Multi-tools? Will I be happy with the Porter Cable?

[Sam Murdoch]

Entering into some remodeling work soon and having recently used a Porter Cable and a very old Fein multitool I realize that this little tool is a great time saver and problem solver. I want one in my tool box.

Question is - Though the Fein was the first and still the most expensive of these does it do anything more or so much better than the Porter Cable? Is there another brand to consider?

OK to buy from one of the box stores or are there "cheapening" issues to factor? Hey - is that an urban myth?

I will most often be using this as a cutting tool for wood and metal. 2nd use as a scraper and very last as a sander. Does that influence your opinion?

Thank you for your input.

[Brett Bobo]

Hi Sam,
Role reversal :) In fact, I did the same comparison between the PC and the Fein and ended up purchasing the Fein about a year ago. Two of the key factors for me were the warranty and dust collection. Although the Fein is heavier than the PC, I believe the motors are comparable at approximately 3A.

The warranty for the Fein is 3 years, compared to 1 year for the PC. If I recall correctly, the Fein comes with the standard 1 year warranty but you get an additional two years of coverage (for a total of 3) if you register the product.

Most of my applications have been inside and given that you'll be using this on a job site, dust collection may be equally important. I don't know if PC has come up with a dust collection option but with Fein, there are approximately four different "packages" to choose from, which are the following: FMM 250Q (w/soft case), Select, Top, and Top Plus. I say "packages" because all four come with the same unit, the FMM 250Q; however, the differences are in the accessories. I'm sure you could purchase the dust collection attachment separately to avoid having to purchase the entire package at a higher price, assuming you have no use for the various blades, sanding attachments, etc. It's similar to buying a set of router bits thinking it's a coverall, but in the end, you likely only use one or two in the set and purchase other bits separately :). So, get familiar with what comes in each package and determine whether or not you'll use it to warrant the added cost.

With a specialty tool such as this that won't likely won't see hard use, I don't think you can go wrong with either option or with several of the comparable models by other manufacturers.

[Rich Enders]

Sam,

To me cordless was the most important factor, and I chose Bosch. It came with two batteries and a quick charger that keeps up. Mine now has about 100 hours on it and it still works like new. There is nothing like it for safely cleaning salt scale from above the waterline of a pool.

[peter gagliardi]

We have both, my partner bought the PC and I bought the Fein. The Fein isn't all that much more. Its only $200 if you don't need the hard case, versus around $125 I think for PC. Anyway, the Fein is quieter and smoother- we both agree. I'm happy with what I picked, and my partner not so much after using mine!! The Fein is definitely more solidly built, it is quite obvious. So, question is, save money, or be happy?

[Art Mann]

I own the Porter Cable plug-in model and like it a lot. It has plenty of power and does things that no other tool can do (at least easily). I have used/abused it almost daily at times doing remodeling jobs. The only negative thing I have to say about PC is their replacement blades are proprietary. Other brands simply will not work due to the PC's tool free blade change design. On the other hand, PC blades are readily available and they are no more costly than other name brands.

[Dave Zellers]

I love my Fein. Rock solid. The first time I used the sanding attachment I was blown away. I didn't expect much at all so I put on some 100 grit paper and went to town pressing kind of hard and moving in a circular motion. I ended up sanding out a hollow that showed in no time. I was glad it was my house and not something for a client.

I find new uses for it all the time. Love it.

[Bruce Wrenn]

For less than twenty bucks, you can get a HF multi tool. I have had mine for almost ten years now, and it has done everything we need in our business. Buy blades (bi-metal) from Northern Tool, almost always using a coupon.

[Sam Murdoch]

Wow, opinions all over the landscape.:D. Dust collection could be an issue but in any case will adapt to my Festool Midi. Price is a factor if one is not much better than the other but the Fein seems to be ahead.

Peter's comment that "Anyway, the Fein is quieter and smoother- we both agree." is a big factor which I will take very seriously.

Art has discouraged me as I thought that the PC would accept any of the blades available at Home Orange Roof - unlike the Fein - whose blades are very very expensive and don't seem to hold up much better. Frankly I'd rather use 3 - $ 15.00 blades than one $ 42.00 blade. I think in the long run I get more sharp blade doing the work.

BUT an important question - Does the Fein tool need an allen wrench to change the blades? I really like the quick tools changer on my brother's PC. Not so much the old Fein that I used that always needed the allen wrench.

Rich - I will certainly look at the Bosch. Cordless is a bonus and I usually like my Bosch tools - although their 5" RO sander is crap.

Bruce - I'll have to look at this one but I have my doubts. I trust your opinion though so I am willing to suspend disbelief in favor of economy and long (if casual) use.

Thanks everyone. Any more opinions?

[Rich Enders]

Sam,

Noted you do not like your Bosch 5" RO sander. I don't know much about Bosch, but I do have their 5" RO. It is the oldest thing I have, it has more hours than anything else, and it just keeps working. I have nothing else to compare it to so maybe I don't know what I am missing, but every day it starts up and performs.

