A Fein tool ?

[Ron20324]

I have some Fathers Day booty to spend, and was thinking of the Multi-Master tool. I wonder if the Fein is the way to go, or is there something better, or a better deal, than the Fein? Fawcetts in Annapolis has the FMM 250 Start Q basic kit for $215, plastic case included- not the bag. Is there a better place or brand to buy?

 

[woodster]

I have some Fathers Day booty to spend, and was thinking of the Multi-Master tool. I wonder if the Fein is the way to go, or is there something better, or a better deal, than the Fein? Fawcetts in Annapolis has the FMM 250 Start Q basic kit for $215, plastic case included- not the bag. Is there a better place or brand to buy?

get the best deal you can but be sure its a Fein...that is out of all the power tools to pic from my first choice to keep on the boat...you may want to look on creigs list for a second hand one if you dont have a problem with used.....

regards

woody

 

[Buzzlovelace]

I have some Fathers Day booty to spend, and was thinking of the Multi-Master tool. I wonder if the Fein is the way to go, or is there something better, or a better deal, than the Fein? Fawcetts in Annapolis has the FMM 250 Start Q basic kit for $215, plastic case included- not the bag. Is there a better place or brand to buy?

That's the kit I bought , Just get the blades that work for you, Best tool ever, millions of uses. Go with Fein its a better quality with less vibration. Going on 4 yrs of everyday use

 

[Buzzlovelace]

Oh I got mine from Amazon, free ship

 

[woodster]

Fawcetts in Annapolis has the FMM 250 Start Q basic kit for $215, plastic case included- not the bag. quote]

that is a very good price......

regards

woody

 

[31seahorse]

Ron,
I agree with the comments above. You will find many uses for the Fein tool. Some of the blades are expensive, but I have used them after they had chunks broken off of them due to abuse by me. I'm sure neither the company nor any safety agency would recommend doing what I did with the blades, but the bottom line is that I could keep on working. The vibration of the blade and its placement allow for cutting in places that no other tool will work without major damage to the surrounding material.

The basic kit was $450+ when I bought it in 2001. Still a great tool and I use it regularly.

 

[txtowman]

I have Two

Although neither are fein, I have a harbor freight cordless for when there is no power on sale $40.
And a rockwell "contractor" about $60. Both work fantastic!
I don't use them all day so they are fine for me. I spent less on the tool and bought more blades. The blades are expensive and do not last long.

 

[alexco38]

If you use it everyday, by all means get a Fein.
I don't use it everyday, rather go sailing, so a Ridgid JobMax works for me.

http://www.ridgid.com/jobmax/

 

[caguy]

I like my Dremmel Multimate ~$100. Accessories are readily avialable at all Lowes and Home Depots. To keep on the boat I bought one from Harbor Freight for about $40 that works great. Since they opened a HF close by the accessories are far cheaper and now readily available to me. The sandiing triangles also fit the Multi-mate. The HF tool has gone through a lot of abuse and keeps on ticking.

 

[tommays]

The Fein kit with blades tends to work out better pricewise VS buying blades lose

The blades are costly because they are GOOD

 

[DougM]

I have a Rockwell tool. I couldn't justify the cost of a Fein simply because it's not a tool I use everyday. The Rockwell wil take blades from other manufacturers including Fein, but none of them are inexpensive. The tools are handy to have.

 

[FourPoints]

I like my Dremmel Multimate ~$100. Accessories are readily avialable at all Lowes and Home Depots. To keep on the boat I bought one from Harbor Freight for about $40 that works great. Since they opened a HF close by the accessories are far cheaper and now readily available to me. The sandiing triangles also fit the Multi-mate. The HF tool has gone through a lot of abuse and keeps on ticking.

I too have the dremel, LOVE that tool. Good quality, easy to find, and IMHO a better value than the fein.

 

[kenn]

I've heard great things about the Fein. But for occasional use I couldn't justify the price. So last year I snapped up a "Mastercraft" unit (Canadian Tire's house brand) when they were on sale for $40.

These things are great for around-boat use! Slower than other tools on fiberglass, but the cut is very clean and controllable. Very good for cutting out instrument mounting holes in pods or panels. Good for trimming too-long bolts or other small metal parts. The sander is surprisingly good.

 

[FastOlson]

I have a Fein shlp vac and the quality and engineering is light years beyond the usual hardware store product. I wanted the Multimaster also, but like others here could not quite budget enough. I bought the Harbor Freight version one major boat project and it worked OK -- but it's cheap and worth every penny! After a few minutes it's too hot to use without gloves.... cheap knockoff and cheap built.
I still plan on getting a "real" multimaster sometime.

I use the Fein vac with a Bosch quarter sheet sander and it is quiet and honestly "dustless."

 

[Ward H]

I kept forgetting to take my drill to the boat so bought a Rigid Drill/Impact Driver combo which came with two batteries to keep in the truck.
Then bought the Ridgid Job Max multi tool without the battery. Lower cost and I share the drill batteries.
Fein is top qaulity but as others have said, hard to justify the cost for the use it will get.

 

[Maine Sail]

My .02...

I own;

Harbor Freight Multi-Tool
Milwaukee Multi-Tool
Dremel Multi-Tool
Fein Multi-Master (top kit)


The ONLY tool I would buy again in a heart beat is the Fein. My brother owns the Rockwell, I bought it for him for X-Mas, and as of yet it is one of the better knock offs I have seen, but it is FAR from a Fein MM........

 

[Scott T-Bird]

From what I heard (take it with the grain of salt) ... Fein had the patent on this tool, making it initially very expensive and besides it is also top quality. Now that the patent expired and other tool makers are out there selling the knock-offs, you can get basically the same tool from a variety of tool-makers. Of course the quality is going to vary. I've heard good things about the Rockwell, Milwaukee and Dremel. If it is going to be used often, get the best quality, probably the Fein. Otherwise ... evaluate the cost vs use ratio. I tend to over-estimate the amount of use that I will actually give the tool so I often spend too much for a tool I don't use that often. I haven't bought one of these yet so I'm liking the comments. (It seems that Fein has also come down in price due to the competition - that's a good thing, no?).

 

[Ron20324]

As I planned to shorten a thru-hull tube Saturday, I took the recip and sabre saws- neither of which could get close to the hull to do the job. Only a hacksaw would do the job, but recalled the Fein and considered going to get it. BUT, 215 for a cut? The hack did the job in due time. I would still like to get a multi, even though I don't have another job in mind that I'd use it for. But then again, it's the unforeseen jobs we need a closet full of tools for... at least that MY excuse

I looked at several stores today today and I see Sears has the Craftsman version on sale for $80, but I wasn't sure about it quality-wise. The search continues. I didn't see a Rockwell anywhere.

By the way, my Home Depot has a sign they now carry MARINE PLYWOOD. Maybe that's just because it's in Annapolis, near all the boats?

 

[Jim Seamans]

No complains about the Fein, have had it for many years. Used it for many things, almost everything they have advertised it for. It makes the smoothest cuts of any tool i've had. Grout, wood floors, used it to enlarge my propane locker. Expensive Yes, Worth it - oh yea....

Used my Son's Dremmel tool this last week and had trouble controlling the cut but worked for what I was doing.

 

[tommays]

The Fien pays for itself about 11 minutes into the first difficult job you do never mind how much LONGER the blades last