[shelzmike]

Working on a tile job and it was my first and I will admit that I have quite a bit of thinset ooze to clean out of the grout lines. No big deal really as my oscillating tool with a carbide blade has been working very well. It isn't anything special, was gifted to me and I'm not one to not use a tool, especially gifts. Dremel Multimax MM20. It has basically been pretty sock solid but I think I found it's weakness that I'd hadn't thought of. Extended use and heat in the motor body. Honestly thought nothing of it because the outside nor the exhaust air were hot really. Warm, yes, but hot? Didn't seem like it.

Suddenly, it made a loud racket, higher RPM (sort of OPM maybe?). The blade was oscillating erratically or not at all. At this time, I had ran it for about an hour with no problems, took a break for about half an hour, then started back. 10 minutes later it broke.

I opened the head up and all looked pretty good. The bearing was smooth but the main body under the bearing was hot as a MF. After further inspection, there is a little aluminum "U" shaped piece. What happened is one side of that U has broken off. It looks pretty damn thin to me from the get go.

Of course it is beyond my warranty period, so I have an excuse to upgrade. I am a big DeWalt fan (in all honesty, Milwaukee is probably my overall favorite, but they are better for pros and I can't justify the costs, and in my experience and research DeWalt is a good trade off for quality (most of the time) v. price.

I have 20V XR tools so have the batteries I could use for a cordless dewalt, but I tend to shy away from tools that intend on running for longer periods of time in lieu of corded. No clue if that is a valid concern or not.

What are some of the oscillating tools you guys and gals have been using that have a proven track record with your usage?

 

[chandler48]

You'll never go wrong with a Fein Q250. Of course you'll have to pay to play. My first one was a gift from my SIL doctor. He bought two. One for him and one for me. He had to pop over $500 apiece for them back then I have been through 3 of them, not all costing that much, thanks to my local pawn shop. BUT I probably use them every day on jobsites. It is a go-to tool. They apparently have a clock built into them that breaks the tool about a week after the warranty expires The weakest point on the Fein is the speed regulator. Other than that it is a very quality tool.

 

[joecaption]

I've owned 2 of these for about 15 years and they still work perfect.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rockwell-4-Amp-Sonicrafter-F50-Oscillating-Tool-RK5142K/301236867

 

[SPS-1]

Fein first developed the oscillating tool, and are still supposed to be the best. That's what I was looking for, but locally they were out of stock and I needed it for the next day. So I got the Bosch --- also a very good unit.

I recommend getting the sanding attachment too. I have 3 other sanders that are frequently too big and powerful for some tasks. And the oscillating tool sander is just right.

 

[Marson]

I've got the 20v Dewalt multitool and I love that thing. I'm a remodeler and I use it a lot. I use the big batteries (5 or 6 AH) and battery life is great--gee, I would be worn out and need a rest before I used up a battery on a single task.



I've also used the M18 (also good) M12 (which has less power but better balance, but you need an allen wrench to change the blade so that is a deal breaker) and the original Fein. IMO the copycats have surpassed the original. I find that original Fein to be clunky to hold and harder to make precise cuts with.

 

[shelzmike]

Wow, such non-consensus That being said, that is understandable. I think is is really hard to say which is better/best. One thing I do know are the ones that aren't so good and I plan on staying away from them anyhow. I am leaning toward the Dewalt (NON Atomic version) as I have read really good things about it more often that others and since I am already on the 20V XR platform, it makes the most sense. If I were to ever get a corded again, I'd seriously consider the Fein but not necessarily a for sure though.

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[ratherbefishing]

I've owned a Porter Cable, and now a Fein. I owned the both for a while, and honestly, they weren't that far apart in use. The Fein was a little bit smoother and quieter. Blades are easier to source. So I sold the PC to a friend. He's still using it.

I used to research who made "the best" before every power tool purchase. Eventually I figured out that there are five or so companies that make really good stuff. Within those, I pick out based on features, "feel", fit, etc. Now I own red, yellow, blue,orange and gray power tools. They all work well.

Cordless is another story. I don't want to support multiple battery systems. When I was due for a new one,I spent an hour at Home Depot, handling the 18v drills and impact driver from Milwaukee, Makita, and DeWalt. I ended up with Makita, and have been very pleased. I've added a few tools since, and have my eye on a few more.

My O-tool usage is usually "make a couple cuts and done." So cordless would work well for me. If you are already running DeWalt batteries, I'd buy that one and not look back.

 

[chandler48]

As mentioned, blades can be expensive if you buy retail. Always look for deals on auction sites and the like. I usually buy 100 at a time for real cheap. They will last just as long and cut just as good at the name brand ones in the box stores. I use my Fein aggressively and almost every day on jobsites, so it gets punished a little. I don't want to spend $17 for a blade that I can get for less than a dollar.

 

[Mort]

I think you made the right choice. They’re so loud and vibraty that I can’t see using one for as long as it would take to wear out a battery.

 

[RRH]

I also have been using corded Fein's for over 30 years.
Best quality but over priced like most of their tools.
I will always have a corded for a large job. And then a cordless for quick jobs.

Greatest thing for me was Fein patent finally ran out. Others could make blades and prices came down. Fein blades were very expensive at the time.
Only used the tool when I had to because of this.

Fein is the best but other brands are now so close would be hard to tell the difference for most.

If I every have to replace again I would most likely get the Bosch electric.

For cordless I use the Makita and think that is great. If you did not have Makita batteries I would go with Dewalt.

I prefer Makita quality over Dewalt but think they are close.
I do use Dewalt cordless nail guns (framing & Finish guns) since I could not get from Makita. But I use an adaptor so I can use the Dewalt tools with my Makita batteries. Been working fine that way.