Oscillating multi-tool: the right blade does all the work

“I bought the multi-tool, but after two cuts the blade has already lost its teeth.” When you bring me the blade, I almost always see the same thing: teeth worn in one spot only and heat marks. It wasn’t a poor blade, it was the way it was used.

What it is really for

The oscillating multi-tool is not a fast saw. The blade moves back and forth by a tiny amount, at a high frequency, and this lets it make flush cuts, plunge cuts in the middle of a panel, grout removal, and trimming of doors and skirting boards that are already fitted. Where other machines cannot get in, it can. But for long, straight cuts there are better tools.

The fitting: check it before the blades

Not all blades fit all machines. There are different fittings, and some machines accept more than one type. Before buying a set of blades, check that they are compatible with your tool: it is the question we get asked most often after a purchase. In the collection you will find DeWalt and Makita multi-tools, cordless and corded.

The right blade for the material

• Softwood and plasterboard: steel blades for wood, fast cutting.
• Wood with nails, or thin metal: bi-metal blades, which stand up to impact with iron.
• Mortar, grout, tiles: diamond or carbide blades. They have no teeth, they abrade.
• Scraping glue, silicone, old flooring: rigid or flexible scrapers.
• Sanding in corners: triangular backing pad with its sheets.

Why blades do not last

• Pushing hard: the blade stalls, heats up and the teeth burn. Let the machine do the work, with light pressure.
• Always using the same spot: move the machine slightly to the right and left, so that it works the whole width of the blade.
• Wrong speed: on wood you run high; on metal and plastic lower is better, otherwise you overheat the blade and the plastic melts.
• Blade fitted badly: if it is not properly tightened, it vibrates and loses power.

One last thing about diamond blades for grout: keep them inside the joint and do not rest them on the tile, otherwise you chip the glaze and wear the blade on its side. Two light passes are better than a single one made by force.

Cordless or corded

The multi-tool almost always works in short bursts: I cut a grout line, I trim a door jamb. That is why a battery suits it well. Anyone who uses it to scrape floors for hours, on the other hand, will appreciate the corded version.

Safety

Safety glasses and a dust mask: scraping and cutting mortar raises a lot of dust. The blades get very hot, so change them with gloves on. And before a plunge cut into a wall, check that there are no cables or pipes behind it.

What I need to know

• which jobs you do most often: flush cuts, grout, scraping, sanding;
• whether you already have batteries from a platform;
• the model of your machine, if you only need blades;
• the materials you work on.

We stock these

A few items from the range we keep. If you cannot find the size or the model you need, just ask: what you see online is only part of what we can source for you.

Oscillating multi-tool DWE315KTA.M.E.S. srl Oscillating multi-tool 300W (FME650K) (FME650K) StanleyStanley Oscillating multi-tool 300W (FME650K) (FME650K-QS) StanleyStanley Oscillating multi-tool 18V lithium 2.0Ah (FMC710D2) (FMC710D2) StanleyStanley Oscillating multi-tool 18V lithium 2.0Ah (FMC710D2) (FMC710D2-QW) StanleyStanley Oscillating multi-tool 18V - BARE UNIT WITHOUT BATTERY (FMC710B) (FMC710B) StanleyStanley

Browse the whole category: Oscillating Multi-Tools