Hello Everyone!
Okay…. I never thought that I’d need something like this. But I’m making several built-ins for my newly remodeled house (I couldn’t build the built-ins during the remodel because all I could do and afford was to put the basic moulding in so that we could move back in). I put in lot’s of nice 7-1/4″ baseboard and now need to cut it it out so I can install the units. I was going to pry out the base and cut it, but the paint grade stuff is all nicely melded to wall and I’d rather not yank it out. Anyway, I saw the demo videos of the Fein MM and got all giddy, the same way as when I first saw the FT TS55.
Questions:
1) Is it really as easy as the video shows to cut into baseboard?
2) Is there a better way to do this (I don’t think I want to know)
3) Apparently there are two kits, the FMM Select and FMM 250Q Top. Is the extra price/accesories of the 250Q worth it?
4) Will it really hook up to a dust extractor and work?*
*My FT Trion Jigsaw hooked up to my Fein Vacuum does next to nothing
Replies
It's that easy, and more. I've done it many times, and each time AI wonder how I did it without the Fein. I use a block to guide the blade for a square cut.
I don't know anything about the new tools, other than I would like one, but can't justify it for now.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
so what's the dilema???
pick the one ya want and go get it....
this a no regrets purchase....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Gotta love these forums. They really help to push you justify tool vices! I think I'm gonna pick up the FMM Friday. I might as well go for the works and get the fully accessorized kit.
way to go...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
It should be "Enablers.com".
You will love the Fein. HDT had some in the ohter day, not sure if any are left. You will probably have to call.
http://www.heavydutytools.net/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=172
HDT never has them when I look. A good sale would be just the excuse I need to get the new model.
Mark has not shown them lately, think he gets them sold before he can get the site updated. He has been busy, probably need to call him or Wes. There was a stack of about 6 sitting there the other day when I picked up some blades. They may have been pre-sold.
The Multimaster cuts wood quite well. Since the blade is fairly narrow, you have to be careful when you shift the blade so that you get a slight zig-zag with multiple plunge cuts. There are at least two blades available - a wood blade that is about two inches wide and cuts fairly aggressively and a multipurpose blade that has a much finer tooth. As I found out, the wood blade does not survive hitting a nail very well while the multipurpose blade can survive a few such encounters, after which it still works fairly well for cutting drywall. All Fein blades are fairly pricey, as you may know.
There have been several threads in the past singing the praises of the Multimaster. There were even a couple that discussed making your own blades from various materials or refilling the teeth to get more mileage out of them. If you want more info, so a search on Breaktime.
Casey,Thanks for the info on the multiple plunge cuts, sounds like I'll have to practice a bit. I've been reading up on the threads, but it was the Fein video that really got me excited.
There are at least 3 kits, and if I could, I'd spring for the top kit. I don't know if the dust collection works, but it has to be better than nothing.
Just found the third kit. The "FMM 250 Start" its less than $200 but the claim on the Fein website is that it doesn't have the quick change blade. Looks like I need to take a trip down to Toolland.
J,
Have had the MM for several yrs and can't say enough about it's uses. Wish the tv video and store tv instructional video didn't exist. Used to be people would marvel in awe on "how'd you do that". Ah well-still takes a mind and operator to use it well.
I've freehanded many cuts. Steady your one hand on something that won't move near the cut (lean it on the base or create a bridge with a couple fingers (pool shooting). Guide the blade onto the line pretty perpendicular to the cut. Gently lift one end while still entering the wood. Run all along the cut line, making a shallow kerf. Then go to town, feeling the pressure when you go through the wood. The blades don't like plaster or drywall much either.
Enjoy.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
1) Is it really as easy as the video shows to cut into baseboard?
Yes.
2) Is there a better way to do this (I don't think I want to know)
No. The way I used to do it is to chisel it out with a very sharp chisel, or jigsaw or sawsall as much as I could and finish up with a chisel. There's no comparison.
3) Apparently there are two kits, the FMM Select and FMM 250Q Top. Is the extra price/accesories of the 250Q worth it?
Don't know.
4) Will it really hook up to a dust extractor and work?*
Don't know.
I like the Q because I don't want to spend time unscrewingblades when it can be done with the flip of a lever.
Amazon has a $299 version that gives a nice selection of blades. I got that and the floor installation kit. I am very happy with it and the blades cost less if you buy a package deal. Even if you don't want the scraper, say, you will still be glad to have it when the need arises.
It worksgreat for your example. I have the dust extraction hook up with the Turbo II vac. It definitely works, the hard part is keeping track of the hook that holds the dust extractor on the MM. Buy the metal case just for the fact there are a lot of expensive blades and parts that need organized.
there is more than one type of blade, the E blade, a round blade, and I think now a triangular blade.
