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I just realized I have a few uses for this tool even though I've lived without one up until now. I am thinking about buying a cheap one.
Home depot has a "spring black friday" going on, and they had a Wen multi-tool on sale for $31.
HD I have a Ryobi with a sanding pad on it. I think it works, not positive. I think I can get blades for it from Harbor Freight
Any other people have a cheap one of these tools that finds it adequate?
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One friend has a $40 HF and another a $20 HF. Both are OK for the money. I have a Bosch that I paid $130 for and when doing heavy work it is far better than either. Another friend who does remodeling has a Fein that he paid around $300 for. He helped me tear out walls to remodel my bathroom. His Fein had at least some effective DC and was much faster than I was with the Bosch. Part of it was because it is a better tool, part because he does this all the time and part because he is 30 years younger than I.
If you want to do a little light sanding or repoint your tile the HF will di it. If you need to do some serious drywall cutting and demolition they will not.
homo homini lupus
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." Yeats
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Quodcumque potest manus tua facere instaner opere Ecclesiastes
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The Ridgid Job Max is one step up, at ~$70, but I love it. I am a hobbyist. I would not recommend it for a pro, at least not the 12v version I have. The job max has multiple heads (extra cost, of course). I have the right angle drill and right angle impact driver. On the occasion when I need the right angle tools, I am glad I bought it.
The Ridgid comes with a blade adapter for the oscillating head, so that most any blade can be used. So far I have not bought a blade which does not fit.
I tried not believing. That did not work, so now I just believe
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I got one at HF 10+ years ago ($20), thinking it would be a one time use thing. It's still ticking.
I don't need it often, but when I do, it gets the job done.
I'm usually a HF basher, but this time they surprised me.
I'm a great believer in luck. The harder I work, the more of it I seem to have.
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I've had the HF for several years now. Think I paid $16 for it with a coupon. It's loud, but get the jobs done that I need done. I wouldn't stake my living on one, but for odd jobs around the house, it's certainly been a bargain.
It's the kind of tool that I don't feel bad about knocking around. I've used it to do drywall jobs, flooring jobs, and basement reno. I even used it to modify a hollow-core door to make an access hole for the cat to get into the utility room. I don't have a sanding pad for it.
Couple things about it:
1. The screw that holds on the blade was finicky when the unit was new. It easily backed out, causing me to have to stop and retighten the nut. That no longer happens.
2. The exhaust from the fan for the motor can blow in the operator's face easily. Don't know if that happens with a more expensive unit like the Bosch of Fein.
I find that blades are a better deal at HF than at Menards (the big box store where I usually go for supplies). The Performax blades at Menards not only cost more, but they don't last as long, at least not for me.
Ray
(formerly "WxMan")
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I have the Harbor Freight one and it works pretty well. I do not use the Harbor Freight blades though. I found the Bosch blades are well worth the extra cost. They cut faster and last longer than the originals that came with the machine.
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stav said:
I have the Harbor Freight one and it works pretty well. I do not use the Harbor Freight blades though. I found the Bosch blades are well worth the extra cost. They cut faster and last longer than the originals that came with the machine.
same here. it doesnt get a tremendous amount of use but it works great for me. and the bosch blades were like adding nitrous!
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I have the HF. Bought it several years ago and use it fairly often. If it ever dies I will buy another.
I have not tried any others. My wife bought me the add-on for the Bolt 20v craftsman system but haven't used it yet. I grab the corded HF first.
John
Always use the right tool for the job.
We need to clean house.
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I have both Ridgid Jobmax models, the battery and the plug in. I also have all the attachments. The battery one is better with the high capacity battery than with the small battery. The plugin is a beast. It is powerful but heavy. Remember you also get the LSA with not only the tool but the batteries and the attachments. I also have one of the cheap HF units. It is OK but won't match either of the Ridgid models. If you are going to use it once in a while and not for really heavy duty stuff then the HF will probably suffice. If you need it in the field then the battery Ridgid with the HD battery should do well for you and it has the advantage of having a drill head as well as an impact driver head. If you will always be working near a plug and need heavy duty then the Ridgid plug in model is very powerful and, again, has the drill and impact driver options.
HTH
JMHO
YMMV
Ken
Carolyn "Kscott & GDay, can I come sniff you?"
Timberwolf "You ARE WHO you eat"!!!!!!! "
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The Ridgid sounds like a good option for me, thanks. Now that I think about it, I've come up with a batch of uses for one of these tools. I dont think $300 is going to be worth it, but maybe $100 or so.
