Over at Home Depot and Lowes, they both have a new Dewalt 20V Max cordless oscillating multi-tool special buy, model DCS355C1. This kit, which seems to be brand new for Black Friday 2018, features the same cordless oscillating multi-tool as in the pricier kits, and is bundled with a 1.5Ah battery, charger, and tool bag.
It comes with 2 starter blades and a universal adapter for use with other brands’ oscillating tool accessories.
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Price: $99
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The next-up Dewalt cordless multi-tool kit is the DCS355D1, which offers a higher capacity battery pack (2Ah vs. 1.5Ah), and several more multi-tool accessories. That kit is priced at $200.
Over at Amazon, they dropped the price of the Dewalt corded oscillating multi-tool kit, DWE315K. The last I checked (a few days ago), it was $119. As of this afternoon, it’s $99.
The corded kit comes with a couple of sanding and cutting accessories, and a tool guide attachment.
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This isn’t a “special buy,” it’s the everyday tool set.
Price: $99
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chad Brink
I have the dewalt cordless and even used it today. Ran my last wood blade into a nail and off I go tomorrow to buy more blades. The blades are so overpriced its a sin.
Stuart
If you tend to use a lot of the same blade type, 10-packs can be much easier on the wallet.
Todd
Imperial makes some nice blade sets that work with the Dewalt that are quite a bit cheaper per blade.
For anyone thinking about getting the cordless version, get it! This is a great price, and this thing is by far my favorite oscilating tool. Have several Fein corded and both the new and old Makita 18v cordless and I much prefer the Dewalt. The blade change is by far the easiest and fastest of any multi tool I have used.The trigger might seem odd compared to other tools, but I have grown to like it much more, not having to adjust a dial to change speed is a great feature for multiple reasons, really conserves battery life only having the tool on when you are cutting, only using as much power as you need for whatever you are cutting and its a brushless motor which you cant get from most other manufacturers, and if you can, you’re going to spend $300+.
Eric
I only use the carbide blades now. Lasts so much longer relative to extra cost.
I have a corded porter cable with the DeWalt interface and a 12v Bosch. I may pick up the cordless DeWalt becuase I have so many of the blades. Could care less about 1.3ah battery and slow charger but it is cheaper than the normal bare tool even with $25 off.
JD
The Dewalt DCS355C1 comes with a 1.5Ah battery not a 1.3Ah battery
(I bought it last night at Home Depot)
Stuart
Thank you!, I made the correction
NewtonsApple
Ordered from Lowes because of the current 15% rebate and I have a 20 off 100 coupon.
The problem is that Lowes is in store pickup only. What are the odds staff fulfills my order before they are out of stock in store…
Mark Lee Shelton
I did the same and am hoping they pull the orders real early.
Adam
Actually there is a good chance it gets pulled. There are a ton of employees standing around in the time before they open on BF. If the store is resourceful, they will split & delegate all the online orders before they open.
Newton, what were the last 5 digits of your 20 off coupon? 616 grr2 @ google mail
Julian Tracy
I’ve found some blades on Amazon branded Integra that turned out to be quite good. Sold in 15-20 packs for about $1.75 a blade, the Japanese tooth ones turned out to be useless. Whereas the normal fine tooth versions held up very good and wood zip right through 2x lumber in plunge use.
I ageee with carbide blades too, but at under $2 a blade, these are a much better value for 95% of your normal usage.
Tyler
Kicking myself for buying the bare tool at a higher price last month!
Adam
This is why you save boxes longer than it takes to open them improperly 😀 though, Dewalt has a 90 day satisfaction guarantee. I personally would not be satisfied knowing a better deal came around after I purchased.
which reminds me, time to clear the boxes I don’t need out of the garage attic
JoeM
I love my Cordless DCS355. I use it mostly for sanding, but at some point someone is going to have to give me a list of blades to get for it. I almost feel ashamed to only use the sander so far. Maybe I used one of the flexible scrapers once.
I really suck at finding regular uses for all of my tools’ functions.
