Power Tool Recommendations

[Flyfisher]

I almost posted this in the "Dear Santa . . ." topic but then thought that a spearate topic might be more useful in future.

This is the "Dear Santa" post that prompted it:

My other half loves this, it can cut things that are attached to other things! Like skirting and coving that needs altering for example or fitting a loft hatch. We got the corded one for obvious reasons and we also couldn't think of any time it would be needed away from power.

http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p~58136~PMF190-E-Allrounder-Multi-Tool.html?utm_campaign=googleshopping&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=Product+Search&gclid=CJuq8u_i8bMCFSHHtAodrHMA3A

I quite fancy one of those multi-tool gizmos and their prices have recently fallen to something sensible. I'm just wondering how robust they actually are and whether anyone has had one for a while and given it a hard time?

I've got (had!) a Ryobi reciprocating saw and it was a great help recently when repairing the roof of our outbuildings . . . until the reciprocating mechanism gave up the ghost. I appreciate Ryobi may not be the best brand but it was still a bit disappointing to break so soon. I guess the reciprocating mechanisms take a lot of stress, which brings me back to the subject of the multi-tools as per dalivar's above link.

Any thoughts and/or recommendations?

 

[skier-hughes]

Green ones are home use, blue ones are heavier duty and aimed at serious diy / light trade use.

 

[Penners]

That type of tool is incredibly versatile. I have a pal who has one, and it spends most of its life in my house! However, as it's one of those tools that you keep finding extra uses for, I really would recommend getting the most robust one you can. Bosch is an acceptable brand, but if you're prepared to shell out a bit more, I'd go for the Fein Multimaster. It's a superb quality tool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nynD2SfyINU

 

[middi]

Nowdays, when deciding to buy power tools, is not as easy as it used to be a few years ago. Because of of the " cheaper brands" saturating the narket with similar products at " affordable price" and , obviously, not of the same quality. The " professional" tool manufacturers had to jump on the bandwagon ( as to not loose market share) and also produced the cheaper brands under their own logo but categorised the difference by , usually, colour coding them according to the level of usage their cheaper products are suitable for.
Usually the cost of similar( or same ) tools differ by a sudstantial amount and it is a good guide as to which is the more robust tool.

We all know( as example) we can buy a well known make hammer drill for as little as 40 or 50 quid. For the tradesman every day usage this drill is next to useless . A £250 to £300 hammer drill is more suitable. The cheaper drill will perform ( nearly) as well as the expensive drill, but only for a short period of usage ( the cheaper materials used to build this drill will crack up under continuous and rigorous strain)

A good guide, once you indentify the " right" tool required for the job, try to indentify the extense of usage you require from it.
Try to ascertain how the particular tool is categorised according to suitability of use( usually supplied by the manufacturer)

I tend not to buy at the cheaper end of the market, found out many years ago, they are a waste of time if you need to use them every day for about a week. As to a reciprocating tool and due to the permanently oscillating and moving parts associated with it, it would not last very long if cheaper and less hardened materials are used to build it.

Middi

 

[DJH]

I've got a Fein one which set me back about £150 a few years back and I'm delighted with it. The blades can be quite expensive though but I've found that if you adjust the cutting speed down to suit the material you're cutting and don't push too hard it works well. The beauty of it is that you can cut right up against anything without actually cutting into that 'anything'! For example cutting the bottom of architraves or skirting which is fixed in place.

A couple of things I've noticed is that the object you are cutting must be held firmly to t stop it vibrating at the same speed as the saw. Worst of all is that it sounds like an old fashioned dentists drill. :shock:

PS Axminster Power Tools have a Bosch one on offer for £69.99 which looks a good buy to me..........

 

[Flyfisher]

I sometimes dread the Axminster catalogue being delivered as it usually costs me a few bob. They are also quite good at rating their power tools according to usage, thus 'light trade', 'trade' 'continuous' etc.

I think I bought the reciprocating saw from screwfix though. I liked the idea of such a tool but wasn't sure how much use it would really get and, until the roof repairs, I only used it occasionally. As soon as I had a project to really make it work for a living, it wasn't too long before the reciprocating gearbox decided it had had enough.

