" wrote in
:

On Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:24:29 -0500, Jim Yanik
wrote:

" wrote in
m:

On Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:40:13 GMT, Red Green
wrote:

" wrote in
m:

On Tue, 14 Jun 2011 04:32:34 GMT, Red Green
wrote:

Vic Smith wrote in
news:2ak4v6pvscd0a5lnv5ncqu47ck5i5lns98@4ax. com:

On Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:44:54 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Scholtes
wrote:

Maybe it's the tool I bought, but whenever I use my new
oscillating tool I'm just not impressed with it.

Cutting wood takes too long. Cutting metal (cuting nails) takes
much too long versus a Dremel. And it's LOUD.

I bought a Menards-brand Li-Ion cordless model. Is there THAT
much of a difference versus the others? I can't find a review
that implies cheap oscillating tools are necessarily worse than,
say, Rockwells.

I know that cheap power tools aren't as good as expensive power
tools. But when I buy Harbor Freight I get about 80% of the
effectiveness and ease-of-use.

I bought a HF multi-tool when I did some remodeling last year.
Basically to cut the door stops near the floor so I could fit
thresholds. Worked fine.

Yes, excellent.

Also worked well for some sanding in tight spots.

Never tried for that.

It's not loud at all.

Working inside, I disagree.

Anticipate using it for cleaning out tile grout and some more
sanding.

I've used it for grout but found it very slow. Especially on very
old grout. Crappy HF blades I assume. What literally rips through
grout, and I mean like a few feet per minute, is a Rotozip with a
diamond blade.

...and makes a total mess of the tile in the meantime. The bits
don't last long, either.

Bits? You talking about a rotary tool?

Well, that's kinda what a "Roto-Zip" is, so yeah.

I was addressing the HF-MF tool that uses blades.

Is that why you said: "What literally rips through grout, and I mean
like a few feet per minute, is a Rotozip with a diamond blade."?

*THAT* is what I was addressing.



I've seen TV ads for a new Rototool cutoff saw,that uses rotary
BLADES,not bits.

the Rotozip is merely a fancy Dremel Mototool,or a small trim router.

WRT the HF oscillating sander/saw,has anyone tried an incandescent
lamp dimmer for an external speed control?
I use one for my Dremel 270 Mototool.

Is "dimming" a multi-tool really useful? I've always used mine (a
Dremel and a Bosch) flat out. For that matter, I've always used the
moto-tool flat out too. ;-)



for some bits and some materials,using a slower speed on the Dremel is
better,less burning or melting and less chatter.
just like routers with variable speed are preferable.

I've never used a multi-tool or oscillating sander/cutter.

HF does charge a lot more for their variable speed multi-tool.
Besides,a variable speed control is one more thing to break or get flaky.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com