who owns a oscillating multi tool - what do you use it on?

[James1979]

I’ve only had mine less than a month. Put about 10 hours on it max all together.

I wonder if the new model (the fuel one) is any better

 

[Onoff]

I've a 230V Draper here, bought years ago from Makro. Has a totally non standard blade fitting where the blades have to have a hexagonal hole in. Hence I don't use it.

Draper is the top one. My mate's MacAllister is the bottom one:

 

[Sean]

yes i own one or two
they are all pretty ****e unless its a corded Fein
Much depends on the blades and they are usefull for the occasional cutting of wood but are up there with "Dremmel" (ie DIY hero stuff ...look at me i cut a nail!)

 

[brightspark]

yes i own one or two
they are all pretty ****e unless its a corded Fein
Much depends on the blades and they are usefull for the occasional cutting of wood but are up there with "Dremmel" (ie DIY hero stuff ...look at me i cut a nail!)

never heard such rubbish in my life. i use mine daily its the dewalt brushless cordless fein WERE the best but old hat now. i use mine for cutting across floorboards cutting out for electrical boxes in cupboards and plaster board chasing neatly on plaster walls and cutting grout and tiles,as for dremmels the advertising it makes them look stupid but there not and very versatile using small grinding wheels diamond slitting wheels and carbide burs anything bigger needed i use my air desouter die grinder or the dewalt electric one

 

[sparkysy]

@James1979 if it's only a month old I would take it back and get another one!

@brightspark
I use mine for exactly the same, they are a very versatile tool. Some days I wonder how I did some jobs without one!

 

[brightspark]

@James1979 if it's only a month old I would take it back and get another one!

@brightspark
I use mine for exactly the same, they are a very versatile tool. Some days I wonder how I did some jobs without one!

i have a bosh chorded one as well ,still use it now and then it got used regular for 8 years before i got the battery one

 

[winchman]

Bought one from Aldi or Lidl for under £20, its be a god send rarely use it but so many little tasks its great for, used most on repairing caravan walls

 

[sparkysy]

I had a very cheap Einhell corded one for years and years, abused the hell out of it, ended up on a job where I needed to cut two sheets of 18mm ply to mount the new supply cutout, metering a MCCB board some switchgear and a DB, thought that would be its last but no it just kept on going till 3 years ago when the magic smoke escaped! Bought the Milwaukee to replace it. Sy

 

[Barking Mat]

I rolled over in bed in the middle of the night, something uncomfortable, think it was my wife's oscillating multi tool.

It's totally useless at cutting stuff.

Coat, door.

 

[Onoff]

It's totally useless at cutting stuff.

Still, it saves you a job.

 

[Sean]

never heard such rubbish in my life. i use mine daily its the dewalt brushless cordless fein WERE the best but old hat now. i use mine for cutting across floorboards cutting out for electrical boxes in cupboards and plaster board chasing neatly on plaster walls and cutting grout and tiles,as for dremmels the advertising it makes them look stupid but there not and very versatile using small grinding wheels diamond slitting wheels and carbide burs anything bigger needed i use my air desouter die grinder or the dewalt electric one

we've all got our opinions.

 

[Wedg1e]

I have 5 of the Bosch PMF180 variety... but only paid full price for one, the rest came cheap or free as the motors suffer from a particular easy-to-fix fault.
My favourite use is probably cutting squares out of plasterboard walls in order to solder pipework dropped down from the loft.
Cut round with the blade at 45 degrees-ish to square and the piece you remove will have a chamfer all the way around.
Butter the cut edge with filler and press back in until flush afterwards, needs minimal work to blend it back in.

Did similar to access the back of a lead-lined wall at a research place: the monkeys who built the room must have had one eye on the Friday lunchtime finish and left gaps in the lead you could wave through, never mind get x-rays through.

If you leave the blade off, the wife can use it as well

 

[MetalMonkey]

we've all got our opinions.

If you haven't bought one in the last couple of years, I suspect you would be in for a pleasant surprise if you did.
Not knocking Fein, but there has been a lot of advances in the powertool market.

The brushless cordless ones you get now are in different league. I do quite a bit of plunge cutting into 22mm chipboard flooring, gives the blades a hard life but doesn't bother the tool at all.
Notching joists out usually takes less time than finding the blade in the toolbox and putting it on. Had to trim the end off a 6x2, no sweat. Obviously a circ saw is a lot quicker, but only if you can get it in.

I've not really found anything it really struggled with and on my battery platform (HiKoki/Hitachi) their multitool is arguably not one of their strong products either.
Red, Yellow or Teal flavours should be even more powerful.

 

[MattF]

Why no blue in that list?

 

[MattF]

yes i own one or two
they are all pretty ****e unless its a corded Fein
Much depends on the blades and they are usefull for the occasional cutting of wood but are up there with "Dremmel" (ie DIY hero stuff ...look at me i cut a nail!)

There are certain jobs where a multitool is pretty much the only viable option. Try removing a door or window frame without damaging the plasterwork, without a multitool, as but one example.

My previous multitool, a Makita 18V, earned its keep no end of times.

 

[Olderisbetter]

I have a dewalt 18v one and its been very useful i even keep the old blades and glue emery paper to them to make sanding pads.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Why no blue in that list?

Honestly I did consider adding in "Blue" and tagging you, but then I thought you don't need any extra encouragement!

 

[Red'n'Black]

I have a Makita one, forget the model. It's been used for exactly one job so far, cutting through the Rawlbolts holding a gun cabinet to a wall. They'd rusted up and started spinning in the crumbly lime cement. Worked great with a bit of lube on the blade, and a lot less collateral damage than an angle grinder.

 

[brightspark]

we've all got our opinions.

that is true buthaving used them

I have a Makita one, forget the model. It's been used for exactly one job so far, cutting through the Rawlbolts holding a gun cabinet to a wall. They'd rusted up and started spinning in the crumbly lime cement. Worked great with a bit of lube on the blade, and a lot less collateral damage than an angle grinder.

dont tell any scrotes thats another tool that will be pinched and used

 

[sako243]

Not on the M18 but I think maybe on the m12. Heard that but not seen one.

It’s a stupid finger screw thing. You are supposed to just nip it up and it takes it the rest of the way on a cam lever. It doesn’t work and vibrates it loose.

I just leave the cam where it is and bang it up with a screwdriver. It really annoys me.

I've got the M12 and only do the screw up tight by hand (make sure cam lever is flipped up) and then push the lever down to fully lock it in. Not had it work loose nor have I often had to resort to a tool to undo it.