Bare-Tool DeWalt DC385B 18v. Cordless Reciprocating Saw Contractors Special (Tool Only, No Battery)

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Product Description

Product Description

The DeWalt DC385 is a 18V Heavy-Duty Cordless Reciprocating Saw - Tool Only. The 18V Cordless Reciprocating Saw provides 1 stroke length and 2900 SPM for fast cutting. Its keyless blade clamp allow to change the blade quickly. The electric brake prevents blades from breaking. It is compact & lightweight tool. The cordless saw has an anti-slip comfort grip which provides increased comfort and control while operating.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000VEUVZE
• Item model number: DC385B
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,043 in Home Improvement (See Bestsellers in Home Improvement)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well engineered but needs new battery chemistry!, December 27, 2006

By	Jeffrey Jenkins "tool fool" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is my favorite out of the 4 "sawzalls" (apologies, Milwaukee) I own/have owned. Just so you know its competition here, I have the corded version of this saw, a cordless 18V Ryobi (not bad, all things considered, but definitely not rugged enough for daily use), Makita's LXT Li-Ion version (a real disappointment that one) and this baby. So far this one is my favorite, and, overall, I am extremely pleased with its performance.

What I like about it:
1. Well-balanced
2. Rugged
3. Good power despite being cordless
5. Not too heavy
6. The "chuck" (collet?)

What needs to be improved:
1. The batteries!

The best feature by far is the 4-position quick-release chuck/collet. It allows you to select the usual "up" and "down" blade orientations, of course, but also "left" and "right" ones. The latter two positions really come into their own when flush cutting up against another surface because they place the blade so close to the edge of the shoe/body of the saw. As far as I know, only the Type 2 version of the DC385 has this, so check carefully if buying a reconditioned or auction item.

There are a couple of features I would like to have: orbital cutting and variable stroke length. Orbital cutting allows a recip saw to zip through wood by scooping out the chips as they are cut. Being able to adjust, or at least choose between several settings of stroke length would make cutting into existing walls without binding the blade or poking through the other side much less likely.

The true Achilles' heel of the DeWalt cordless tool line-up is their continued use of Ni-Cd batteries. Pretty much every other manufacturer of pro-grade cordless tools (well, except Hilti) have switched to Ni-MH and/or Li-ion and shown us just how long a cordless tool can run, and how powerful it can be, compared to its corded counterpart. If this tool will be used daily and/or heavily - e.g., roofing, demolition, rough framing and remodeling - then I feel the XRP batteries just won't keep up. You'll need at least 3 batteries to make it through one day of heavy use. If this is the sort of work you do then you'll probably want to take a good long look at DeWalt's 36V or Milwaukee's V28 tools, but if you use a sawzall for a few quick cuts here and there on the job site - e.g., electrician, plumber - then it'll probably work great for you too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast shipping, May 25, 2007

By	Joseph Ngo (San Marcos,Tx) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I ordered the product on Sunday and received it on Friday. Also well packaged.

This is an update. I use this often for work, it works great. The only complaint is the blade release is kind of stiff till it worn a little. Plenty of power with four blade positions, it is hard to complain.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dewalt Saw, April 11, 2007

By	N. Stuckart (Seattle WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the perfect saw if you don't need the battery pack or a case. I already had an 18 volt cordless drill. I saved a lot of money by buying the saw only and it works great. I didn't need all the tools that come in a set so this was the perfect solution.