Any opinions on alternatives? I've never had one of these gadgets and wondered specifically about the blades. I hear lot's of complaints about the replacement costs. But hey, chop saw blades are more expensive but they can last for many jobs and be resharpened. Maybe the complaints are coming from carpenters that use it for a variety of purposes and is more often used.

Considering replacements can be expensive any estimates on how long they last? More than likely I'd only be using them for repairs but let's say you get into a large remodel where a few walls have been removed. Let's also say we're working with red oak.

Thanks!

I just bought some versa-tool blades on Ebay from a company called Specialty Diamond. I should have them this week, I'll let you know how they work and last.

A while back Gary told me about a similar tool from Harbor Freight. I've been doing some lacing with it , and it works great. I go through blades like crazy, but their inexpensive. And the tool is like under 60 bucks.

Got mine for $29. Paid for itself 10 times over on the first job.

Twenty nine bucks? Nah...really?

It's $39.00 bucks now. That's what I paid. Mine worked well.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=67256

They opened a new store, and it was on the Grand Opening flier in the mail.
Fein blades and the Dremel blades fit it.

The harbor freight one and the Dremel and I think the Bosch tool only oscillate at 11,000 times a minute vs 22,000 on the Fein tool. But it does the job, just slower.

Geez, HF must think we're all rich folks here in Las Vegas I just looked back and got creamed at 58 bucks . Maybe they go by "whatever the traffic will bare"

Bosch goes to 20,000 but it seems they only offer a cordless.

I'll try the $39 special. If it doesn't perform as expected I'll stick it in the tool shed and grab something with more power. I'll have to check the "local" Harbor Freight. 60 miles.

Thanks guys

We have found that for daily use (our service dept) the FEIN Supercut is the ideal for us. The installers use the FEIN Multi-master since mostly they are just cutting door frames, etc.
When we decided to go this route, there weren't any knockoffs available so we absorbed the cost of these expensive tools into our budget. No regrets either, I might add, they have paid for themselves many times over.
As for the blades,we have done two things to reduce the costs. First, we became a distributor of the product, which greatly reduces the tool and blade costs for our own uses, and secondly I found a guy to re-sharpen the blades themselves. Costs me two bucks for a re-sharpen, but if the teeth are badly damaged, he braises a piece of band saw blade on the end. If done perfectly, the blades are better than new, but if there is the slightest flaw in the weld, it was a waste of 6 bucks since it snaps right off. Either way, the system has become very cost effective for us.

The Dremel blades are blue hardened steel while the cheapo HF blades are junk steel but only cost half the price of the Dremel's. Dremels are only like 12 bucks at Lowes. But you get two scraper blades with the HF tool. Got lots of those.

Ken, I thought I showed you the HF tool when you were here???

Probably. But that was a coons age ago.

I just got my blades from versa-tool they look quality but we'll see how they cut, less money then the feins.

Found a way to re-cut them.

http://flooringinstaller.ning.com/group ... tion-blade

Gotta sign in or sign up to read it though.