I first came across the Fein Multitool on a TV infomercial. The price sort of stalled me on that one in spite of the fact that Fien makes top-drawer industrial tools w/typical ***** German engineering.
Several months later I stumbled onto a (brand NEW) Rockwell-Sonicrafter Ad and started searching for info. Didn't take long to find them on scores of websites including Amazon, from whom I'd bought before. Good outfit.
Reading (then) only a half dozen or so reviews on Amazon I knew I'd be more satisfied with the bigger, sturdier Rockwell over the other few light-weights around like the Dremel. I ordered the mid-range ($139.xx) Sonicrafter package.
Turned On or Off this tool has a solid feel, (and sound). It is smooth, quiet and strong. It's (comparatively) large 2.3 amp motor has plenty of muscle. My first need was when I had a 40gal. water heater hemorhage at 11 pm.
Next day I bought a tankless heater - which required a good bit of re-plumbing and cutting a hole larger under the "bottom" of a charged 3/4" PVC waterline in a nightmare place. An otherwise 2 hr. job draining and removing waterlines just to get back to the hole that needed lowering was surgically completed in about 5 minutes with the brand new Sonicrafter. As far as I am concerned this tool had just 'Paid' for itself first time out of the box.
A few tips. #1. Like most cutting tools including power drills, these new Multi tools (by whatever trade name) can not be "pushed" into cutting substantially faster. But, "Leaning" too hard on these tools 'will' do some things you're not going to like; Such as prematurely burning up or dulling cutter blades - overheating the motors - and, if you hear someone complain about the hub screw regularly loosening on a Sonicrafter you can bet that they are seriously 'dogging' down on that tool to make it happen.
The one I chose has the variable speed control - I expect the lower speeds might be handy only for 'sanding' stuff like 'less hard' finishes, aka old varnish. For hard, brittle material 'cutting' use a very high or highest speed... And no different than with any saw-type tool for cutting - your material must be held firmly 'still'. If not, you're just going to be "viberating" your work piece instead of cutting it.
I rate this tool as being a Real Winner among my 'manly' treasure chests of hand-&-power tools! ;-)
Whack on,
Gerry Harris
Get more detail about Rockwell RK5102K Sonicrafter Deluxe 72-Piece Kit.
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