Review, Harbor Freight Oscillating Multifunction Tool

[Ivan Vegvary]

Finally had an occasion to use my oscillating tool. Cutting 8"x16" holes on the underside of my eaves to create ventilation. 36 total!

3/8 inch plywood boxed eaves. Considered skill saw, saber saw, roto- zip and oscillating tool. Note: This is all overhead work, approximately 8-11 feet off ground.

Skill saw: While I do own a portable model, I considered it to be too dangerous to be used upside down and overhead. Also if I make a template, I could use it only to trace with a pencil and not trace with the saw. I'd probably end up cutting it to shreds in no time.

Saber saw: This would require starting holes in the corners or some clever plunge cuts. Template could be made to compensate for the shoe width. Tried this and found it to be heavy and difficult especially when coming across a rafter. Depth of cut can not be adjusted other than by cutting off part of the blade.

Roto-Zip: This tool worked nicely. Template has to be made larger due to the with of the shoe (base). Very agressive, hard to control overhead and LOTS of sawdust.

Multifunction: (MF) THIS WAS THE WINNER!!! Fairly light weight. Template (Masonite hardboard) with inside cutout exactly 8"x16". Plunge cut no problem. Used the half-moon "Wood & Drywall" cutter. Easy to follow template. WILL NOT CUT INTO TEMPLATE, except at the ends. Method used: Template tucked up against facia board. This offsets the cut-out 4 inches from the board. Template screwed to eave facing with two diagonally placed drywall screws. These screw holes match the holes in the new grill covers. MF tool traces lightly around the cutout simply scoring at about 1/4 depth of th plywood. MF tool stops about 1/2 inch short of the corners. Template is removed. MF tool finishes the cuts at full depth and out to the corners. Grill is screwed onto the hole (6 screws total) with two of the screws falling into the existing holes used in the template. Instead of working from a ladder, I welded a removable hand-rail unto my Kubota tractor and stood in the bucket with all the tools. Simply drive from location to location and adjusted the height accordingly.

TOOL PERFORMANCE: Loud, but performed very well. I did 14 holes by the time the blade wore out. Not bad, considering that it's 48 inches of cut per hole, for a total of 672 inches, or 56 feet. This would be equivalent to undercutting about 100=B1 door jambs!! Extremely safe.

QUESTION: The teeth on the cutter don't have any 'set'. Would this work better with 'set' teeth? Is 'set' simply to allow saw dust to get out of the way? Of course, having no 'set' is probably the reason that the tool does not 'grab' and cut into the template as you slide it along.

Ivan Vegvary

[Ivan Vegvary]

Forgot the link. Sorry.

[Larry Jaques]

They can be tough, but for demo work, they're fine. They're heavy and buck way too much to be tame enough for following lines precisely.

Less fun when running over the stray rafter, huh?

Much wider kerfs are like that. Yeah they are.

I'm happy with the blade life, too. I (mostly) cut notches in PT tubasixes for decking and railings.

The lack of set has made me a bit ornery at times, too, but I learned to blow the sawdust out as I cut. I keep forgetting to put a piece of tubing in the truck for my next job, though. Hmm, this would work, though. I'll put it out there right now.

I talked a newb into buying the cheapie at HF the other day, when I replaced a missing t-bevel (and, what else?) buy some more clamps. I had a coupon for the 12" quick clamp/spreaders for $1.99.

MFTs RULE!

-- Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. -- Margaret Lee Runbeck

[-MIKE-]

I haven't noticed that at all.

[Larry W]

Nice example of a use for the tool. I wonder how many Fein owners would feel comfortable taking their $300+ tool up a ladder to do the same?

[Upscale]

If it interests you, some people sharpen their blades. Apparently, a sanding/cutoff wheel in a Dremel can be used to cut new teeth in the multifunction tool blade. I've never heard of a set being put on the teeth and doubt it's necessary as long as your blades aren't getting stuck. Just ensure that new teeth are clean and flat.

[Michael Kenefick]

Add your comment to the HF review website.