[Rich Engelhardt]

+1 for the HF unit.
For $17.99 you can't go wrong even if you just buy it to have as a 2nd tool.

I have two of the HF units.
I keep a half moon blade on one and a wood/metal plunge blade on the other.

Imperial blades work well.

[Steve Baumgartner]

BUT an important question - Does the Fein tool need an allen wrench to change the blades? I really like the quick tools changer on my brother's PC. Not so much the old Fein that I used that always needed the allen wrench.



Current models of the Fein have a quick-release lever.

[James Conrad]

Buy corded. If you plan to use it for extended periods, beyond 15-30 minutes of continuous work, you will find they are battery eating machines. I had the Bosch cordless, no complaints other than battery life. I have the corded version now, no complaints there either. Most brand names can use or adapt to use most other brand accessories, might double check that on the one you end up buying.

[Jason Roehl]

I have the VS Fein, and I think it's possibly worth it (I use it from time to time, and have had it for a couple years, but don't know that it's paid for itself yet). The blades are a significant cost factor, no matter the brand. Cheap blades don't last, and expensive blades won't last either if you let them get too hot (gotta keep the tool moving--you can't just bear down on it or keep it in one place, and the VS does help--slower speed is sometimes better). I found a Bosch adapter at Lowe's that allows me to use any brand of blade with it. Tool-free blade changing is the only way to go--I never leave it in the case with the next tool I'll need, and the point of a multi-tool is a quick solution, so having to use a tool on the blade before I even use the multi-tool would be aggravating.

Now that we have a HF in town, I may grab a cheapie, though, as I would rather keep a cheap one in my work van, and only take the Fein when I know I would need it.

I have quite a few P+C cordless tools, but they are older--from before B&D bought them and turned them into a cheap, homeowner line. The P+C stuff I see in the store now just seems cheaply made now.

[Larry Browning]

Sam,
I do not own, or even have ever used a multi-tool. But I will speak to top of the line vs bottom of the line tools. I think it all depends on how much you will be using the tool. For one and done jobs like the remodel you speak of, it is hard for me to justify spending literally 10 time the cost on a tool that I will be using for a short time and then not picking it up again for possibly years. But on the other hand, If I feel that I will be using a tool on an almost daily basis, I will spring for the top or near the top model.
I have a $20 HF recip. saw that I bought to do some wall tear out work a few years back, that has performed way beyond it's expected life. It rarely gets used, and I am thrilled with it. I know that if I had bought a Milwaukee Saws-all or something like that, every time I looked at it sitting on the shelf, I would be thinking about how I had wasted my money on something I don't use much, even though it is a superior tool in just about every way, it would be a waste of money in my opinion.

[Floyd Mah]

Buy HF. I own both the fixed speed and the variable speed. Years ago, before it went off patent, I briefly entertained the thought of getting a Fein. That was when the tool was over $200. Then I saw that a replacement blade could easily exceed $60. HF, on the other hand, is using the pricing model of most modern companies. I guess it could be the Gillette model: give you the handle, sell you the blade. Their blade prices are comparable or cheaper than the other manufacturers. (I just checked Amazon and the Fein blades can be bought as low as $7. Much better prices than when I first checked them out).

The bottom line is that there is no essential difference between all the tools. Who can really argue about dust collection in a tool with a 1/4" stroke and cuts in a hole? The biggest factor in dust with these tools is which way the cooling fan blows the air emanating from the tool. At $19 (or less) for the HF tool, you can afford to buy new tools as often as you buy new Fein blades. Don't waste your time trying to figure out which one is best when you can fill your bucket with the HF tools. There is no special technology in a tool that only oscillates a spindle at 10 to 20 thousand times per minute.

Here are my tips for the HF tool. Buy the variable speed (same range of speed as the Fein tool) if you just get one. The single speed blades move very fast and will burn the wood. File new teeth on the blades and they will last for a long time.

[Keith Outten]

We purchased an HF multi-tool a couple years ago for the sign shop at CNU. This tool works exceptionally well given its price point and is probably one of the HF Gems from their normally sub-quality product line. We used the HF multi-tool to cut Corian tabs on ADA sign blanks and it has cut several thousand tabs in two years and still works perfectly. I own a Dremel multi-tool that was a Fathers Day present that seems to be an ok tool but it was probably three times the cost of the HF model. I recently purchased a Milwaukee battery powered model that is a nice tool but I only plan to use it for installs.
.

