Fein Multimaster

[ireland]

I know this isn't a Festool question but I know alot of guys here have one. I need to get a Multimaster tommorrow and I dint know witch one to get Supercut ? Multimaster ? whats the difference?.
I initially need it for removing grout from tiles but as I am a carpenter / general contractor I'm sure I'll find more uses for it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated and sorry if I posted this in the wrong place.

 

[mastercabman]

I just got one last week!    They are great.
You want the Multimaster.I got the"FMM 250Q SELECT"  kit.The blade for removing grout comes with that kit.

You are not going to regret getting that tool.

 

[peter halle]

I've had my miltimaster for 7 years and I can honestly tell you that as a contractor who has to deal with many handyman type situations and also showing up on a job only to be surprised, it has paid for itself 20 times over.  The blades are expensive, but build that into your prices.  If I were to be stuck on a desert island that had power and I could onlu have one tool - Multimaster.  Never throw away a dead blade.  Throw on a sanding pad and paper and then sharpen you dead blde to be used a scraper / caulking cutter / cooking pan scraper.

Enjoy it.  If I can help further, just let me know.

Peter

 

[jaegerhund]

I have the newest multimaster --- I think you will find it handy for interior remodeling.  Its one of those tools that makes you realize its value on certain occasions where other tools just can't manage a task or do it as easily.  I say interior remodeling, I just used it to restore over 40 sashes (deglazing, rot removal , and such) so I guess what I mean is for lighter work.  I don't think it will replace a sawzall if you need to cut through framing nails, etc  ----it's not that type of tool but shines for exacting cuts.  The attachments are expensive but maybe that will change as I see a lot of Multimaster type tools coming on into the market: Rockwell, Dremel, Bosch all have such a tool ---- something must be going on with patent expiration.

Justin

Moreover:  The Multimaster is a relatively safe tool --- the oscillating  blades have never cut me.  You get spoiled by this and need to remember not all tools are as kind.  The last time I restored a set of sashes I used a chisel to remove the glazing -- well a wrongly positioned hand and a slipped chisel later left me with a nice scar on my thumb joint and a little residual nerve damage with it.  I appreciated the safety and ease of removing the glazing this time --- and it saved on broken glass.

 

[erikfsn]

I do mostly remodeling. I have had the supercut for a few years and one of my coworkers has the multimaster.
We both agree the supercut is a superior tool by far. Much more power and a more robust
blade attachment design.

If you do this stuff on weekends then the multimaster would probably suffice. If you do much more than that
then I think the supercut starts to make a lot of sense.

It's a great tool. I use it a lot.

 

[jaegerhund]

Erikfsn,

Can you use your supercut for demolition type work --- maybe something a sawzall might do?  I know the expense of the blades makes this a little absurb, but I'm just trying to get a feel for the power of the Supercut.

Justin

 

[nickao]

The Supercut is a monster in power compared to the Multimaster. That being said my Multimaster has made cuts none of my other tools ever could. I pull the multi out about once a month when no other saw will do. I rarely use it for sanding though.

The Supercut must be much better at sanding too.

 

[jaegerhund]

I rarely use it for sanding also, but the rasp attachments come in handy.

Justin

 

[GaryLaroff]

I have two Multimaster tools.  The first one was one of the first two sold in the U.S. in the very early 1990s.  It was very noisy, single speed, only a sander, only PSA and without dust collection.  What it could do nothing else could do, as far as I knew.  There is a learning curve for using it as a sander, but one that was worth it.  I would think there must be a learning curve to the Festool Deltex as well.

The second Multimaster is quieter and was purchased for the variable speed, numerous attachments and dust collection.  The carpet and floor mat cutting blade is used more than any other.  The E-cut blades are fantastic.  Although made in Germany, it is the Swiss Army knife of power tools.

The newest models have a star shaped attachment to keep blades and accessories from turning when you don't want them to.  Whichever combination kit you buy, you really want the star drive attachment.  They sell a star shaped washer with abrasive back to use on older style machines with newer blades but it doesn't work as well as the newer system because the star on the retrofit washer isn't deep enough.

My advice is that you will probably be quite fond of the machine and regardless of price, get the newer version with the star-shaped drive.  I bought my Multimaster-II at a great price when they were clearing them out for the newer ones, but I should have held off and bought the star drive versions.

Gary

 

[erikfsn]

I have used the supercut for demolition quite a bit. It's very useful for cuts the sawzall can't do.
We're doing a seismic retrofit of an apartment building now, and I've used it to remove quite a lot
of structural members, and to modify existing ones to take new connections.
The supercut won't cut as quickly in many kinds of cuts as a top of the line sawzall will, and the blades are
more expensive, so I use the sawzall when I can. For those times I can't, I'm sure glad I have
the supercut to turn to.

