Multi-Max FAQ

Oscillating
What is an oscillating tool?
Unlike other tools which have a shaft that either rotates or moves up-and-down, an oscillating tool has a fast side-to-side motion. The oscillating motion can offer better control, more precision, safer operation and less dust than traditional tools.
Does this tool have consumer replaceable motor brushes?
No. Our oscillating tools do not have consumer replaceable motor brushes.
How does the MM30 compare to the other oscillating tools in your line?
Compared to the MM20, Dremel MM30 provides increased oscillation at a total of 3.2 degrees and a more powerful motor at a total of 3.3 amps making the MM30 a great choice for tougher cuts, but it will also help improve the speed of the cut being made. The accessory interface is magnetic - so when you're attaching the blade it's easier to use the wrench and keep the accessory in place. The wrench is stored conveniently on the front end of the tool. Finally, the MM30 is variable speed with a high end speed of 23,00 OSP. It's the fastest high end speed available.
What is the advantage of using an oscillating tool?
Oscillating tools bridge the gap between rotary tools and traditional power tools. They are better suited for larger jobs than rotary tools and are much more precise than traditional power tools. They can actually perform a number of tasks such as scraping, cutting, grinding and sanding.
Is an oscillating tool better suited for one task over the other?
Consider that this type of tool is something that parallels the usefulness of a high speed rotary tool. With it you can do everything from sand wood, remove caulk, remove grout between tiles, cut drywall, scrape stuck down vinyl flooring, make flush cuts, cut pipe in a variety of material, remove window glaze, and prep the surface of a floor. Doing these things with an oscillating tool is more controlled, and less messy, because the dust is simply staying on the surface of the project, not getting sprayed all over a room.
There are blades in so many shapes and sizes. How do I know which one to select?
Our oscillating accessories all feature color coded packaging: Red for cutting, blue for scraping, green for grinding, black for grout removal, and purple for sanding. This information will help narrow the field on what accessory to choose for your application. When you are looking at an accessory that will cut, the blade will list if it is for wood or wood and metal. And the sand paper triangles will list if they are for a painted surface or wood prep. We are constantly considering new, innovative blades, so do not let this answer be your only stop. Check out our oscillating accessories on line to get the best fit for your project.
How can I get this tool and accessory to work faster?
The tool follows some of the same principles that a High Speed Rotary Tool does. Pushing hard with the tool in motion and contact with the material will not make anything work faster. It will actually slow the effectiveness of the tool down considerably. Avoid pushing and function only to guide the tool through the cut or material removal process you need to complete. Pushing hard will wear out the accessory faster, generate more heat than is necessary, and it will be more fatiguing to any user. Faster results go hand-in-hand with pushing less, guiding more.
I am actually having trouble controlling the cut and it seems like the tool is not doing anything.
The tool works on oscillation, so it will be necessary to really stabilize whatever your project is. If the work piece vibrates and moves and the tool vibrates and moves, the two things are working against each other. Stabilize the work.
It seems like I cannot get a cut started. What is the trick to this?
It is not really a trick. Our best recommendation is to slow the tool down to start with. It may not need to be slowed down a lot, but the initial cut or application is often a little easier to start at a slower speed and turn it up after you have made an initial path in the material.
What is an oscillating tool?
Unlike other tools which have a shaft that either rotates or moves up-and-down, an oscillating tool has a fast side-to-side motion. The oscillating motion can offer better control, more precision, safer operation and less dust than traditional tools.
Does this tool have consumer replaceable motor brushes?
No. Our oscillating tools do not have consumer replaceable motor brushes.
How does the MM20 compare to the other oscillating tools in your line?
The MM20 is our most economical oscillating tool. It will accept both Quick Fit and Dremel Universal fit accessories. With variable speed, you can start action in almost any material and increase or decrease speed as necessary to maintain optimal control. The MM20 uses an included hex wrench to secure accessories. The MM30 is a little more powerful, and includes an on-board wrench to secure accessories. And the MM40/45 provides an additional increase in power and uses a Quick Lock to secure accessories.
What is the advantage of using an oscillating tool?
Oscillating tools bridge the gap between rotary tools and traditional power tools. They are better suited for larger jobs than rotary tools and are much more precise than traditional power tools. They can actually perform a number of tasks such as scraping, cutting, grinding and sanding.
Is an oscillating tool better suited for one task over the other?
