OK, if yo have been waiting to buy a Fein Multimaster it might not get any better than this starter kit. $139.00
What's the difference between the 250 and 350?
250 watts vs. 350 watts? Is that all?
I saw that. It's about $45 or so bucks less than Amazon and even more than that at other places. Great deal on that one. If those damn HF machines I bought a few years ago weren't STILL working after all the jobs they have been on, I would probably bite.
MIKE, when I got the ad that Leon referenced, I had the same question. See here:
Apparently the 350 does have a bigger motor, increased motor cooling (proba bly needed with the larger motor), a dust port and some other improvements.
Just for me, since I use these tools out on site I don't care a fig about a ll the other features. I think for most people and even most contractors t his would be a great tool.
Robert
FWIW I and probably Swingman too have the older Multimasters. Mine is
160 watts and I have never ever even thought that a stronger motor would be of more benefit. The Fein web site advertizes 350 watts. If this one in the link is 25o watts I seriousely doubt that you would ever have issue with less power as that is 90 watts more than mine.Let us think. one is a 1/3 hp motor and the other is a 1/2 hp motor. One will torque your arm more than the other. Simply what do you plan on doing with it, picture frames and toys or Home building and industrial sites.
My bet, the 350 is more expensive as well. Has different gears and maybe more or different options.
Mart> >> OK, if yo have been waiting to buy a Fein Multimaster it might not
Trust me, neither has any torque to speak of. I have the 350 and was utterly amazed at how light it feels in the hand when on full blast. The HF one, on the other hand, numbs the hand fairly quickly.
I hadn't thought of that. I looked up the model of HF multitool that I have , and it is a 180 watt model. I used the heck out of it and have even plun ge cut through 2" of gravel roofing with it to cut out a 12" square for ven t installation and repairs. Never have I bogged it down.
Mine is a single speed. To make a more fair comparison to the referenced F ein, the HF variable speed doesn't list the wattage of the tool, but their variable speed does pull about a half amp more, so it must be a bit more po werful.
But mine has always had plenty of power and I haven't ever needed variable speed, so the $15 model (as always, on sale)is fine for me.
If you had a use for that tool though, the Fein is a heckuva buy.
Robert
I believe the extra wattage doesn't necessarily make it cut faster at higher speeds, I think it's the opposite. I don't think I ever had a problem with the HF single speed being too slow or not strong enough. The higher wattage helps it cut better at lower speeds. You still get some power/torque in the low ranges.
I don't know about the 250 model, but the 350 has an anti-bog-down feature which varies the power being send to the oscillator depending on the resistance it encounters. I can attest that it is a useful feature as I've felt it kick in several times.
Also as to variable speed. It's nice to have the lower speeds. I had only used the single speed HF until I got the Fein. Now I find myself lowering the speed fairly often. It's hard to describe but for certain cuts and certain materials, a lower speed is better.
I have the dremel, and also lower the speed quite often. As far as power, I don't notice a lack of.
If you could even detect that, it isolates back and forth about 3~5 degrees.
Biggest problem with sigle speed is the smoke you get cutting hardwood.. My brother bought the single speed Fein because the variable soeed was a hundred bucks more - he's been kicking himself ever since. I bought a variable speed knock-off from Canadian Tite for less than the premium he would have paid for the variable speed Fein (on sale at CTC)
And I have the 12v cordless, variable speed Bosch and like the rest of you have never felt the power of this unit lacking.
Some have given decent marks, sort of, to the Harbor Freight unit; others not so much.
I think the bottom line upon which we can all agree is...
Get a multi-tool. You'll wonder how you ever got along without one. Doesn't seem to matter what job I'm tackling at home or at one of the kids' places, the multi-tool comes with me be it woodwork, plumbing, or electrical.
Your brother can put a speed control in line in the cord. I have one for my old router that didn't have a speed control. Works fine. I have used it for many things.
The inline speed controld are "generally" just power controllers - with no speed feedback. The variable speed units have a feedback loop that delivers more power as the speed drops to maintain speed under load.
I've used a "dimmer" to vary the speed and it does work - but it actually just "reduces" the speed, it doen't "controll" it.
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