DEWALT DW938K 18 Volt Reciprocating Saw Kit

by DEWALT

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Delivering solid performance and serious convenience, DeWalt's heavy-duty, 18-volt reciprocating saw offers a keyless blade clamp for quick blade changes, a pivoting shoe with an open top for maximum visibility, a variable-speed trigger for blade control, and an electric brake. This is an accurate tool, and the grips--especially the front one--provide excellent user control. This reciprocating saw will reach up to 2,800 spm, and has a 7/8-inch stroke length. It weighs only 6.5 pounds, and because it's cordless, there simply isn't a better option for working in tight spaces or above your head. --Jonathon Tudor

From the Manufacturer

DEWALT DW938K 18 Volt Reciprocating Saw Kit

See all Product Description

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 24.5 x 10.8 x 4.9 inches ; 12 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 12 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00004ZATB
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: DW938K
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,702 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent power for a cordless., January 6, 2003

By 

Mad Dog "maddog6969" (TimbuckThree, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DEWALT DW938K 18 Volt Reciprocating Saw Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)

Another reviewer mentioned that he only got 90 to 120 seconds of cutting time with his saw. I got much better performance. Right after pulling it out of the box, the included battery needed charging, so I borrowed a 5 year old, partially discharged 18 volt battery from our Dewalt cordless drill and proceeded to cut away 14: 2x6 roof rafters, 3: 2x8 rafters, the soffit and fascia, then a few 4" diameter saplings and various branches from nearby maple trees. The battery was still going strong. With a sharp blade, this tool will melt through 2" lumber. It's seems to cut more quiclky than my old Milwaukee Sawsall, but it is not as smooth and vibration free as the new Makita reciprocating saw (which is AC). This is a great tool that will get far more use than just for demolition around our house.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DeWalt DW938K 18-Volt Reciprocating Saw Kit, July 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: DEWALT DW938K 18 Volt Reciprocating Saw Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)

This saw has saved so much time over the couple of years that I've owned it that I would say that it easily paid for itself the first few times I dragged it out of the truck. It is used on the job, not just around the house.
For larger projects, you should always have a larger corded reciprosaw on hand. This is a given.
With smaller repair and renovation jobs, the ability to get in and get out quickly makes all the difference. Especially when dragging yourself through a customer's crawl space or attic to make a few necessary cuts. The DW938 is perfect for these types of jobs. It is also great for remote outdoor areas where no power is available, such as, when working in a trench. The lack of the 120V extension cord in a damp or wet crawl space, basement or outdoor area also adds big points to the DW938 for safety as well as unimpeded mobility.
With the proper blades, this saw really does cut almost anything my corded reciprosaw will, including double and triple 2X material, engineered lumber, steel strut and raceway as well as threaded rod.
It works great on nonmetallic conduit too. It just doesn't go for as long a time without interruption as a corded tool does. If I am going to be using it for extended periods, which I frequently do, of course, I know I will need extra batteries. I normally have other DeWalt 18V tools going on any given job and have an inverter in my truck, so several batteries are usually on charge anyway. The added expense of the extra batteries is also like money in the bank. They are there, ready when you need them, with no down time between charging.
The DW938's electric brake is another excellent feature. You don't have to wait for the blade to stop to reposition the saw and take another bite or to start a new cut.
On service calls, the amount of time and aggravation saved on a month-to-month basis by not having to drag along an extension cord and locate a hidden or non-existent power receptacle is staggering. Searching for a missing hex wrench and fumbling with a stripped out blade clamp screw in a dimly lit area has also eliminated because of the DW938's tool less quick-change blade clamp. The only real improvement I would like to see would be an adjustable foot to increase the useful life of the blades. DeWalt added this feature to their newer 24V slob. They should follow through and add it to the 18V model as well.
Personally, I wouldn't even consider moving up to the bloated 24V series and loosing all the other 18V series functionality just to get that one feature.
Overall, I would easily recommend the DW938 to any professional tradesman who wants to work more efficiently, spend less time running extension cords and help keep the number of stress related nosebleeds they have in a given day to a minimum.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second cordless tool you should buy, October 22, 2002

By 

"peter_z" (Troutdale, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DEWALT DW938K 18 Volt Reciprocating Saw Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)

First, buy a decent drill/driver. Then, buy this. Don't know why I waited so long to get one (OK, because they're not free). Now that I have it, I absolutely love. A few comments about nifty features: (1) Excellent blade change system. The tool-free blade clamp is great. I know, you never bend or break blades and need to pull them off right away to keep up on a task, but I do. I really like not singeing my lunch hooks to have to do this. Turn it over, release the clamp and the blade falls out. (2) Trigger safety. Absolutely essential on cordless tools, and should be on all power tools. Very intuitive (like a gun, "red you're dead"). (3) Blade brake.

This tool has made life much easy on smaller projects. When I only have a few small cuts to make (clipping a couple nails, cutting just one or two studs), this baby is *it*. No more running an extension cord and being tied to an outlet, then having to pack it all up two minutes later. Just grab the saw and go. It's also great for working up on ladders (no more kicking and waving the cord to free it off some obstruction) or in confined areas (think Foghorn Leghorn's hound at the end of a leash).

I've found it to have plenty of power for the average job. With a good blade, it's excelled at clipping nails. It's just fine for a few reasonable cuts in wood (fir 2x's, OSB). Having said that, if you're planning on demo'ing an entire fabricated wall of studs, sheathing and siding... grab the corded saw. This nifty little guy just doesn't quite have the guts for that. Even with plenty of batteries handy, you're not gonna make it. I found that under these conditions I was only getting about 90-120 seconds of run time from a freshly charge 18v.

But, that takes me back to my overall assessent. This is a great cordless tool, for convenience on reasonably sized jobs. I have yet to find any battery tool that will meet the guts of a corded tool. You trade the lighter weight and lack of umbilical for a bit of performance.