Consider that this type of tool is something that parallels the usefulness of a high speed rotary tool. With it you can do everything from sand wood, remove caulk, remove grout between tiles, cut drywall, scrape stuck down vinyl flooring, make flush cuts, cut pipe in a variety of material, remove window glaze, and prep the surface of a floor. Doing these things with an oscillating tool is more controlled, and less messy, because the dust is simply staying on the surface of the project, not getting sprayed all over a room.
There are blades in so many shapes and sizes. How do I know which one to select?
Our oscillating accessories all feature color coded packaging: Red for cutting, blue for scraping, green for grinding, black for grout removal, and purple for sanding. This information will help narrow the field on what accessory to choose for your application. When you are looking at an accessory that will cut, the blade will list if it is for wood or wood and metal. And the sand paper triangles will list if they are for a painted surface or wood prep. We are constantly considering new, innovative blades, so do not let this answer be your only stop. Check out our oscillating accessories on line to get the best fit for your project.
How can I get this tool and accessory to work faster?
The tool follows some of the same principles that a High Speed Rotary Tool does. Pushing hard with the tool in motion and contact with the material will not make anything work faster. It will actually slow the effectiveness of the tool down considerably. Avoid pushing and function only to guide the tool through the cut or material removal process you need to complete. Pushing hard will wear out the accessory faster, generate more heat than is necessary, and it will be more fatiguing to any user. Faster results go hand-in-hand with pushing less, guiding more.
I am actually having trouble controlling the cut and it seems like the tool is not doing anything.
The tool works on oscillation, so it will be necessary to really stabilize whatever your project is. If the work piece vibrates and moves and the tool vibrates and moves, the two things are working against each other. Stabilize the work.
It seems like I cannot get a cut started. What is the trick to this?
It is not really a trick. Our best recommendation is to slow the tool down to start with. It may not need to be slowed down a lot, but the initial cut or application is often a little easier to start at a slower speed and turn it up after you have made an initial path in the material.
What is an oscillating tool?
Unlike other tools which have a shaft that either rotates or moves up-and-down, an oscillating tool has a fast side-to-side motion. The oscillating motion can offer better control, more precision, safer operation and less dust than traditional tools.
Does this tool have consumer replaceable motor brushes?
No. Our oscillating tools do not have consumer replaceable motor brushes.
How does the MM40/MM45 compare to the other oscillating tools in your line?
The MM40 and MM45 are our most full featured oscillating tools. The MM45 is sold exclusively at the Home Depot and is a 4.0 Amp motor. The MM40 is sold everywhere else. These tools do share some similarities including a speed range of 10,000 - 21,000 OSP, the "Quick-Lock feature which allows for tool-less accessory changing, and impressive motors that are designed to bring the speed of the tool back up to the selected setting. Keep in mind it should not be necessary to PUSH an oscillating tool during operation, rather guide it. And with the electronics in these tools, greater control makes the applications easier to tackle.
What is the advantage of using an oscillating tool?
Oscillating tools bridge the gap between rotary tools and traditional power tools. They are better suited for larger jobs than rotary tools and are much more precise than traditional power tools. They can actually perform a number of tasks such as scraping, cutting, grinding and sanding.
Is an oscillating tool better suited for one task over the other?
Consider that this type of tool is something that parallels the usefulness of a high speed rotary tool. With it you can do everything from sand wood, remove caulk, remove grout between tiles, cut drywall, scrape stuck down vinyl flooring, make flush cuts, cut pipe in a variety of material, remove window glaze, and prep the surface of a floor. Doing these things with an oscillating tool is more controlled, and less messy, because the dust is simply staying on the surface of the project, not getting sprayed all over a room.
There are blades in so many shapes and sizes. How do I know which one to select?
Our oscillating accessories all feature color coded packaging: Red for cutting, blue for scraping, green for grinding, black for grout removal, and purple for sanding. This information will help narrow the field on what accessory to choose for your application. When you are looking at an accessory that will cut, the blade will list if it is for wood or wood and metal. And the sand paper triangles will list if they are for a painted surface or wood prep. We are constantly considering new, innovative blades, so do not let this answer be your only stop. Check out our oscillating accessories on line to get the best fit for your project.
How can I get this tool and accessory to work faster?
The tool follows some of the same principles that a High Speed Rotary Tool does. Pushing hard with the tool in motion and contact with the material will not make anything work faster. It will actually slow the effectiveness of the tool down considerably. Avoid pushing and function only to guide the tool through the cut or material removal process you need to complete. Pushing hard will wear out the accessory faster, generate more heat than is necessary, and it will be more fatiguing to any user. Faster results go hand-in-hand with pushing less, guiding more.
