Just great 🧐

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:43 pm

I know they are called multi tools because of all the things they can do. But I found out, that not only will mine cut a square hole in a plastic box (One side at a time) it cuts out some old plaster from the wall too.

What a very good invention.
Have you got a multi tool? If not, you really should get one, but what "odd" thing have you done/cut with a multi tool?

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Mon Oct 16, 2023 9:38 pm

cut off flush with a surface
sonic welding [by mistake]
cutting skirting in situ for laminate flooring
dis assemble pallets [lever joint open to nip nail shanks without wood cutting
repairing fence panel by nipping nails to allow timber struts or slats removal

the list is endless so will let others add

fin · Post by **fin** » Mon Oct 16, 2023 11:29 pm

i remember years ago probably still a teenager and i saw a display with a fein multitool in a local merchants. thinking wow those blades are expensive whos gonna buy one of those

im 42 now though and not Fuc$ing daft anymore haha. surely now there cant be any tradesman who doesnt own a multitool

fin · Post by **fin** » Mon Oct 16, 2023 11:30 pm

ok.... not as daft anymore.... still a bit daft at times

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Tue Oct 17, 2023 7:31 am

fin wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2023 11:29 pm . surely now there cant be any tradesman who doesnt own a multitool

Ah , funny you should say that but I'll have to admit to not having one. In retrospect one would probably have been a good idea during my time employed in restoration. I've spent many a time cutting through nails with a hacksaw blade to take panelling or something apart carefully. I suppose a multitool would have been easier but as the firm supplied the power tools I wasn't going to buy one. We did have the Fein cutters but they were pretty much just exclusively used by the masons for clearing ashlar joints. I do remember watching a guy use one to trim the bottom edge of a door insitu and he managed to damage the carpet in the process which probably helped me to think "gimmick , not worth having"....
But , I have been thinking about getting one. In another thread I mentioned we'd brought an Einhell battery mower and strimmer for mrsG and I was looking at what else the batteries would fit and they do a multitool. Saying that I've got dewalt tools so perhaps buy a bare unit from them. Or more likely dither and not buy either....

aeromech3 · Post by **aeromech3** » Tue Oct 17, 2023 7:43 am

Cutting slots, receptacles, for door hinges, just remember the blade goes side to side sos not too over cut.
Much easier than the chisel method.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Tue Oct 17, 2023 7:49 am

I found my Bosch multi-tool very useful in cutting into floorboards on a few occasions. I cannot say I have used it a lot but it has come in handy from time to time. The blades price is a turn off and their longevity is questionable. The metal cutting one was a bit useless.

DWD

etaf · Post by **etaf** » Tue Oct 17, 2023 9:23 am

use mine a lot - dewalt cordless
all sorts of work in brick and plaster work, cutting notches in a beam over porch for 3mm ply , floorboards, laminated floor , skirting boards, cutting pipe work , flush cutting, tile , removing grout
i use a lot of blades from saxtontools, i find they are the best value for money
in face been doing some work in loft , last weekend, and needed to use it on the flooring

fin · Post by **fin** » Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:06 pm

one thing i would absolutely say they are not intended for is choping hinges intt doors... a billion percent either use chisels the traditional way or a jig and a router. either will with skill get a neater result...

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 12:36 am

fin wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:06 pm one thing i would absolutely say they are not intended for is choping hinges intt doors... a billion percent either use chisels the traditional way or a jig and a router. either will with skill get a neater result...

its possible to get it roughed out not to any accuracy as blades often vibrate up and down at 90 degrees to rotation not by a large amount but enough to make it off a bit
like cheating by screwing hinge in position and using a stanley knife or chisel around the edge gives you a reasonable looking fit but far to loose at perhaps 0.5mm too big now a far better job than most but when you realise a hinge pocket should actually be tight enough to hold the door virtually without any screws you realise the level you should aim for so when you miss it a bit its just tight but not enought to hold but not visible

Razor · Post by **Razor** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 5:18 am

I’m with Fin. They really aren’t suitable for hinges.

Mine gets used constantly for everything from cutting pipes to cutting out endless floorboards.

Fun fact, originally they were designed to cut off plaster casts as they will cut rigid materials but not skin which just moves with the oscillations. You can put it against your arm whilst it’s running - just make sure the blade isn’t hot!

Bob225 · Post by **Bob225** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 8:51 am

Keep it moving otherwise you get too much heat in the blade, yes I may have killed a blade or two

Sharpen old blades, they make a good power scraper

Saxton blades are very cost-effective

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:26 am

top tip
if you are cutting up to something abrasive like masonry plaster 'stone'nails stop a few mm short then finnish with an old knackered blade

Graeme from Tod · Post by **Graeme from Tod** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 3:22 pm

We were fitting some stained glass panels into a wooden frame a few weeks ago. We had to remove the existing beading, fit the panels & nail the beading back in place. Whoever had fitted the beading in the first place had used ridiculously long pins which were a nightmare to remove without breaking the beading. We got around this by levering the beading up just enough the slip the blade of our multitool in & cut the pins. The multitool ( Dewalt 18v ) saved the day.

The 'oddest' use I've put it too? A few years ago we were repairing some 400 year old windows which were covered in cracks due to fire damage. We stabilised the glass by carefully filling them with a conservation grade 2 part adhesive which we mixed in very small quantities. It was important to remove any bubbles from the mix. I did this by double sided taping the mixing container to the blade of the multitool & vibrating the bubbles out.

It's not a tool I use everyday but it's gotten me out of jail on several occasions.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Oct 18, 2023 4:32 pm

Just saying thanks so far to everyone.