 

[eezageeza]

if you're prepared to shell out a bit more, I'd go for the Fein Multimaster

The Bosch blue equivalent is about the same price as the Fein at the moment, so you can just choose your brand...its worth checking all the blades etc that come as part of the kit, and making sure you get the deal that has the most "extras" supplied, because buying them subsequently they are very expensive.

 

[Feltwell]

I've had one of these multi-tools for about a year now, funnily enough purchased following a discussion on here!

They are one of those tools that I find you use only occasionally, but when you do it is invaluable and I definitely wouldn't be without one now.

Fein are great but very expensive, mine is a CEL and it's very good in my opinion - as I've found it's only an occasional use tool I wouldn't spend a fortune. Watch the blade costs when comparing manufacturers - It's relatively easy to blunt a blade and some manufacturers charge a lot for them.

Not sure what other brands are like, but mine is noisy - just a function of the oscillating speed I think so I suspect all will be similar. I wouldn't bother with the cordless, for the amount of times you'll use it I reckon it would always be flat when you come to want it.

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-353154/cel-uk-mt3.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MultiPRO-24...5E3O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1354131888&sr=8-2

Read the most critical review on Amazon above, and you'll see that the UK importer picked up ob this and replied to the criticism in a very helpful manner. I've contacted them to buy blades and with a query, they were really helpful.

 

[Penners]

mine is noisy

Yes, the Fein is quite noisy, too. As you say, Feltwell, I think a high speed reciprocation like this is pretty well impossible to keep quiet.

 

[DJH]

The Fein I have is the quick fit blade type which is so much easier than using that silly shaped allen key. The first one I bought was the old type and my electrician friend borrowed it for five years so I had to get another. The temptation with the machine is to push hard when using it but if you let it work its way through its fine. I can never get it to cut oak though. It just smokes continually and wears the blade out. I wouldn't be without it though.....

 

[Lime]

I've never used one of these tools but I have thought of several jobs for it already, if I buy one.
This is the original link
http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p~58136~PMF190-E-Allrounder-Multi-Tool.html?utm_campaign=googleshopping&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=Product+Search&gclid=CJuq8u_i8bMCFSHHtAodrHMA3A

I have to say that the cut door surround for the laminate floor demonstrated in the video would really annoy me if I had to look at it every day.
It isn't straight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one reason I hesitate buying this tool is because I have completely run out of space to put any more new tools, my shed if full to bursting.
The latest hedge trimmer purchase sits in its box by the back door and has nowhere to go.

 

[dalivar]

Agreed about the storage Lime! Cuboards in the house are starting to take the overspill, he needs a bigger shed!

We got this tool last Christmas and it hasn't been used on anything really nasty so I couldn't comment about the longevity, however the blades are indeed quite expensive considering how quickly they can wear out.

 

[Feltwell]

The Fein I have is the quick fit blade type which is so much easier than using that silly shaped allen key.

I agree but I think it's relative to the amount of use as to if the quickfit is worth the extra expense. My CEL is an allen key job, it's a bit fiddly but you can still change a blade in about 30 seconds or so. Unless you're a regular pro user I'd say it's not worth worrying about.

my shed if full to bursting.

There's an obvious answer to that - bigger shed required, every man (and quite a few women) needs their "man cave" to retreat to. Occasionally Mrs F suggests that the size of the cave is adequate, it's the amount of cr@p contained within that is the problem, which is just so obviously and blatantly wrong that it barely merits the effort required to answer :wink:

 

[Penners]

bigger shed required

That's a universal situation isn't it? There's no such thing as a large enough shed.

 

[Feltwell]

Hmmm - I was stood inside this one yesterday, I suspect it would suffice. The picture shows about 10% of it's size.

 

[Penners]

I guarantee I could fill that with cr@p inside 6 months.

Mrs P agrees.

 

[Flyfisher]

Six months? Are you slowing down then? :wink:

Actually, my experience is that sheds seem to fill themselves to overflowing because I never remember doing it.

 

[Penners]

It's a version of Parkinson's Law - cr@p expands to exceed the available shed-space.

 

[LadyArowana]

It's a version of Parkinson's Law - cr@p expands to exceed the available shed-space.

I wonder if God made an expanding universe for that reason, Mrs God was fed up with all his junk and told him to go make his own space for it.

 

[Penners]

I think you're partly correct, Yer Ladyship. He created the expanding universe to accommodate his junk. She retaliated by creating Black Holes as sort of celestial middens, to get rid of it all.