Oscilating tools : OS400 or go with a non-festool cordless?

[sanjay]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice.I have the option of purchasing an OS400 oscilating tool, or a Milwaukee Fuel cordless osc tool (i already have M18 batteries and have bought into the M18 system).

I could not find any comparisons of the 2.  I would need this for general DIY / woodworking and carpentry where i probably wouldnt notice the difference but which one would you pick?

 

[Packard]

I have a DeWalt and it serves me fine.  Cordless would have been nice when I was removing caulking from outdoors windows, but not essential.

I just watched the Festool video.  They seem to have designed solutions to problems that are imagined but do not really exist. 

Some clever-looking accessories, but I have never felt a need for any of them.

 

[Cheese]

I have an OS 400, it's a real nice piece of equipment. Prior to the Festool I owned 2 different Fein models and a cordless Porter Cable.

The plunge base on the OS 400 is nice for cutting holes in flooring for HVAC vents or for weaving in new 3/4" solid wood strip flooring.

 

[huntdupl]

I think the Festool if definitely top dog. The new Milwaukee has gotten great reviews and apparently very powerful.

I have the Dewalt which has also served me well and can be had for $99. Unlike the Milwaukee, the Dewalt has a variable speed trigger which is a must in my opinion. You'll spend more on blades than the tool and a good blade is more important than power IMO.

 

[AlexThePalex]

The Festool OS400 is the Fein SuperCut in a different colour, and it's simply the best oscillating multitool out there. It has the most power, no cordless device will come close.

Lots of power is not always needed though.

I have the Fein MultiMaster FMM 350 Q, which is their smaller brother which has the same functionality but less power. I never had the feeling my MM doesn't get it done, so more power is not a big requirement for me.

I have thought about going to the SuperCut or OS 400, but I decided not to because of the availability of blades. These tools use a proprietary attachment and you will not find any cheaper aftermarket blades for it. But for my MultiMaster, you will find lots and lots of cheaper alternatives, and they are just as good and long-lasting.

I mean, a blade I buy for €1 is just as good as the Fein/Festool branded that cost €15-28.

Then consider how quickly even the expensive blades wear out, this will save you a ton of money. I generally use 10 blades per month.

You will be able to buy cheaper blades for a Milwaukee too. Milwaukee specifically subscribes to an open, non-proprietary blade model.

I also never felt the need for any of the "clever" attachments Festool made for the OS 400. My own sensory and motor skills provide sufficient feedback to make sure I don't cut too deep or hit a gas line by accident. And a piece of tape on a blade makes for an excellent depth stop.
 

 

[Packard]

The video shows using a depth stop for cutting baseboard for tile installation.  But in reality, the depth of cut is not at all critical there so if I over cut by an 1/8" it will not show.

They also show the depth of cut gage for cutting out for wall sockets.  Again eyeballing it is accurate enough. 

I see some house painters cut in very fast using just a brush and a steady hand.  And others taping off.  The brush and steady hand easily win the race and with skill is it as good or better in appearance.

By the time someone mounts and adjusts the attachment, I would have the wall socket cutout done.  I just don't see it. 

I do agree that you can chew through blades in a hurry.  My house has plaster walls, and those wear out blades in a hurry.

 

[cpw]

I got the cordless Vecturo, I prefer it to my corded the Fein MM350Q in terms of convenience.  I think that the accessories are not as well thought out as they could be.  The plunge base with dust collection does work pretty well.  If you use the depth stop for chasing out drywall with the circular blade you can't actually use dust collection with that.  This seems like a pretty glaring hole to me.

 

[Cheese]

My house has plaster walls, and those wear out blades in a hurry.

The best blades I've found for use on plaster are the Bosch 114C carbide blades. The Bosch blade in the middle of the photo has probably cut over 30 feet of plaster walls. You can see both edges are worn but it still cuts well.

[attachimg=1]

 

[rst]

I'm with Cheese on blades, I mostly use Bosch and love their new carbide tipped ones.  I use the grout removal shapes often as well, I see Cheese has the semi circular one, I use the triangular one the most and also use the narrow rectangular ones.  The triangular one is outstanding for cleaning up puttied windows and other wood removal situations.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

I have an older corded Fein, when I wanted a cordless I got the Milwaukee 18V because I was already using the M18 batteries.

For my use (handyman / hobbyist) the Milwaukee is more than adequate, cordless is very handy when working in multiple places, on ladders, outside, etc. - the Fein is a better tool but tends to stay on the bench now.

Agreed on the blades, I find it is important to remember they are consumable and install a new one frequently especiailly when working in material like walls with plaster and metal mesh.

 

[Roachmill]

It depends what you imagine you'll be needing to do. If you see yourself needing to get in to awkward and tight spaces often, moving around a lot and have batteries then cordless makes that an easy choice.

I had the corded Festool offering but sold it on to get a cordless Dewalt with a paddle switch which was much better for what I was needing (renovating / remodelling). The paddle switch (trigger) was great in tight spots where 3 hands were needed but you wouldn't necessarily want to use it for repetitive long running cuts. It also had a rudimentary depth stop which worked quite well as I'm only an occasional multitool user and definitely not a pro using them every day.

That said, I ended up with the cordless Festool with all the attachments. Said attachments don't come out to play very often but have done so in times of need and, in particular, the depth stop as it makes for one less thing to keep my eye on when cutting through flooring. Even when you've done what you can to check for "uncuttables" underneath it's reassuring to know you can't accidentally punch through and...  [crying]

 

[Bertotti]

I have only had my multimaster but when I use it I use it a lot. I can't imagine I would enjoy charging and swapping batteries for it. When I start I just want to go. Do these cordless ones have batteries that last awhile?

 

[Samo]

I have only had my multimaster but when I use it I use it a lot. I can't imagine I would enjoy charging and swapping batteries for it. When I start I just want to go. Do these cordless ones have batteries that last awhile?

Yes they do!  Most tools are easier and safer cordless but some have a weight penalty. 

I have a boat load of corded tools that have no real resale value for this reason.