Rockwell Sonic Crafter

[Administrator]

Rockwell Sonic Crafter:
Advertises as 4 tools in 1--Cut, saw, scrape, and sand. Works on wood, metal, plastic, fiberglass, masonry, and ceramic tile

Rockwell Sonicrafter
Amazon.com
Rockwell Sonicrafter 20-Piece Kit
Rockwell Sonicrafter 37-Piece kit
Rockwell Sonicrafter Deluxe 72-Piece Kit

[Mr. Geweke]

OMG, the Rockewell SoniCrafter is great. I was looking for a corded oscillating tool and looked at the Fein Multitasker and blades, but it is just way too expensive to purchase for my needs. So I bought the Dremel and the Rockwell to compare side by side...

The $100 Dremel is lighter and a bit smaller but the buzz the motor makes compared to the Rockwell motor [a little bit heavier and slightly bigger] which humms smoothly is like comparing a Vespa scooter to a Victory street bike.

Since the basic Rockwell is only $20 more than the Dremel and the extra blades are about the same price, there was no question about going for the quality/durability of a Rockwell.

The only convenience problem that I can foresee is getting replacement blades:
Dremel is carried by big box hardware stores; hobbyists who do crafts on the spur of the moment and do not need to rip open walls, will appreciate the around-the-corner convenience.
Rockwell is carried by speciality woodworking stores or the internet; the Home Proj. kind of guys have to plan ahead before ripping into a wall for remodeling. So ordering parts in advance should be a no brainer.

I also really liked the Rockwell case, it is created with niches and screw-downs to hold lots of blades/attachments in place.

I looked at the Bosch 12v battery operated version, and that would have been a good choice but I do not want to have numerous 18v tool systems and chargers for the various power hand tools that I use. I read that the Bosch delivers 20 min of battery power and I might need more time than that between charges.

All four tools mentioned above have variable speeds pretty much the same: 10,000 - 21,000 opm. The Bosch details that I read boasted of 5,000 - 20,000 opm, but I do not know if I need to go that slow. If I did I would have researched more into the rare Praxon version of oscillating tool, which is reportedly underpowered and equivalent to size and weight of the Dremel.

[R.RECIPI]

Good tool for the price as compared to its competitor. I've only used it on light jobs but it performed well.

I don't like the inconvenience of having to use the hex key to change attachments or to adjust their angles. Another concern is that the head gets very hot to the touch, which worries me about the life expectancy of this tool.

Otherwise, so far, so good. I'd recommend it

[D. Pralle]

n my admittedly limited use of the product so far, I have been very pleased with its versatility and usability. The weight of the product which, at first, seemed to be a liability, actually allows greater control of the tool by providing stability when cutting or sanding. Unlike a rotary tool (like a Dremel), the Sonicrafter stays where you put it and since the blade oscillates instead of rotating, it doesn't generate nearly as much dust or debris.

The contents of the 72 piece kit appear to be well thought out. The small sanding pad has been especially useful; allowing work in tight spaces without disassembling the project.

I have not made use of the dust collection system included with the 72-piece kit, so I can't comment on its efficacy except to say that it doesn't interfere with the use of the Sonicrafter. I've been able to complete all my projects with it in place.

A very solidly built and well thought out product.

[HandyBob]

I used my brothers Fein Multimaster before purchasing the Rockwell Sonic Crafter, and to be perfectly honest with you, I can't tell the difference. I'm sure that there are many German tool enthusiasts that will disagree, but let them. For the price of the Multimaster, you can buy three Sonic Crafters. Granted, Fein has a wider selection of blades, but who needs them? I don't. My work includes grout removal, and difficult to reach wood trim cutting. Those blades are included, and only cost about $20.00 to replace. Don't get hooked by the "fine German engineering" or "the Rockwell's made in China" line that you get at the trade shows from Fein. Try both, then decide. My money's on the Rockwell.

[Guest]

I was sent a tool that had previously been used. The hex screw had already been semi-stripped and there were sractches on the side of the tool by the blade attachment area. All blades/attachments were new. However, after less than an hour of use, 2 of the blades had been stripped and would no longr be held in place by the hex screw and plate. I had to go rent another piece of equipment to finish the job.

[D. Nakano]

I bought this as a personal Xmas gift to myself and it has lived up to my expectations. It's a heavy duty unit that looks like it will last for many years to come.

I can now sand in tight corners, dig out grout without a sweat, cut through small pieces of wood without digging out all my tools and finish all those small projects around the house without waking up the neigbors. The vibrational impact to your hands are minimal, you don't feel any fatigue due to vibrations. It is a quiet unit.

