Appreciation post: My 18v oscillating tool died mid-cut on a glue-down job

The battery was fine, but the motor just quit while I was trimming a transition piece in a Phoenix kitchen. Had to finish the cut with a handsaw, which added an hour. What's your go-to brand when a cordless tool fails on site?

4 comments

4 Comments

allen.anthony2mo ago

Imagine having to finish a glue-down job with a handsaw. That's a brutal way to lose an hour. My go-to is just grabbing whatever cordless backup is in the truck, usually Milwaukee.

gavin_kim2mo ago

Ever think a backup tool was overkill? I used to, until my sawzall quit during a demo and I lost half a day. Now I keep a spare cordless multi-tool in the van, no matter what.

davis.olivia28d ago

Tell me about it. Learned that lesson the hard way too, gavin_kim. Had a drill give up right in the middle of hanging some cabinets. Felt like a total idiot just standing there. My backup plan was a sad little hand drill from like 1970. Now I double check every battery before I even load up. A dead tool can wreck your whole day.

ramirez.vera2mo ago

Honestly, losing an hour to a handsaw cut sounds like a planning issue more than a tool failure. You're telling me there wasn't a single other cordless tool or even a spare oscillating tool in the truck? That's on you, not the brand. My go-to is just making sure I have a backup plan before I start a cut I can't walk away from.