DEWALT DW936K 18 Volt 5 3/8 Inch Trim Saw Kit

Customer Reviews

Handy, but keep a sharp blade

2004-03-20
I am now on my second saw. I used (abused) the first one so much that I needed to buy a new one. That probaly tells you all you need to know about my opinion. A few suggestions: keep a sharp blade available. The case has a handy bolt for keeping spare blades. I always keep a couple freshly sharpened blades ready. The saw is a bit underpowered -- a trade off with weight and battery life. It really helps the saw make it through a tough cut if the blade is sharp. The battery drains pretty quick, but it does charge up quick as well. I keep a battery in the charger. I am a trim carpenter and this saw really helps me get a job done faster. Before I bought this tool I was constantly trekking back and forth to the miter box or killing my old wrist with a heavy 7 1/4" saw. I have used the saw when building a couple of decks and the tool can get the job done -- but it is definitly above grade. I hope that helps.

Very handy, but has some shortcomings

2004-02-09
Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad I have this handy little saw. It has been quite useful in a number of applications. However, I don't think it's worthy of more than three stars because (1) The battery drains very quickly. Fortunately it also charges very quickly, but it can be a real pain when it goes dead in the middle of a cut; (2) It is underpowered. A DeWalt sales rep once explained to me that this saw is really intended for cutting the ends off 2x4s, which it does very well. But a miter saw does a much better job. If that's all you were ever going to do with this trim saw I'd say it's not worth it. However, I use it to cut sheet stock as well, and when it comes to cutting even thin or soft pieces of sheet stock it strugges through the entire cut. Frequently the blade even gets stopped dead in its tracks. This occurs even with a brand new blade. It will get the job done, but it ain't always pretty; (3) The saw causes significant tear-out, mainly due to the fact that the blade turns so slowly compared to a table saw or even a full-size circle saw. This is related to problem no. 2 (i.e. it is underpowered).

Despite these drawbacks, I still think this saw is worth having. Whether it is worth $200 is another issue altogether though. If you don't have a miter saw, definitely buy one of those first. Then think about buying this trim saw if you can get a good deal on it.

Handy little saw 2003-12-30
This is a handy little saw that packs more punch than I expected.

I bought this saw as part of a combo pack with an 18V drill, charger, and two batteries. It was a steal at $200. I had been using a 7-1/4" Skil with an incredibly short cord. I have a small shop and cutting 4x4 and 4x8 plywood panels on my table saw is simply not an option. I've been breaking down 3/4" plywood sheets in the garage without a problem. I built a firewood holder and the saw had no problem cutting through 2x4s. It's nice not to worry about cords.

It's light, well balanced, and quiet. It does cause a bit of tearout, but I assume that is the case with most circular saws.

So far the battery life and power have been more than adequate. Last weekend my I built a workbench for my dad using 2x4s and some 3/4" plywood. The saw made around 12 - 15 4ft /8ft cuts on the same battery. The charger fully charges the battery in less than an hour.

Superb Trim Saw 2008-07-05
My first word when I ripped my first board with this Trim saw was "Wow!" The ease of use, it's ability to slice through a piece of lumber, or a long cut through plywood, without any effort was amazing. The total balanced feel of this trim saw is outstanding, and even nicer to have the blade on the left which permits a better viewing angle of the wood being cut.

This trim saw is also cordless, and it uses the same 18v battery pack that my other DeWalt power tools use. This makes it even more versatile where electrical outlets are few and far between, or when running an extension cord creates tripping hazards or other safety issues.

Bear in mind that this is a Trim Saw; it was not designed to slice through huge rough 4x4's in one swipe. But it will perform quite well for most of anyone's DIY projects around the house or farm. You get a lot of saw for the money, and the DeWalt company stands behind everything they build.

Quick to grab 2006-05-28
I bought this in 2004 as part of the drill/saw kit mainly because I needed another drill. I thought that the saw wouldn' t see much use. Turns out, I use this saw more than I thought I would. I have used it to trim off door bottoms, cut in foundation vents, trim off roof decking, cutting out hvac register vents, corner boards, fence work.....the list goes on. Keep the blade sharp, have a backup battery and go. The safety is a pain, but it does keep you on your toes. Great saw.

handy and nothing else!! 2006-03-08
power of this saw is very week,it is very importent!
If u dont have secend battery,dont be disapointet if u stop in the midle of your job.It really called "TRIM SAW" for a smal peace of wood! If you tryaing use TRIM SAW to cat wood 2x2, or 2x4 or plywood for longer time ,battery will dead very soon.

A great trim saw 2006-02-24
I replaced a 'made in china' with this trim saw.
It's a trim saw and does exactly what it's designed to do. i.e. make easy ,quick cuts in cabinetry,plywood,and or up to 2"x3"s
Need a framing saw,buy that.

It Has Drawbacks, But Useful Overall 2005-11-05
I initially bought this for repairs in my mother's rental house while the electricity was turned off. I've since used it around the house. I'm glad I have it, but one should be aware of the drawbacks before buying.

Advantages:
- Like any cordless saw, gives you much more flexibility
- Compact
- Extremely handy to just grab a saw for small jobs without locating an outlet, extension cord, et cetera
- Extremely handy for cuts on the roof or other awkward locations
- A really good addition to your current Dewalt 18V tool stable

Disadvantages:
- This is not a Skil 77! It can't handle all jobs.
- Blade tends to bind on long cuts. I found that being patient and moving the saw slow and steady made a lot of difference. It takes practice, but can be done. You also need to arrange the piece being cut (i.e. plywood) so that it doesn't warp as the cut progresses.
- The selection of 5-3/8" blades at your local hardware store may not be very good. Having clean, sharp blades makes this saw a lot more pleasant to use.
- This saw seems to have more tear-out/splintering on the back side than I get from corded tools.
- Switch is awkward some times, but safe.
- The case seems pretty bulky for what's inside

Summary:
Using this saw for the right jobs will be rewarding. It requires practice and a different attitude than a heavy-duty corded saw, but once that's mastered, it's pretty convenient. Recently I used it to lop off 2-1/2" branches from a fallen tree (2 cuts) - so much easier than stringing 150 feet of cord, and safer than using a chain saw for everything. So - if you recognize the limitations, it's pretty useful, especially with a vehicle charger for remote jobs. Three-and-a-half stars would be my rating if possible.