remember back in 2008-ish when these tools started appearing all over the place it seemed like every brand was releasing their own version of the oscillating multi-tool all at once that's because 2008 was when the patents expired for the original oscillating multi-tool which was an idea that was so good that all the other brands had that date marked on their calendars years in advance so they could release their own you probably have one of these in your shop or garage now but do you know how to properly use it a lot of folks think they know all there is to know about this too I used to think so myself but I was using it wrong for years it wasn't until I took the time to learn more about how this tool functions and about the different types of blades and cutting techniques that I was able to fully unlock all of its capabilities and dramatically change the way I use my tool I'm going to share some of what I've learned over the years with you in this video some of this some of you may already know a little bit about but I guarantee if you stick with me you're going to find some tips that are just going to make you smack yourself in the forehead and you will never look at your oscillating multi-tool the same way again I don't care how long you've been using it let's start with one of the biggest game changers about this type of tool the ability to make plunge Cuts I see a lot of folks just sticking the end of the tool on something like they're stabbing it with a knife that's fine especially if you need a really small cut but I suggest you give yourself a little more control by starting with just the corner of the blade this will help you penetrate the surface more cleanly and precisely without this skipping around that could potentially Mar the surface of your material you may even use the corner to First create a shallow scoring cut especially if you're just trying to follow a line because you'll be able to make small adjustments that way as you cut deeper the kerf itself will help guide your blade and the ankle blade can better eject the dust from the kerf this will speed up the cut and it'll keep the teeth cooler so they won't dull as quickly another way to better control the cut is to use a block of wood as a guide this will not only serve as a straight edge but it will also help keep the tool plump a little sandpaper on the underside of the block will also make it easier for you to hold it in place as you work of course just because you're holding your tool perpendicular to a surface doesn't mean it's going to cut straight into the wood if it's dull or if you try to force the cut faster than it wants to the blade May flex and drift let the tool do the work especially when you're plunging into thick materials where it's difficult for the dust to come out of the cut dust clogged teeth are naturally going to want to cut more slowly you have to let them if you try to force the tool forward it's going to drift inside the cut of course not every cut has to be perfect but chances are you do want to hit your mark with at least some accuracy notice how I'm putting my fingers on the tool and on the surface of the wood to help guide the blade into its starting position don't be afraid to touch the oscillating head it's not going to hurt you as long as you don't put your fingers directly between the teeth and the wood of course controlling your tool is easier if you can actually see what you're trying to cut turning the tool upside down can sometimes get the bulk of the body out of your line of sight and make your work a lot easier and don't be afraid to change the angle of the blade if that makes the cut more comfortable or if it helps you to get up in a tight space they're adjustable for a reason now you may notice that some plunge blades have scales on them to gauge the depth of your cut these are handy at first but they're difficult to see and they wear off quickly I find that a piece of tape works better because it lasts longer and it's easier to see than the marks on the blade some plunge blades have extended Wings these are designed to reduce heat and they can also give you some extra clearance to maneuver in the hole but they may also be used to make curved cuts and thin materials if you turn it sideways and use it much like a jigsaw you can even grind away some more material behind one of the Wings and cut slightly tighter Curves in slightly thicker materials while narrow blades are great for plunge Cuts wide blades will help you track a straight line better my favorite straight cutting blades are the half circles they just track straight with little effort and they work especially well for making large cutouts in wood or drywall they're also a great choice for cutting round objects like pipe because they're less likely to slip off like a narrow straight blade might cutting metal with an oscillating multi-tool does require a little different technique for one thing speed is not your friend because harder materials generate more friction and heat and heats what kills your blades so always turn down the speed of the tool when you're cutting metal and use less Force again let the tool do the work don't rush it incidentally the same is true for wood use slower tools speeds and less pressure for hardwood than you would for soft wood like Pine and use the right blade for the job I'll put a link below this video to a multi-pack of blades they're not from a sponsor it's just what I use because I like to have a variety on hand and it's a good price for decent quality we can make a whole video about the different types of blades and how to use them but today I'm just going to give you a quick rundown so you can make more sense of them wood cutting blades feature larger teeth and more space between them than a metal cutting blade this clears the sawdust from the kerf more efficiently which allows you to make faster Cuts with less heat built up many Plastics can also be cut with wood cutting blades some wood blades have extra long teeth featuring what's called a triple grind these are also sometimes called Japanese style blades and they help clear the dust even more efficiently so they'll cut even more quickly than standard wood teeth the points are also ground at a shallower angle for greater durability and for a cleaner cut in fact this is my favorite type of blade for wood cutting metal cutting blades feature shorter teeth and more of them for taking tiny bits from harder materials they also have a slightly different shape to them which stands up better to metal bi-metal blades are perhaps the most confusing for a lot of folks and some manufacturers aren't all that consistent with how they use the term but the name usually means they're made from two types of metal the body is sometimes spring steel which can Flex without developing cracks while the thin strip Along The Cutting Edge is often a harder high speed steel for greater durability keep in mind like I said some 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