An oscillating multi-tool or oscillating saw is a multitool and

power tool A power tool is a tool that is actuator, actuated by an additional engine, power source and mechanism (engineering), mechanism other than the solely manual labour, manual labor used with hand tools. The most common types of power tools use electric ...

that

oscillates Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...

(rather than rotating or reciprocating), powered by battery or mains. The name "multi-tool" is a reference to the many functions that this tool can perform with the range of attachments available. "Master Tool" is also a trade name used in North America, short for the original tool by Fein called the Multi-Master. Attachments are available for

saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, Wire saw, wire, or Chainsaw, chain with a hard toothed edge used to cut through material. Various terms are used to describe toothed and abrasive saws. Saws began as serrated materials, and when man ...

ing,

sanding file:Schleifpapier verschiedene Sorten.jpg, upright=1.35, Sheets of sandpaper with different grit sizes (40 (coarse), 80, 150, 240, 600 (fine)) Sandpaper, also known as coated abrasive or emery paper, is a type of material that consists of sheet ...

rasp A rasp is a coarse form of file used for shaping wood, metal, or other material. Typically a hand tool, it consists of a generally tapered rectangular, round, or half-round sectioned bar of case hardened steel with distinct, individually cu ...

ing, grinding, scraping,

cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the sca ...

, and

polishing Polishing is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface by rubbing it or by applying a chemical treatment, leaving a clean surface with a significant specular reflection (still limited by the index of refraction of the material accordi ...

History

This type of oscillating tool was originally developed by the German manufacturer Fein in 1967 with a design intended to remove plaster casts easily without cutting the patient. This saw was patented as a circular saw with an angular oscillating saw blade. It was used primarily in orthopaedics for cutting plaster casts. The crescent pattern of the oscillating rotation cut through the hard cast without damaging the patient’s skin. The plaster cast saw was equipped with a more powerful gearbox to upgrade it to a chassis saw. The plaster cast saw formed the basis of FEIN's range of oscillating power tools.

Uses

Use of an offset in a fitted blade allows the tool to cut flush with a surface. This is particularly useful when fitting flooring along a skirting board, cutting the skirting to allow the board to slide under for a neat finish. The small form of these tools and the ability to mount the blade or accessory in any orientation allows cutting in areas that are otherwise virtually unreachable. The ability to cut a complex or precise recess without the need to remove the work piece from where is it fixed greatly increases productivity. Small and precise cuts are possible even on end grain. A small sliver can be easily removed from timber cut too long for a perfect fit. The accessory is fitted to the tool by a mechanism which allows that accessory to be rapidly rotated back and forth (oscillated). This creates

friction Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. Types of friction include dry, fluid, lubricated, skin, and internal -- an incomplete list. The study of t ...

with the sanding attachments, or rapid cutting motions with the saw and grinding attachments. The narrow angle of

oscillation Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...

allows for precise control over the tool as it does not kick like a rotating or reciprocating tool can. The angle of oscillation creates increasing friction further from the center of the tool as these areas travel a greater distance. The increased friction is particularly apparent with the triangular sanding and grinding attachments which allow the operator to reach into corners and confined spaces, a feature unique to this type of power tool. The saw blade attachments use the angle of oscillation in the same way, particularly the circular-shaped saw used in hospitals to cut the orthopedic plaster used in cases of bone fracture, once the immobilization time is over. The oscillating blade does not clear

swarf Swarf, also known as chips or by other process-specific names (such as turnings, filings, or shavings), are pieces of metal, wood, or plastic that are the debris or waste resulting from machining, woodworking, or similar subtractive (material-r ...

in the same way as a rotating blade, so it is necessary to move the tool back and forth to allow accumulated sawdust to clear from the cutting area. Improvements in battery technology such as

lithium-ion battery A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses the reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into electronically conducting solids to store energy. Li-ion batteries are characterized by higher specific energy, energ ...

have allowed for tools which can be small in size and weight but still perform well enough to compete with mains-powered equivalents while freeing the user from the restrictions of cables.

Blades and accessories

Various attachments and blades are on the market, giving these machines a wide variety of uses. The blades can be separated into 5 main categories: cutting; tile, grout and masonry; sanding; scraping; and polishing. Cutting blades are standard saw blades with various tooth configurations for cutting different material. They are either straight blades with the teeth on the end, allowing the user to "plunge cut" directly into the material they are cutting, or circular blades. Bi-metal blades offer smaller hardened teeth that allow the user to cut soft metals and the popular Japan tooth blades have large teeth that cut wood quickly but cannot cut metal Tile, grout, and masonry attachments are either carbide or diamond coated and allow the user to clear grout between tiles or do light masonry work. Standard sanding attachments allow the user to sand flat surfaces and specialty attachments such as the profile sanding kit allow detailed profile sanding work to be done. Polishing is possible with the help of polishing pad attachments that are becoming more popular. The arbor attachment on all machines has varied widely since these machines started production, with many machines using a proprietary arbor configuration. Many after-market blade companies have created universal arbor attachments that are compatible with most, but not all, oscillating multi-tool machines. The Starlock interface was launched by tool manufacturer

Robert Bosch GmbH Robert Bosch GmbH (; ), commonly known as Bosch (styled BOSCH), is a German multinational engineering and technology company headquartered in Gerlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company was founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart in 188 ...

and Fein.Bosch and Fein Announce Changes to Oscillating Tools
Tools of the Trade, 1 December 2015 The interface is compatible with a number of other manufacturers.

Alternatives

An oscillating saw can perform some of the same tasks as a jigsaw. One can also perform some of the same operations as one otherwise would have done with a

chisel A chisel is a hand tool with a characteristic Wedge, wedge-shaped cutting edge on the end of its blade. A chisel is useful for carving or cutting a hard material such as woodworking, wood, lapidary, stone, or metalworking, metal. Using a chi ...

and

hammer A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nail (fastener), nails into wood, to sh ...

, possibly in combination with a

drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a drill bit for making holes, or a screwdriver bit for securing fasteners. Historically, they were powered by hand, and later mains power, but cordless b ...

References

External links