Redcastle
JoeM
You may have too many tools (I certainly do) I was thinking the other day about what tools I would recommend to someone who needed tools for doing normal DIY type work and I realised that starting from scratch you needed a drill driver and an OMT and some hand tools. The OMT let’s you cut and shape materials the drill and hand tools take care of the rest however if you have a box full of tools you tend to want to use them. I have a mortice drill but I cannot remember the last time I used it if I need to cut a slot in timber I just use my OMT.
If I was a producer and particularly if I was Bosch or Milwaukee with a strong presence in 12v tools I would lead with a drill/OMT kit rather than the drill/impact driver they seem so fond of.
Adam Frye
I think impact drivers have become more popular than drills. The most common bits people use in a drill, are usually available in 1/4″ hex impact bits. If you will be doing more precise work, then the drill is probably preferred.
While some customers may be happier with a drill/OMT kit, the manufacturer knows they will sell more in dollars if they separate the wanted good tools from the most typically bought kit.
Redcastle
Adam
My comments were in relation to a basic tool kit for light use and I would no more want a beginner turned loose with an impact driver particularly an 18v version than see a toddler with a shotgun.
I have various impact drivers including the original manual version and unless I am doing structural steel or timber work using very large screws or bolts (I no longer work on cars) they stay in their boxes for the same reason I would not use a lump hammer to drive in panel pins. An impact driver mimics the action of a hammer not a screwturner would you use a hammer to put screws in place.
My site foreman carpenters ban the use of impact drivers for similar reasons again unless roof joists are being put together the expression “butcher of wood” tends to get used.
Adam
answer to your dreams…
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M12-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Drill-Driver-Multi-Tool-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-with-2-1-5-Ah-Battery-and-Tool-Bag-2495-22/203230029
Redcastle
And for the same price as the wood butcher kit, at GBP / USD 1;1 I would recommend that as a starter kit any day of the week and there is lots of room for expansion with all the other Milwaukee 12v.
Redcastle
Quick look around in the UK the drill/OMT set not available at any price, the drill/impact driver/reciprocating saw kit available for around the GBP equivalent of USD 400.
The big push over here seems to be the Milwaukee equivalent of the Bosch Multiclix with prices ranging from GBP149 to GBP279.
Todd
I would turn a small child loose with an impact driver long before I would an actual high torque drill/driver (we’re not talking electric screwdrivers here.) There is zero chance of an impact driver getting away from you due to your fastener bottoming out or getting stuck in a knot or similar. I am not going to argue the merits of either tool because different people have different needs of a particular tool. I will always recommend people get a kit with both tools, as each tool does common, specific jobs far more efficiently than the other.
I’m not sure what you mean by an impact driver functioning more like a hammer? Are you suggesting an impact driver is better at driving nails then a standard drill driver? It exerts rotational forces on a fastener in the same direction as any other drill does, except it takes advantage of the rapid storing and release of kinetic energy via the drive mechanism be it hydraulic or mechanical. There is no downward force exerted by anything but the weight of the drill and the pressure the operator is exerting, unless you are using a rotary hammer to drive screws in which case I don’t think I can offer any advise.
Redcastle
Todd
As I said in my previous post I have the original impact driver and the power source was a hammer preferably 4lb plus.
My understanding is that the powered versions work on the same principal hence references to anvils and force of blow.
In the UK the term for someone who drives screws in with a hammer and they do exist is to say they are using a Brummie screwdriver, when I asked a native of Birmingham was this true he said that you turn screws with a screw turner and drive them with a screwdriver by which he meant tools I and probably you would call a screwdriver and a hammer.
I said I would no more turn a toddler loose with a shotgun, I am serious if you have seen the completely unnecessary damage caused by turning someone loose with a 12v or even worse an 18v impact driver to fix ordinary screws in frames, etc or even worse had to afoot the bill for it I suspect you would agree with me and the very experienced carpenters we employed and not allow the use of impact drivers for anything other than metal or heavy timber.
Your understanding of how an impact driver works is incorrect in terms of the transfer of forces.
Redcastle
Adam
Thank you.
Redcastle
JoeM
With regard to a list of blades there really is a huge universe of blades once you get outside the standard cut wood and soft metal, for instance now that Starlock is here you can access Supercut type blades including the one designed for removing the caulking (original version) between the boards on the deck of your boat.
