Oscillating Tool Tips And Tricks

An oscillating tool often called an oscillating multi-tool (click to find the top choices), is one of the most versatile hand-held power tools available on the market today. They’re compact, and can easily be operated in even the tightest spaces. And thanks to a wide variety of available attachments, these dynamic tools can efficiently tackle a staggering number of projects. For these reasons, an oscillating multi-tool is a must-have tool for any DIY-er or professional.

The use of an offset in a fitted blade allows the tool to cut flush with a surface. This is particularly useful when fitting flooring along with a skirting board, cutting the skirting to allow the board to slide under for a neat finish. The small form of these tools and the ability to mount the blade or accessory in any orientation allows cutting in areas that are otherwise virtually unreachable.

The ability to cut a complex or precise recess without the need to remove the workpiece from where is it fixed greatly increases productivity. Small and precise cuts are possible even on end grain. A small sliver can be easily removed from timber cut too long for a perfect fit.

Oscillating Multi-Tool

If you don’t own an oscillating multitool, buy one and you’ll wonder how you got along without it. It’s a saw, scraper, sander, and grinder in one handy power tool. It not only does those jobs, but it also does them in inaccessible places, speeding difficult jobs to completion in the process. And the variety of attachments for these tools keeps growing, allowing even more versatility, especially among different materials: steel, aluminum, carpet, hard tile, soft tile, hardwood, softwood, and various plastics.

Trim Cut In

Before the advent of the oscillating tool, adding or modifying interior partitions involved more demolition than construction. Now, you can make a surgical cut along anywhere on the wall, but especially along the baseboard and other trim surfaces.

Undercut Doorjambs

The only neat way to install new flooring in an existing space is to cut the doorjamb and trims to make room for it. That used to require an expensive (and dangerous) flush-cutting circular saw or laborious cutting by hand. The oscillating multitool makes short work of it.

Flush Cuts

The offset shape of the oscillating tool’s blades makes flush cuts a breeze. Here, copper tubing is being cut, but bimetal blades will allow you to make the same cut in steel, say if a nail is poking out somewhere and you need to remove it without disturbing the surroundings.

Dewalt Oscillating Tool

The DeWalt Cordless Oscillating Tool features the same thoughtfulness that the company puts into its other tools. The handle diameter is on the smaller side, and it has plenty of grippy overmolding. As I previously mentioned, this model features a trigger design that allows for multiple hold positions. Moving away from the traditional multi-tool styling, the handle ergonomics are up there with Ridgid as our Pro team’s favorite.

Though it doesn’t use the Starlock System that we like so much, DeWalt has a pretty solid system working for it. Basically, a squeeze of the silver trigger loosens the blade enough to pull it out from the clamps. No extra tools, no muss, no fuss. Outside of Starlock, it’s the easiest system to work with and earns 4.5 stars.

Vibration is where we start to see the DeWalt Cordless Oscillating Tool lose a step or two. The vibration control on this model, or lack thereof, really hurts this tool’s final rating. After using this multi-tool for an extended amount of time, the chances are good that you’ll definitely know it – the vibrations rattling up your arm will likely cause some significant fatigue. Overall, it earns a 3-star rating for vibration control.

Oscillating Tool Blades

To handle numerous projects with your best oscillating tool, you will have to choose a tool that has a number of available accessories. Oscillating tools work with different types of blades that may be straight or round to be used in different projects depending upon their construction.

The main determining factor of the nature of the job to be handled with an oscillating tool blade is the material of the tool blade. Rugged blades are best for tough projects and soft jobs can be handled relatively weedy material blades. Blades best for tremendous projects like cutting metal have a high metallic structure.

Dremel Oscillating Tool

The Dremel Multi-Max MM45 employs a Quick-Lock feature that allows for tool-free accessory changes – a must-have feature in our book. All of the Dremel accessories use the company’s Quick Fit accessory interface. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with only Dremel accessories, though. We turn to Imperial Blades for ours since they fit almost every brand (They don’t have bi-metal options for Festool, but they do have titanium).

Overall, the Dremel Multi-Max MM45 feels comfortable in the hand. At just under 3 pounds, using it doesn’t feel like a burden, even when using it for extended periods. The design and form factor provides a good handhold when using it with either one or two hands. I like a smaller diameter handle as you find on Ridgid and DeWalt, but there are trade-offs that come with it. Overall, the MM45 takes the traditional handle style and finds a good balance to make it both comfortable and maneuverable.

What can an oscillating tool be used for?

• Trimming pipes and screws. Fitted with the right accessory blade, your multi-tool can become a plumber or laborer’s best friend.
• Plunge cuts in your decking.
• Trimming wood and floorboards.
• Cutting out openings in drywall.
• Removing rust from metals.
• Sanding down furniture.
• Scraping adhesive.
• Removing mortar.

What is the best oscillating tool?

• DEWALT DCS355D1 20-Volt Cordless Oscillating Tool.
• PORTER-CABLE PCE605K52 3-Amp Oscillating Tool.
• Rockwell RK5151K 4.2-Amp Oscillating Tool.
• Dremel MM40-05 Multi-Max 3.8-Amp Oscillating Tool.
• Bosch StarlockPlus 4.0-Amp Oscillating Tool.

What is the best Fein Multi-Tool?

• Editor’s Choice: Fein FMM 350QSL MultiMaster.
• A Lot for Your Money: Dremel MM45-05.
• Most Powerful: Bosch GOP55-36C2.
• Good Value: Porter-Cable PCE605K52.
• DeWalt DWE315K.
• Hitachi CV350V.
• Rockwell Sonicrafter RK5151K.

Can you cut tile with an oscillating tool?

For some DIYers, an oscillating tool is among the best tools for cutting tile. An oscillating multi-tool can replace a tile nipper (since it also works by cutting the tile edges to shape it) but cannot replace a manual tile cutter or a wet tile saw and other tile cutting tools.