Dremel 1.5 Amp Multi-Max Oscillating Kit - 6300-01 Hot

This tool came in handy when I was putting up beadboard paneling in a garage that had been converted to an indoor room. Worked great for cutting out electrical outlets and for (ahem) adjusting some trim.

Blades are really dear though. Unfortunately no other tool blades are compatible with this tool, since you cannot lock them down.

The scraper is excellent for removing adhesive from old flooring and showed little signs of wear once the work was completed.

The cord is a good length and the variable speed feature was handy when the previously mentioned adjustments had to be made.

I haven't used the sanding attachment but I expect to be impressed.

I did't notice a lot of heat from the tool but I did notice a need for a learning curve due to the oscillation versus a spinning or stroking blade. Once I got past that it was great to use. And the price is right too.

The tool seems to work OK our biggest concern was how HOT it got,We are looking at other similar tools, but may give this one another try.

I bought my first one six months ago to use in my remodeling business. At first I thought it would be good for trim work. Well, it is great for trim work. But it really, really excels or window repair work. Weather you are repairing rotten frames, sashes or sills, this is a must have tool. I now that Fein has had this tool for years. My hardwood man has one and I always thought it would be handy, but $300+ was a little steep for me at the time. What I like about the Dremel and the cordless Bosch over the Rockwell and Fein is the accessory mount. I like not having to remove the screw to change blades, especially when I'm 20+ feel up on a ladder. I can't help but think the cordless version would really be handy for window work. Being able to get new blades at Home Depot and Lowe's is the icing on the cake. Now I have 3 multi-max tools working nearly every day. Buy one, you will love it!

When you need to cut to something this tool is really great. It is light and easy to grip. I have been using it for flush cutting where I where I don't want to cut all the way through, or need to stop short of another material. This would work great if you had to cut back base board, for instance, to install wider door casing. Or to under cut door casing for flooring. I have also used it a little as a sander, great for tight spots or intricate projects. The only concern I had was the cutting blade coming loose. You really have to tighten it down.

The allen wrench can actually be stored on the plug at the end of the power cord, there are two prongs that hold the wrench nicely. I dont think this is their design intent, more a convenient outcome.

Introduction

This is one tool that has had a lot of attention ever since it was announced. It seems people have been waiting for an alternative to the Fein MultiMaster for some time. Let me just say that there is a $300 price difference between the Fein MultiMaster and the Dremel Multi-Max, with the Dremel being the cheaper of the two. This is probably the reason people have such a huge interest. Being someone that has never used the MultiMaster, unfortunately I cannot give you a comparative review.

You might want to watch the video first, and then continue reading the review.

Comfort

The Multi-Max is comfortable in my large hands, and seems well balanced. The on/off switch is in a good location, within easy reach of my thumbs. You might find it to be a little big if you have small hands. The variable speed dial is located at the back end of the tool, and is out of the way as to prevent accidental changes, and can easily be a controlled with the opposite hand. It is also well balanced, with a little more weight in the front where I want it, but not so much as to be top heavy, and uncomfortable. It feels strong in my hands, and I don't feel any extra movement of parts.

Cutting & Sanding

The Dremel seems powerful enough, though I have nothing to compare it against.
I was able to do some precision cutting with the ¾" blade with no trouble at all. I also did some long straight cuts just to see how fast it could cut. I say it cuts about as fast has a jigsaw using a similar blade. The Dremel Multi-Max really shines because it is able to cut unlike any other type of saw on the market, it is able to do square edge plunge cuts. Every type of cut I threw at it, it was able to handle. Unfortunately my kit did not include the 3" round blade, something that would probably be even more valuable to the kit. After I pick one up and run it through its paces, I will update the review.

The Multi-Max does a pretty good job at sanding. There are better options on the market for sanding large areas, but those are not in the same class as the Multi-Max. The Multi-Max's area of expertise is in sanding corners, and confined spaces, something you would use to sand furniture or crafts.

Attachments

The kit I received came with a ¾" blade, a flexible scraper, a sanding pad, and six grits of sandpaper. The ¾" saw blade and the scraper have a slot in them that allow for quick installation, and removal from the tool. The sanding pad requires that you completely remove the bolt and washer for attachment. They all allow for 360 degrees of rotation, which should help with those awkward cutting situations. It takes the included allen wrench to install, remove, and adjust all attachments. Which leads me to another flaw in the design. There is no place on the tool or in the case that securely holds the allen wrench. Considering this is something that is needed for your everyday use of the tool, it seems like it would be a little too easy to lose. Considering I have a pre-production model, this issue might have been corrected. If not let me know. Dremel has more blades and attachments that are available separately, and I am sure many more to come. See this post

Storage Case

Let me first start out with the case. Normally I don't care for molded cases, but Dremel seems to never disappoint me, leaving plenty of room for both the tool and its accessories. One huge plus is the fact that the Multi-Max can be stored in its case with its blade or sander attached. If you are always using the same attachment, this is a nice time saver. The case has a place to store the sander and extra paper, and two little nubs to hold extra blades. You could probably fit an extra 50 blades in the case. One thing that annoys me is the poor place for storing the instructions. They have you store the instructions just above the tool. This means that they have to be folded down on top of the tool while the lid is closed. A better option would be to have a slot to store them in the lid. There is plenty of room up there, and they would not be in the way. This would also prevent you from misplacing them.

Conclusion

Coming in at a price tag of around $100, it is truly a bargain. I can see this tool coming in very handy at work. I already have some uses line up for it on Monday. This, like all reviews will be open to updates if I see the need. You can pick up the Dremel Multi-Max at your local hardware store, or even better you can support Tool-Rank, and buy it from Amazon with free shipping.