Oscillating multi-tools -- what do you actually use it for?

[JackOfDiamonds]

I'm putting in a partition wall in my house, and I need to cut the floor and trim up to corners. I think the tool for this is one of the oscillating multi-tool saws, which I've never had in my life. Since this is a 1-time project, will it be OK to buy the harbor-freight cheapie, or should I spring for a better corded, or even M18? I'm just not sure if it's worth getting an M18 seeing as I've never in my life had use for one of these until now. But maybe that's just because I don't know what I'm missing?

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[The Cobbler]

it's one of those tools that once you have it, you wonder how you got along without it.
many uses and applications.
I have a cheapy & a Fien . the Fien is defiantly a better tool .I got it cheap at a pawn shop , otherwise I'd still be using the cheapy

 

[Rickster]

working at kids place finishing basement use it for cutting drywall and foam insulation, notching and small trimming of some boards, …. We gave up trying to remember the name multi-tool so we named it Bob. Much easier now to say “just use Bob“.

 

[FMB4]

Good info. I've been thinking about buying such a multi tool for several years now.

 

[Ronson25]

Bought one used it to do a few plunge cuts for electrical boxes in dry wall. Have also used it to flooring and used the scraper blade alot for various things. It has its place i also just have the harborfrieght cheapie with name brand blades.

 

[IndyGarage]

Best use I remember was cutting out a soffit that had rotted and was covered by a bunch of trim. I was able to cut about 6 feet down the edge of the trim and remove the soffit and replace it with a new piece without removing all the trim.

 

[f121]

It’s the saw-of-last-resort.

Mine is most often used on renovations where I need access but do not want to completely remove wood trim. It’s really useful for cutting holes in drywall, or cutting our sections of drywall. I’ve used it for cutting pipes where I couldn’t get a pipe cutter in. It’s also a fairly effective detail sander.

Generally it’s a tool that reduces the need for making good after.

 

[Terry D]

I agree, once you own one, you wont know how you got along with out it. Fein was, probably still is the Cadillac. For the longest time, they were they only one that made them, and they were not cheap. Don't know what happened, patent ran out? now everyone makes them. I have a Bosch corded and a Dewalt cordless. The Bosch is a better tool IMO. I use them for work, so they get used a lot. I wouldn't even consider anything from HF for the stuff I do, maybe just for the weekend warrior, it would be fine. The only down fall with them is the price of the blades. And you know it doesn't cost that much to make them. I have tried the cheaper ones, but they just don't hold up. I found the Bosch blades to be some of the best

 

[K13]

I was in your boat needed one for a single job so bough a cheap one and haven't touched it since. I find there are better solutions than it for pretty much everything I do.

 

[TJMtl]

I got my Fein when I had to tear out all my basement subfloor due to water infiltration. It’s able to flush cut with the walls. Also great for drywall work, cutting for electrical boxes etc. Use it for my projects in the garage too, trimming edges for doorways etc.

This is from back when Fein was the only game in town.

 

[marak]

I have a Fein and a HF. For $199 on Amazon, the German engineered/made Fein is the way to go. They set the standards for oscillating tools. I have used it to cut out 2x6's where no other saw could do the job. Have also used it to cut out plywood forms that didn't want to release from the concrete. I have owned the HF one for seemingly forever, but virtually never used it as it rarely cut the mustard. The Fein simply works well. But, I do love tools and need no excuses to buy one!

Amazon.com

 

[zendriver]

I purchased the HF “better ” one and it worked great but the hex key blade holder too old school, so WTF upgraded to the “best” Hercules which works even better.

spending more for something more expensive waste of money IMO

I’ve used them to cut studs in tight areas of walls, cut the insides out of blow molded case to repurpose and cut v notches in a wood holder for repairing fishing rod guides.

love my HF “****”

 

[The_Geologist]

The one I got from HF has been just fine. It's the "higher quality" blue one with the variable speed.

First job was to plunge cut through some siding in order to patch up where a satellite dish had been previously installed on the house. Used it again a few weeks ago for more siding trimming for a separate repair.

I've used it to do quick cuts on baseboard trim when installing.

I know I've used it for other things over the years, but can't think of anything else at the moment. It's been useful for the amount of times I use it (5 - 10 times per year).

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I needed a finish quality hole cut in panel board . Even a good jig saw was too big and clumsy, a Japanese key hole saw was the best hand tool option.Frustrated, it was ,heck, I'll try one. The Fein kit was on sale. Well worth every penny. I found them to be an absolute necessity in rebuilding stick and tin RVs .The other tools are a Kreg jig and a narrow crown stapler as well.

