[The Coastal Craftsman]

Ok guys. I keep seeing more and more company's bringing out these multimaster type tools and wondering if they are really as good as they say. These infomercial things are a bit misleading and seem to lie a lot.
I tried using one in HD to cut some Waste pipe and wood but it took a lot longer than it did cutting waste pipe on TV. I think they were cutting that cheap thin waste pipe what the traps are made from and balsa wood.

How have you guys found these tools to work. They look like they have there good points for cutting baseboard flush with floor and so on but are they really worth the money they are asking?

 

[neolitic]

Do a search, there are several threads. :thumbsup:
I have a SoniCrafter and I'm happy so far.

 

[gbryant1]

I got one of the dremel multimasters and like you said it has its good points and its bad. I got it to use on some wallpaper that was four layers thick and it worked like a charm. I have since used it to cut some base boards and to cut out a oven cabinet for a bigger oven.
It gets hot real quick and the blades seem to wear out too quick. I think that it will serve its purpose but I do not plan on replacing any of my other tools with it.

 

[KMac]

I have a multimaster. The blades are expensive and the ware out too quick. However, in the two years i have owned one it has gotten me out of quite a few jambs and I've gotten my money's worth. Every once in awhile it seems like it's the only thing that will work in a given circumstance and i thank god i own one - other times i curse the thing - usually when I'm dropping dough on them crap blades.

 

[J F]

I had one for about 7 years (iirc I paid about $360) and it doesn't get used often, but I've never regretted the purchase, because when you need it, you need it.

It's great for things like cutting out existing baseboard to install a built-in, or cutting out for a new floor receptacle in hardwood flooring, etc.

It's also good for grout removal (with the proper blade of course). I wouldn't want to do many lineal feet of cutting with it, but that's not what it's designed for. It's for those tight spots or where you need a good controlled cut in existing work.

Lot's of other uses, but that's what I've mainly used it for.

I've heard very good things about these blades on a couple of different forums over the last couple of years.. less expensive than the fein blades.

http://multiblades.com/

 

[BACKWOODS]

I have a knockoff from Harbor Freight, 34.99 on sale. I have used it many times, cutting, sanding, scrape away caulk. It does well and the price is right. Try one before you by the real thing!

 

[neolitic]

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/fein-multimaster-56051/?highlight=Fein+Multi-Master

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/must-have-tool-55244/?highlight=Fein+Multi-Master

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/rockwell-sonic-crafter-review-57313/?highlight=sonicrafter

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/anyone-use-dremmel-multi-max-54738/?highlight=sonicrafter

 

[samthedog]

It's like a pair of tweezers. You may not use it all the time, but when you need it you are happy you parted with the cash. I have used mine to cut pipes flush with walls and flooring, undercutting and a host of other fiddly jobs. Sure they cost a lot, but I am confident it will last the length of time I will use tools. Blades are simply theft but when nothing else will do you don't care about it.

samthedog.

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

Thanks for the replies guys. I also looked at some reviews then went out and took a look at the Fein, Dremel and Bosch versions. I ended up with the Bosch version due to it being light weight and cordless. It was the only one that wernt out on test display but for the time i will be using it i would rather not be plugging in cables and getting extension cords. To my surprise the Bosch is a lot more powerful than i expected. It cuts as fast as the Dremel and Fein. The Fein was just far to over priced seeings it didn't seem to offer anything more than the Dremel offered at 3-4x the price. I'm sure it will outlast the others but just not worth the extra cost in my eyes.

 

[Mike Finley]

I long ago stopped thinking there is any such thing as an over priced tool in this world. The Fein is priced correctly for what it is. The rest are priced right for what they are. The Fein is not over priced, no more than a Ferrari is over priced compared to a Porsche. The Bosch is not a Fein, nor is the dremel or any of the others.

These are limited use tools that are specific to a need, like a router or a recip saw, when you have a specific need there is just not anything else that will do what that tool will do.

We just had to cut out a hard wood floor with 3 angles to it, there was no other tool that would let you make the end cuts beside the Multi-master and do them so well as they look absolutely perfect. It's a tool that when it's needed it's needed. To use it to sand with? Um okay?

It a plunge cutter that delivers a finished carpentry edge, pretty near impossible to duplicated in some situations with any other tool.

