get dull quicker than you would think.

I would recommend a beverly shear instead- bolted to a bench, it will do everything this will on a small sheet, and better and easier. Or else, I just pull out my 16" Wiss Bulldog snips (not aviation snips) and cut up to 16 ga with em.

For big 4x8 sheets, I almost always use the plasma cutter instead of this little shear. Occasionally, on a jobsite or for something oddball, I use it, but I would skip it if I were you.