Am I the only one who trims door jambs with a multi-tool instead of a jamb saw?

I used to swear by my jamb saw for cutting door casings, but last week I tried a friend's oscillating multi-tool on a 90-foot hallway job. It took me about 45 minutes longer total, but I had zero chipped edges and no dust clouds filling the room. The cuts were cleaner under the carpet too, so I didn't have to go back with a file. Has anyone else switched tools and found a clear winner for this step?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugobarnes5d ago

Has anyone considered how the multi-tool handles on prefinished doors versus raw wood? I found that on prefinished stuff, the lack of vibration with the multi-tool saves you from chipping the factory coating, which a jamb saw always seems to catch. That alone makes it worth the extra time for me, especially if the homeowner is picky about touch-ups.

young.spencer5d ago

Oh man, you nailed it. That's exactly why I switched to the multi-tool for all prefinished stuff a couple years back. I had a job where the homeowner watched me like a hawk and I was dreading the jamb saw because I knew it would chip the factory coating even with a sharp blade. The multi-tool just glides through without that chatter and the finish stays perfect. Plus, on raw wood I actually find it cuts cleaner too because you're not fighting the vibration that wants to wander off your line. It takes a little longer but I'll take that over having to explain chips to a picky customer any day.