[Sam Murdoch]

Sam,
I do not own, or even have ever used a multi-tool. But I will speak to top of the line vs bottom of the line tools. I think it all depends on how much you will be using the tool. For one and done jobs like the remodel you speak of, it is hard for me to justify spending literally 10 time the cost on a tool that I will be using for a short time and then not picking it up again for possibly years. But on the other hand, If I feel that I will be using a tool on an almost daily basis, I will spring for the top or near the top model.
I have a $20 HF recip. saw that I bought to do some wall tear out work a few years back, that has performed way beyond it's expected life. It rarely gets used, and I am thrilled with it. I know that if I had bought a Milwaukee Saws-all or something like that, every time I looked at it sitting on the shelf, I would be thinking about how I had wasted my money on something I don't use much, even though it is a superior tool in just about every way, it would be a waste of money in my opinion.


Thank you all for your contributions to this discussion. Using Larry's philosophy here I think I will - very uncharacteristically for me - buy on the cheap. I will likely use this tool every great once in a while and so worth taking my chances on the HF variable speed version as recommended by more than one of you. This will not be a shop tool. I will use it on as few remodeling jobs coming up and then will likely put it away for many months. Hard to argue with the reported results and the huge savings of the HF version. Yup, I can always upgrade but it sounds like I might never need to do that. I'll let you know by Thanksgiving if this is a huge bust :).

[Larry Browning]

Sam,
It is not a big investment risk. And if it does work out, you can start thinking about how you can spend that $180 you just saved!

[Sam Murdoch]

Geez - did you guys know that you can pull up HF coupons of the world wide internets???

Just got a $ 10.00 discount on a $39.99 variable speed multi tool. Yeah Larry, not a big investment risk.

Will HF be a slippery slope like the Festool slope? :D

Thanks again for the clarity.

[Art Mann]

I don't own the HF tool but I have heard from a number of people who do and they all report it works well. I only paid ~$100 for my Porter Cable with all the accessories but I might be tempted to try the Harbor Freight if I had to buy again.

One thing I will say about the PC model is that it is extremely rugged and durable, regardless of who currently owns the company. I have probably used mine much more often than the average user and I use it in very difficult situations.

[Frederick Skelly]

Hey Sam,
FWIW, I have a corded Ridgid that works quite well. It's not a Fein, but it's not priced like one either - was under $100. I see a cordless version on their website in that same price range, but I can't comment on how well it does/doesnt work.
Fred

[Larry Browning]

Will HF be a slippery slope like the Festool slope? :D

Thanks again for the clarity.

Highly unlikely!
While you are there, pick up a couple of the ratcheting bar clamps for about $3 each. Those will get you saying stuff like "What a worthless piece of junk!" or "Man, these thing are way over priced for what they do....WHICH IS NOTHING!"

[Larry Edgerton]

I've owned or used most brands and I have two Feins. I buy the other brands for employees, so if they get "lost' its no big deal, but I have one new Fein on site for my use, and one 16 year old Fein in the shop that works like it did when it was new.

One thing I have noticed is that the Feins are capable of more precision, and so if I am doing something that I already have a lot of time in, I want to use the Fein. The one on the jobsite gets tortured. The house I am building now is 12" white oak logs and I have had to cut quite a few slots for wall covering, and even though it has snapped off a lot of blades it still works just fine.

Funny way I came to get my first Fein. I used to race motorcycles and anything else I could think of to do to hurt myself and I got tired of going to the doctors office and paying a ridiculous amount to get casts cut off. So I bought a Fein and cut my own off........

Larry

[Andrew Joiner]

Funny way I came to get my first Fein. I used to race motorcycles and anything else I could think of to do to hurt myself and I got tired of going to the doctors office and paying a ridiculous amount to get casts cut off. So I bought a Fein and cut my own off........

Larry

Ha, Larry I'm not surprised. I feel I've gotten to know you over the years here by your posts. Cutting off your own cast seems right up your ally. Love that story.
I've stitched up my own cuts a couple times with dental floss. I can afford the Dr, but I'm a do it myself type guy. Be sure and wash the wound well if you try this at home!

[Dave Zellers]

I've stitched up my own cuts a couple times with dental floss.
I'm getting woozy just thinking about that.

I get woozy when a doctor stitches me up!

[Cary Falk]

I have the HF gem and am happy with it for the price. It takes the Bosch blades. If I didn't have the HF I would have probably bought the Bosch. My friend has the Bosch and it is nice but not worth the extra $ over the HF for me. It is a little more quiet than the HF and the body is a little slimmer so it fits the hand better.

[Ellen Benkin]

I purchased a Craftsman that was on sale at OSH and is much cheaper than the Fein. It uses the standard blades that are designed for the Fein. I don't use it much but when I do it is the only tool that will do the job.

[Sam Murdoch]

Great story Larry :D but just think you could do now days for less than $ 40.00.

And thanks Cary for the info about the Bosch blades. I can buy those locally. I know there are compromises in quiet, smoothness and the extra feet of cord, just to identify a few, but I'm pretty pleased at getting a new tool for less than $ 38.00 that otherwise I was prepared to spend well over a $ 100.00. I hope I don't have mad crazy tool stories to tell :rolleyes:.