Multitool

[Jos7000]

Anyone ever tried undercutting a length (2 meters or so) of fixed skirting with one to install a floor? Working on a very old house at the moment and we ripped one of the tall hardwood skirting boards off and have caused ourselves lots of damage to the plaster - we won't be doing that on the other side (it's just not worth the hassle). Is it possible to get a good finish with a miltitool to accommodate this?

Yes, I did, you use about three or four blades to do a hallway and landing's worth, but only because you hit brick from time to time. The pictures are after the cutting of skirting and fitting of reclaimed oak flooring, a couple of paint chips but nothing detrimental. In a house built in 1898.

 

[TomGW]

I’ve had a similar situation with fitting flooring under existing skirting and I would suggest trying a Stanley knife to cut the bottom off. It does sound a bit daft but can work amazingly well.
Having sold all my miscellaneous cordless tools a few months ago, keeping just the Milwaukee stuff, I only needed to buy a bare multi-tool. However, I do have an Erbauer corded version that has been exceptionally useful. I bought it as a catalogue “return” for only £35. Complete and never used - the only difference from new was the electrical safety test sticker, which I presume is mandatory on any opened item.

 

[Sideways]

Ahhh - multitool.
Fein starlock cordless.
Known as the catflap tool in this house
Cats hate closed doors. The little beggars soon learn how to open them but never close them afterwards.
We got tired of the draughts so fitted a couple of extra catflaps in the interior doors.
Harmony restored in 10 minutes with the right tool.

 

[DamoF]

Anyone ever tried undercutting a length (2 meters or so) of fixed skirting with one to install a floor? Working on a very old house at the moment and we ripped one of the tall hardwood skirting boards off and have caused ourselves lots of damage to the plaster - we won't be doing that on the other side (it's just not worth the hassle). Is it possible to get a good finish with a miltitool to accommodate this?

I've used one for exactly that, they can wander easily but if you know this in advance and practice on some scrap it can be a very efficient and clean way to cut skirting. They're a great tool once you know how best to use them. I've been fitting a kitchen this week and it's been worth it's weight in gold for notching end panels into skirting.

 

[PerryGunn]

Anyone ever tried undercutting a length (2 meters or so) of fixed skirting with one to install a floor? Working on a very old house at the moment and we ripped one of the tall hardwood skirting boards off and have caused ourselves lots of damage to the plaster - we won't be doing that on the other side (it's just not worth the hassle). Is it possible to get a good finish with a miltitool to accommodate this?

Yes, it's the sort of job that they're great at - I did it at an old house to hide some thick speaker wires, they made a bulge under the carpet but once slid under the skirting, the underlay/carpet hid the cut.

I used a bit of scrap ply to keep the blade level and a depth stop to avoid going too deep and hitting brick

 

[andy hamilton]

Yes, but I'm going left n right with the side's of the cutter and for me the freshly squared edges attack the putty better, until it wears again. This was especially useful when I had to clean off over a 100 years of solid over puttying and paint on the inside of this caked up fanlight.
I hold it at an angle to the work and "backfeed" over the unworked surface.
Cheers Andy
View attachment 101085View attachment 101088View attachment 101086

Looks like we're in the same sort of business, though we specialise in box-framed sash window restorations (not modern solid frames with spring balances - I loathe them with a passion). That's a good tip though we're nearly always working on the exterior putty with the sashes removed from the frame. Like you, we're removing lumpy old paint and hardened putty, the multitool used with care giving a better chance of not cracking the old glass than trying to chip it out with an old chisel. It's also ideal for cutting pocket pieces in new pulley stiles and a whole range of small cuts which no other tool would get to such as cutting off rotten glazing fillets. As long as the rot hasn't got into the rest of the glazing bar we can glue on a new fillet using PU glue which sets in minutes. We can often get away with not removing adjacent panes.

 

[Sandyn]

I have a Bosch and it is one tool I could not be without when working on an old property. I use it all the time. Cutting skirting for installing oak flooring. Just use a bit of flooring plus any under lay to get the spacing. Use a very coarse blade and keep it moving from side to side. Cutting hidden nails for removing door facings, I sacrifice old wood blades, but don't use force, just let the blade do the cutting. Cutting perfect rectangular holes in plaster and wood for electrical/plumbing work. Cutting deep rectangular cut-outs in wood. You can use the tool to get square edges and flatten the bottom of the cutout. Paint stripping and generally removing anything by using the tool sideways just as toolsntat does. Sharpen the edge of the tool and it can be used for scraping things. Deep cleaning small areas of carpet which has had dry rubbish spilt on it. Used sideways, it caused the grit in the carper to vibrate to the surface, use with a vacuum cleaner. Cutting foam, insulation and other similar stuff. My one is extremely noisy, but I always wear ear protection. Some of the tasks above require great care, if you touch glass with it....crack!! I remake worn blades with a cold-cut chisel for sacrifice blades. A very versatile tool.

 

[andy hamilton]

I have a Bosch and it is one tool I could not be without when working on an old property. I use it all the time. Cutting skirting for installing oak flooring. Just use a bit of flooring plus any under lay to get the spacing. Use a very coarse blade and keep it moving from side to side. Cutting hidden nails for removing door facings, I sacrifice old wood blades, but don't use force, just let the blade do the cutting. Cutting perfect rectangular holes in plaster and wood for electrical/plumbing work. Cutting deep rectangular cut-outs in wood. You can use the tool to get square edges and flatten the bottom of the cutout. Paint stripping and generally removing anything by using the tool sideways just as toolsntat does. Sharpen the edge of the tool and it can be used for scraping things. Deep cleaning small areas of carpet which has had dry rubbish spilt on it. Used sideways, it caused the grit in the carper to vibrate to the surface, use with a vacuum cleaner. Cutting foam, insulation and other similar stuff. My one is extremely noisy, but I always wear ear protection. Some of the tasks above require great care, if you touch glass with it....crack!! I remake worn blades with a cold-cut chisel for sacrifice blades. A very versatile tool.

How did we manage before they came on the market?

 

[Sandyn]

How did we manage before they came on the market?

I have no idea! The Swiss army knife of the tool world.

 

[NormanB]

Not for me, I won't buy something I feel is inferior just to stick with a battery platform - virtually every cordless tool I have is Makita (and I have quite a few along with about a dozen batteries) but if I don't like the look/feel of a Makita tool, I'll buy something else. e.g. I bought the Fein AMM700 cordless Multimaster because, having tried both, it's got a lot more power than the Makita with less vibration.

That’s your choice of course.
It does not undermine the logic of my statement. Most people on a budget would not want to spring for another battery platform, most mobile tradesman would similarly want to keep their logistics simple with one battery platform.
Many users will not be using a multi tool for extended periods where vibration will be a real concern. The premium multi tools like Fein or Festool that perform well from a vibration perspective command a significant price premium. The others (apart from the well known supermarket varieties) are all much of a muchness.
For context, I have a corded multitool, it has been been my ‘get out of jail card’ on numerous occasion. I have had it for 10 + years and my estimate I may have used it for 10 hours in total. So one hour a year, maybe a max of 15 minutes use each time.

 

[JoeSheffer]

Yes, I did, you use about three or four blades to do a hallway and landing's worth, but only because you hit brick from time to time. The pictures are after the cutting of skirting and fitting of reclaimed oak flooring, a couple of paint chips but nothing detrimental. In a house built in 1898. View attachment 101094View attachment 101095

Super. Tool ordered.