Rr

RonB

19/07/2010 8:01 AM

HF Variable Speed Multi-Tool -- Soft Start?

I picked up one of these for $49.95 yesterday. When I got it home I
was surprised that it seems to have a soft-start function. The box
and instruction manual do not mention it; but there is a brief pause
when I turn it on and then it comes up to speed smoothly, similar to a
soft start router.

Normal?

RonB


This topic has 9 replies

nn

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

20/07/2010 12:48 AM

On Jul 19, 11:20=A0am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:

> If it works and you are satisfied that is all you need especially
> considering the price. =A0Wishing I had not needed the Fein 5 years ago..=
.

I am just the opposite. Had I known just how hand this little tool
could be, I would have plopped down the $275 they wanted for the
stripped down, no box, tool with one blade and a scraper version they
were selling at the time.

I have used the absolute crap out of this tool, and this $35 version
has paid for itself many times. Even the damn blades are good and
seem to last quite well. I never had any idea this tool was so
versatile.

I was put off by the price (remember when the variable speed kit with
box and accessories was $600 on Amazon?) but then the price of the
consumables got me, too. I couldn't see a stamped steel blade for $35
that would have to be replaced on a fairly regular basis. $8, I can
stand.

The longer I have it, I wonder how much time and money I would have
saved even paying full price for the Fein before their competition hit
the streets. Now it doesn't leave the truck.

Robert

Rr

RonB

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

19/07/2010 8:20 AM

On Jul 19, 10:01=A0am, RonB <[email protected]> wrote:
> I picked up one of these for $49.95 yesterday. =A0When I got it home I
> was surprised that it seems to have a soft-start function. =A0The box
> and instruction manual do not mention it; but there is a brief pause
> when I turn it on and then it comes up to speed smoothly, similar to a
> soft start router.
>
> Normal?
>
> RonB

Never mind. I finally found the right Google combination and
apparently it is normal.

RonB

Rr

RonB

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

19/07/2010 10:00 AM

On Jul 19, 11:20=A0am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "RonB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:846cfe08-3221-4bd0-9d77-8b6b6af3f953@w12g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 19, 10:40 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > "RonB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > Could be an under powered motor struggling to come up to speed. If that
> > tends to go away with use things may have been too tight for the motor.=
I
> > really can not see a need for a soft start.
>
> I finally found a search combination on Google that got me to a few
> related reviews and forum comments. =A0It does have a "soft start"
> feature that is described as anywhere from "nice" to "humorous". =A0I
> does take a few uses of the machine to get used to it. One rather
> critical fellow said he starts it, goes to lunch, then comes back to
> use it :^). =A0Not quite that bad but it takes a full second or more to
> come to speed.
>
> RonB
>
> If it works and you are satisfied that is all you need especially
> considering the price. =A0Wishing I had not needed the Fein 5 years ago..=
.

Since I posted earlier this morning I have been in the garage playing
with it and various attachments, materials. Durability
notwithstanding, I think it is going to be a great tool to have,
probably one of those that will find new uses as I go on from here.
It appears to have plenty of power and I was very surprised at the
control. Their ads show someone doing rather precise cutting on
hardwood flooring and I had doubt. But with practice I think that
might be feasible, I saw a couple of complaints about noise that I
do not understand. Without an attachment, the tool is quiet. Cutting
through a piece of plywood scrap with the saw blade was noisy; but
that is the speaker-cone effect on the plywood.

Wish I had owned it a year or so ago when we were trimming door frames
in the new house.

RonB

Rc

Robatoy

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

20/07/2010 9:46 AM

On Jul 20, 9:26=A0am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:135dc44b-715e-4e23-a034-98fec0a3dbb8@k19g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 19, 11:20 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > If it works and you are satisfied that is all you need especially
> > considering the price. Wishing I had not needed the Fein 5 years ago...
>
> I am just the opposite. =A0Had I known just how hand this little tool
> could be, I would have plopped down the $275 they wanted for the
> stripped down, no box, tool with one blade and a scraper version they
> were selling at the time.
>
> I have used the absolute crap out of this tool, and this $35 version
> has paid for itself many times. =A0Even the damn blades are good and
> seem to last quite well. =A0I never had any idea this tool was so
> versatile.
>
> I was put off by the price (remember when the variable speed kit with
> box and accessories was $600 on Amazon?) but then the price of the
> consumables got me, too. =A0I couldn't see a stamped steel blade for $35
> that would have to be replaced on a fairly regular basis. =A0$8, I can
> stand.
>
> The longer I have it, I wonder how much time and money I would have
> saved even paying full price for the Fein before their competition hit
> the streets. =A0Now it doesn't leave the truck.
>
> Robert
>
> Don't get me wrong I love the Fein, I just wish I would have had the choi=
ces
> of less expensive that todays market offers.

