RYOBI RMT18-0 Cordless Multi-Tool, 18V ONE+, 10000-20000 opm, Bare Tool - no battery, no charger - 5133005346

RYOBI RMT18-0 Cordless Multi-Tool, 18V ONE+, 10,000 - 20,000 min^-1, Bare Tool

The RYOBI RMT18-0 (article 5133005346) is a cordless oscillating multi-tool on the ONE+ 18 V platform. The accessory does not rotate - it swings left and right through an angle of 3° at a rate of 10,000 - 20,000 min^-1. That movement does the jobs a saw or a random-orbit sander cannot: cutting in the middle of a flat surface, trimming skirting boards and door casings in place, cutting openings for switches and sockets, removing old grout and silicone, and sanding into corners. The "-0" suffix and the word SOLO mean one and the same thing: battery and charger are NOT included. RYOBI states it explicitly for this article: "Number of batteries: 0" and "Charger included: No".

What an oscillating multi-tool is for

Oscillation is a movement of small amplitude and high frequency. The accessory travels only a few millimetres sideways, but it does so up to 20,000 times per minute, so the tool cuts, scrapes and sands without wandering away from the start of the cut and without torque reaction. There are three practical consequences. First, a cut can be started in the middle of a panel - a plunge cut into plasterboard, panelling or a board, with no pilot hole. Second, the cutting edge reaches flush against the adjoining surface, so skirting boards, trims and door casings can be trimmed in place instead of being taken off. Third, the triangular sanding pad reaches into corners and tight spots where a round sander will not fit.

Typical jobs: openings for switches and sockets in plasterboard, shortening a door casing before a floor goes down, removing old grout, silicone and adhesive, cutting plastic and metal profiles, and fine sanding before painting.

Six speed settings

Speed is set with a 6-position wheel across the 10,000 - 20,000 min^-1 range. The difference is not cosmetic: on plastics, paint and soft materials the lower settings will not overheat or smear the material, while on wood and metal the higher settings cut faster and strain the blade less. The tool also has an LED work light - useful, because a multi-tool almost always works in a corner, under furniture or at floor level, where the shadow falls on the cut.

Universal accessory mounting

The accessory mount is universal (Universal Attachment Mounting): with the adapter supplied in the box, consumables from the other major brands fit this tool. That matters in practice, because with a multi-tool it is the blades and the sanding sheets you keep buying, not the machine. Blades are changed with the hex key, which is also included: undo the bolt, set the blade at the angle you want relative to the body, tighten it again. Mounting the blade at different angles is how you reach a cut in an awkward position.

The ONE+ 18 V platform

ONE+ is RYOBI's system in which one and the same 18 V battery powers the whole range - drill drivers, saws, vacuums, lights, trimmers and garden machinery. Every ONE+ 18 V lithium-ion battery fits the RMT18-0, including older packs. That is also why the tool is offered bare: if you already own a battery and a charger from another ONE+ tool, you pay for the machine only. For a multi-tool a 2.0 Ah pack is enough for short jobs; for long sanding sessions or cutting metal a larger capacity (4.0 or 5.0 Ah) saves battery changes.

Weight and noise

The tool weighs 0.9 kg without a battery and 1.4 kg with a 2.0 Ah battery (EPTA). A multi-tool is held in one position for a long time - overhead or down at the floor - and every hundred grams is felt. The declared sound pressure level is 73 dB(A) and the sound power level 84 dB(A) (K 3 dB(A)); vibration at the main handle is 6.6 m/s² (K 1.5 m/s²).

Technical specifications

What is in the box

• Cordless multi-tool RYOBI RMT18-0 - 1 pc.
• Cutting blades - plunge (rectangular) and segment (semicircular)
• Sanding pad (triangular) - 1 pc.
• Sanding sheets for the pad - 6 pcs.
• Hex key - 1 pc.
• Accessory adapter - 1 pc.
• NO battery - an ONE+ 18 V battery is bought separately
• NO charger - an ONE+ charger is bought separately
• NO carry case - the article is supplied in a cardboard box

The list above follows RYOBI's data for article 5133005346. One qualification about the blades: in the technical data sheet the "supplied with" field lists "cutting blade" as a type of accessory, without a count - while the official photograph of the same article shows two blades: a plunge (rectangular) and a segment (semicircular) one. Two blades are also listed by the independent catalogues of klium.nl ("drop-in saw blade, flat blade") and alternate.fr ("1 lame de scie plongeante, 1 lame de scie segmentée"). That is why two are listed here.

Working tips

• Do not push the tool. An oscillating tool cuts at high frequency and tiny stroke - pressure stalls the movement, heats the blade and dulls it without speeding up the cut. Guide it with a light hand.
• Match the speed to the material. The lower settings are for plastics, paint, silicone and soft materials that melt or smear at high frequency; the higher settings are for wood and metal.
• Start a plunge cut at an angle. Touch down with the tip of the blade, start shallow and bring the tool upright - that way the blade does not skate across the surface.
• Check for cables and pipes before cutting into a wall. Plunge cutting into plasterboard is exactly where hidden services get cut through.
• The blade turns relative to the body. Use the hex key to set it at the angle that gives you a comfortable stance - better that than twisting your wrist.
• Wear eye protection and a dust mask. Cutting out grout and sanding filler produces fine, plentiful dust. For longer sessions add ear defenders - the sound power level is 84 dB(A).
• Let the tool cool down. The bolt and the blade are hot immediately after cutting metal.

Questions and answers