The Handyguys start out discussing some tools for Fathers Day. Instead of doing a gift guide we decided to ask our twitter followers ( follow @handyguys ) what they would like us to discuss as a great fathers day gift for a handyguy. One follower said that her husband was eying up the Fein Multimaster 250Q in our store so we decided to devote a segment to this handy tool.

The Multimaster is one of those multipurpose tools that can make you ponder how useful it will be for regular handyguy tasks. Unlike other “space-aged tools” advertised on late night infomercials, this tool is actually a quality product. The multimaster, made in Germany, is extremely well built and solid.  Handyguy Brian used it for his kitchen project to undercut door jambs, plunge cut drywall for electrical boxes, detail sand trim, remove thinset, scrape paint and cut nails.  Believe us, it is a useful tool!

The Fein Multimaster may not be for everyone, its a little expensive at first glance (thankfully Brian’s Dad purchased one for the kitchen work!). Once you find the many uses for it you wont know how you ever did projects without one.

The Handyguys recommend that you get the “Top” kit. The Top kit comes with a nice case to hold all the accessories and a bunch of blades to keep you in business for lots of projects. If you bought all those blades and case separately you would ultimately spend more money them getting them all up front. The case alone makes this kit worth it. My only gripe is that Fein used to provide a steel case and current case is plastic. It appears sturdy and I am sure it will withstand most abuse, still, I would have preferred the steel case. Below is a chart that compares what is in each set.

Purchases made through our Amazon Affiliate store will help keep The Handyguys Podcast on the air. The links in the table below go to the details in our store. Take the plunge, get one for someone special for Fathers Day.

Compare Fein MultiMaster Sets
	FMM 250 Start	FMM 250Q Select	FMM 250Q Top
MULTIMASTER UNIT
MultiMaster FMM250
MultiMaster FMM250Q (w/ QuickIN system)
ACCESSORIES	Accessories with checks are included in respective sets; most accessories can be purchased separately (click on accessory)
Universal 29mm E-CUT saw blade
5 each: sanding sheets (60, 80, 120, 180)
5 each: perforated sanding sheets (60, 80, 120, 180)
Rigid scraper blade
Key and mounting bolts
Sanding pad
Perforated sanding pad
Carbide-tip segment saw blade
HSS segment saw blade
sanding set
Dust extraction device
Carbide rasp (triangular)
Carrying case

The Smart Power Grid

Once the Handyguys got over discussing the Multimaster, we discussed an article in Computerworld magazine about Smart Grid technology. What is a smart grid? The general idea is that your electric meter can act as a gateway for bi-directional data transfer to and from the power company.  What advantages does this have? How about variable electric rates depending on the efficency of a device? How about if the power company sent you details on how much your AC cost to run that hot August day? How about real-time monitoring of usage? The smart grid will be years away if it ever happens. For now, consider the Power Cost Monitor from Blue Line. We discuses the Power Cost Monitor in Episode 42 of The Handyguys Podcast.