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

[James1979]

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.

Maybe mine is a bad one

 

[sako243]

Mine is a fuel? Did I read yours was not?

 

[Agroshield]

Maybe mine is a bad one

Would it be worth trying something like the kind of loctite you get on Ikea furniture bolts?

I was looking the other day for a 'reusable' loctite and found this:

Vibra-Tite VC-3 Threadmate | Vibra-Tite

www.vibra-tite.com

Available here and on eBay:

Vibra-Tite VC3 Threadlock - 5ml tube

Quiver Killer only certifies the use of Vibra-TITE VC3 antivibration threadlock to secure the M5 mounting screws into the Quiver Killer inserts. VC-3 is a non-anaerobic formula that is benign to all plastics. The 5ml re-usable tube is sufficient for 5/6 applications to a set of binding screws...

www.skituningshop.co.uk

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I have a Dewalt 18v oscillating tool...I've used mine for an endless list of jobs. I've even used one to cut a chassis leg where a grinder wouldn't reach!

The blades I view as disposable...I mainly use mine to save time and/or do jobs which wouldn't be possible....or would require a lot of destruction.

For example....last week I was fitting kitchen cupboards on a bent wall...neatly cut away the plaster to the required depth to seat the cupboards....took minutes with the oscillating tool and was quick/easy.

 

[Sean]

that is true buthaving used them

Currently own and am slowly destroying a corded DeWalt the only yellow tool i own. I use at times: lxt Makitas, brushed is OK, brushless too light - both end up knackering the blade holder. Battery Fein is good. Corded Fein at work is the business!( but Im glad I dont have to buy the star-lok blades)
I havent tried Aldi Lidl Ryobi or any of the other budget offerings.
I dont get paid to fanny about being nice with wood, its floors up pipes in or leak sorted. A thin kerf battery circular saw, a flat bar and hammer do the job quickly and effectively, multi tool hits an old cut nail and its game over.

OK its good for cutting holes in plasterboard - but so is a bare hacksaw blade with a tank tape handle.
As with any tool it has its uses but ill not be spending 20 mins getting the tool out the van and rigging up power "to cut a nail between 2 pieces of wood" when there's a feather splitter and a hammer at my side.

 

[bigegg]

Currently own and am slowly destroying a corded DeWalt the only yellow tool i own. I use at times: lxt Makitas, brushed is OK, brushless too light - both end up knackering the blade holder. Battery Fein is good. Corded Fein at work is the business!( but Im glad I dont have to buy the star-lok blades)
I havent tried Aldi Lidl Ryobi or any of the other budget offerings.
I dont get paid to fanny about being nice with wood, its floors up pipes in or leak sorted. A thin kerf battery circular saw, a flat bar and hammer do the job quickly and effectively, multi tool hits an old cut nail and its game over.

OK its good for cutting holes in plasterboard - but so is a bare hacksaw blade with a tank tape handle.
As with any tool it has its uses but ill not be spending 20 mins getting the tool out the van and rigging up power "to cut a nail between 2 pieces of wood" when there's a feather splitter and a hammer at my side.

That seems to be one, very specific, use where it's not going to be a lot of use, but to be honest, you are, kind of like, saying "oscillating multitools are useless, because the SDS drill is better for putting Rawl plugs in".

For fettling/fitting - whether it's window sills, or cutting pvc cladding to fit electrical back boxes, or cutting a letterbox slot in situ, it's the perfect tool.

I bet a "thin kerf battery circular saw" isn't a lot of good when you haven't got the access space.

 

[maroon]

Interesting read. Would these be anymore beneficial than a recip/finger saw. Not the huge things. Handheld air tool. The type you can just put a bog standard snapped hacksaw blade in (waste not want not)

Like what would it do that that couldn't

I don't have an oscillating multi tool.

 

[bigegg]

Interesting read. Would these be anymore beneficial than a recip/finger saw. Not the huge things. Handheld air tool. The type you can just put a bog standard snapped hacksaw blade in (waste not want not)

Like what would it do that that couldn't

I don't have an oscillating multi tool.

In certain circumstances, yes.
I wouldn't want to prune a tree with one (last thing I used my recip for), or cut a piece of 1" box to length, for instance.
But for, say, cutting a rusted out ball joint when there's only enough room for a "plunge" cut: definitely!

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I don't have an oscillating multi tool.

To be honest I didn't see the point either until I saw someone using one....mine got used 2 or 3 times the last couple of days (doing a bathroom refit).

They're very handy where you need to do accurate/controlled plunge cuts (especially when you need to control the depth of cut)

 

[MetalMonkey]

Currently own and am slowly destroying a corded DeWalt the only yellow tool i own. I use at times: lxt Makitas, brushed is OK, brushless too light - both end up knackering the blade holder. Battery Fein is good. Corded Fein at work is the business!( but Im glad I dont have to buy the star-lok blades)
I havent tried Aldi Lidl Ryobi or any of the other budget offerings.
I dont get paid to fanny about being nice with wood, its floors up pipes in or leak sorted. A thin kerf battery circular saw, a flat bar and hammer do the job quickly and effectively, multi tool hits an old cut nail and its game over.