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

I long ago stopped thinking there is any such thing as an over priced tool in this world. The Fein is priced correctly for what it is. The rest are priced right for what they are. The Fein is not over priced, no more than a Ferrari is over priced compared to a Porsche. The Bosch is not a Fein, nor is the dremel or any of the others.

These are limited use tools that are specific to a need, like a router or a recip saw, when you have a specific need there is just not anything else that will do what that tool will do.

We just had to cut out a hard wood floor with 3 angles to it, there was no other tool that would let you make the end cuts beside the Multi-master and do them so well as they look absolutely perfect. It's a tool that when it's needed it's needed. To use it to sand with? Um okay?

It a plunge cutter that delivers a finished carpentry edge, pretty near impossible to duplicated in some situations with any other tool.

I fully agree that normally more money spent = a better tool for it's designed job 95% of the time. As some will already know i don't skimp on my tools, But after trying out the Dremel and Fein i really couldn't see spending the extra money on the Fein for what the tool was being purchased for. I'm only using it to clear grout, chop some baseboards, Sheetrock holes and maybe some awkward placed lumber cut off's here and there. The Bosch works nothing like you expect it to for a 12v tool. I tried it with a flat battery and it flew through a 2x4 i had lieing around. Well impressed with it so far. But like i say I'm sure the Fein is a better tool but not worth the 3-4x price increase for what I'm using it for. In the end it is just a rough out tool and is not intended to be a finish tool.

 

[Framer53]

I fully agree that normally more money spent = a better tool for it's designed job 95% of the time. As some will already know i don't skimp on my tools, But after trying out the Dremel and Fein i really couldn't see spending the extra money on the Fein for what the tool was being purchased for. I'm only using it to clear grout, chop some baseboards, Sheetrock holes and maybe some awkward placed lumber cut off's here and there. The Bosch works nothing like you expect it to for a 12v tool. I tried it with a flat battery and it flew through a 2x4 i had lieing around. Well impressed with it so far. But like i say I'm sure the Fein is a better tool but not worth the 3-4x price increase for what I'm using it for. In the end it is just a rough out tool and is not intended to be a finish tool.

I'm telling you, you should have tried the HF version. According to the tool reviews there were 1 things missing. Variable speed. Trust me I have used both like them both.
I do know the HF is a good tool. I was very suprised.
I understand that Sears has one now that is cordless.

I do know, the blades are a lot less expensive for the HF>

 

[KennMacMoragh]

I used it once working for a company to cut out some hardwood floors. The customer complained that the hardwood floor was touching the walls and sound would travel through the wall because of it. So we had to do some detail work and cut out some hardwood. I've seen guys use it to demolition drywall, they claim it cuts back on the dust with a fein tool, but it also takes about five times longer than a sawzall. I'd only buy one if I had too much money and I wanted to get rid of some of it. I can think of lots of other tools I'd rather have.

 

[cbfx3]

I tried on on a whim ( another guy on the job had a fein) ... for certain cuts they are a lifesaver! I have used the fein and it is definitely a better tool than the dremel .. I bought a dremel and have burned it up after about 3 months. One of my employees bought the harbor freight cheepo model and it has outlasted the dremel.. I will definitely replace mine with either the fein or the bosch.. if you plan on using it more than every now and then stay away from the dremel

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

I'm telling you, you should have tried the HF version. According to the tool reviews there were 1 things missing. Variable speed. Trust me I have used both like them both.
I do know the HF is a good tool. I was very suprised.
I understand that Sears has one now that is cordless.

I do know, the blades are a lot less expensive for the HF>

I didn't goto HF but i did come across some reviews and there was a lot of faulty return problems for the HF model. I need it to be reliable as i don't want the hassle of having to take stuff back for exchange. I don't have a lot of luck with HF stuff. I bought a media blasting cabinet and some other bits and pieces and they were all faulty when i got home and tried them. I fixed most of the problems my self but i ain't to keen on buying stuff from there anymore. They do have some great deals though i will say but they don't sell stuff for the long haul lol. My bro in law who has more money than sense buys all his tools from there. He has about 20 of them little midget hammers they sell lol.

