I always make sure the saw is perpendicular to the wall, or even angled upward ever so slightly. I like to hold the saw sort of like a telescope (or sometimes, like below, with an overhand grip), gently pressing the vibrating blade into the surface of the wood and sweeping it side to side through the plot line in a flat motion. With a clear plot line drawn, I install a designated wood blade in the saw (there are a variety of blades, which I’ll discuss later), then hit the power switch and approach the plot line slowly. (Note: It’s also important to have a perpendicular surface to rest the ledge of the square on to ensure a 90° mark.) I use either a SPEED SQUARE OR COMBINATION SQUARE to do this. But, it depends largely on first laying out clean “plot lines,” or visual representations of the cut you’re about to make. Using the saw for repairs like this is fairly simple. The saw cuts so finely that new, square-cut pieces splice in with only about a 1/16” gap (which is easy to caulk and hide afterwards). Window trim and door jambs are the common beneficiaries of this operation. The control of the saw practically lets you perform surgery on exterior casings. Cutting Out And Excavating Rotted Trimīy far, the most common use I have for the oscillating tool is extracting rotted trim. I’ve made a short list of these frequent applications below, and I’ve also including a few tips on how to best handle the tool. But, there are several key operations that cause me to reach for it over and over again. The number of projects I use this tool for are getting too numerous to keep track of. When you extract the blade, you’re left with about a 2” X 1/16” slot, very precisely placed. The motor slides this blade side to side in a ½” stroke at a blinding speed, causing the teeth to gradually notch their way into the material you’re cutting. Instead, it simply vibrates.Ī narrow, flat blade mounts to a platen at the end of the tool. And, it doesn’t spin or violently plunge. Unlike these predecessors, the oscillating tool doesn’t use a lot of force. If you did want to attempt tricky plunge cuts, you had to choose between the CIRCULAR SAW, the RECIPROCATING SAW, and the jamb cutter-tools with too much power and limited surgical control. For a full rundown on the oscillating multi-tool and its various uses, read on below!īefore the invention of the oscillating multi-tool (by the Fein Tool company), it was virtually impossible to repair small, damaged sections of a house without first removing the components you wanted to alter. I really can’t overstate how much this saw has changed my operation as a carpenter. Whatever you call it though, the oscillating multi-tool is incredible because it carries out a function that no other saw manages so effectively: It lets you make plunge cuts directly into almost any surface you’ll find in a house. If I had it my way, I would probably call it a “dip saw.” But, one saw in my collection has eclipsed even the circular saw in terms of importance… These days, as a home repair specialist, I still use my Makita sidewinder a lot. When I was growing up on construction sites in the late 90s, I sometimes felt like I had a circular saw permanently attached to the end of my arm. So, whatever brand you go with, pick up some good after-market replacement blades–just be sure they match your model! The following brands have good universality: Multi-tool blades can be expensive, as we’ll discuss below. If you like battery-powered tools, Dewalt’s 20V XR seems to be dominating the market: Dewalt’s 20V XR Porter Cable has the best low-cost/high review multi-tool these days: Porter Cable 20V Max This short article from The Honest Carpenter focuses on a tool that has helped revolutionize home repair: the oscillating multi-tool! See the multi-tool in action in our video below, and scope out a few product reviews with the article:
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