Overview: Two Different Takes on Comfort The Bosch GOP18V-28 and Makita XMT04Z (the bare tool version of the XMT04 kit) are both 18V cordless oscillating multi-tools, but they approach ergonomics differently. Bosch built the GOP18V-28 around the StarlockPlus interface and a compact, narrow body. Makita built the XMT04 around its LXT battery platform and a … Read more
Reciprocating saw blades are consumables, but on metal they shouldn’t be single-use. If you’re burning through a fresh blade every few cuts in steel, conduit, or angle iron, it’s not just the blade — it’s speed, pressure, tooth count, and heat management. Fix those and a $3 bimetal blade will outlast a whole pack used … Read more
Why vibration matters on an oscillating tool Oscillating tools are inherently buzzy. The head oscillates a few degrees side to side up to 20,000 times per minute, and that energy has to go somewhere. On a short cut it does not matter much. On a 45-minute flush-cut of door jambs, a full day of scraping … Read more
Is a Reciprocating Saw the Right Tool for Cast Iron? For cutting cast-iron soil pipe or old radiator pipe in place, a reciprocating saw is usually the most practical choice. It will not cut as fast or as cleanly as a snap cutter (chain cutter) or an angle grinder with a diamond wheel, but it … Read more
Demolition saw vibration isn’t just uncomfortable — it kills accuracy, accelerates fatigue, and over a full day of cutting can push your hand-arm vibration exposure past safe limits. Most of it comes from three places: an unbalanced or wrong blade for the material, a saw running at the wrong speed or with worn dampers, and … Read more
Why Flush Cuts Are Tricky With a Reciprocating Saw A flush cut means cutting something off level with the surface behind it — a nail sticking out of a joist, a pipe against a wall, a dowel or tree branch at the trunk. A reciprocating saw is built for demolition speed, not finesse. The shoe … Read more
Why Nails Kill Standard Wood Blades Cutting clean lumber and cutting nail-embedded lumber are two different jobs, even if the wood looks the same. A standard wood-cutting reciprocating saw blade is typically high-carbon steel with a coarse, aggressive tooth pattern (5-6 TPI) designed to rip through softwood fast. Hit a 16d framing nail with that … Read more
Tooth count is the single easiest way to get the right cut from a reciprocating saw. Pick the wrong TPI and you will burn wood, shred PVC, or strip teeth on metal. Get it right and the same saw will cut fast and clean across all three materials. What TPI Actually Means TPI stands for … Read more
If you need one reciprocating saw for both yard work and indoor remodeling, the Makita DJR186 and DeWalt DCS367 look similar on paper but feel very different on the job. The Makita is a full-size, traditional recip saw. The DeWalt is a compact, one-handed design. That difference matters more than the spec sheet for pruning … Read more
DeWalt’s DCS389 and Milwaukee’s 2721-20 are both flagship cordless recip saws, but they take very different approaches to power. The DCS389 is a 60V FlexVolt monster built for maximum cutting speed and demolition, while the 2721-20 is Milwaukee’s 18V workhorse that prioritizes balance, weight, and runtime on the M18 platform. On paper the stroke length … Read more