I sometimes use the round blade to cut a kerf to follow up with the E blade for depth.
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
bobl,I got my FMM today on my way home from work. I got home and tried it out on some scrap. Your advice about using the round blade to start a kerf and then switch to the plunge is definitely the way to go. Thanks for the tip!I'm also glad I got the FMM 250 Top kit. The plastic case is sturdy, the assortment of blades is what I need, a dust collection attachment, and you've got to love the quick release blade system.
This guy has real good prices for the straight blades:http://www.multiblades.com/Flush-Cutting-Blades.htmlAnd you can get decent prices on the round blades here:http://search.ebay.com/multimaster-blades_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40
Al is also working on this:
James,
I am looking forward to making a blade that can be used to cut soft metal but the ones I tried were not to my satisfaction.
Lots of people are asking me the same question.
Righ now I am concentrating on the Stud Cutter blade.
The tooling is now finished and I will be able to start selling it next week.
It's a long blade that cuts a stud in one pass in about 17 seconds.
Be advised the new tools are more powerful than the old too. I would buy the select kit. Comes with the basic mess of att. you'll need.
The start kit isn't worth it, as you noted, b/c it doesn't have toolless blade change.
You could read hours of posts here about the MM and they're all spot on. Ialways have mine with me, and use it nearly daily for general remodeling.
Enjoy!
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
I had thought about the FMM select kit, but it lacks the dust collection attachment. DC is what is really driving my tool purchases these days. I just bought the Festool OF1400 router last month (looming price increase made me do it) because of the dust collection.
I think the DC outfit is retrofittable on the select kit tool. Same tool I think, but check into it.
FWIW, unless you are sanding with it, and even then, it produces very little dust."Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
I would -- and did -- buy the Select kit and then buy the metal case separately. You don't want the crappy plastic case that comes with the Top kit. There is a dust attachment you can get for the sanding. Buy a velcro strap for the long power cord.
I looked around and got mine from Walter Tool:
http://www.waltertool.com/
Their website is organized extremely well, the price was right (same as Amazon for the Select, with free shipping), and the price on the metal case ($46) was far better than the price from any other website.
The first time I undercut a jamb I got a big smile from how easy and fast it worked. You will find many many uses for the tool.
Billy
Does the MM cut hardi siding? Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
yup....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I have one of the new MMs. I bought the top to get the various blades and accessories it comes with. Fein then had to replace it twice, and let me keep the blades, so it worked out really well (other than being without the tool). There was a problem with the first run of the new MMs. They would bog down in colder temperatures. Fein pulled all of them for a while, and then re-released them. For anyone who complains, they will either fix the problem, or tell you to return it for an exchange or refund. I chose the latter.
I think the plastic case the top comes with is very sturdy, and would prefer it to the metal case. But I bought a tool bag to put it in, anyway, because cord storage is very awkward in the plastic case. It might be better in the metal case if it doesn't have the same compartments & organizer insert inside.
As others have mentioned, the cost of blades is the main drawback with the MM. But Fein has recently started selling them in 10 and larger packs. Bought online in that quantity, the price is well under half what I'd pay in a local store. I buy 10 packs and split them with a contractor I know.
My contractor friend has one of the older MM. He likes the quick-change feature, but said the extra power of the new units is what will likely cause him to upgrade. I haven't used the old ones, so I don't know how much of a difference it is.
To answer your original question, my contractor friend has used his MM exclusively for tasks like cutting into baseboard, and says it is worth the money for its ability to do that alone. But he's seen me using mine for some other things, and I think he is coming to appreciate some of its other uses.
I haven't tried the dust extraction, but I'm disappointed to hear it doesn't work well with the Trion. I have one, but now I'm not lookin forward to tryin' it out.
A guy picked up my MM without asking and tried to cut some installed base and the cut was horrible. He tried using a wide blade with normal teeth (not the japanese teeth profile) and it vibrates enough to make freehand cutting difficult, especially with a dull blade. They get eaten up quicker, but the "precision" (japanese) blades do cut wood better.
If you only have one or two cuts, the micro blades also work well, in either wood or metal versions.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
I've got a 5x10 trailer full of almost any kind of re-modeling type tools you can think of. If I had to pick a favorite... it could be the multimaster. I might not use it everyday, but I couldn't imagine life without it.
For sharpening the over priced blades, I use a dremel with a diamond cutoff wheel (about $15). put on my reading glasses so I can get a good look at what I'm doing, and it does a fine job of re-sharpening those teeth. I usually will grind out every other tooth of the fine cut blades and get a more agressive cut which works for me. I'm guessing I'll resharpen them after about 5 to 10 minutes of actual cutting time... a little sooner if chewing thru nails.