We interviewed Josche Frankenberger last October following the launch of the new generation of Fein Multi-tools in 2017. An experienced prop maker and furniture designer, he answers questions on his work, talks about his workshops, discusses his reasons for investing in Fein, and tells us why he still uses their tools today, nearly 2 decades on.

26 October 2017: Josche. Frankenberger has been a self-employed prop maker and furniture designer for around 20 years, using FEIN MultiMaster for over fifteen of those years. Josche got involved in the construction of props and furniture through his work as a photographer’s assistant. He discovered there was a demand for good stage design – and this rapidly expanded into interior work, set and exhibition stand construction. Since the start of 2016 he has been designing furniture in the High Black Forest, Germany. He offers workshops where he instructs participants in how to build or restore their own pieces of furniture.

FEIN: You design your own furniture, how did you get started in this field?

Josche: Initially I built my own furniture for a very practical reason: I couldn’t afford the furniture I liked and I just didn’t like anything that was affordable, so I started to design my own furniture, building tables, beds, benches, cupboards and shelving. I like creating things that are personal and that people like to have in their homes.

Their owners keep them for a long time – they sleep in their bed every night or sit on their chair every day. I like to establish a relationship with the things I create, no matter whether it’s a brief stage set or a piece of furniture. I also set very high quality standards for myself, my work and ensuring that the things I produce, and with which I work, last for a long time.

FEIN: You offer seminars on furniture construction and design at your workshop?

How did you hit on this idea?

Josche: My workshops are a real pet project for me where I wanted to convey my passion for working with wood, and how fascinated I am by the most living of all materials. I spent a lot of time looking for the right location. It needed to be something really special, a place offering me and the participant’s tranquillity and somewhere to rest – well away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

I finally decided on a remote location within the Black Forest, which is in an idyllic location in the heart of the forest, surrounded by huge numbers of trees; the material we work with. The workshop has six professionally equipped work stations where the participants, most of whom have never worked with wood before, can produce an individual piece of furniture in a couple of days.

FEIN: What do your workshops focus on?

Josche: They concentrate on producing an individual piece of furniture. I design several pieces of furniture and produce a prototype of each one. For example, one participant might be looking for a table and builds exactly the table he or she wants under my supervision: they select the wood – oak, bamboo, birch – and size they want. In another workshop, I help the participants restore old furniture. They bring the item with them, be it a cupboard they found at a flea market or something they have inherited, and together we work out which parts need replacing and how we can restore the old surfaces.

FEIN: Why do you like Fein and continue to use it?

Josche: As a craftsman, I have long been familiar with FEIN and valued their products. I have two decades of good experience with the brand, since buying my first cordless drill/driver. Amongst other craftsmen, the brand is often seen as a kind of status symbol, synonymous with longevity. My first MultiMaster is almost 15 years old and is still in regular use. The tools display outstanding workmanship and are reliable even when used continuously.

I use it typically for sanding and sawing: even making tiny cuts or working in tight gaps or corners is no trouble at all. Because the accessories only pass through a small angle, I can work with great precision and reliability. What I like most is that the tool sits comfortably in the hand, can be used for long periods of time due to the vibration decoupling, and of course, Starlock, which impresses me both as a great sanding and sawing machine.

Fein currently has three tiered versions of its multi-tool: The Multi-Talent represents an entry level machine, ideal for those new to the trade, on a budget or using the machine infrequently. The Multi-Master provides the typical tradesman a powerful machine capable of meeting many applications, regularly. The Super-Cut is the most powerful multi-tool in the market, offering those who plunge cut, deliver high volumes of wood work or who want the best, a premium OMT.

All machines are available as cordless, and all are supported by the largest range of accessories in the market (Starlock). Fein presently is offering end-users its cordless Multi-Talent at an RRP of £196.95, with a free lamp and 3 free blades (worth – £67.90). https://fein.com/en_uk/news/promotions/perfect-work-results-everywhere-0772/

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