Oscillating Tool vs. RotoZip Tool

[t&y]

Need advice. If you were getting into some house re-mod type stuff.... bathroom & kitchen... outside shed construction... etc. and you were trying to make demo a bit easier, which of the two types of tools would you pick. I already have all the standard demo stuff, but thinking adding a oscillating or rotozip type tool might make some of the demo a bit easier, and a bit cleaner.

For those of you in the "Know", which would you chose?

 

[Howardflat]

If your doing a full house demo I dont know how either of those tools would help all that much. But if your say just demoing a room or a wall those oscillating tools are pretty handy for cutting drywall in a straight line. As well as handy in doing some finish work too. The rotozips work good but unless you have something to guide you they won't cut straight plus I can't think what other then drywall you really use them on. I have both and have used the oscillating tool way more. Cutting drwall, holes in the back of bathroom vanities, base board notches, and many other things.

 

[Howardflat]

I'd buy a corded one as well.

 

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The oscillating tool. The spiral saws (rotozip) makes a dust mess, burn up bits, and slice your finger if it gets away from you. The spiral saws are nice for detail drywall demo if you have the dust collection system.

 

[sintax]

hard to beat a good sawzall for demo, at least the stuff i've done. I'm far from a pro, but that Milwaukee M18 fuel sawzall with a 5ah batt will do some serious demo.

 

[elco]

Sawzall, oscillating tool, hammer, and a big pry bar will handle most interior demo pretty easy. The best tip i can give that i dont see many people do is to seal off the room with plastic to keep the dust down. Use painters tape around the wall and put up the plastic with spray adhesive. The sell zippers you can add to the plastic later for entry and exit. Makes cleaning after demo much easier.

 

[lbhsbz]

you need both....but it I had to pick one, I'd choose the oscillating multi tool....they can do things that are impossible with other tools

 

[HNL2LHC]

Bought my oaalating tool as one of my last. It is very handy for fine trim work. Tools of choice in order for me depending on the stage of work

Saws-all - battery DeWalt
Sledge - Manual powered
mud gun - Electric

Final demo

Hand saw - Battery DeWalt
Hammer - manual power
oaalating tool - battery DeWalt

Build

Chop Saw - biggest compound miter available
FraMing gun

Finish

Table saw - Bosch
Finish Nail guns
Jig Saw - Battery DeWalt

 

[Backlash]

Skip the rotozip until you start putting stuff back together. For demo they are pretty useless. Dont forget a big ass shop vac though. They are a necessity in my opinion.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Sawzall....sledge, and a Bobcat...lol

 

[lf2]

I cant remember the last time i have used my rotozip. I use my oscillating tool at least a couple times a week.

 

[bilz]

Oscillating tool....I have both but the ot works in many places you can't zip. I have a cordless dewalt and a corded craftsman. Bought the craftsman first.

 

[DLC]

my roto zip is used for cutting drywall around Ele boxes when hanging new drywall or circles in a ceiling for can lights. That’s about it.
multi to you can use it for all types of stuff, some drywall demo - say your removing drywall on a wall You can use the multi tool For a cut along the ceiling to wall
also base boards door casing cut in boxes for elec

Home Depot ridgid makes a multi tool with adaptive heads swap out heads for different tasks or duty’s

I might have 2 or 3 roto zips If your local to San Diego you can have one Or I can bring it to Havasu...

 

[Cdog]

Saw zall & a sledge is on the money. Milwaukee is on point. I have a dewalt roto zip but use it for precision work & cutting.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Maybe I'm misinterpreting "demo"...
I'm thinking:
Flatbar
Single jack
Sledge
Sawzall
I've only used a rotozip in assembly, and have never purchased an oscillating tool. That said, was never into "finish carpentry" type stuff.

 

[t&y]

Thanks for the replies. Oscillating tool it is.

I have the sawzalls, sledges, pry and wonder bars, all kinds of hammers, shop vacs, etc. I brought up the 2 because when we had the flood issue that started all this non sense, the clean up crew came in with both and made very fast work removing drywall with very little mess. I wasn't sure which tool they were using most.

I'll be picking up a corded oscillating tool this weekend. Demo is already start on the bathroom but I'm a bit limited on time and space for all of the demo needed until next weekend. I'll be trying to knock out a bathroom remod in 5 days.

Picked up cabinets, vanity, and counter top already. This week we need to pick up the tile, grout, molding, fixtures, etc.. Should be interesting.

 

[NicPaus]

Multi tool bits from Amazon. They are ridiculously priced at lowes and HD. Have the 20v dewalt in each truck. And the corded makita in my 2 work rigs along with the dewalt.

 

[BHC Vic]

Multi tool and different bits from harbor freight. They get pricey

 

[77charger]

Oscilatting tool is pretty helpful. Couple weeks ago I had to trim roof eaves. Was starting to cut shingles’s with roof knife was going to take all day grabbed oscillating tool out saw tool on it it sliced through straight and clean. Many uses.

 

[ChumpChange]

Sledgehammer. I took down my entire house with that alone.

 

[Nordie]

Oscillating tool for sure, it's really not great for demo however, it has way more uses then a rotozip. When it comes time to hang drywall find a buddy with a rotozip you can borrow, it's one of those tools you're not going to use very often. If you were in Vegas I would loan you my drywall screw gun and rotozip, both in like new condition. My multi-tool however is covered in glues and spray foam and drywall dust. See the trend there?

 

[Backlash]

Sledgehammer. I took down my entire house with that alone.

Must have been a big ass sledge!

 

[HNL2LHC]

Oscillating tool for sure, it's really not great for demo however, it has way more uses then a rotozip. When it comes time to hang drywall find a buddy with a rotozip you can borrow, it's one of those tools you're not going to use very often. If you were in Vegas I would loan you my drywall screw gun and rotozip, both in like new condition. My multi-tool however is covered in glues and spray foam and drywall dust. See the trend there?

Funny....that is exactly what I did. That is the main reason that I’d buy one. I would think that my dremal (Sp) could do the job if I had to.

 

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Using a sawzall is like giving a kid a machine gun. Pull the trigger and fuck up everything. The wall, electrical, plumbing, framing, extension cords, ect. I always love seeing guys go bat shit crazy on steel stud framing with them.

 

[ChumpChange]

Must have been a big ass sledge!

The biggest!

 

[Nordie]

Funny....that is exactly what I did. That is the main reason that I’d buy one. I would think that my dremal (Sp) could do the job if I had to.

I think it was mentioned above, but the multi-tool cuts such a nice clean line. Hold a shopvac up to the cut and almost no drywall dust. I installed a wall safe at a friends house using this same method in his master closet, zero mess.

 

[outboard_256]

I have both. Roto zip is good for cutting patterns in drywall or plywood, hard to cut strait without a guide. Multi tool is good for strait cuts and plunge cuts. Really different tools for different uses, don't really replace one another in my opinion. With that said those are probably the least used tools I own.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Oh, I forgot one tool that was helpful with nailing off the clip in tight spots was the palm nailer. THat was helpful after framing before drywall.