Canadian Woodworking Magazine eNewsletter

Fein MultiMaster MSX 636 II

There are tools designed to do one thing well, and multi-purpose tools that try to excel at many tasks. Most single purpose tools do what they were designed to do - except for that last little bit just beyond their abilities. Multi-purpose tools, on the other hand, often sacrifice ease and accuracy in favour of broader abilities.

Fein has taken a different approach with its award winning power tools. The MultiMaster model MSX 636 II looks somewhat like an angle grinder, but in place of grinding or cutting wheels, it has a stud for attaching various accessories. The secret behind its unique abilities is the motion of these accessories. Instead of rotating, they oscillate back and forth through a 3.5° arc from 12,000 to 21,000 oscillations per minute.

While the power unit provides the motion, the genius of this system lies in the range of interchangeable accessories - from saw blades and scrapers to carbide rasps and profile sanding pads.

The MultiMaster is a safe tool. The various saw blades will not cut until they come into contact with the material to be cut. It took a little nerve on my part to try this, but you can put a new wood cutting blade on the unit and turn it on with the teeth resting on your hand and it won't cut the skin. Push the blade into a piece of wood, and it cuts through easily.

Anyone who has ever tried to remove glued down carpeting or vinyl flooring will realize what a difficult job this can be. The MultiMaster's stainless steel scraper blade makes this simple. The oscillating motion works the thin edge of the stainless scraper under the glue and peels the material and glue from the substrate. There is even an attachment that helps consolidate concrete by vibrating the air bubbles out of smaller batches. Round and semi-round metal cutting blades allow automotive body metal to be cut cleanly without deforming or burrs.

The various blades come in different configurations – either straight or offset. The offset blades allow you to cut up against an adjacent surface, which is very handy during renovations when installing new flooring in an existing room. This normally involves removing all of the baseboards and trim, installing the flooring and then reinstalling the trim a little higher to accommodate the thickness of the new flooring, a time consuming process that can result in damaged trim.

Using the metal cutting blades, the trim can be removed cleanly by cutting the nails that hold it on, or you could save even more time with the offset wood cutting blade. If you are installing a tile floor, set a spacer the same thickness as the new flooring on top of the sub floor. Place the MultiMaster with the offset blade on the spacer and quickly cut the bottom off the trim creating the necessary space for the new flooring without removing the trim at all.

Adding an outlet to an existing room? Simply install a wood cutting blade and you can plunge-cut through wood, plaster and lath walls producing clean, rectangular holes for electrical boxes and other items. The same blade allows fine control when cutting and notching cabinets and built-ins around plumbing and other obstructions.

This may also be the finest detail sanding system I have used in the shop. It has several different configurations, including triangular sanding pads with a hook and loop fastening system. The pads are available either solid or perforated for easy dust extraction. The motion of the sanding head makes this a very effective detail sander for small areas, such as sanding in 90º corners.

One of the most useful accessory kits for the MultiMaster is the profile sanding kit. This consists of a spring-loaded clip that bolts to the head. A rubber block with the appropriate profile is inserted and then sandpaper clipped over this block, resulting in a very fast, efficient way to sand complex moulding profiles.

Fein 9-11-55 Shop Vacuum

Sanding produces dust, which has not gone unnoticed at Fein. They have designed a dust extractor that really sucks! Using the dust extraction accessory for the MultiMaster with their 6 gallon capacity Fein 9-11-55 model vacuum results in a sanding system that is virtually dust-free. The 9-11-55 also includes an outlet for your sander. Plug a power tool into this outlet and the vacuum turns on automatically when the tool is turned on. Serious thought has been put into the way woodworkers use a vacuum, and it shows. This is both a wet/dry vacuum and ships with a cloth filter bag that will remove particles down to 5 microns. Additional filters are available to increase this to 1 micron, with a .5 micron HEPA filter providing the ultimate in personal safety.

The Fein 9-11-55 is a very quiet vacuum. It produces a mere 63 decibels at three feet; this means you can have a normal conversation with someone while standing beside the unit when it is running. Yet the motor produces 116 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air flow. The designers knew what they were doing with the 16' power cord. You won’t be running for an extension cord every time you need to use the vacuum; the cord is also heavy gauge and very flexible. The vacuum ships with a crevice tool and soft brush, which are both handy for shop cleanup.

Another innovative design feature of this vacuum is that it incorporates two fans. One provides the suction for the canister and a completely separate fan provides cooling air for the motor. This removes the motor from the air stream containing the dust and dirt. Should your hose become blocked, the cooling air to the motor is not interrupted which dramatically increases the lifespan of the motor. Unlike most shop vacuum units, this one has a low center of gravity. Other vacuums have four wheels, the Fein has five and in the time we’ve been using this unit, it has never once been pulled over on its side. The unit weighs less than 18 pounds and has a generous carry handle on top for when you need to take it on the road. Can a vacuum become one of your favourite tools? Absolutely!

Reviewed by Michael Kampen

Product:
Price:

Manufacturer:
Source:

Specifications:

MultiMaster MSX 636II and Fein 9-11-55 Shop Vacuum
MultiMaster MSX 636II - $299.99
Fein 9-11-55 - $359.00
Fein
Fein Tools are available through most tool retailers including House of Tools. To locate other dealers call 800-265-2581.

MultiMaster MSX 636II