 

[jaegerhund]

Cool --- thanks for the info Erik

Justin

 

[mwhafner]

I have used the Supercut in the past, but opted for the Multimaster.  I think that many of the advantages of the Supercut went away when the Multimaster went to the Star-shaped blades. 

The Supercut is definitely a more powerful machine, but maybe too much so.  The new Multimasters do a great job of harnessing and balancing the provided power. 

Unlike some of the other posters, I do use mine for sanding and it does the job well.  Well enough that I gave my PC detail sander to a friend. 

As others have posted, the Multimaster is really a "swiss army knife" tool. 

- The scraper attachment works better than the LS130. 

- The ability to cut grout lines is second to none.  In the past I have used either a grinder, Dremel,  or worm-drive saw with a masonry blade.  The difference is carpet-bombing to tactical precision.  Even compared to the Dremel, the Fein is easy to handle and put in the right place.

- The sanding capabilities are good, and dust collection is acceptable. 

- Lastly, and probably most frequently, I use my Multimaster to replace a jamb saw.  In the past, I have used a Crain setup, as well as numerous handsaws.  Never again. 

I am excited to see how the new options from Bosch, Dremel, and Rockwell are received.  I will purchase one of these for my father for Christmas, but haven't decided which.

 

[jaegerhund]

The only reason I do not use the Fein for sanding is that I own the Deltex 93 ----- otherwise I would even though I find that the sanding pad heats up pretty quick. 

Justin

 

[joiner1970]

I just bought the Multimaster 250Q MM kit in 110v UK and its great very sturdy , I didnt look at blade prices before I bought it OUCH. I went to a trade show a couple of weeks ago while there I spoke to the girl on the fein stand. I had a semi circular blade that came with the kit and the centre star hole had broken up. These blades are nearly ?30 GBP ouch but she just took my old one off me and gave me a new one great customer service eh also gave me a free Precision blade to try out.

 

[jaegerhund]

On the new multimasters, if you do not seat the attachment correctly before using the lever thingy to clamp down, you will crack the blade ---- it's happened to me a few times (cursed like a sailor).

Justin

 

[joiner1970]

Yeah thats what she told me but I am sure they were seated properly, she said she has done it herself a couple of times.

What blades do you use most ?

I tried the precision blade and it cut much faster than the universal blade in wood but the teeth ping off easily I noticed.

 

[Neill]

I also like my Fein MM a lot.  One of the things the "star" does is allow you to seat the attachment to almost any angle.  I use mine a lot for sanding in tight spots.  My only gripe is that when using the sanding profiles, the sandpaper keeps slipping out of the clamping attachment.  When using the triangle hook and loop attachment, no problem.

Neill

 

[nickao]

The MM is a pain to sand with and I think the Deltex is just a different animal much better for sanding, IMHO.

As others have stated  the sandpaper comes off, the profiles are a hassle and the MM  does not even sand that well(in comparison to the Festool Deltex) and it is just a pain to keep adjusting the sandpaper.

If you are getting an MM for sanding get the Deltex, if you want a saw that makes some cuts no other saw could, get the Fein.

There are a number of aftermarket guys now that sell similar blades that fit the Fein for less than 50% of Feins prices, just google.

Oops looks like at least one source went out of business recently.

This guy makes his own Fein blades and they supposedly work. He shows how here and they cost about a 1.00:

Home Made MM Blades

Looks very promising.

His source material for the blade is a 1 1/8" section I cut from a Buck Brothers Hand Miter saw you can get for about 10.00. It can be straight or bent to make an offset blade. Neat idea.

 

[GaryLaroff]

Nick,

I have four Festool sanders but not the Deltex.  And I have two of the Fein MM.  A major refinishing/sanding job arrived today and I have to sand long 3-4 foot vertical runs that are 2 3/8 inch wide between 1 inch high by 3/4 inch wide dividers.  That is, I need to sand 2 3/8 inch wide strips between walls.  The base wood is veneered plywood and the dividers are solid wood.  The trick is to remove most of the original finish and all the polyurethane junk that seems to be on top of it, preferably not sanding through the veneer.

I hoped the LS-130 with the 90 degree pad would fit in there but it is a bit too wide.  The 88 degree pad just almost fits.  I was thinking I might have to use the Fein MM or trim down the LS-130 pad. Would a Deltex work on such a project?  I have never used one and have little reference to go by.

Gary

 

[erikfsn]

Walter tools sells Fein blades for around the same price as the aftermarket multiblades, but people talk about saving money with aftermarket blades, I don't get it. The price of Fein blades has come down some.

I haven't tried to sand with the supercut after getting the deltex, no comparison.