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

I tried on on a whim ( another guy on the job had a fein) ... for certain cuts they are a lifesaver! I have used the fein and it is definitely a better tool than the dremel .. I bought a dremel and have burned it up after about 3 months. One of my employees bought the harbor freight cheepo model and it has outlasted the dremel.. I will definitely replace mine with either the fein or the bosch.. if you plan on using it more than every now and then stay away from the dremel

I believe the Dremel and Bosch are made in the same factory but im not 100% sure. Fein did make a cordless version but it wernt rated very good. The good thing is the Bosch for a cordless is dam powerful. It's only 1000rpm slower than the Fein and it can go lower rpm's than the Fein also. If i was going to be using it more than a couple of time's a week for more than a couple of mins then i would have def purchased the Fein no doubt.

 

[Framer53]

I didn't goto HF but i did come across some reviews and there was a lot of faulty return problems for the HF model. I need it to be reliable as i don't want the hassle of having to take stuff back for exchange. I don't have a lot of luck with HF stuff. I bought a media blasting cabinet and some other bits and pieces and they were all faulty when i got home and tried them. I fixed most of the problems my self but i ain't to keen on buying stuff from there anymore. They do have some great deals though i will say but they don't sell stuff for the long haul lol. My bro in law who has more money than sense buys all his tools from there. He has about 20 of them little midget hammers they sell lol.

Until last year, I wouldn't be caught dead in a HF store. There prices finally wore me down.
The local store manager has sold everyone they could get in. He has had, get this, 0 returns. They are like the Sears of old. If something is broke, just bring it back, no hastles.
Tools that I won't be using everyday are the ones I buy there. Some are good, some aren't. The bad ones go back, and the good ones I keep.
The quality of their tools has gone way up. In fact, I have talked to several guys that swear by their tile saws.
If a store is not near you, I wouldn't bother either, but, our local store is less than a mile away!

 

[Framer53]

I forgot one thing. The tool is great for cutting vinyl siding, when I put a put a deck on a house, it cut the vinyl like butter!!!!

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

Until last year, I wouldn't be caught dead in a HF store. There prices finally wore me down.
The local store manager has sold everyone they could get in. He has had, get this, 0 returns. They are like the Sears of old. If something is broke, just bring it back, no hastles.
Tools that I won't be using everyday are the ones I buy there. Some are good, some aren't. The bad ones go back, and the good ones I keep.
The quality of their tools has gone way up. In fact, I have talked to several guys that swear by their tile saws.
If a store is not near you, I wouldn't bother either, but, our local store is less than a mile away!

I think the reason people dont return stuff is because of it being so cheap. If it gets you through the job you needed it do and it then goes wrong i wouldnt bother taking it back at the prices they sell stuff for. The good thing is they stock some stuff you cant find anywere else and it's dirt cheap.

 

[Mike Finley]

Harbor Freight is to contractors tools as Craigslist is to contractor leads. They both offer low quality pieces of sh*t to contractors.

Did I say that? :shutup:

I've been in there a couple of times, I really like the rip off Chicago Pneumatic tools. They call them Chicago Electric or something like that.

I'm surprised they don't have cheap rip offs of Snap On tools, they could call them Crap Ons.:laughing:

Sorry, I say no to junk, it produces junk results and costs you money in the long run.

All those customers who like the low ball contractors would probably advise you to buy HF tools. I could hear them now : Do you think you could do any better on the price of this job? Maybe if you didn't have all those brand name professional tools? Maybe if you bought your tools at Harbor Freight you could do my job cheaper.

:laughing:

Anyways when it comes to tools I'd actually have no problem spending a lot more on them in some cases. I'd like to see truly professional tools made of metal instead of plastic where it counts, I'd spend more on tools for performance and longevity if they existed. Produce a miter saw made like a freak'n brick sh*t house but weighs 2/3 less and I'd spend $2000 on it if it had a reputation to last a generation. I'd much rather spend $2000 on something like that then $400 on some miter saw with built in obsolescence. Or give me the choice of a $2000 framing nailer that is going to work for 20 years as good as the day it was bought new. Professional tools are supposed to be wicked expensive and not something you'll find in a contractors tool box and in the customer's garage you are working on. "Oh look I have the same drill as you do!"

Look at some of those old sears craftsman skill saws, those things are still perfectly serviceable and in service and are 10 times better then some piece of crap ryobi trying to pretend to be a professional tool. Hilti is probably the last remaining tool maker who actually is making tools for professionals.