Festool "Multi-Tool"

[John Coloccia]

I have the Harbor Freight version of the MultiMaster and it does everything I need it to do. I don't use it very often but when you need it, it's a nice tool to have.

Mike

I tried one. The head got so hot that it melted through the plastic sanding shoe. I took it right back and bought the Fein...and that is a beautiful tool, BTW. I think the HF would probably be OK with cutting tools, if you can get it to stay tight. I think I had the cheap one, too. I think they make a nicer one than I had.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I think you got a lemon John.
I have two of the HF single speed (they make a cheap single speed and a more expensive variable speed) and both run fairly cool.

I had a horrid fist generation Dremel that got so hot after 2 or 3 min, you couldn't hold it. What a worthless piece of junk that was! I didn't miss that thing one bit when it stopped working all out of the blue.

[scott vroom]

$575 for the kit including the plunge base. I'll stick with my Crane 555 jamb saw and Bosch jig saw. The video shows a guy using the tool to fit eng flooring. This shouldn't be necessary if you're making accurate cuts on the chop saw.

I guess the tool would come in handy for certain things......but at that price?

[Jason Roehl]

I have the Fein--great tool. The tool-less blade changes are quick and secure. It gets a little warm, even hot, but not to where I can't hold it, and that's only in the head area, not back in the "handle" part of the body. As for the blade issue, I've found that heat is definitely their killer. The stroke on these tools is so small to allow for plunge cuts, that there's no natural heat dissipation. The solution is that, if possible, you should move the tool along the line of the cut, not staying in one area. Mine came with the sanding attachments and the dust collection, but I don't think I've ever used the dust collection--the dust generated doesn't seem to get thrown very far, so it mostly just falls straight down, at least with cuts. For sanding, I think I've only used it briefly, and only horizontally, where again, the dust didn't seem to travel much, making DC non-critical.

I don't use it often, but when I have, it's been the bee's knee's. Like Chris, it's great for removing studs, better than a Sawzall--not quicker, but less chance of collateral damage, same with removing door jambs. Mostly, I've used it for under-cutting door jambs for flooring installation, something at which it excels.

Would I get an HF model? Maybe. I don't have much need for another since I don't use the Fein that much (I think it's probably paid for itself by now), but I could see a cordless as being occasionally useful (high on a ladder or at a non-electrified location, both rare needs).

I definitely don't see any reason to "upgrade" from Fein to Festool, and I think $575 would be a tough pill to swallow if I were buying my first, even if I used it frequently. That seems to be a theme with Festool. They certainly make great, quality tools, but they're essentially the top end when it comes to price, too. For me, that puts it in the market of those who have a lot of disposable income (not me), or those who would use the tool often to make far more profit than the tool is worth (also not me--perhaps close).

[Chris Merriam]

FYI, Festool licensed this from Fein. It's the supercut or the multimaster, whichever one is the higher end version. Then they added the attachments to it.

[Tom Ewell]

Interesting, the supercut is a multimaster on steroids and priced totally bare bones at roughly $400

[Robert Parent]

+1 for my original Fein.... Mine gets used with most every project, can't see a reason to change.

[John Coloccia]

FYI, Festool licensed this from Fein. It's the supercut or the multimaster, whichever one is the higher end version. Then they added the attachments to it.

I thought it looked suspiciously Fein-like, especially the head.

[Jason Roehl]

Okay, I hadn't looked at the Festool link until now. Those attachments do look kinda handy, based on my experience with the Fein.

[Sam Murdoch]

I have the Harbor Freight version of the MultiMaster and it does everything I need it to do. I don't use it very often but when you need it, it's a nice tool to have.

Mike

I asked about this before I bought mine and on the recommendation of quite a few folks here on the Creek I bought the Harbor Freight version too. With a coupon I bought the variable speed version for $32.00 - less than the cost of my first 3 blades .

I have beat the crap out of this thing and it is showing no sign of diminished effort. OMG I love this little tool. It allows me to tackle work easily and efficiently that I would have kept me awake trying to figure out how to or kept me working with jigs and all kinds of work arounds that I now don't think twice about. Just get out the HF multitool.

I don't use it as a sander - not its strong point, but I do use it as a heavy duty, precise demo tool (yes, very little "collateral damage") so that my Makita Sawzall is getting lots of rest these days and it's amazingly accurate straight line cutting tool in all sorts of materials. The HF is too noisy and the cord is too short and the case is too small (thing just barely fits) BUT for $ 32.00 I would do it all over again. My first and likely my last HF tool - I am a huge endorser of Festool, but not for this one. Maybe if I needed a little sander but for sawing wood, pipe, screws, sheetrock etc. the HF is way more than good enough.

[Rich Riddle]

Interesting, the supercut is a multimaster on steroids and priced totally bare bones at roughly $400

I own a Fein Supercut and doubt the Festool has anywhere near the Supercut's power. There are adapters to use less expensive blades on the Supercut.

[peter gagliardi]

I know a guy who gets to "test drive" Festool tools, and isn't shy about telling them, or anyone else if it's a piece of junk.
If I remember right, he said it is more powerful than the Fein super cut. His impression is that it is quite a decent tool.
Maybe some don't remember, but I do, about 8-10-12 years ago, the Fein multimaster was being sold for $6-700 ! That was then, and probably less than half the new Festool's power. It doesn't appear to be unreasonable in price from here.
I just bought a Fein multimaster about 2 years ago, in the cheesy bag for about $200 I think, after scoffing at its usefulness, or my lack of knowing, after seeing it used by another contractor on a job. I was impressed at the ability, and level of control, and lack of mess like with a typical sawzall type tool.
These tools don't get used every day, but they do earn their place when needed in my toolbag.

[Jim Dwight]

I use a Harbor Freight one I paid $15 for. I'd like something nicer but it won't be a Festool.