Dewalt has recently come out with 2 new Multi-Functional Utility Bars that look to be great for demolition work.
These new Multi-Functional Utility Bars, or MFU’s for short, are available in 2 sizes: 30″ (DWHT55292) and 40″ (DWHT55293). The MFU bars are said to be ideal for ripping, striking, prying, and scraping applications for renovators, deck builders, and contractors alike.
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Features include a hardened striking surface, 7/8″ tri-lobe bar stock construction for durability, a gooseneck head that’s shaped for grabbing boards and other materials, and an extra-wide pry bar with nail puller groove on the opposite end.
Dewalt says that the MFU Bar can be used for prying applications, as well as non-demo tasks such as adjusting boards in a floor or wall. Both ends are designed for high leverage.
Prices: $30 for 40″, $25 for 30″
If you ask me, I’d rather have a Stanley Fubar III, the most bad-ass demo tool I’ve ever seen. But it costs more, and I’m guessing that the Dewalt MFU Bar is a bit lighter.
I don’t do demo work. If you do, what do you think of this new multi-functional crowbar? Err, I mean utility bar. Maybe this is better described as a goosebar, due to the angled head?
Did you notice the reinforcement at the nail puller and wide prying end of the bar? And how the goose-neck end appears to be perpendicular to the direction of the the other end? I’m guessing that you can exert a lot of force with this bar perhaps much more so than traditional crowbars which have both ends bent in the same direction. It looks like you can push more on this handle, while others aren’t comfortably used except in a pulling configuration.
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Or am I reading things wrong? Like I said, I don’t do demo work.
fred
I saw these at a nearby Home Depot last weekend. Thought the design was a bit interesting – but had no need to buy one and try it.
Home Depot has or had been carrying (online at least) big pry bars and scaling bars from Klein’s Australian subsidiary (Mummee Tools). Their 6 foot bar is a serious contender:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-71-in-x-1-3-16-in-Hexagon-Gooseneck-Bar-5GNB180030/203581308?keyword=203581308
fred
I was back at HD today – and looked closer at the 40 inch one (UPC 076174552935)
The shaft is round stock – 22.5 mm (a bit more than 7/8 inch) in diameter.
The tool is made in Mexico
Jerry
I wonder how stout these are. I have occasional but extreme uses for long pry bars, and have a bent 48 inch Gorilla Bar to show for it. My favorite 40 inch Blue Point bar was lost or stolen (very tough, no sign of bending or even springing) but I haven’t been able to find another. The longer Klien bar that shows up in the HD ‘related products’ window looks like a contender. Thanks for putting up the link. The DW bar in the article looks nice but has too much bend on the ends for my paticular use.
T
What is the rated ah of this? Im sold if they throw an LED work light on the business ends for better viewing.
Stuart
I know, right! Where’s the LED? And no brushless motor? Bummer. Still, runtime is excellent. The manual says to apply elbow grease liberally.
Mike
This is badass, I have one and it’s an unstoppable force of nature: http://www.deadontools.com/an18.html It’s called the Annihilator. For good reason…!
Nathan
At work we started doing some disaster preparedness things – and those of us that signed up got a bag with some stuff in it- one item was the smaller of the FUBAR’s.
since then I bought another one. at home I think I see a point for a 30″ model of this – will have to heft one and see how it feels.
Julian
http://www.toolbarn.com/crescent-db18x.html?gclid=CL-669m7scwCFYIBaQod9fkFlg
This is one of the handiest prybar I’ve used because of the multi position head. Everything from high leverage for separating studs to pulling nails and I especially use it for lifting appliances during the leveling stage of installation.
Built like a rock and you can always adjust it for the best possible leverage need.
Julian
John
I have to agree, I have one of those Crescent DB18X and its amazing how handy that has been. I keep it in the truck as its really gotten me out of some jams. Other than its obvious uses, I found its been really helpful lifting furniture or say the side of a fridge when say you need to set the adjustable feet. Being indexable and sharp I can slide it right under and get the perfect amount of leverage. (also give props to DKB44X and DB24 those are great too)
RCWARD
LED’s on a demo bar?
Stuart
I’m sure he was joking.
Yadda
The Stanley Fubar is a much better product, the lack of a true hammer poll on the Dewalt is a definite deficiency. I am also a huge fan of the dead on Annihilator.
Benoit
I did a lot of demo work in my life, and I tried about every conceivable demo bars and pry bars. But the type of demo tools you will use depends a lot on the type of materials you are trying to remove. Demolishing a deck or a roof, is not the same as removing tiles or bringing walls down.
My favorite tool is the Gutster Demo Bar (http://www.gutstertools.com/) for the bigger stuff. I also have the disaster restoration set from Artillery Tools (http://www.artillerytools.com/product/disaster-restoration-set/) which is great too because you can configure your tool to the job at hand.
Aside from that, once you have those demo tools above, you don’t really need anything else of a lesser quality or to work with “innovative” tools designed by bean counters, and which turns out to be duds on a real construction site.
The Fubar III is probably the worst demo tool you can find. Crazy heavy and shaped like a huge hammer, there isn’t much you can do with that aside from destroying everything around you and getting exhausted very quickly. In my mind, demo works means “deconstructing” more than demolishing. With the Fubar III or any other crap tool like that, you can’t really deconstruct. The Gutster and the Artillery System will let you do just that. Less noise, less dust, and much less fatigue too.
Stuart
Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that Artillery System before. Interesting concept.
fred
I can see how the Gutster might be worth a test – and will pass this on.
Like you, we did not like the Fu-Bar’s much for demo work – but they were OK for tweaking framing into alignment.
Here is a deck tool we liked:
http://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/forrester-mfg-dw1f
Brandon
Agree… I have a Fubar, and I haven’t found it particularly useful for demo work.
jason. w
I made a huge push to get both the artillery tool and the guster at my old job (damage restoration) but my boss would not buy either. Instead we had general stanly pry bars and roofing shovels.
I have the fubar III (thanks to toolguyd giveaway!) and I don’t totally dissagree with you. The hammer part is almost un-usable due to the amount of vibaration when you hit something. But I found the board bending