Oscllating multi tool vs oak flooring

[Brian Tymchak]

I need to cut some 3/4" oak flooring in a tight space. Can't get a circ saw in there. Would one of the cordless multi tools be able to cut that? I did find one video showing a Fein going right thru oak flooring. I'm moving into the Ryobi family of cordless tools so would be buying their multi tool if you all think it can make those cuts.

Thanks!

[Frank Pratt]

I have a Fein & it will definitely cut through oak flooring. It's a very good tool. The thing to remember about oscillating tools is that they are almost always the tool of last resort, only to be used where a better tool just won't fit.

I don't own any Ryobi tools, but have used many of them. They are cheap and will mostly do the job, but they won't last & can be a bit of an ergonomic nightmare. I would not consider them except for occasional light use. The home handy person is really the target market for Ryobi.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

+1 to what Frank says. How much flooring will you cut? Just a couple boards I would say the Ryobi would be okay, but if its more than a few, I'd invest in a good one. They aren't the best thing in tools, but they are probably the only tool that can do that job.

[Jim Becker]

I had to use mine recently for this purpose and oh, boy..."Holy blade-gets-dull-fast, Batman!". I agree with the statement, "tool of last resort" up above for this kind of work...use it where clearance requires it but use other tools for better cutting and power where you can employ them.

[Paul F Franklin]

Yep, it will do the job; just buy decent blades. Based on a recommendation from a guy on the web that specialized in flooring, I bought some Vtopmart brand blades from the big A and I've found them to be sharper and stay sharp longer than other brands I've tried, while not being too expensive. Holding a vac hose to help clear the sawdust helps keep the blade cooler and it will last longer. The coarser blades are better for cutting wood but will dull quickly if you hit a nail or cleat.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Based on my recent use on cutting mortar joints between sheets of Wonderboard, I'd use one. As stated above, blade choice is very important!

[Phillip Mitchell]

A couple of things I’ve learned from using an oscillating multi tool more than I ever cared to as a carpenter...

- Blades quality is important, though there are several decent brands. Imperial is one that I’ve used a lot.

- Because the blade does not have an effective way to clear its own waste by itself, it really helps cut accuracy and blade life to keep the blade moving and not held in the same place for very long if possible. Say you have to make a cut that is 6” long. Have the tool and blade moving longitudinally (continuously) or even just in a sawing motion through the cut in order to allow the dust to clear instead of plunging all the way down in one single spot to final depth. Trust me, this make a huge difference in blade life. You can toast a blade in about 2 minutes by cutting incorrectly and building up too much heat.

- For any critical cuts or finished cuts, use a guide block that references the back of the blade. Ie - you need to make a perfectly straight length of cut - clamp or screw/nail/affix a guide board with a straight edge next to the cut as a reference for the back side of the blade. This also helps keep your cuts perpendicular, though the blades can flex out of plane fairly easily if they’re dull and too much pressure is being applied.

Hope this helps.

[Lee Schierer]

I have a Bosch multi tool and really like it. S others have stated it is a pretty specialized tool, but when you need something cut in a small space you can't beat it. I've cut red oak with mine. I installed door operated light switches on our front coat closet and our pantry using the multi tool to cut the holes needed in the door jambs. The Bosch blades cut well and have pretty good life. You do need to clear the saw dust frequently to avoid excessive blade heating which will kill the blade.

I had to trim a duct top hat in between two floor joists to make if 2" shorter and the multitool made quick work of cutting the sheet metal with a fine tooth carbide blade.

Make sure you wear ear protection as multitools are very loud.

[Brian Tymchak]

Really appreciate all of the responses. Several commented about blade quality and suggested a couple 3rd party blade vendors. Had not considered that and did some quick research. Appears that multi tools are largely standardized wrt blade compatibility, so that's good news. Lot's of 10, 25, even 100 blade bundles so blades are obviously a disposable item. :)

Frank commented: "The home handy person is really the target market for Ryobi." - Yep, that's me. I generally prefer to buy good quality tools, not the top-most shelf brands usually, so I may rethink the choice of Ryobi for this tool. I can't imagine using this all that often but maybe buying a better quality corded tool is a better way to go so that years from now I don't have a dependency on battery compatibility.

Thanks guys!

