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Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

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Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

#1

Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

Tim Greif - West of Chicago

When my floor guy refinished my hardwood floors, he talked me into sanded-in-place oak registers. They pretty much disappear into the floor. He installed three of them. I was wondering how he was going to cut out the floor and fit them prior to sanding. I was really surprised to see him get out a Ridgid oscillating multi-tool. He installed a Fein metal cutting blade and carefully made the cross grain end cuts to fit the register insert. The long edge was cut to simply butt up to the nearest full board edge which he also used the multi-tool on. He then chiseled out the waste pieces. He applied some wood glue all around and a bit of wood filler at the edges near the top surface. He did all three the same way. Not one of them has any cut marks across the grain visible. Never having owned one of these because I thought they were for pretty crude cuts, I'm now rethinking that.


Re: Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

#2

Re: Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PI

Barry Irby

I have two, both of them Bosch, one battery and one corded. Bought the first one because it was on sale so cheap I couldn't pass it up. Got the second one because the first one was so useful. I keep finding things to do with it I would have never thought of before I got it. Cut out square notches for deck pickets. Cut drywall for outlet boxes like butta. Recently cut miters in trim panels above the front door using a speed square to set the angle. (Didn't carry a miter box with me.) Cut offending nails with a metal cutting blade. And fifty more things. A very useful tool.

Re: Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

#3

Same here...

John in NM

Bought a Rigid version for the right angle drill attachment, but I've used the oscillating head far more. Got an aggressive blade with Japanese handsaw style teeth at Harbor Freight and I've used it for tons of stuff. Cutting in outlet boxes is probably my favorite use for it.

Even got a sheet metal shear head for it. That's going to be really handy next time I put on a roof (probably this spring).

Re: Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

#4

Re: Same here...

KenK

Don't forget the triangle shaped sander attachment . Great for getting into corners.

Re: Impressed with accuracy of multi-tool cuts *PICS*

#5

Osc. tool vs Multi-tool?

Henry (Raleigh NC)

John

I think you are describing a real multi-tool. I know Ridgid has such a thing, with different heads to attach to the same power unit (shear, osc head, jigsaw, etc). These variety of heads can have very different movements (linear for a jigsaw, linear in the perpendicular direction for a 'sawsall', different again for a shear. BTW the Ryobi and Ridgid versions of this multi-tool use the same interface and therefore the heads and/or base units are interchangeable. I have the Ryobi base unit and a Ridgid jigsaw head that fits and works on it.

What many describe as a multi-tool is something I have come to describe as an oscillating tool (variety of blades, can use as osc. sander). These all share the same movement - oscillating.

In my usage a multi-tool can be fit with an oscillating head etc, but a oscillating tool can only drive osc movements (not a jig saw or shear etc).

Lot's of room for clarity and/or not here. My usage/terminology does not necessarily translate to others.

Henry

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