This tool is quite powerful and last a long time on a single battery. This was part of the DC6KITA. I have tested each tool and have reviewed some. This one is not exception. On a fresh battery and with the supplied blade I continually cut 2x4's until my hand was sore from holding on. The power is nice. It did not seem too bog when pushed hard through the wood. Battery life suprised me by never giving up. On a full demo job where cutting throught various materials is necessary it might show it's weakness in longevity.
Having purchased a 1/2 rebar to test the DC410 cut-off tool, I proceeded to test the DC385 with a 18tpi metal blade. It worked quite well. The power was still there. No bogging. Of course pressure was needed to help the teeth bite, but that is to be expected.
Also the adjustable shoe is a new feature. It does not have much range of motion but at least it is there.
For most all home projects this is going to be a wonderful tool. In owning many XRP batteries and having several chargers, I don't forsee buying a corded saw. This would be a solid 5 star tool, but there is only one thing that slightly bothers me. The blade is not centered in the shoe becuase of the 4 way blade clamp. Now I gave it the 5 because I would rather have the 4 way clamp than have it centered. DeWALT DC385K 18-Volt Ni-Cad Cordless Reciprocating Saw Kit
I am a woman who builds alot of stuff and works in the woods alot. I hate handling a big ol' chainsaw and this bad boy helps to cut down branches and trees up to 5in diameter for me when working on an outdoor project with no electricity available!! WOW!
DeWalt has another cordless winner here. Plenty of power. I have a corded Mikita saw that I have used for years and its great for the big, intensive use jobs. I wanted something for the smaller jobs that was cordless and not have to drag around an extension cord... quick out; quick to put away. I have a mix of corded power tool brands but settled on DeWalt for my cordless needs. I have half-dozen 18v XRP's and a couple of chargers through past purchases.
If you are in a similar situation with extra batteries and chargers...
Maxtools.com sells the 'BARE TOOL' at a good price (no batteries/charger are included). Amazon should stock the bare tools. The saw was $99 and comes with a 6" combo blade so that you can test the saw.
Be warned, my saw took almost 3 weeks to arrive, but, hey, the price is right for a DeWalt and the saw arrived without damage. However there was no owners manual which I thought was an odd oversight. But a few minutes fiddling with the front end and the blade change was figured out... lift the tab on the front right side of the saw all the way up and remove/install a blade. The button at the left front allows the 'shoe' at the front of the saw to extend/retract and lock in several positions. (If you are wondering about the moveable 'shoe', it allows for some depth-of-cut control vis-a-vis the length of your saw blade when needed for certain applications.) As for the rest, I don't need a manual to show me how to pull a trigger or change a battery. I am a huge fan of the 4-way blade clamp set up. There is a vertical and horizontal blade clamp incorporated into one head. Blade change is a snap and you can set the blade teeth to point up, down, right or left. The versatility of this feature is great! Gone are the days of contortions to cut sideways.
I had bought a Sears 19.2V cordless reciprocating saw which came with 2 batteries. However, the batteries would not hold a charge (both of them) and the brief time it work the saw seem to bog down. Believe I paid about $110 for the Sears. After the returned the Sears unit I purchase the Dewalt and couldn't be happier. Used it to cut wood and metal with excellent results. It's heavier than the Sears model but the Dewalt really works well and the battery has staying power. I paid $179 for the Dewalt with free Amazon shipping. As always its best to spend a little more money and get a quality unit.
I got this saw as part of the DC4KITA set. It's done ok so far I like it, but my only problem with it is the way the clamp is attached to the shaft (a simple, small drive and spring pin). Over time it has worked loose letting the blade flop around allot more than I'd like under use. I have replaced the clamp/shaft assembly (not sold individually BTW) and had a guy weld it to the shaft so that wont happen again. It's got plenty of power and the battery life is fine considering it's power. It's proven itself however in the fact you can put the blade in sides ways. That helps a lot if you trying to cut vary close to the edge of something, or the battery's orientation makes it bunglesome to use (in a crowed trussed ceiling for example).
My husband and I bought this for my father-in-law as an early Christmas present. He loves it -- but the battery life is crap. If you're using this for weekend projects, you should be fine. My father-in-law has a farm and this saw gets used a lot. We were there over Thanksgiving and I was using the saw. Longest battery life we got out of it was about 2 hours. And that's after being fully charged.
If you're a "power user" -- definitely buy an extra battery.
I have a 110v 13amp Milwaukee Sawzall but this is the saw I grab first. It performs just as well and I don't need a cord. If I think the cut is going to take longer than 4 minutes of heavy cutting (2 batteries) then I grab the Milwaukee. I've had mine for 4 year with no problem. The downfall is the blade clamp uses the old sys of an allen key and it comes loose. Milwaukee clamp is much better.
After I received it, fully charged the battery, put to use right away. It works very well, the weight of the saw works to your advantage and makes it more stable. One charge is good enough for my whole small-medium job. - 18v - Dewalt - Battery - Recipricating Saw'
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