Yesterday I purchased some blades produced by the Australian arm of Bosch which are Starlock but much more interestingly because of the Australian fondness for cement boarding they are designed to cut this which I have not seen before, I like Hardibacker which is a cement board designed to provide a backing surface for tiles and these blades will make it much easier to use.
The only blades which I have found universally disappointing no matter who produces them are the ones that claim to deal with hardened metal I use a reciprocating or back saw for those.
Dremel make some blades which are also not offered by others so if the normal s
blades do not do what you want it is worth a look however they are expensive and you m9ght well need an adaptor.
JoeM
I know, Red. (If I may shorten it in a familiar way.)
I don’t do a lot of small cuts is my problem. I have a rather extensive Dremel Rotary system for really fine work, so the switch to Oscillating cuts for small scales is a little difficult to wrap my head around.
I DID buy the Dremel Contour Sander attachment for my DeWALT DCS355, and I do use the adapter that came with the tool to use them together. I know, no matter what brand of blades I buy, I will probably be using the adapter most of the time.
Y’see… in MY BRAIN… I’ve learned to trust Bosch blades as the best, due to their quality standards. I’ve ALSO learned that Dremel makes Oscillation blades that others simply DON’T make. Add to that… The folks around here keep mentioning “Imperial Blades” and I’d like to try those, if I can find a reason do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m using the DeWALT Sanding Pad that came with the tool, and it really does work great. The Scraper I have also came with my tool, so they both work with the quick-change mechanism.
I think my problem is… once I start edging up from my small-scale Dremel work, it’s hard to find a place for my Oscillating tool, outside of sanding, before my DeWALT tools kick in, and I have the option to use a Jigsaw, or Reciprocating Saw for the scale of the job.
Some day, though, when I’ve settled a few things, and sorted some things out with my life, I’ll pretty much need a shopping list from all the experts here. Until then? I like my Oscillating Tool very much.
As to kits? I think the Oscillating Tool should come with a Screwdriver, not an Impact or a Drill. Because, most common uses for the tool is to make short cuts, like in Drywall for Electrical Outlets. A nice small Screwdriver for installing the Electrical components would be good pairing there. And for cutting notches for installing Doors? A screwdriver for hanging the hinges, and installing the door hardware. But, that’s just my opinion. It probably doesn’t make sense to more experienced people in the industry.
Redcastle
JoeM
The Imperial blades are pretty good.
I understand about the natural affinity for a tool for a task, I was considering getting the Milwaukee 12v four head drill and then Bosch brought out the Multiclix, I have most of their 12v line so I thought great. I find that I use the Multiclix as another drill driver and if I need to do angle work I use the Bosch 12v angle drill. I think it is a trust and knowledge issue I know what the angle driver can do and that it will work. If I did not have an angle drill I would have to use the Multiclix.
The Multiclix will come with me the next time I am visiting friends where I might get asked to help out solely because it means less boxes.
I have had a Fein from when the only option was a Fein and it has paid for itself many times over by enabling work to be done which would have been difficult or impossible otherwise, however while it and it’s capabilities are always in my mind I recognise that other tools are often better suited.
Redcastle
JoeM
I hit send too quick.
My foreman carpenters collective experience about ninety years would agree with your last paragraph completely regarding a screwdriver rather than a drill driver, electricians in my experience prefer either a low voltage or hand screwdriver but they do use the OMT for cutting patress slots.
I said a drill driver rather than a screwdriver as part of a beginner/light duty kit because of the very variable quality of hex drill bits.
ChrisP
For what it’s worth, HD also has this multi-tool bundled with their cordless drill, 2 1.3ah batteries, charger for only $139. So for $40 you get a spare drill and additional battery.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-Cordless-Brushless-Compact-Drill-Driver-w-2-20V-1-3Ah-Batteries-Charger-Bonus-Oscillating-Multi-Tool-DCD777C2W355B/307293142
Redcastle
At that price it would certainly be on my list of recommended kits for beginners sadly it is a multiple of that in the UK.