OK its good for cutting holes in plasterboard - but so is a bare hacksaw blade with a tank tape handle.
As with any tool it has its uses but ill not be spending 20 mins getting the tool out the van and rigging up power "to cut a nail between 2 pieces of wood" when there's a feather splitter and a hammer at my side.

I think I mentioned earlier, if you can use a circ saw, then there is no good reason to be using a multi-tool. It is the times when you can't use anything else that a multi-tool really comes into its own.

But if you are doing more roughing in work, again it isn't really the right tool for the job – say you were trying to amend some finish trim or create access to something that you really don't want damaged, that is where it would excel.

It might be sucking eggs, but another thing worth noting is that they cut most effectively when the work piece is well secured and the tool isn't pushed hard - if the work can move around or the tool is forced into the cut it negates a lot of the oscillating action.
Very much like SDS drills, it is key to let the tool do the work and not force it. I’ve lost count of the amount of people I’ve seen lean into it and wonder why they aren’t getting anywhere fast.

Good metal/wood blades shouldn't have an issue with the odd nail, but screws can kill them quickly though.
Great thing about a cordless one is of course you don't need to mess about rigging up power.

I agree about cutting holes in plasterboard, usually I find a jab saw is a lot quicker, easier and quieter unless you need to be very precise for some reason.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Interesting read. Would these be anymore beneficial than a recip/finger saw. Not the huge things. Handheld air tool. The type you can just put a bog standard snapped hacksaw blade in (waste not want not)

Like what would it do that that couldn't

I don't have an oscillating multi tool.

Both have their uses for different applications really - you can get small one handed cordless recip saws, or ones that will take a jigsaw blade - but they aren't really an accurate tool, more for demo work.
With a multi tool you can be very precise, and with some care you can cut to a pencil line and control the depth quite accurately.

One thing I find them great for cutting through a board when i know there is cable behind it , I can sneak the cut right up to the last couple of mm, and then it is one good blow from a hammer and you have a neat access hole and an undamaged cable (hopefully).

I recall a Chippy tried to do that once for me with his circ saw - set the saw depth, cut out a hatch and nicked or partially severed half a dozen Cat6 cables....
Nice chap and he was trying to be helpful and save me some time, so I couldn't really get mad - but one of those times when I really could have done without the help...

 

[Trevorleach]

Cheapo from Aldi, brilliant tool for cutting things in awkward places

 

[prepman]

Why does this for*m keep costing me? Am now indoctrinated into the m*ltitool c*lt. I've opted for the Makita DTM51Z j*st to keep with batteries etc. No do*bt bad choice? Not heard anyone review it here.
The letter * formerly known as U is c*rrently *nder repair. Hope to reinstate it soon.

 

[MattF]

Interesting read. Would these be anymore beneficial than a recip/finger saw. Not the huge things. Handheld air tool. The type you can just put a bog standard snapped hacksaw blade in (waste not want not)

Like what would it do that that couldn't

I don't have an oscillating multi tool.

The blade only moves sideways, and not by a massive amount, so you're not risking anything behind what you're cutting, or being blocked from cutting by such.

It totally depends on the job at hand as to what type of saw is best.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

think I mentioned earlier, if you can use a circ saw, then there is no good reason to be using a multi-tool.

I had to trim 5mm off a ply stud wall....moved the stud back 5mm and then used a trim router. The router was quick and easy....way quicker and easier than the oscillating tool could have done it.

...except for the very top and bottom where the router couldn't reach....for that I used the oscillating tool!

 

[eddie49]

Similar thread a couple of years ago:

Oscillating Multi Tool

Been thinking about buying an Oscillating multi too for a while now. Looked at a lot of no name Chinese 180w jobbies on ebay and I'm not impressed . Looking to spend only £30 - £40 ish. Seen a Draper 400w one for sensible money. Any recommendations please?

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[Erie Fred]

Working on a 123 year old farm house, I bought the $12 single speed cheapy.
It's been great, I only buy the blades made for cutting nails (HSS IIRC)

Cutting lath & horsehair plaster for a stove hood duct, if I would have used a recip saw, I would have fractured
the plaster by moving all those lath's.

Cracks would have radiated at least 6" in every direction.

It's surgical the way it plunge cuts.

 

[eddie49]

It's surgical the way it plunge cuts.

In fact the original Fein version was developed from a plaster-cast saw that didn't cut surgically:

The Unlikely Origins of the Oscillating Multi Tool

www.allfasteners.com.au

 

[bigegg]

I've just used mine to cut a 2mm sliver out of a uPVC door frame to make a replacement latch plate fit.

The only other thing that would have done the job would have been a milling bit in a router - and nothing like as neat.

No pics, because I didn't remember until I was already home.

 

[Farside]

Proper multitool. It can oscillate, too.