When I sold my countertop company, everything went along with it.
I have a lot of projects which require tools. Darnitall.
I bought the cheap multitool... and would under no circumstances buy a
Fein at this stage of the game. But I did buy one years ago, and it
made me a lot more efficient. Great tool. (Imagine taking out a
countertop by cutting it with a jigsaw, grabbing the Fein and cutting
that last 2 inches to the wall...THAT alone saved me countless hours
and damaged walls.
I am amazed how good those 8 dollar blades are.

Rr

RonB

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

19/07/2010 8:49 AM

On Jul 19, 10:40=A0am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "RonB" <[email protected]> wrote in message

>
> Could be an under powered motor struggling to come up to speed. =A0If tha=
t
> tends to go away with use things may have been too tight for the motor. =
=A0I
> really can not see a need for a soft start.

I finally found a search combination on Google that got me to a few
related reviews and forum comments. It does have a "soft start"
feature that is described as anywhere from "nice" to "humorous". I
does take a few uses of the machine to get used to it. One rather
critical fellow said he starts it, goes to lunch, then comes back to
use it :^). Not quite that bad but it takes a full second or more to
come to speed.

RonB

Ll

"Leon"

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

20/07/2010 8:26 AM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:135dc44b-715e-4e23-a034-98fec0a3dbb8@k19g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 19, 11:20 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:

> If it works and you are satisfied that is all you need especially
> considering the price. Wishing I had not needed the Fein 5 years ago...

I am just the opposite. Had I known just how hand this little tool
could be, I would have plopped down the $275 they wanted for the
stripped down, no box, tool with one blade and a scraper version they
were selling at the time.

I have used the absolute crap out of this tool, and this $35 version
has paid for itself many times. Even the damn blades are good and
seem to last quite well. I never had any idea this tool was so
versatile.

I was put off by the price (remember when the variable speed kit with
box and accessories was $600 on Amazon?) but then the price of the
consumables got me, too. I couldn't see a stamped steel blade for $35
that would have to be replaced on a fairly regular basis. $8, I can
stand.

The longer I have it, I wonder how much time and money I would have
saved even paying full price for the Fein before their competition hit
the streets. Now it doesn't leave the truck.

Robert


Don't get me wrong I love the Fein, I just wish I would have had the choices
of less expensive that todays market offers.

Ll

"Leon"

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

19/07/2010 11:20 AM


"RonB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:846cfe08-3221-4bd0-9d77-8b6b6af3f953@w12g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 19, 10:40 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "RonB" <[email protected]> wrote in message

>
> Could be an under powered motor struggling to come up to speed. If that
> tends to go away with use things may have been too tight for the motor. I
> really can not see a need for a soft start.

I finally found a search combination on Google that got me to a few
related reviews and forum comments. It does have a "soft start"
feature that is described as anywhere from "nice" to "humorous". I
does take a few uses of the machine to get used to it. One rather
critical fellow said he starts it, goes to lunch, then comes back to
use it :^). Not quite that bad but it takes a full second or more to
come to speed.

RonB


If it works and you are satisfied that is all you need especially
considering the price. Wishing I had not needed the Fein 5 years ago...

ST

Steve Turner

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

19/07/2010 3:43 PM

On 07/19/2010 10:40 AM, Leon wrote:
> "RonB"<[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:14d02616-7ae5-4ee9-9a74-2a9c9ae13fe8@d17g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
>> I picked up one of these for $49.95 yesterday. When I got it home I
>> was surprised that it seems to have a soft-start function. The box
>> and instruction manual do not mention it; but there is a brief pause
>> when I turn it on and then it comes up to speed smoothly, similar to a
>> soft start router.
>>
>> Normal?
>>
>> RonB
>
> Could be an under powered motor struggling to come up to speed. If that
> tends to go away with use things may have been too tight for the motor. I
> really can not see a need for a soft start.

Unless the motor is rather gutless and has no significant torque, I appreciate a soft start
feature in any hand-held power tool where the start-up torque might cause the tool to wrench
and twist in my hand. I don't like surprises.

--
Free bad advice available here.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

Ll

"Leon"

in reply to RonB on 19/07/2010 8:01 AM

19/07/2010 10:40 AM


"RonB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:14d02616-7ae5-4ee9-9a74-2a9c9ae13fe8@d17g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
>I picked up one of these for $49.95 yesterday. When I got it home I
> was surprised that it seems to have a soft-start function. The box
> and instruction manual do not mention it; but there is a brief pause
> when I turn it on and then it comes up to speed smoothly, similar to a
> soft start router.
>
> Normal?
>
> RonB

Could be an under powered motor struggling to come up to speed. If that
tends to go away with use things may have been too tight for the motor. I
really can not see a need for a soft start.


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