I am actually having trouble controlling the cut and it seems like the tool is not doing anything.
The tool works on oscillation, so it will be necessary to really stabilize whatever your project is. If the work piece vibrates and moves and the tool vibrates and moves, the two things are working against each other. Stabilize the work.
It seems like I cannot get a cut started. What is the trick to this?
It is not really a trick. Our best recommendation is to slow the tool down to start with. It may not need to be slowed down a lot, but the initial cut or application is often a little easier to start at a slower speed and turn it up after you have made an initial path in the material.
What is an oscillating tool?
Unlike other tools which have a shaft that either rotates or moves up-and-down, an oscillating tool has a fast side-to-side motion. The oscillating motion can offer better control, more precision, safer operation and less dust than traditional tools.
Does this tool have consumer replaceable motor brushes?
No. Our oscillating tools do not have consumer replaceable motor brushes.
How does the Dremel Velocity compare to the other oscillating tools in your line?
The Velocity is a whole different way of considering oscillating power. This tool oscillates a full 5 degrees with a powerful 7 amp motor making it 9 times faster than our original Multi-Max Oscillating tool.
What is the advantage of using an oscillating tool?
Oscillating tools bridge the gap between rotary tools and traditional power tools. They are better suited for larger jobs than rotary tools and are much more precise than traditional power tools. They can actually perform a number of tasks such as scraping, cutting, grinding and sanding.
Is an oscillating tool better suited for one task over the other?
Consider that this type of tool is something that parallels the usefulness of a high speed rotary tool. With it you can do everything from sand wood, remove caulk, remove grout between tiles, cut drywall, scrape stuck down vinyl flooring, make flush cuts, cut pipe in a variety of material, remove window glaze, and prep the surface of a floor. Doing these things with an oscillating tool is more controlled, and less messy, because the dust is simply staying on the surface of the project, not getting sprayed all over a room.
There are blades in so many shapes and sizes. How do I know which one to select?
Our oscillating accessories all feature color coded packaging: Red for cutting, blue for scraping, green for grinding, black for grout removal, and purple for sanding. This information will help narrow the field on what accessory to choose for you application. When you are looking at an accessory that will cut, the blade will list if it is for wood or wood and metal. And the sand paper triangles will list if they are for a painted surface or wood prep. We are constantly considering new, innovative blades, so do not let this answer be your only stop. Check out our oscillating accessories on line to get the best fit for your project.
How can I get this tool and accessory to work faster?
The tool on some of the same principles that a High Speed Rotary Tool does. Pushing hard with the tool in motion and contact with the material will not make anything work faster. It will actually slow the effectiveness of the tool down considerably. Avoid pushing and function only to guide the tool through the cut or material removal process you need to complete. Pushing hard will wear out the accessory faster, generate more heat than is necessary, and it will be more fatiguing to any user. Faster results go hand-in-hand with pushing less, guiding more.
I am actually having trouble controlling the cut and it seems like the tool is not doing anything.
The tool works on oscillation, so it will be necessary to really stabilize whatever your project is. If the work piece vibrates and moves and the tool vibrates and moves, the two things are working against each other. Stabilize the work.
It seems like I cannot get a cut started. What is the trick to this?
It is not really a trick. Our best recommendation is to slow the tool down to start with. It may not need to be slowed down a lot, but the initial cut or application is often a little easier to start at a slower speed and turn it up after you have made an initial path in the material.
This tool looks like it could be harder to control - is it?
This tool is 7 amps. It is powerful and the accessories that come with the Velocity tool are designed for very heavy duty applications. You will find this tool is heavier than the other oscillating products in our line - you will also find that cutting something as thick as a 2 x 4 got a lot easier.
Can the accessories that come with the Velocity be used on other oscillating tools?
Yes they can be used on other oscillating tools - but the perfromance of these new blades is optimized on the Velocity tool.
What is the pipe and 2 x 4 blade made of?
This is a bi-metal blade.
The panel blade says it will work on many materials, like what?
This blade is bi-metal. It will work well on wood and metal as a result.
What do you have that will cut cement board that will work on the Velocity tool?
Try the MM485 Carbide blade!
Do I have to use the control foot?
No - but the control foot is there to help keep the blade at the best angle for fast, safe cutting.