The Dremel Multi-Max Oscillating Tool is a fantastic tool for all sorts of odd jobs and DIY projects including cutting holes in drywall, plunge cutting wood and general sanding.
Ease of Use/Performance: 25/25
Convenience/Storage 23/25
Appearance/Design 20/25
How much I enjoy 25/25
Total: 93/100
The Dremel Multi-Max is an oscillating tool used for sanding, cutting, scraping and removal of various materials using a side to side oscillating motion. The oscillating tool is for remodeling, restoration and repair in and around your home for a wide variety of uses.
The Dremel Multi-Max makes fast work of odd jobs and hard to reach cuts that more conventional tools like jig saws, reciprocating saws and many more tools cannot handle o their own. The oscillating tool uses a side to side motion of only a few degrees at 10,000 to 21,000 oscillations per minute to create an effective and fast cutting motion.
Using various blades you can cut, remove, scrape and sand on a lot of different surfaces and for any do it yourselfer or homeowner that does any kind of work on their home an oscillating tool is now a must have tool. The oscillating tool gets into places other tools can’t and makes quick work of jobs that would otherwise take much more time such as grout removal.
The oscillating action of the Multi-Max works the blade back and forth only 3 degrees in a side to side motion and using a toothed blade will cut wood and metal. A flat blade will scrape and they have blades with a Velcro pad for sanding and even some diamond impregnated ones for grout removal.
Dremel carries a full line of blades for the Multi-Max so you have a good assortment but these blades are also useable on other tools. I found the Dremel tool after I had purchased a Rockwell and the Rockwell brand sells an adapter to fit their tool to use the Dremel blades on it.
The reverse does not work however so Rockwell blades will not work on the Dremel Multi-Max but Dremel does carry a good variety of blades with four cutting blades, two scraping blades, two grout removal blades and an assortment of sandpapers. The blades for the Dremel Multi-Max attach easily using a hex wrench that is supplied and a unique mount system that allows the blade to be installed in any direction.
The blades are actually reasonably priced an available at a lot of home improvement stores like Menards and Home Depot for about $10 to $30 depending on the blade. The Dremel Multi-Max kits cost from $100 to $120 depending on the kit, plastic carry case inclusion and accessories provided.
The Dremel Multi-Max I received, model 6300-01, comes with the tool itself, a wood/metal cutting blade, a scraping blade, a drywall cutting blade, a sanding pad and an assortment of sand papers, the Allen wrench and instructions. The Multi-Max comes in a convenient plastic carry box that holds not only the tool and plenty of accessories as well as a much needed holder for the all important Allen wrench.
The Allen wrench tightens the bolt that holds the blades on the tool and the eleven studs in a circle on the mount allow fitting the blades in the various positions. You can install most of the blades without taking the bolt completely off the tool using the blades notched mounting system.
This quick change without having to take the bolt off the tool means a faster change for accessories while working with the Multi-Max. The blades for cutting wood, cutting drywall, removing grout and scraping all have this notch while the sanding pad does not.
Adjusting the speed and the on off switch work well with a wheel for speeds marked from 2 to 10 and the on off slide switch positioned for use with your thumb. The Multi-Max tool is designed for us as either a left or right handed tool which is nice and the tool has a nice hefty feel.
When using the sanding pad you do have to take off the bolt to install the sanding pad but for future sanding papers you do not have to take it off. The sanding pad has one side of Velcro and the sandpapers available at home improvement stores and hardware stores have the other side.
The sanding pads for any of the other oscillating tools will also fit on the Dremel Multi-Max as they all use the Velcro and are almost exactly the same size. The sanding pads come in a variety of course, medium and fine sand papers for a variety of sanding jobs.
The kit I received for reviewing comes with two types of cutting blades with a smaller 3/4 inch wide blade for cutting wood and a drywall cutter that is a half circle. The wood cutting blade does an excellent job of flush cuts for trim around doors, odd placed wood for jobs that are in tight spaces and more.
The wood/metal blade does cut through metal like the occasional nail or screw but I do have to warn that it does not cut through old plaster lathe type walls. I tried cutting through some of my plaster lathe wall to install a vent duct and the blade lost most of its teeth form the grinding of the old almost concrete like plaster.
So after running to Menards where they stock all the blades for the Dremel tool along with a lot of other Dremel products I bought another wood cutting bit and continued using the tool. I needed it again for some jobs like installing wiring in my attic and basement and running wire through walls.
This was the reason I purchased the Rockwell tool before receiving this one for reviewing as I had some floor boards to cut from the underside in my basement. I was running wire from my basement to my attic and to get into a wall I needed to cut a piece of the floor boards from the bottom near the floor joist.
A jigsaw or even a reciprocating saw would not get into this spot but I could use a drill then a reciprocating saw but that means using two tools. Many of the jobs using the Multi-Max mean a quick and easy way to cut, scrape or sand without having to use more than one tool.
I simply used the wood cutting blade and cut into the wood and continued to cut small lines along the boards right where I needed to. The wood blade has a depth gauge on it so you know how deep you are when cutting flush cuts like for door trim.
The flush cut blade worked fantastically for things like door trim and those odd places along floors and in between joists where other tools need to be moved sideways to cut. The oscillating saw does not have to be moved sideways but makes plunge cuts easily and quickly along with other cuts using the various blades and different ways of cutting.
You can also use the drywall tool to cut holes for light switches, outlets and other holes you need in installed or before installing the drywall sheets. The drywall tool has smaller teeth for cutting the drywall with a smooth cut so you don’t tear the paper coating.
The scraper is a smooth flexible blade almost like a putty knife for scraping just about anything from any surface like paint from a chair or floor tiles from a floor. The scraper works very well as it moves quickly to give you a fast but smooth shaving motion that scraps paint and dried glue easily.
The Multi-Max does a great job for odd tasks like cutting in difficult places and scraping, sanding and several other jobs all around the house. An oscillating tool is now a must have power tool for the home owner right behind the reciprocating and circular saw for a very versatile tool that does various chores in odd places and much more.
I had no problems at all using the Dremel Multi-Max tool and found it worked so very well at getting into odd places that I highly recommend this. The tool does not have any odd features or things that do not work perfectly for a power tool that is exactly what you need for so many jobs.
Trim work around doors and windows, cutting in those odd places like basements and attics, sanding odd things like chairs and tables, the Multi-Max can do it all. I highly recommend the Dremel Multi-Max as the perfect oscillating tool with a quick change blade mount that works fantastically well.
