You probably know that Fein was the company that invented the Oscillating tool, but did you know it was invented in 1967 to remove plaster casts from patients? They needed a tool to remove plaster casts without damaging or hurting the patient’s skin. Today we don’t think much about it; as tradesmen and homeowners, we just know the Oscillating tool as one of those handy tools that make our life easier. So let’s take a look at the Milwaukee Oscillating Tool.
How to Sharpen Oscillating Blades
Want to extend the life of your oscillating blades? Read our article Sharp Pog – Oscillating Blade Sharpener Review or buy it on Amazon.
Milwaukee Oscillating Tool Overview
Milwaukee is one of the dominant power tool manufacturers in the marketplace. They have come a long way since TTI bought them out. They have grown their line and market share from nothing to one of the market leaders.
The Milwaukee Oscillating Tool is another tool in their arsenal and just another reason you may want to consider Milwaukee for your core line of power tools. When you invest in Milwaukee, not only are you investing in a professional power tool line, but you are investing in a quality line that offers one of the largest lines of tools. So you can expand into many different power tools without having to invest in different battery platforms and manufacturers. So right off the bat, this is a huge plus and we haven’t even started talking about the Milwaukee Oscillating Tool.
Milwaukee Oscillating Tool Features
Milwaukee built this oscillating tool (2836-20, 2836-21) with a brushless motor for longevity and performance. The brushless motor delivers 10,000 to 20,000 OPM and has a 4.2-degree oscillating angle.
One of the best features is something you can not see. The tool has a vibration dampening system so no more feeling the tingle in your hand when using on longer projects.
Another cool feature that you can not see is this oscillating tool has the ability to start slowly and then ramp up which helps when trying to make precise cuts.
The oscillating tool will work with any M18 battery. For me, I like the 5Ah battery; the 9Ah and 12Ah are too heavy for this type of tool.
The handgrip has nice rubber padding, so even when we had gloves on, the tool was easy to hold onto and work with.
On top of the tool, there is a slide switch to turn it on and off. The switch is easy to access with your thumb so if you are holding your work with your other hand and are done with a cut, you can easily still hold onto your work and slide the switch off with your thumb, providing safe control the whole time.
On the side, the operator can control the variable speed. There are 10 settings along with the Auto-Load feature which starts slowly and then ramps up the OPM.
On the front, there is an integrated 180-degree LED light.
Milwaukee designed this with tool-free blade changes. Just pull up on the lever, loosen the screw by hand and insert the accessory.
The kit comes with one blade and some sand paper to get you started.
Milwaukee Oscillating Tool Performance
We did a lot of different applications from cutting out drywall, cutting into lumber from 2×4’s to 4×4’s, and even did some sanding. For all the applications, this oscillating tool did its job.
Not only did it do its job, but the vibration was also much lower than we have seen with other oscillating tools.
For performance, this is one of the top oscillating tools we have tested and it’s right up there with the Bosch.
Milwaukee Oscillating Tool Value
You can pick this tool up at The Home Depot for about $330 which comes with a battery. If you own batteries and want the bare tool, you can expect to pay about $229.
Overall, this is a good value. You get a professional tool, with low vibration, variable speed, and the power to tackle any task, it’s worth the investment.
Milwaukee Oscillating Tool Wrap Up
Bottom line, this is another great addition from Milwaukee. The tool is easy to control, offers very low vibration, and is powerful. What is there not to like about this tool?
I’ve had mine a few months now. The only issue I’ve ran into was that around the one month mark, the switch to turn the power on/off got stuck. I literally had to use the back end of my Knipex Pliers to force the switch in the off position. It hasn’t happened again since, but it was definitely concerning at the time. This has been a good tool for cutting out copper water pipes on shower valves instead of cutting through tile, cutting Sheetrock under cabinets, and getting into spots where my reciprocating saw won’t reach.
My former multi tool was a Ridgid X4 that seemed to overheat after running more than a few minutes at a time.
This tool is the best. I have owned many cordless tools over the past years. Milwaukee tools have proven out to be the most durable and long lasting of them all.
I have 2 of these and love them. It’s one of the best tools that Milwaukee has made. I have had electric ones but did not like being tied to a cord plus they vibrated a lot. I own 18 Milwaukee tools some good some not so good. But overall they are the best, the only other tool that is better as for the miter saw is the Festool Kapex 120 Miter saw.