Recommendation for Oscillating Multi Tool

[Dakotadadv8]

Multi tools are great, use it all the time as a DIYer. I like the Dewalt 20v XR cordless

 

[Mandres]

Side note, but I've always found this supremely annoying about Milwaukee and most tool lines; it's never just "monkey see tool monkey buy tool"; oh no, you have to rummage through the fine print to land on the variant and sub-version of the tool that actually works.

Same goes for the batteries; you need a four page chart and a seasoned guide to figure out which nearly invisible muy macho modifier or subtle change in striping designates the better battery.

Bah, humbug, get off my lawn, etc.

I agree, and that's why I've stayed loyal to Makita for most of my career. 1 battery (18v lxt), dozens of tools. I don't think they get as much credit as they should for maintaining that standard.

 

[ChevyEFI]

The cheap (non-starlock) blades and common batteries option could be fulfilled by Dremel 20V. If new batteries are needed, they take 18V Bosch.

If you want Starlock, Bosch has a 2.8deg 18V tool with battery underneath on sale recently at Lowes. And a 3.4deg tool with end-of-handle battery; I gifted this recently and the starlock blades were incompatible with their older corded tool as the only gripe.

I believe the Fein degree oscillation matches up with one of the Bosch 18V tools.

 

[dscheidt]

I agree, and that's why I've stayed loyal to Makita for most of my career. 1 battery (18v lxt), dozens of tools. I don't think they get as much credit as they should for maintaining that standard.

The battery thing isn't a fair dig at milwaukee. They've improved the performance of the battery over time, both in capacity and output power, and made tools that take advantage of that. the tools will work with an older battery, but with reduced performance or runtime. old tools run the newer batteries just fine. Makita has done the same thing, as have anyone whose products have evolved with changing technology, while keeping battery compatability.

The m12 line has two battery pack designs. The small one is three cells in series, while the bigger is 6 cells in 3s2p. That means the bigger packs have higher power output, even for the same cells. There are a lot of high draw tools, like saws, that won't work well with the small pack. but the small pack is great for small tools and low draw ones even if they're pretty big, because it's small and light.

They're certainly guilty of having confusing product names and numbers, and keeping it straight is a pain.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

The tool has been very useful. I like the cordless Dewalt 20v xr from Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[dante2]

Go electric and Cheap- the Hyper tough from walmart does all i needed for $16..Has a cord and will start 20 years from now without a battery platform you may or may not have at that time.

I have been going back and forth on a DeWalt OMT and trying to justify buying it. I bought the Hyper Tough for under $20 and have used it 3 times in about 3 years. If I were using it like my drills I would definitely get an XR tool.