One of the new items in Home Depot’s 2021 holiday gift center is this Milwaukee 20pc oscillating multi-tool (OMT) accessory kit with case, for $50. While this is an okay deal for 7 OMT blades, a scraper, and 12 pieces of sand paper, what is really interesting is the new case which has a few similarities to Milwaukee’s new hole saw cases.
Before we talk more about the new case, let’s look at the deal itself. Here’s a list of what’s included:
- (2) 1-3/8″ titanium bi-metal OMT blades
- (2) 2-1/2″ titanium bi-metal OMT blades
- (2) 1-3-8″ wood cutting high carbon steel OMT blade
- (1) 1-3/8″ hardwood cutting blade
- (1) scraper
- (4) 80-grit sanding pads
- (4) 120-grit sanding pads
- (4) 240-grit sanding pads
- Hard case
These OMT blades all have Milwaukee’s Open-Loc interface. These “universal fit” attachments are compatible with Milwaukee, Dewalt, Rockwell, Ridgid, Makita, Craftsman, Ryobi, Porter Cable, Dremel, Fein, and Bosch oscillating multi-tools – except for Starlock-equipped models.
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The hard case itself has a grid of holes that accept twist-lock pegs. This flexibility allows the pegs to be located anywhere in the grid to suit your OMT blade collection. The hard case also fits inside Milwaukee’s Packout organizers (compact or full-size but not low-profile).
Price: $49.88
There is also a 5 piece OMT blade set special buy. It comes with (2) 1-3/8″ titanium bi-metal OMT blades and (3) 1-3/8″ wood cutting high carbon steel OMT blades for $19.88
Home Depot also has a bundle set that includes both special buys, but at the time of this posting it’s priced at $75. It works out better to buy the two sets separately.
Discussion
Shown above is part of the product image that shows what you get with the kit. It’s always a good reminder to double check retail sources, as it clearly shows a 2-1/2″ blade, while the text states it’s a 1-3/8″ blade. In this case the image is correct and the text is wrong, the kit contains (2) 2-1/2″ blades.
Stuart’s Note: We typically see a high frequency of product description errors this time of year. Sometimes the images are wrong and the text is correct. Pay extra attention.
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This is the second application where we’ve seen Milwaukee’s interchangeable storage peg system. Is this just convenient for these two products, or are we going to see other cases use this same system? Also, while pegs from the hole saw case should lock into the OMT case, and vice-versa, you probably don’t want to swap pegs because of the height difference in the cases.
What I would liked to have seen rather than these custom hard cases for the interchangeable pegs, is for Milwaukee to have used Packout organizers. They could have created a grid that drops into a low-profile Packout organizer for the OMT blades, or a full-height Packout organizer for the hole saws. Wouldn’t that be better that the custom foam they made for the hole saw sets in the half-width Packout?
Champs
Even a small scale interlocking system like it would be nice, and if they want to sell more plastic tool boxes, sell a half-width organizer where the cases drop in like VHS sized cassettes.
Accessory cases would cost them a little more, but now people want to pay $35 for the nifty box to put it in. Packout is an addictive little thing.
James C
Instead of including a packout organizer, I’d like to see cases like this (and their bit cases) be “packout compatible.” So in this example maybe it would fit nicely in two bin bays of the deep organizer. Give this a removable lid, so you don’t have to open two lids to get to the blades, and you’re set. Then you could use it with or without the packout.
David
I agree – Packout inserts would make a lot of sense, and would add value and versatility to the system.
aaron s
this kind of insert is nice to see, as you say it would be better if integrated into their existing systems. A level of internal box management that is more than “throw it in a dumb box” but less than “draw and cut a precise outline of each tool in foam that you’ll throw out if you change your mind”
Andy
I’m 99% sure they’ll release the case separately from the accessories like they did with the hole saw cases. Spent a couple minutes trying to find a PN, but no luck yet.
Also, someone could pretty easily 3D print a custom version of the grid to fit a Packout Organizer that would be super handy. A few places sell similar 3D printed parts for the Organizers so making a peg/grid organizer seem like a logical extension of the products they offer.
Benjamen
I’m way ahead of you Andy:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWByGtYLuCi/
Andy
That’s perfect, way to go!
Andy
They now sell the case on its own, PN 49-10-0001:
https://www.acmetools.com/milwaukee-open-lok-modular-oscillating-blade-case-49-10-0001/045242630677.html
Joe
Funny, I just noticed that Dewalt switched to packing their 5-pice set in a medium tough case.
From the pictures it doesn’t look like there’s any kind of special dividers, which seems like a missed opportunity.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-Oscillating-Blade-Set-5-Piece-DWA4216/204793155?MERCH=REC-_-rv_gm_pip_rr-_-305590237-_-204793155-_-N