I have seen 2 new tools I want/need ( same thing really )
A Dremel and a Fein Multimaster. A gunsmith mate used a Dremel. The things that gizmo could do was impressive. I saw them at my local timber yard and got to thinking.
Also been thinking about a Multimaster.
I do mostly renovation work, some timber overlay flooring, bath refits, that sorta thing. One of the biggest PITA jobs is cutting skirting ( you might know it as baseboard ) while it is still on the wall. I know the Fein does this easily, but the Dremel be way cheaper.
Soooo, I am wondering, will the Dremel with a router bit do the job, OR, should I just get the Fein??
Opinions on either or both would be welcome.
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
Replies
Are you triming lots of baseboard or just a few inches. If its in feet you should consider getting a flush cutting circular saw aka a jamb saw. The blade has a special nut that is flush and it sits in a frame that allows it to cut down to zero. They are also good for triming the bottom of doors in place. They sell one in tool crib I think.
I am doig occaisional stuff. The kind of cut I mean is a vertical one, while the stuff is still on the wall. Some of the old solid timber skirting can be murder to get off in one bit.
"Easier" to cut to its new length in place. For door jamb cutting I use a handsaw on a bit of scrap....seems to work well enough.
For trimming the door itself I take the thing off.
What I am after really is a multipurpose tool for all kinds of things. Having trouble deciding which would be more useful. I like the fein, but its pretty spendy.
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
a guy I know used a Dremel to cut base. After I showed him the Fein, he got one.
The Dremel work OK, but the Fein will cut faster and mare accurately. Trying to cut a straight line with the Dremel is difficult, at best.
The Fein is more expensive, but will do the job quicker and better.
And, if you go for it, get the steel case- the plastic one is just an exercise in frustration.
buy both.
that is what i did.
the fein is just the ticket for cutting that base and of course sanding
but you can't reshape a hunk of oak to turn a corner with it. that is what you got that dremel and its box full of goodies for
I think the Rotozip is built stronger than the Dremel. My opinion is that the dremel is for light duty work. Both accept 1/8" shank bits so there's a pretty good selection available ... dremel sells a wide variety of bits whereas the Rotozip sells mostly drywall bits and such.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Thanks for the info guys.
Both tools...........Hmmmmmm :-)
So far as I can tell, we dont have rotozip here. Makita has brought out a powered drywall cutter but I cant see it taking off.
Everyone here uses either a knife or a 'poke saw' to cut openings. Small and cheap.
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
Don't tell my wife, but I have both the Dremel and the Rotozip. Recently, I 'discovered' that Rotozip will take 1/4" shank stuff and I used mine to do some simple round overs with a 1/4" shank round over bit. Not as much 'base' as I'm used to with a router, but it worked fine after a bit of practice.
well hell
i have them all
rotozip ain't a dremel ain't a fein
i use the fein almost every day when i am doing finish work. it is a stand alone tool.
with the dremel i can sculpt and sand as per the pic- couldn't buy a fitting to make this so i bought a close stock and carved it
rotozip doesn't belong in the conversation cause you shouldn't use a dremel to cut drywall
rotozip handles things of a marginally bigger scope than dremel- mostly cut offs of thin metal and cutting out grout and it is a workable drywall router.
i bought the dremel thinking it was a wonderful bauble to hang from the mirror of my truck
i have been pleasantly surprised by its usefulness and sturdiness- even asked for dremel bits for christmas
the fein is the best tool i bought last year hands down
my dad borrowed it and i had to kill him to get it back
it is the third time this year i have had to treat him so
buy the fein buy the dremel
i got an extra rotozip- you can have it.
send me your address i'll ship it
i know overseas and all-big deal i'll send it
fergot the pic
Hubcap,
Thats awful generous of you. Thank you
I already sent you an email.
I can imagine it when the package arrives. My wife would ask what it was, then how much it cost.......then me trying to explain that some nice fella just up and sent me one!
LOL, I dont think she would believe me for a bit.
( My name is AJinNZ and I have been a tool junkie for a loooooong time )
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
got your e-mail and in a moment of rare clarity I realized I wanted to open it
just as my finger hit the delete key
came in as junk mail
send it again please and I will exercise more control
anyway if you want the little bugger it is yours
I have a couple Dremels, a Fein and a Rotozip
Dremels just about never get used
Fein gets used quite a bit for cutting base as you mention, patching in hardwood floors and the like - when you need it there is no other tool that compares
The Rotozip gets used every time I do drywall, and occasionally for cutting cabinets for pipes and such
I say get the Fein and go ahead and let hubcap mail you an extra Rotozip
one aspect of the Fein than nobody has mentioned so far is the cost of the freakin blades. They are quite an expensive item, at least to me, and on reno stuff, one finishing nail where you don't expect it will trash a blade. Ergo I've learned to try to anticipate that as much as possible.
If I had to cut/scribe a 10' base board, I wouldn't be reaching for the fein. What I'd be doing if it was so up and down that I couldn't shave it down in a few minutes with a block plane, is to get my scribe line, set my table saw at a 7 degree angle and scarf off the majority of the waste, staying proud of the line , and then shave down to the line with the block plane.
The fein is an exquisite tool, but expensive to operate in my opinion. The oscillating blade doesn't clear the sawdust, and when it the blade gets clogged, it overheats, and some of the thinner blades warp, so you have to learn to rotate the saw, and move it to and fro in a manner that will kick out the sawdust and avoid the overheating.
And with the fein, it pays to protect the surfaces you don't wnat marked up, cause, especially on entry, the blades have a tendancy to "dance around" and the can leave some pretty nasty "scratches"
The oscillating knive feature has seen application in removing old flooring, and works like a charm
The rasps they provide, well, they rasp, but really not too effectively. If you can imagine that the individual grits really don't move that much to be effective.
The Multimaster is there in the truck, I use it when I have to, but it ain't what I'd call a "high productivity" tool. Funny thing though, since I've become aware of these devices, I ain't EVER seen one for sale in the "used" marketplace (pawnshops, classified etc) I know I'd never sell mine.
Eric
in Calgary
Next time you need a fein blade,ck. this out and give them a tryhttp://search.ebay.com/fein-multimaster_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8I've bought from this guy and the quality ofthe blade is better than the fein and cheaper.There has been another poster on breaktime that haspurchased from this person and reported backthat they where happy with the product.
Thanks for the heads up on the ebay fella. PRice is almost equivalent to retail here, and what with the cost of handling, postage, and customs fees, more than what it costs me here. Thanks for the thought though. For cutting baseboards, I just use a new blade on the utility knive. Almost as fast, and substantially safer than yusing the fein. Eric
in Calgary.
Thanks for the heads up
That is what breaktime is all about
The Fein's pretty nice...