
Scraper knives are available in assorted widths, with both rigid and flexible varieties. Their fine teeth quickly clog when used at high speed. Circular HSS bladeĬircular HSS blades cut multiple angles from a single blade position and work well when cutting fibreglass, sheet metal or plastic. Bi-metal bladeīi-metal blades cut slower than wide wood cutting blades, but they can handle rugged materials, like nail-embedded wood, that could damage a standard wood-cutting blade. Try a narrow straight blade for plunge cuts. These blades require more power and their large teeth are susceptible to breakage, but they produce smooth, efficient cuts and clog less often than blades with smaller teeth. Use a wide blade with aggressive Japanese-style teeth for fast cutting and a fine finish. Wood-cutting blades are the staples of your accessory tool box, ideal for undercutting baseboards and flush-cutting door jambs. Unlimited Possibilities.įrom bi-metal and plunge-cut blades to carbide-edged discs, hook scrapers and sanding pads, there is an oscillating tool accessory for almost every job. Corded oscillating tools have more power than their cordless contemporaries, and this power can come in handy when cutting through hard wood or other demanding materials. Both these features can help reduce fatigue over the course of an afternoon. Trigger locks and ergonomic grips are also common. It can save you time on the jobsite, especially if you need to complete a task that requires the use of several different attachments in sequence. Tool-free blade changing is another popular feature.

This level of control can prevent clogged blades, burned work surfaces and overloaded tools. One important feature is a variable-speed trigger, which offers greater control and allows you to choose a cutting speed (as high as 22,000 oscillations per minute) that best suits the attachment and material. Tools with greater oscillating angles will cut faster, and tools with a shorter stroke are easier to control and leave a smoother finish. This angle is often between 2 and 4 degrees. When comparing oscillating tools, pay close attention the oscillating angle, which is the distance the blade travels, measured in degrees, as it vibrates.

How Does an Oscillating Tool Work?īecause an oscillating tool vibrates its blade over a narrow arc, it doesn’t spray dust like a recip saw, jig saw or high-speed rotary tool. Regardless of the job, professionals love these tools. Oscillating tools are popular with carpenters, contractors, tradespeople, flooring and cabinet installers, and serious hobbyists. Oscillating tools can handle a ton of tasks-cutting, grinding, scraping, sanding, sawing-and deliver clean results in tight quarters. Basically, an oscillating tool is the jackknife of power tools.
