DEWALT DC385B Bare-Tool 18-Volt Cordless Reciprocating Saw, Tool Only, No Battery

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.

First of all - there are NO Negatives to this saw....

Where do i start first? This saw has the quick change head AND you can position your blade to cut Down or UP or Left or Right !!!!

Not many saws can do this... plus its Quick Change... Flip the lever, pull your blade.... very simple - no screws to mess with or anything.

I cut on/off for about two-three hours on a single lithium charge cutting anything from 2x4's to 2x6's and plywood when i demo... Don't use the dewalt blades.... Milwaukee Torch blades are the BEST you can buy... trust me... dewalt makes an awesome saw... but their blades have much to be desired.

This saw is so powerful... i've cut steel pipes, sheet metal steel boxes / ovens and its pulled through like nothing. Thrown on a mason blade and cut blocks and bricks and stucco all day long.....

First things first: Check with the seller to see if it's the shorter nano base or the longer XPR base. Both types of batteries will work in any 18 volt Dewalt tool, but the shorter nano batteries might look funny if the saw has a longer base, and the old XPR batteries might look funny on the nano base.

Features:

1) 4 blade positions (up, down, left, right)

2) Lock button (black button an inch northeast of the trigger, see picture). This enables you to carry/store the saw with the battery in place without the ability to accidentally pull the trigger and saw something you didn't mean to (your leg, etc).

3) Removable shoe. The round yellow button towards the front allows you to remove the "shoe" (Black metal piece at end of saw).

4) The tool's not that heavy, I cut a high branch off a tree holding the saw with my arm almost vertical without any problem.

Corded vs cordless: I've had a corded sawzall for about ten years. Worked great when I finished my sister's unfinished basement. I used it over and over and over again. If you just want one for demolition work, or any indoor work where there's an outlet, you might want the corded, especially if you'll be using it a lot continuously (won't need to keep recharging batteries).

That said, I've had branches in the yard for years that I never got around to dragging out the 50 or 100 foot extension to use with the corded sawzall. With this cordless Dewalt that I got just a few weeks ago, I've been filling four yard waste cans a week with fallen branches and dead limbs cut with this saw. And no longer will I put 5 foot plus branches out hoping that they take them, just cut them with this saw. It's actually fun (for now at least).

So for a summary of corded vs cordless: If you have a lot of indoor work, maybe get the corded, you won't have to change batteries (and corded are generally more powerful). If you just use it a few minutes at a time, or have a yard with large branches to cut, cordless is the way to go.

For BIG branches, you can get 12 inch blades here: DeWalt DW4804 12-Inch 6 TPI Taper Back Bi-Metal Reciprocating Saw Blade, 5-Pack

Update: As long as the branches aren't too thick,the Black & Decker NPP2018 18-Volt Cordless Electric Pole Chain Saw, 8-Inch Bar is much better at cutting branches. It's faster, quieter, and doesn't vibrate like the sawzalls, and you can reach much higher without a ladder. I doubt you could cut a 7.5 inch diameter branch with it sideways though (I did with the Dewalt "sawzall"). You could try cutting such a branch from a tree straight across, just make sure someone's filming so you can make 600 bucks on one of those video sites when the branch falls the wrong way and destroys your shed/porch/car/etc.