I do not believe the site is owned by HF.

Mike > Finally had an occasion to use my oscillating tool. Cutting 8"x16"

[Morgans]

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote

about 40 seconds before the armature burned up.

Never again.

[J. Clarke]

Perhaps he has the multifunction tools conflated with something else. I notice that a _lot_ of people think that they are some variant of an angle grinder.

[Lobby Dosser]

You didn't take it back? Usually the grinders last forever and at about $10 a pop are a terrific bargain. Also not that the Blade in the OP's MF tool lasted 56 Feet. The blades are about $2, IIRC.

[Larry Jaques]

You're one of the few. Most of us run them for years on end without a hitch. Ten bucks well spent!

-- Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. -- Margaret Lee Runbeck

[HeyBub]

I had almost the exact same project except my holes for soffit vents were 8 inches by four feet. I tried several of the same tools you did.

What finally worked best for me was a branch-trimming chain saw!

Oh the edges of the resulting hole were not, er, "neat," but they were being covered by a home-made screen, so the irregularities did not show.

And, as another responder said, you CAN "sharpen" a worn-out blade by using a rotary Dremel to cut as many 1/8" slots in the blade as you can muster.

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------------- "Larry Jaques" wrote:

----------------------------- Count me in the POS crowd.

Took less than 15 minutes to burn one out.

Not worth the time it would take to return it.

When it comes to 4" right angle sander/grinder, you have Milwaukee and those that want to be Milwaukee when they grow up..

I've zapped Makita as well, just takes a little longer.

Lew

[Lobby Dosser]

Sounds more like You are the problem. I used to be that way with watches,

[Lew Hodgett]

----------------------------------

"Lobby Dosser" wrote:

---------------------------------------- Working with fiberglass is a different kettle of fish than working with wood.

Lew

[Upscale]

Used to? I've got three watches that all have to be sent in for repair. Almost $600 spent on these POS and they keep breaking down on me inside the first year of warranty. I'm not violent with any with with them, don't bang them on anything and don't drop them. Yet, they keep breaking down on me.

Please, please tell me how you solved your watch problem? Do you still wear watches?

[Bill Gill]

I found another use for my MF yesterday. I replaced a strike plate for a door latch. The new one was larger than the old one and I had to enlarge the mortise to set it in, and the hole behind the catch hole. The MF worked great, a few seconds each cut and there it was.

Bill

[Leon]

QUESTION: The teeth on the cutter don't have any 'set'. Would this work better with 'set' teeth? Is 'set' simply to allow saw dust to get out of the way? Of course, having no 'set' is probably the reason that the tool does not 'grab' and cut into the template as you slide it along.

Ivan Vegvary

Very doubtful if it blade would work better with set in the teeth. Teeth are often set to create a wider kerf so that the work does not pinch the back side of the blade.

Because the tooth travel is greatly limited you need to still use the tool as if using a hand saw to clear the dust out of the teeth. Fein instructed me to work the tool back and forth as if slicing a loaf of bread. FWIW there are blades that do have a set and that do work with these type tools, I have found that they do not perform better as a rule and leave a jagged cut.

[Ivan Vegvary]

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 -- Margaret Lee Runbeck

I now own 7 HF 4-1/2" grinders, plus one parts grinder. Do not put them through heave use, BUT, it's sure nice not to have to change wheels etc., and simply pick up the nest grinder. Mounted are grinding wheels, cut-off wheels, wire brushes, masonry wheels, diamond wheel etc. Had them for over 8 years. Yes, they are noisy, but at the price I'll simply wear ear protection. Contractors like them because if they walk off the job the loss isn't so great.

Ivan Vegvary

[Hoosierpopi]

Considered skill saw, saber saw, roto-zip and oscillating tool.

I used my router for this job - I guess akin to your roto-zip. I tacked the template to the wood and routed out the opening nicely, clean and with little difficulty (well, I was working upside down on a ladder with a fear of heights).

I was only adding extra ventilation so only did ten or so openings.

Did you use the cheap model or the more expensive variable speed unit?