[Jim Dwight]

I have a Ryobi cordless and I think it will work but will be quite slow. I like Milwaukee blades. I also have a HF corded (works but as slow as the Ryobi cordless), a Fein and a Milwaukee cordless. My favorite is the Milwaukee cordless. It cuts as fast as the Fein and is cordless. But if you are patient a cordless Ryobi will do the work of the others, it just has a smaller stroke so it cuts slower. I mostly use it on drywall (cutting holes for electrical boxes). I don't want the dust in my "better" oscillating tools. If you only use an oscillating tool like a HF or Ryobi cordless and then try a "good one" (I also think the DeWalt cordless is pretty good) you will be amazed at the speed difference. Basic tools takes twice or 3 times as long. But it works.

[Bill Dufour]

Make sure you wear ear protection as multitools are very loud.

I agree and they are mostly used very close to your ears
not at arms length. Makes a big difference since noise follows the inverse square law.
Bill D.

[Paul F Franklin]

Really appreciate all of the responses. Several commented about blade quality and suggested a couple 3rd party blade vendors. Had not considered that and did some quick research. Appears that multi tools are largely standardized wrt blade compatibility, so that's good news. Lot's of 10, 25, even 100 blade bundles so blades are obviously a disposable item. :)

Frank commented: "The home handy person is really the target market for Ryobi." - Yep, that's me. I generally prefer to buy good quality tools, not the top-most shelf brands usually, so I may rethink the choice of Ryobi for this tool. I can't imagine using this all that often but maybe buying a better quality corded tool is a better way to go so that years from now I don't have a dependency on battery compatibility.

Thanks guys!

The blades are not really standardized, but most manufacturers have tried to make their blades fit *most* of the tools; but it still takes a little care to make sure the blades you buy will fit your machine. For example, Bosch and Fein and some others have switched to the Starlock system. True Starlock blades will not fit tools like the dewalt multi-tool that requires a slotted fitment. Some blades come with little adapters for certain tools. I'm not familiar with the Ryobi machine so can't speak to specifics, but just be aware there are multiple systems out there.

[andrew whicker]

It's definitely a love / hate tool, but also one that you'll find needs for once you have it. Where I live, we have underground water sprinklers at every house. You always break a line every season for who knows what reason so you have to repair with a sleeve. Anyway, these things work great in tight spaces like when you only want to dig the minimum hole and still cut the pipe.

They work great at cutting trim or notching a board here or there. Had to cut some 15g nails because I made mistake shimming a door just last week, good bye blade, but what else would have worked? Cutting holes in drywall.

They really are great tools, but they are slow and SO NOISY. I found that letting the tool cut at it's own speed vs pushing it helps. Pushing it seems to basically do nothing other than wear the blades out (heat). And the blades are expensive.

(PS: I would get cordless if you can. These are definitely tools that you find yourself using for random reasons. I don't think I've ever used mine to an extent where one battery wouldn't have been more than enough. Mine is a corded Makita that was on sale at HD. I think the days of corded multitools are limited.)

[Richard Coers]

Really appreciate all of the responses. Several commented about blade quality and suggested a couple 3rd party blade vendors. Had not considered that and did some quick research. Appears that multi tools are largely standardized wrt blade compatibility, so that's good news. Lot's of 10, 25, even 100 blade bundles so blades are obviously a disposable item. :)

Frank commented: "The home handy person is really the target market for Ryobi." - Yep, that's me. I generally prefer to buy good quality tools, not the top-most shelf brands usually, so I may rethink the choice of Ryobi for this tool. I can't imagine using this all that often but maybe buying a better quality corded tool is a better way to go so that years from now I don't have a dependency on battery compatibility.

Thanks guys!
If you look at 100 blade bundles, you are not looking at quality blades. Expect to pay in the neighborhood of $7-$10 each for high quality blades.

[John TenEyck]

Can you get a toe kick saw in the place you need to cut the flooring?

John

[Jack Frederick]

I had to make a long cut on VGWO flooring with my Fein. With new Imperial blades it did an excellent job. You have to be set up comfortably to handle the tool to get the best out of it. No surprise there. I only reluctantly use the MT due to the cost of the blades. Last week I had to make some short cuts in VG For flooring and again it handled well.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Can you get a toe kick saw in the place you need to cut the flooring?I second that question.
Along the same line as a toe kick saw, some of the small - corded and cordless - 3 3/8" to 4" rotary saws are designed to make flush cuts - so they can be used to cut right against the trim - or wall if the trim is pulled.

