In praise of the Multi- tool

[Sam Murdoch]

I posted a while back asking advice on which model to buy. I think I asked if the Porter Cable was such a huge compromise to the Fein. A bunch of replies encouraged me to go the Harbor Freight route. With some timidity I did just that after all. Found a 25% off coupon on a first purchase and ended up buying the variable speed model for around $ 30.00. The first pack of blades cost more .

Anyway I have been using this now for 6 months +/- through lots of remodeling work. I have been driving this tool very hard and it shows no sign of letting up. I LOVE IT. I use it nearly exclusively as a saw - no sanding at all. It has pretty nearly replaced by expensive Makita "saws all" and my Bosch jig saw too. I can guide it along a line without hesitation in plywood, sheetrock, solid wood and do so regularly when laying new sub floors in retrofits. It's a wonderful close trim tool and a hardworking accurate plunge cutter. I am doing close up cutting and in the middle of panels type cutting (as for receptacles or fitting around vent hole or drain pipes) with so much ease.

I think any multi tool is a good thing to have but I am fully endorsing the HF model - at the price and as a proven tool it can't be beat. Yes, it could be lots quieter, could have a longer cord and a bigger storage box but for less than $ 40.00 you aren't hearing me complain. It's my one and only HF tool so this is not an all out endorsement of HF. Most of my high praise for tools is reserved for the green labels.

[Peter Quinn]

I worked with a guy who bought one and his sentiments were similar. We both used a fein at work, and it really is a better machine in almost every way. But you come out $170 ahead, for what it is, it gets the job done. And as you noted Sam it's uses are myriad.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

I have the single speed model with an out the door price of less than $16. I have had it for almost 3 years without s single complaint. When it breaks I will be getting the same thing. HF has its uses and this is one of them.

[Mike Henderson]

I too have the single speed model and it does what I need it to do. I don't use it a lot, however.

Mike

[Sam Murdoch]

I pretty much use mine single speed - full throttle. Never dial it down! 1-1/4" wide, 12 teeth per inch blades and a steady hand.

[Bruce Volden]

Sorry guys, I was thinking Leatherman. Continue.

Bruce

[Matthew Hills]

So which blades or other attachments tend to be useful with these?

Matt

[Benjamin Miller]

I have the cheap red Harbor Freight one and absolutely hate to use it due to the noise, but it's a very useful tool occasionally. I mainly use it to trim shims when installing windows and doors, and to trim door casings and jambs so that flooring can fit underneath.

I could never see a multitool replacing a reciprocating saw, however. A reciprocating saw will eat 2x4's for breakfast when doing demolition, and with a good blade will also tear through steel. I probably have a dozen methods of cutting steel, including a plasma cutter, but I reached for the reciprocating saw last week to cut up a cart made of square tubing.

[Steve Gojevic]

I bought the gray multi-speed tool about 3 years ago from HF. I have beat on this tool to the point the gearbox got too hot to touch. I have trimmed 1" off the edge of a 2x12 for abpout 2' ( it was against a wall so other saws wouldn't fit. I used the scraper end on a wooden boat restoration. The tool has held up perfectly. Most HF power tools do the job ok but feel like a cheaper tool when you hold it (probably due to the lower-grade plastic housing). This tool, however, feels like a much higher quality tool. It even has a soft rubber overmolded grip. This is the first power tool from HF I can say that about. It's a hidden gem among so-so tools at HF. I paid about $50 when it first came out, but now can be had for less than $30 with coupons.

Before I bought the HF multi-tool, I was wondering what the fuss was about these types of tools. Now I would be hard pressed to get along without it. I use it to make square holes in wood, drywall, etc. It can do this because the actual side-to-side travel of the blade is very small. If my HF multi-tool failed today, I would immediately go to HF and buy another one.

BTW, the other gem I have found at HF is the angle-head drill for $25 or so. It's great for places a regular drill is too long to fit in, like drilling holes in wall studs for electrical wiring. It probably wouldn't hold up long-term for a contarctor using it daily, but mine has been fine for the use a homeowner gives it. The name brand angle-head drills start at double the price and up, too much for my ocaissonal use needs.

Steve

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have a pair of the single speed ones.
I keep a half moon blade on one and a plunge blade (Imperial)on the other.

Just don't use one on a fiberglass tub surround.....

(mine quit cutting after about 6 inches or so. When I looked at the blade, al the teeth were gone! Fiberglass is tough on blades.)

[Bill Huber]

I have a Multi-Tool, not an HF but it is a variable speed, cordless model and I use the thing all the time. I use mine more for sanding then anything else, it is just so handy getting in to tight places.

When I have used it for cutting it has been great and there is just nothing else that will do the job I needed to do like a Mulit-tool.

[David Hostetler]

I bought my HF Variable Speed Multi Tool, along with some additional blades, and about 4 of the Carbide grinding heads back in January... There is a reason for this purchase. I had seen a lot of positive reviews for this tool, and I ponied up for the extended warranty. Grabbed one of these and went to work grinding out thin set from the area around my back door, and it has been working wonders. I don't run it very long, as long as I want to do the job, and then I stop... The area to be cleaned is 6x8 and is about half done, I work on it when I get time, which isn't enough... Anyway I thought i would have gone through the carbide cutter by now, but it is going strong. Probably still have some life left after this job is done...

The multitool itself I have used extensively for sanding, and cutting. The plunge blade has allowed me to make MUCH cleaner, more accurate cuts into drywall for the electrical work in the shop than was ever possible before, and the detail sanding attachment means my Ryobi corner / detail sander stays in its bag, which is fine by me!

I can not compare this to higher end multi tools, and honestly I bought mine mostly to experiment with this type of tool... I am not certain there is a whole lot aside from maybe dust collection that they could have done to improve this tiool... It is holding up so far to a lot of VERY heavy use and abuse.

For my cutting I keep the speed up full speed, but for grinding, I found running it down about halfway resulted in the fastest material removal. So yeah, for me anyway, the variable speed was worth the extra money...

My only complaint is I like to have my tools in cases / tool bags so that I can keep the tool, and its associated accessories together. And the HF promotional photos show a nice blow molded case with this model. That appears to be a thing of the past. Mine did not come with one... I bought a small Stanley plastic tool box at Big Lots for $1.00 and stuffed it, and the blades etc... in there and it's fine... And I know exactly which tool is in that case!

I have said this elsewhere before, but honestly, aside from dust collection. I am not sure they could have made this any better if they tried... This really is one of HF's gems...

[David Hostetler]

What specific work / task are you trying to accomplish? For me the most commonly used attachments so far are the carbide grinding attachment, the sanding triangle, and the plunge blade. The half moon looks useful for flush cuts but I haven't tried it yet...

So which blades or other attachments tend to be useful with these?

Matt

[Lee Schierer]

I purchased a Bosch multi tool after using a Dremel one at my daughters house that belonged to a workman that was doing some work for her. I didn't like the Dremel because it got very hot while I was using it and it didn't have much power. You could easily stall the Dremel with light hand pressure. I've been very pleased with the Bosch and have used it several times to make cuts that would be difficult any other way.

[Henry Kramer]

Sorry guys, I was thinking Leatherman. Continue.

Bruce

I was thinking the same thing. I have been a tool freak for over 50 years and it took me a while and a search on Harbor Freight to figure out it was a multi function oscillating tool that was being discussed.
HK