Dewalt DC385 Reciprocating Saw Problem

[Cuda911]

I have a Dewalt DC 385 reciprocating saw. For some odd reason, all of a sudden the blade won't reciprocate. It seems that the shaft that the blade connects to has become disconnected from something inside of the gear housing. The motor runs, and the main shaft that is in the gear box reciprocates, but the portion with the blade doesn't move.

So, I started taking it apart and ran into yet another problem. It appears that the previous owner has totally stripped out the heads on the 4 screws that hold the gear box cover down. They are inset into the gear cover housing, so I am at a loss as to how to get them out.

Two questions for you guys:

1) any clever ideas on getting out the stripped screws? I tried a standard stripped screw extractor with no luck. Maybe I could drill off the heads?

2) how is the shaft that holds the blade attached to the reciprocating armature? Any idea what may have come loose, broken, etc?

Thanks!!!!!!!

[Cuda911]

Thanks for absolutely nothing with your lousy plug for Makita, rather than a response to my question.

[TERRY P]

CUDA... THATS EXACTLY WHAT SMLLL"S POST IS, " A CROCK OF ADVERTISING CRAP !!!!!!" . FROM SOME LAMEASS, BACKWOODS, BULL**** COMPANY IN NORTH CAROLINA. PROBALLY BEING RUN OUT OF SOME CHEESY LITTLE APARTMENT BY A COUPLE OF CRACKHEADS... THEY POSTED THE SAME COMMENT 13 TIMES TO EVERY QUESTION IN THE FORUM. Using a Norton protected computer I checked out the link they posted to purchase a Makita drill kit. IT'S PROBALLY JUST A SCAM TO GET YOUR CREDIT CARD INFO OR GIVE YOUR COMPUTER A VIRUS! Any company that thinks sabotaging another company's website is the way to do business has got to be run by a bunch of dirtbags who are too stupid to figure out how to do it the right way. "Internet trash"! By the way most Makita products are crap too !!!!! The older ones were good but nowadays they really don't make anything that I would reccomend. ("maybe" their Circular Saw)
Now how to fix your Sawsall..... The screws your trying to remove are torx head #T-20 or #T-25 . If you look close at the screw you'll see it also has a slot in it that a regular screwdriver will fit into. I would try that before you start drilling the heads off. Once you open up the housing it should be pretty obvious as to which part failed.

[Cuda911]

Thanks, Terry

Yeah, I agree about the Makita... I have a very old Makita drill that is good. I wouldn't buy their new stuff. And, I did not that that scammer Smglll posted the same thing in every forum, and reported him to admin.

The problem with the screws it that whatever bonehead tried to work on this unit before COMPLETELY stripped each screw head. There are just smooth round craters left in each screw head.

[Michael]

The offending post has been removed, and the person responsible has been dealt with.

The thread makes a little less sense now, but we can all move on with our lives.

Thanks for the heads-up on this, Cuda.

[TERRY P]

Cuda. A little trick thats worked many times for me in the past is to sacrifice an old drill bit about the size of the rounded out part of the screw. Using a bench grinder or bench belt sander, "reverse" the bevel of the bit so you've made a left handed drill bit. (that will cut counterclockwise). Using a drill in reverse try to gently cut into the screw. What usually happens, and what you hope happens, is that the bit will cut just a small amount into the screw and then bite onto it and back it out. If it doesn't then don't try drilling it all the way out with a homemade drill bit, its bound to give you a poor result. Switch back to a good regular drill bit and just drill the heads off and then try to remove the parts still in the body.
Hope it works...
P.S. Sorry if the above post was a bit harsh, even tool mechanics can have a bad day....

[Michael]

P.S. Sorry if the above post was a bit harsh, even tool mechanics can have a bad day....

Haha, no problem. Spam frustrates everybody.

[fsoelzer]

For stripped screws I've had luck grinding a new slot with a Dremel (type) tool with a separation disc. Either in line with the original slot or even opposed depending.