 

[Rabid Badger]

I have a corded Fein that comes out pretty much every time I work on the house.

 

[dstblj52]

i personally work on electrical which makes cordless worth it imho

 

[visionguru]

...should I spring for a better corded, or even M18? I'm just not sure if it's worth getting an M18 seeing as I've never in my life had use for one of these until now. But maybe that's just because I don't know what I'm missing?

I was pondering the same questions 2 months ago, when I was fixing a rotted patio door sash. I got M18 Fuel and love it!

In the past 2 months, I've used it for:
(1) cut out rotted wood and replaced with new wood (+wood epoxy).
(2) cut the nails of deck rail cap. I can't think of another tool could allow me the slide the blade into small seams to cut nails.
(3) sanding

In the future, it could be useful in cutting dry walls, tiles.... so many uses around the house. Definitely worth getting an M18 (to me).

 

[RivennHewn]

There are times that I need a multi tool, and HF is closer than my house.

It is more cost effective to buy a disposable tool than drive for an hour.

That said, none of the 3 HF tools have died or failed to complete the task at hand.

There is no need to go broke for a one time job.

It’s kinda crazy that a $20 tool will function as well as a $300 tool, but haters gonna hate ‘cuz their **** hurts.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I bought a couple of $29 on sale Canadian Tire, regular $99, ones for my sons. Helping the youngest on his house, I got to use it. It did the job but it was plain nasty to use compared to my $200 Fein. I find high quality portable power tools generally well worth the money.This was case in point. Since they portable, they are not out of sight like stationary power tools. Maybe not all the way to Festool as I'm just a hobbyist.

 

[RTM]

I have a Fein, bought used off CL, at a friend’s urging, just because he loved his so. I have probably spent more on blades since. I have stripped thick layers of paint off my fireplace, cut drywall, cut an odd shape of wood trim, (though a flush cut saw would have done that job). The place it shined was cutting out grout lines, and stripping mortar off the floor, for a 15 sq ft tile repair job. Was able to do it without loosening surrounding tiles on my PO’s sh$# install job. It’s also done a bunch of small area sanding where there’s too much for hand work, and too small for the pad sander. Couple of nail cutting for something.

Basic saving grace, no huge dust cloud from almost any other tool, except maybe hand sanding.

 

[PoorUB]

Like others have said, you will wonder how you got along without one.

One of my favorite uses is to peal off old caulking. Take a dull blade and sharpen it like a putty knife. It flies right trough old caulking.

I resided my house this summer and had to trim along the soffit. I rip sawed about 130 feet of old siding with it.

I had a HF tool, the blade mount failed on it without much use. Plus the blade mount screw would loosen up.

I bought a Rigid from Home Depot. I really like it as it has a tool less blade change, big *** spring I believe. It has a lever you pull out, and flip up to release the blade clamp. I have used the heck out of it and am pleased with it.

 

[dscheidt]

I'm putting in a partition wall in my house, and I need to cut the floor and trim up to corners. I think the tool for this is one of the oscillating multi-tool saws, which I've never had in my life. Since this is a 1-time project, will it be OK to buy the harbor-freight cheapie, or should I spring for a better corded, or even M18? I'm just not sure if it's worth getting an M18 seeing as I've never in my life had use for one of these until now. But maybe that's just because I don't know what I'm missing?

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

I don't find them earth shatteringly useful. They do have some uses, and they certainly can occasionally do something that would be very hard to do otherwise. my experience is anything with a cord will work well enough, but the blade change method matters.

I'll give two pieces of advice on using them, though. First, remember that it's much closer to being a handsaw in a lot of ways, particularly because there's little chip clearance. the short stroke means most teeth stay engaged with the material, and it's easy to clog it up so it doesn't cut efficiently (and you can over heat a blade and kill the teeth). The other is wood blades can be sharpened. Good quality blades are impulse hardened (or carbide tipped) so they stay shap a while, but they do wear out. A few licks with a simple triangular file brings them back. They won't stay sharp as long, but you can sharpen them several times.

 

[GTO]

Idk if it has been mentioned, but if you're going to buy one, buy one with the quick change blade.
Good luck

 

[Modern Garage]

I just used mine today to cut out some flooring and trim to replace a threshold. A contractor introduced me to it when he handed me his and instructed me to cut the caulk for a window replacement we were doing. I was amazed. Since then I've used it pretty often as I have an old house. I have a corded Rockwell simply because it's the brand he had and I usually buy middle of the road - not the most expensive and I try to avoid the cheapest.
Joe

 

[nadogail]

I asked my cabinet builder/installer about the Oscillating tool; he said "Once you get your hands on one, you will wonder how you ever got along with out one" He was right!