If you don't need a contour sanding pad (about the only thing the Multi-mater has over this unit) then the Rockwell at $200 less is a better buy, you won't Fein a better deal, don't Bosch it!

[Epstein]

Wow, what a tool. I had to replace the old rusty baseboard registers and returns in my house that were over 50 years old, had ball and chain adjustors that were long gone or broken. Well the local Home Depot does not carry baseboard registers or returns, but Lowes does. So, when I get them home and try to install the first one, guess what, the new ones are about 1/2" wider than the old ones. How do I cut about 1/4" off the old, dry wood moldings without creating a big new job for myself? The Rockwell Sonicrafter to the rescue. Pencil marked the moldings with the new returns and used the "plunge" cut technique and in about 5 minutes I was done with the first one. I don't think a jigsaw would have worked as well or at all. A "zip" type tool may have worked, but would have created a lot of dust in the air. The Rockwell Sonicrafter was the perfect tool for this job. Now back to work and the rest of those registers and returns.

[Dragonrich]

I used one of these tools last year to help a friend remove some sideboard in his living room. He had ruined a few areas pulling out nails and I got the idea to get a oscillating tool because I had seen a commercial for the Fien Multi-tool. I bought the tool and proceeded to remove ALL the trimming, cutting the nails off smoothly. He couldn't believe the professional looking job I did in a matter of hours! His co-worker was sure I had used the popular German brand to do this and was surprised when I showed him the Rockwell Sonic Crafter. He had never heard of it but was completely sold based on what he saw! Since I was the one that did the job, I was completely convinced of it's capability, and decided I must get a tool for myself.

As luck would have it, today while in my local hardware store I was looking at a Presentation for the Rockwell Sonic Crafter and my son won a 50% discount on the presentation price for the package (Rockwell Sonic Crafter +37 part accessory Package)! I am now the proud owner of my very own Rockwell Sonic Crafter! I have just the project for it next weekend and I can't wait!

[Daniel]

I am doing renovations in my condo. Like many vintage places, paint was layered on paint since 1929. I am in the process of stripping the many many layers of paint off the woodwork. I purchased the Rockwell Sonicrafter for the mouldings and to remove the paint which is not removed by normal scrapers. I received it today and reviewed the warnings. There really are not instructions included. I first gave the scraper a try. Although it scraped well, because of the design of the attachment, I had to tighten the attachement 3 times in 10 minutes. It kept coming loose. I had to tighten it so tight that I was afraid the I would soon strip the bolt. It still came loose.

Next I tried the finger sander on some molding. The sandpaper fits on the finger attachment using something similar to velcro. This was secure. I used the finger sander for just over 2 minutes on various moulding surfaces and began to smell something. I looked and the top part of the finger sander attachment had melted. It was then that I decided that the Sonicrafter would not work for me and arranged to return it.

As I stated, the tool itself feels like it is solidly built. The design for securing attachments and the attachments themselves are what have the major flaws. Do not purchase for anything but light work.

[James Degenova]

After much research I purchased the Rockwell based on price, power, flexibility (adapter to use blades from other multi-tools), and recommendations from woodworking magazines. Excellent value for the money.

[Z. Spiz]

We are in the process of remodeling our kitchen. We needed a handy tool. Rockwell become kind of disappointment. It feel good in your hands. Looks solid. That is positive, on negative side: blades are expensive, cheaply made - becoming dull just after few uses. Tool gets hot really quickly. Blades are becoming loose after few uses, no matter how hard you try to tight them up. In conclusion I think this tool is design for small jobs and only occasional use not for serious jobs.

[Richard]

VERY pleased with this tool. I purchased mine in January 2009 and since then have used it for numerous jobs, and it's never let me down. I've yet to have a problem with any of the attachments coming loose during operation, but admittedly I do tend to over-tighten things. I used it this week to install a security screen door, which involved sawing through inch-thick wood along the entire perimeter of the doorway. Worked like a charm, and the RW9120 saw blade I used was none the worst for the wear. (The blades that came with this have all held up well.)

I've read where others here have mentioned about Sonicrafter accessory availability and selection compared to other brands of similar tools. Rockwell recently introduced an adapter -- RW9190 -- that allows Fein, Bosch and Dremel accessories to fit onto the Sonicrafter tool. I don't have the adapter yet -- haven't needed it -- but it might come in handy to have on hand due to the ready availability of accessories for those competing tools.