Hey there, it’s time for another of our very occasional series of articles on the tools we love. Two is a series, right?

Today it’s the 140W 230V Draper Multi Tool.

Now, they call it a ‘multi tool’ but I think that’s a bit vague; after all any tool that does more than one thing gets called a multi-tool. I suppose my preferred alternative of ‘rotary tool’, i.e. a tool with a bit what goes round, isn’t much less vague.

Don’t get me wrong, the ‘multi’ bit is absolutely spot-on; the tool comes with loads of attachments, and you can get many many more. I’ve used my multi-tool for: drilling, sanding, polishing PMC beads, widening the holes in pearls, lino cutting, and distressing wooden frames (well you’d be distressed too if you has a wire brush applied to you!)

In fact, somewhat embarrassingly, I’m not even sure what some of the attachments do. So I like to make it up: “Oh, that’s to reverse the polarity of a neutron flow”, or, “That bit de-gausses a flux capacitor”.

The best attachment –sold separately– is the ‘flexi-shaft’, as shown above. Like a spam email, the attachment offers to extend the reach of your tool, make it easier to grip, and allow it’s deployment in hard to reach places. It really does make delicate work much easier.

Probably the most famous name in the multi/rotary tool world is the mighty ‘Dremel’. I’m  more sure they’re great tools, but they’re not cheap. The Draper Multi Tool is much more reasonably priced, and has done everything I’ve asked of it. Maybe if I was a DIY user, and wanted to use it on metal or masonry, I might be inclined to look upmarket a bit, but for light craft/hobby work it’s great. Plus, I like to pretend that the company that makes it, Draper, is in fact the company formed by Don Draper when he final gets tired of Advertising. Though I suppose that if that were true, it would probably come with attachments for stirring cocktails and maybe for unfastening the hooks on brassieres, which are about the only two attachments it doesn’t have.

So there we go: the 140W 230V Draper Multi Tool.

If you use any tools that you’re particularly keen on, why not let us know in the comments?