I have used it to cut a kitchen sink out of a tile countertop and to remove corroded faucets from lavatories without countertop damage. The tool is, I think, a Dewalt and I bought Bosch Carbide tipped blades.

 

[seber]

I bought the M18 to do a wood floor throughout the house I was selling. It easily paid for itself cutting door trim. Since then I've used it to remove the guts of several plastic tool cases to make them universal boxes. Other than that, I pretty much have proper tools for everything else.

 

[speed bump]

It's not a tool I use a lot but it's occasionally the only tool that will work.

Trim plunge cuts, it's great when you need to trim something just a touch.

Scraper blade is awesome I even use it on stuff like diff covers occasionally.

Plumbing, way easier to cut PVC or copper in tight quarters with one.

It's almost faster than a rotozip and typically cleaner in sheet rock.

 

[gnpenning]

Took awhile before someone mentioned using it for plumbing. This is the reason I have 2. When the patent ran out I bought a Dremel and used it for a couple of years always cussing it for getting warm and the vibration. I stumbled on to a Fein for a great price and bought it. I was going to sell the Dremel until I ran into a plumbing job that the Fein wouldn't fit in the hole. Really tight spots I use the Dremel anything else I use the Fein which is a much better tool plus has the quick release blade.

Great tool to have around for all the oddball things that pop up. Versability is what comes to mind when I think of a multi tool. Appropriately named.

 

[rcbk00]

I've had a corded Bosch for years. I also have two M12 Milwaukees- the non-Fuel and the Fuel version. I rarely use the Bosch anymore. Of the two Milwaukees, the non-Fuel version vibrates much slower on the lowest speed setting, which can be a good thing when you're trying to make a really precise cut (or cutting through soft materials like drywall). The Fuel version has way more power, which is great for cutting through tough framing lumber. If I could only have one, it would be the M12 Fuel. Whatever tool you choose, make sure it has variable speed- I almost always use mine on the lower speed settings. Like an impact driver, this is one of those tools that once you have one, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

 

[MoonRise]

OMT is something that can be very handy and can help you do the job/task that sometimes no other tool can do or do easily.

HF- basic tool is LOUD, buzzy (hands will go numb in about 5 minute of use), needs three hands to change a blade (one to hold the hex key used to remove the mounting screw, one to hold the tool, and one to hold whatever. It's a pain.), it gets HOT pretty quickly (the tool, not just the blade) and did I mention that it is LOUD? I have one, used it a few times, was/am annoyed with it. It works, both the tool and to do the job/task, but is annoying to me.

The two 'best' names in OMT would be Fein and then Bosch. Their 'recent' (a few years ago by now) change to the yet-another-blade-mounting-system of Starlock actually works well. There are other brand names that make OMTs that are 'good' (various levels of 'good' in there too), but Fein and Bosch are the top tier.

I bought a Bosch (corded, with the Starlock blade system) OMT a few years ago. MUCH nicer to use than the HF. More power, not as buzzy, not as loud, doesn't get HOT in 5 minutes, easy tool-free blade changes. The Bosch felt better in my hand than the comparable Fein and cost a little less.

The one hand tool-free blade release one the Bosch (well two, one to hold the tool and one to move the release lever) is a JOY to use. I didn't like the Fein one-hand blade release as much as the Bosch one. Tool-free one-hand blade release is (should be) a MUST IMNSHO.

Cuts wood, plastic, metal (copper pipe, nails in wood, etc), drywall, grout, etc with the APPROPRIATE blades. Use 'good' brand-name blades, the Bosch blades are usually top-ranked. There are carbide-tipped (tiny little carbide teeth) OMT blades too, just like there are now carbide-tipped recip (aka Sawzall) saw blades and jigsaw blades.

Like someone mentioned, it's a versatile tool that can do multiple tasks. Hence the name Oscillating Multi Tool.

I like the Bosch so much, that I bought a cordless 18V Bosch OMT on sale recently. Bare tool with 'free' battery and charger. Same one-hand tool-free blade change lever as the corded Bosch. No case or storage bag, so I did have to buy something to put it into. It works well for the tasks I've used it for so far.