[Jason Roehl]

A couple of things I’ve learned from using an oscillating multi tool more than I ever cared to as a carpenter...

- Blades quality is important, though there are several decent brands. Imperial is one that I’ve used a lot.

- Because the blade does not have an effective way to clear its own waste by itself, it really helps cut accuracy and blade life to keep the blade moving and not held in the same place for very long if possible. Say you have to make a cut that is 6” long. Have the tool and blade moving longitudinally (continuously) or even just in a sawing motion through the cut in order to allow the dust to clear instead of plunging all the way down in one single spot to final depth. Trust me, this make a huge difference in blade life. You can toast a blade in about 2 minutes by cutting incorrectly and building up too much heat.

- For any critical cuts or finished cuts, use a guide block that references the back of the blade. Ie - you need to make a perfectly straight length of cut - clamp or screw/nail/affix a guide board with a straight edge next to the cut as a reference for the back side of the blade. This also helps keep your cuts perpendicular, though the blades can flex out of plane fairly easily if they’re dull and too much pressure is being applied.

Hope this helps.

This is exactly my experience. Clear sawdust if possible and keep the blade moving to distribute heat.

[Brian Tymchak]

Can you get a toe kick saw in the place you need to cut the flooring?

John


I second that question.
Along the same line as a toe kick saw, some of the small - corded and cordless - 3 3/8" to 4" rotary saws are designed to make flush cuts - so they can be used to cut right against the trim - or wall if the trim is pulled.

Thanks for the idea. Until your posts, I had not heard of such a tool. My current need is to remove flooring for a short wall being added in our kitchen. I need to cross cut about 4' of flooring twice to lay the bottom plate on subfloor. One end of the cut butts against an existing wall, and is where I need a solution for a clean cut. (Actually, I also need to xcut the flooring for the other end of the wall. ) From a video I watched, it seems like the handles of the toe kick saw would still leave me with a couple of inches that would need a multi tool to finish. Interesting tool though. And extremely useful in tearing out an existing floor.

I actually thought about just using a chisel and some elbow grease to finish the cuts, but why do that when you have a perfect excuse to buy a new tool??;)

[Brian Tymchak]

The blades are not really standardized, but most manufacturers have tried to make their blades fit *most* of the tools; but it still takes a little care to make sure the blades you buy will fit your machine. For example, Bosch and Fein and some others have switched to the Starlock system. True Starlock blades will not fit tools like the dewalt multi-tool that requires a slotted fitment. Some blades come with little adapters for certain tools. I'm not familiar with the Ryobi machine so can't speak to specifics, but just be aware there are multiple systems out there.

Thanks for the details Paul. I'll make sure to pay attention on this.

[Bill Carey]

2nd the idea of a toe kick saw - designed to do 1 thing and do it well. Can't remember what brand it was but did the job.

As for the Ryobi tools, I have been using them for a long time - maybe 20 years - and have accumulated maybe 30 tools (drills to leaf blowers) all of which use the same battery. Not many systems can say that. They get an un-deservred bad rap IMHO. The only tools I have had to replace are ones that I dropped, spilled paint on (and my wife was more concerned with the carpet - go figure) or to get new features on an improved tool. The only ryobi that I returned was their chain saw. And I replaced it a Wen, which is a great tool. For a one time use, I go cheap.

[Ole Anderson]

"Oscillating multi tool"? Go get the "buzz saw".

[Terry Wawro]

If budget is not a concern, then a Fein is the way to go. No doubt it's a great tool. If budget is a concern and/or this is for a one-time or occasional use, I would recommend buying a cheap corded HF model. They may not cut the fastest, but I've had mine for years. Still working fine after a lot of use and abuse. Can't seem to kill the thing.

FWIW, besides cutting, a multi-tool is great for removing residue. Mounted with a scraper blade, it goes through hardened construction adhesive like a hot knife through butter.

[Brian Tymchak]

If budget is not a concern, then a Fein is the way to go. No doubt it's a great tool.

I ended up going with the corded Fein. $200 for their starter kit with the MM 500 had everything I needed to satisfy the immediate need. Got it at HD, which was a surprise that they carried Fein.