The Dremel MultiMax MM40 is an oscillating tool that can be used for cutting, polishing and finishing. WoodworkingNetwork asked Doug Rappe at the Greater West Town Project (GWTP) to have trainees test it out.

We were not sure at first of shop applications for this tool but we did not have it more than a week and we found a great use for it. The photos show our students flush trimming dowels and plugs that we are using to repair a part that was run in the wrong location on the cnc machine.

This is part of a ready-to-assemble wall cabinet that program participants make over the course of a couple of weeks, it's quite involved with veneering an solid wood and of course CNC machining.

Once the damage was done there was really no way we could back track and replace the part so we plugged all of the holes and prepared the part so it could be re-machined.

Typically if I'm flush trimming a dowel or a wood plug I'd reach for a flush-cutting dovetail hand saw. Since the saw is about 12" long it's easy to do a lot of damage to the surrounding part if you don't take a lot of care.

The MultiMax tool let's you get in close and perfectly flush and the smooth reciprocating motion makes the tool very easy to control. You'll see that we did mask the surrounding area (the green tape) but only because the parts had already been finished. Back in business in a matter of a few minutes, nice tool.

GWTP operates a Chicago woodworking career training and placement center under a $1.5 million Dept. of Labor grant, and is a Woodwork Career Alliance .