I've come to appreciate using a 'good' tool more and more. Your call on just where on the price-versus-good scale you want to go. For the 'extra' $50-$100 that the Bosch corded tool was over the next level 'down', I feel that it has been worth it to me. The cordless Bosch was pretty much the same price or LESS than the other cordless 18V OMT.

Controlled flush trimming/cutting of trim or wood floor boards is one of the prime uses of an OMT. That and the flat-blade caulk removal. Or the grit-blade to remove grout. Or controlled plunge cutting to put in an electrical box in existing drywall (neat, fast, I like it better than a jab saw). Under-cut trim (instead of using an undercut saw).. Etc. Multiple uses.

 

[Alpine4x4]

I have the HF Bauer oscillating tool. I bought it for undercutting door jambs while laying LVP. I have since used it for various projects. Its a useful tool. I dont use it a ton, but its one of those tools that can really come in handy. The Bauer tool gets pretty hot and will numb your hands out with extended use, its also quite loud. I would look into buying something better if I were to do it again.

 

[driftpin]

I've found an OMT will do easily the jobs that would prove time-consuming and vexing with almost any other tool or tools. I have a HFT and use Bosch blades, and I have an adapter which allows the use of different manufacturers' blades.

One of the great advantages I've found is doing replacement of fascia boards. It allows the removal of the 1x2's under the drip edge along w/the one-by 'whatevers,' for a complete and neat job.

 

[MushCreek]

I use mine more than I ever thought I would. I'm a very active DIY'er (I built my own house), so I'm always working on something. I had a nice Makita which blew up in the middle of a project, so I went and bought a $20 HF special. It works, but as been said, it is LOUD and buzzy. I keep thinking about picking up an M18, as I'm invested in the platform. They make cuts that are virtually impossible with other tools, and many people forget that they are also great detail sanders.

 

[tyyost]

Like many of you I started with a Harbor Freight cheapie, found it useful and have since upgraded to a Makita corded. My buddy did a project with me and we used his DeWalt cordless and my Makita and they were both good for the tasks at hand.

If you do much remodeling I’d suggest one as part of your tool kit. All the uses stated above, from trim cuts, flooring, and more are areas it excels. I use a long metal cutting blade often when prying trim to reuse to cut the nails so the wood doesn’t crack.

There are times it stays in the case for weeks, and other jobs where I grab it 20 times a day. My longest use so far was a floor job where the subfloor needed replacement, the ability to flush cut with the stud wall was so much easier than using a sawzall.

 

[dimichele]

I have the hf cheapie. The blades can vibrate loose and are a pita to change. Otherwise its not bad for as little as I use it. A freind of mine has has the fein, which is undoubtedly better, but not worth it imo unless your gonna use it alot.

If I was gonna pay up for one I would look for the one with the best blade holder.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I used mine yesterday.I have a leak in my hunting camper, to find out where, I cut a hole behind the where the seat cushion would be. I used three different blades. It was the only tool for the job. For blades I have Fien, Bosch and Princess Auto on sale.

 

[kcinnick]

I'm putting in a partition wall in my house, and I need to cut the floor and trim up to corners. I think the tool for this is one of the oscillating multi-tool saws, which I've never had in my life. Since this is a 1-time project, will it be OK to buy the harbor-freight cheapie, or should I spring for a better corded, or even M18? I'm just not sure if it's worth getting an M18 seeing as I've never in my life had use for one of these until now. But maybe that's just because I don't know what I'm missing?

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

I have the dewalt 20v, that thing is insanely useful. I have used it from cutting trim, to cutting holes in the dash in my boat where I couldn't get a traditional saw to cutting locks off. Oh, and I use it as a sander to get to areas my random orbital can't get. Cutting bolts.. if I sit here I could think of more times I used it.

 

[FrogBlastTheVentCore]

The correct answer is: anything, after exhausting all other options.

 

[rogersmithiii]

Fein or Milwaukee M18?

 

[aka Larry]

I had a Worx model I bought cheap that didn't work right out of the box. I gave to a friend who was into learning electrical repairs and he got it going. Damn thing vibrated so bad it actually hurt your hand after 10-15 seconds of use, so I tossed it.

I ended up buying a bare Dewalt 20V one since I already had several batteries. It works great on plunge cuts in drywall, plastic, and wood. I've tried several blades, but IME, cutting nails and screws is a b*tch , and takes too long.

Another interesting use is window removal. I used one of the putty knife blades to get between the window weld and glass to remove the rear window on my race car. Worked much faster and easier than the old push-pull cable thing.