Power, power and more power! The 18-volt 1/2-inch hammer drill/driver’s high-torque motor churns out an impressive 500 inch-pounds of torque—imagine the jobs it could tackle. We were surprised by how good it feels in hand, thanks, we think, to its neatly balanced design that places the handle toward the center of the tool. A nice touch is the ratcheting chuck with carbide jaws for a superb hold on your bit. And the all-metal, three-speed transmission is so innovative that DeWalt patented it. All we know is that this is one powerhouse of a hammer drill/driver, no matter what mode it’s in. The DC385 recip saw’s keyless blade clamp wins points in our book for fast blade changes. And talk about fast—with its one-inch stroke length, it runs at 2,900 strokes per minute. Like the drill, it’s well balanced and feels good in hand. It’s compact, lightweight and offers great cutline visibility through the pivoting shoe’s open top. Plus, we like that the blade will reverse for flush and plunge cutting. The circular saw slices into 2×4s like butter, and you can always see your cut because the blade’s on the left. Bevel cuts are no sweat; the saw’s easy to adjust and the scale’s clear. Finally, the flashlight’s neck is super flexible, shedding light in just about any direction for up to three hours. This is a great collection of tools, essential for the contractor and perfect for the skilled do-it-yourselfer.–Kris Jensen-Van Heste

18V, Cordless XRP Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver, Reciprocating Saw, Circular Saw & Flexible Floodlight Combination Kit, Drill Has 500 INLB Of Torque, 3 Speed All Metal Transmission, 1/2″ Ratcheting Chuck Lock Prevents Bit Slippage, Reciprocating Saw Has 0-2800 RPM, 7/8″ Stroke Length, 6-1/2 LB, Electric Brake, Lever Action Keyless Blade Clamp, Circular Saw Cuts 2×4s In Single Pass, 90°ree. & 45°ree. Cuts, Left Side Blade For Maximum Visibility, 3,700 RPM For Faster Cut Rate, Flexible Floodlight, Has Extra Bright Xenon Bulb, Flexible Neck For Hands Free Lighting, 3 Hours Run Time On Single Charge, Includes DW988, DW938, DW939 & DW919 Plus 2 XR Pack Batteries, 1 Hour Charger, 6-1/2″ Blade, Screwdriver Bit, Reciprocating Saw Blade, Extra Bulb, 360°ree. Side Handle, Rip Fence & Carrying Case.

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Reviews

Great Value
Reviewer: Randall Hill “naked chef”

Power for the DIY homeowner
Reviewer: Magnus Opus (Washing DC)

Overall, a great tool kit for a DIY’er with some skill. Basically a pro-level set for the savvy homeowner/consumer. Long lasting battery and fast charging. The case is tough and well laid-out (the place to keep spare blades is a nice touch).

DC385 with keyless blade clamp for quick blade changes
PROS: Great balance. Nice power. Cuts through 2×4 like butter. Comes with 2 blades (coarse and fine-toothed).

CONS: Bottom loading battery requires upsidedown blade load for cutting through sole plates. This makes for awkward trigger position and the loss of that good balance. The unit can be bulky for tight spaces.

DW919 flexible floodlight for hands-free use
PROS: Mainly useful for people who have fulltime jobs during the day and work with the kit in the evenings in dark spaces. Usually rare but still happens, I guess. Adjustable beam is a nice feature.

CONS: The weakest link of the kit. A 4-piece kit with jigsaw would’ve been more useful. The rubber/plastic flexible arm feels a little flaky. I feel like I’ll destroy it before long.

DC988 drill/driver/hammerdrill has 500 in.-lbs. of maximum torque
Exclusive 3 - speed all metal transmission
PROS: I’ve use this tool the most out of the three. Drills through concrete slab floor like it was asking for the drill bit. Both horizontal and vertical drilling are well balanced. Easy to use extension handle. Keyless chuck is truly single-handed. Excellent power and goes on a single battery charge for longer than an hour under normal to high use (just enough for that other battery to charge).

CONS: Transmission is problematic. Sometimes won’t re-engage into hammerdrill mode from clutch settings. Running the drill for about 15 secs at full speed seems to get the clutch and transmission innards back in place and functioning properly (I cant explain why only this fixes it, but it does). I can sometimes see sparks from within the drill — stay away from flammable materials and gases. The balance with the extra handle on is somewhat poor. It takes some mastering to get it right so that you’re not bending your bit. Housing may get warm after more than 20 mins of heavy use.

DC390 cuts 2X4’s at 45 degrees in a single pass
Haven’t used it much yet to give an honest review. Will need to come back to this. But what I can say so-far:
PROS: Good balance with the battery in, like the other tools in the kit, but heavier than any corded model for obvious reasons. No need to buy furring strips anymore. Easily makes it down multiple 2×4x16 foot studs. It feels like a true pro-level tool after using Ryobi for so long.

CONS: None so far.

THE tool set for general rough construction (new or not)
Reviewer: J “Smiley” (Central NC)

***REVISED 11/9/06*** (also for info on DC988 drill wobble see bottom)

This set is worth the $500 or more + tax you would pay in a store… If you don’t mind your stuff possibly looking a little banged up (witch it will become over time if you actually really used them) your looking at a good deal here.

In the new construction world of homes this set is invaluable. You have the drill witch is also a light duty hammer drill, it has plenty of torque. I know as I have used it to boar a ¾” hole through a 2/4 with an auger bit… several times. It still had enough juice left in it to put in about 80 or so electrical devices before the bat stated to get low (and that bat was at least a year old and used at least every other week day). And the hammer drill is perfect for those finish or decretive jobs in brick. My only problem is the weight, the before mentioned would be murder on the wrist/s if that kind of work was done daily. A 14.4 V would be ideal if it just had the bat life and brute power I need at times. The circular saw is like any other, it’s vary convent when you need to do quick (as in not a lot) and neat work. The only time I used it is when I was in a hurry, way off somewhere or found I needed to cut some wood after getting there and didn’t want or just flat out didn’t feel like getting a cord out for the other just to cut a few peaces of wood. It’s not something I would rely on to do large jobs (cuz it sucks the bat dry fairly quick) like trimming 2×6 planks off the edge of an 800 SF deck or cutting 40,45 or so 2×4 “blocks” (that’s when you break out the corded tools). It has enough power and bat life to do what it looks like it could do. The light is great, the heavy 18V bat keeps it planted on the ground (normally) but it’s not to heavy or bungle sum to drape over pluming, wiring or 4″ duct work under a house. Only thing is after time the flex loosens and dose not stay put as well… The reciprocating saw is just like any other, quick change lock up or down orientation of the teeth. It has a nice amount of blade movement and a good strong motor. As long as the bat holds out it will do any job a corded one will.

The best thing I like is I know it’s 100% true that Dewalt tools are vary tough. Also they are apparently sealed well, as I used that model drill countless times to drill small holes in brick and mortar as did the owner. One day I cleaned the drill for the owner and found some vary thick, black, smelly grease in need of change but not much else in the gear train. Been using it nearly every weekday for a good 6 months or so after that and still no problems.

***REVISE*** (The drills wobble was result of defective thread rolling/forming on the spindle not the chuck. Problem fixed after ordering and instilling new spindle, see dewalt website for digram of drill and contact local parts dealer for fix).

I’ve bought and had this set since oct24 06, when it got here it was all but 100% new looking. I found only a few vary small nicks and some stains/discolorations. But hey I don’t care about that, yeh they work great! I opened up the drill and the gears where not new, but defiantly in good condition (no “mushing out” or anything like that).

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