Fein Multi MasterRS any good?

[Jack]

do house rehabs and wonder if this tool is any good and anyone used one for a large project on a house?

[Pat Barber]

It is a "speciality" tool and can do some very cool things.

It is NOT a production sander. It is a excellent detail sander that can do things no other sander can do.

It is NOT a production saw but it can saw things that you can not attempt with other saws. Try making a trim cut around an electrical box that's 1/8" with any other saw.

It can make plunge cuts in some pretty impossible places.

You will have "postive" control over ANY cut the saw makes.

It can remove grout like nothing you can imagine.

It can scrape things up from concrete like butter.

You will not use it on every single job, but when you need one of it's special talents, NOTHING will do the same job.

Ohhhh...almost forgot...the attachments cost a small fortune.

If you do a LOT of rehabs, this is your magic bullet for certain things.....

Jack wrote:

[J. Clarke]

Quick answer, yes, it does everything they say it does. It's not a replacement for other tools except a detail sander (it's arguably the best detail sander on the market), but it's a problem solver--need to get a rotted window sill out, it's the tool you use to cut the nails holding it to the frame, need to get some old mastic off of plaster, it's the tool you use, need to shorten a door jamb, it's the tool, need to cut a hole in a plaster wall for an outlet box, it's the tool, and so on.

I'm in the process of rebuilding a bathroom with a rotted out floor, and I got one when I realized that it was going to make quick work of at least three different tasks that I was having trouble figuring out an efficient way to do. So far it has exceeded expectations.

Only downside is that the blades are expensive--treat them well though and don't use it for jobs that other tools can do better and they seem to last practically forever, so it's not that much of a problem.

[tom]

If you think a recipercating saw is necessary and useful for house rehabs then you'll find that the Fien Multimaster is equally a useful and necessary tool for house rehabs. You can make very clean cuts at a wall edge. I've used the tool for such things as removing flooring and cutting bevel cedar siding to fit in new trim when I replaced a door. One time, I used it to strip the paint off the window trim for an entire 2 story house. Once you have one, you start finding uses for it more than you ever thought. It's very well made and suitable for professional large scale projects.

It's only draw back is that the various blades are a bit pricey and some blades only last a single job depending on how demanding the job is. My comment on this is that "it's just a job cost that you have to factor in."

Buy one! You won't regret this decision and you will eventually come to the point where you try to figure out how you got by without a Fein Multimaster.

[Patriarch]

"Jack" wrote in news:bY2dnfRDBfV0lAXZnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

I bought one last summer when I redid the master bathroom shower tile & tile floor. I wish I had spent the money much earlier. A wonderful tool.

The price I recall spending at Woodcraft was less than what your site showed, BTW. There are various levels of 'stuff' available in kits from Fein.

Patriarch

[Lew Hodgett]

This tool has no equal if you need to do what this tool can do.

Typical German pricing.

Be prepared to break your piggy bank.

BTW, check amazon for pricing.

Lew

[cm]

Yup I bought one but only after a hands on test. About 1 minute cutting wood with an E-cut blade and I was sold! I bought the $165.00 basic kit. It was originally purchased for our vintage trailer restoration business but is now carried in my home repair service truck. I will eventually get a grout blade.

Good luck, Craig

[Swingman]

I own one and, while I rarely use it, when I grab it it's because nothing else with do. I'd buy it again.

[Leon]

I am starting to think that it will work well when cutting out partial facia board that is covered by 1x2 drip board that is covered by a drip mold that is part of an aluminum roof system... Whew! I have been using a recip saw but the blade is hard to guide when going past the ends of 2x4's and circle saw is tough to control up there and throws out lots of dust. But the Multi router sounds perfect for the job.

[Andy Dingley]

Marvellous things. Not a great deal of use in a workshop, but if you ever need to work on site with something where there's no space to get to it, then they soon pay for themselves.

There's also a pro version with more power. Worth it if you're sawing metal with it all day.

[Swingman]

Your certainly welcome to come by, pick it up and give it a shot before you spring for one. You may have to pick up an appropriate blade, though.

[Robatoy]

I'm very pleased with mine. I keep finding more ways to use it. The blades and stuff are a bit expensive, but I am learning to price them into the jobs.

I'm due to undertake a project in the next couple weeks.....there would be no way to do that job without the Fein MultiMaster.

Get the 'TOP' kit. Well worth the few extra bucks.

r

[J. Clarke]

FWIW, in the US it's called the "XL Professional" kit.

[J. Clarke]

But, adding to the confustion, I just noticed that the case is clearly marked "Multimaster TOP". Incidentally if you're in the US Coastal has an instant rebate on it so it's going for $279, if they have any in stock (it seems to be a hot item--I got mine in the store and it was the last one they had, in fact they sold me their floor model and gave me another ten bucks off).

[Leon]

What, and pass up the opportunity to spend more money on another tool??? LOL

Lets see, since January, new band saw, stationary planer, dust collector, tool chest... the Multi master would be cheap!!!

Thank you, I might take you up on it.

[Toller]

I don't actually disagree with the other opinions; it will do things easily that would be otherwise be difficult. But... those tasks don't come up often; I have only used it a few time a year. I recommend it if you actually know you have a significant need for it, but don't just buy it because it might be useful.

And if possible, get the single speed model. I have the variable speed because I got it at half price when a store went out of business. For every single use, they recommend using the highest speed.