Boltz – A high precision, no-gimmick power tool for your DIY and home improvement works
As someone who likes to fix things around the house and enjoys doing some DIY projects, I was excited to review a new rotary power tool called Boltz. For those who are not familiar with tools, think of a Dremel in North America or a Proxxon in Europe. The Boltz is a multipurpose power tool that can drill, cut, sand and polish various materials. It is basically a powerful motor that drives a large variety of tool tips, ranging from drills, mills, sanders and cutting discs.
While the idea is hardly new as Dremel has been around for almost a century, they have been evolving fast over the last few years. They have gotten smaller and quieter. Some of them have gone cordless, others receiving digital control. Many were crowdfunded through online platforms, some of the exceptional ones received thousands of preorders. Now Boltz claims itself to be the most powerful in class with great convenience to use. we will see if it is as good as one of those.
The Boltz arrived in an average sized cardboard box. Inside is a semi-hard case with the Boltz logo printed on it. This is supposed to be an advanced set on the campaign, as the basic one only comes with the hard case inside. The charging cable is stored inside the pouch, as well as a clear plastic shield which protects the user during cutting – also offered by similar tools. The elastic net allows you to carry additional tools in one go.
Unlike some of the more traditional tools, it has substituted the hard plastic toolbox with a pouch, so it is smaller. As compact power tools are usually only used at home or inside a workshop, having a heavy protective case seems a little reductant anyway. Boltz comes inside its own ABS plastic casing, with internal storage space for 27 tool bits. The outer shell pops open with a push, allowing the inside to slide out like a desk drawer. As all tool bits have an identical 2.35mm steel shaft, they are held in place by hidden magnets. They are held securely and do not fall out even when flipped.
The basic set includes Boltz, its charging cable, a cutting shield, 10 drills, 5 milling bits and 12 grinders. The 27 slots of the case will fit most tool bits, as long as it is not too oversized. The cutting shield is made out of strong clear plastic to catch debris and dust when you are using a cutting wheel. Certain types of wheels such as glass fiber are very effective but brittle, which may break during use. The cable can charge up the internal battery in 40 minutes, or have it powered directly.
The drill itself is pretty compact and looks modern, weighing in at 158g and about the size of a large ink marker. Unlike the common plastic or rubberized surface, most of the surface is metal and the forward half is highly polished aluminum. This makes it easier to keep clean, you can just blow or brush away the debris after work. To improve grip, the handle area is corrugated for more traction. There is a small LED display showing the turn direction and speed near the back. You will notice that a locking chuck is missing – it is actually built into the main grip. By turning the grip left and right by just a small angle, you can unlock and lock tool bits with 2.2 to 2.35mm shafts. It can’t grip tools with other shaft diameters, but most high quality drills have fixed shafts size these days. Now let’s take it out for a spin!
We will start by drilling something. After looking around, we found an old 3D print shell which a previous creator had provided us with, before they could supply the actual product. We marked three spots on the surface. Most drills will go through the 1-2mm thick ABS easily, but only good ones can make evenly rounded holes. Boltz is advertised to include twin bearings on the main shaft for high precision. Fitted with a 2mm drill, we go with Speed 4 out of 5 for a clean cut.
The drill bit went through in no time. As you can see here, the cut is very clean and rounded. Torque output was sufficient, so the drill did not get jammed down and get stuck. The largest drill included is 2.2mm as the shaft is limited to 2.35mm, so the power output is enough to drill most materials. I believe the precision is up to standard, but I need to do one more test for its torque. So I decided to use Boltz to remove rust from my bicycle lock next. Meanwhile, I put Boltz into pause mode by clicking the power button once.
I have had this U-lock outside for months which means it is exposed to all the rain, dust and smog. Aside from the sun-bleaching, there is heavy rusting on the contact spots. The rust is solid that can’t be removed easily, so it calls for a wire brush. A wire brush can remove rust only if the motor driving it is powerful enough. This should be challenging for Boltz. I press the power once more to have it go back to Speed 4. The wire brush was sourced from our workshop and isn’t part of the pledge set, but Boltz will likely offer it as an add-on as well.
The rust removal was completed without much issue. Boltz did slow down and stopped 1 time as I was brushing a corner, but that is expected from a small cordless tool. The treated area is completely smooth and free of rust, only showing the dents and wears from hundreds of lockings. I have applied a little oil afterward to prevent rust. The wire brush has shown some use afterwards, but the drill itself shows no visible wear. I was initially worried that the clamp may slip, but it remains tight after all. Safe to say Boltz has passed our test.
Summarizing the test result and comparing it to the other drills on the market, we think Boltz is a worthy challenger to this market. It somewhat fills the gap between the full-sized drills like a Dremel and small compact ones like an Arrowmax. Super easy to use and versatile, yet has the extra power to cut through harder materials like alloy plate or hardwood. The standard tools that come with the set are great for hobbies like scale modeling or woodwork, though extra tools will truly allow you to make full use out of it. Strongly recommended, especially at the current discounted early bird price.
