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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 2x4s 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. If you're often working in
tight spaces, you'll appreciate the design of the
right-angle drill, which spans just 4-1/2 inches. Still,
it's got two speed ranges (0-500 and 0-1,500 rpm) and
reverse, and it packs 310 inch-pounds of torque. We like the
multi-grip trigger, especially for cramped quarters. The
grinder's hardworking with a nice three-position side
handle. Kudos to DeWalt for the metal gear case and the
longer life it'll give this grinder. 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
From the Manufacturer
The DC988 18-volt 1/2-inch adjustable clutch
hammerdrill/drill/driver uses a DEWALT built high-torque
motor to deliver 500 in.-lbs. of torque for drilling bigger
holes and driving larger screws. The 3rd speed is 38-percent
faster, with a range of 0-2,000 rpm and 0-34,000 bpm. The
DC988 features a 1/2-inch metal ratcheting chuck with
carbide jaws to keep a tighter grip on the bit. The DC385
reciprocating saw has a keyless blade clamp and cuts 80
two-by-fours on one charge. The DC390 6-1/2-inch circular
saw has the power to cut over 100 two-by-fours on one
charge. It has a left-side blade for visibility, 50-degree
bevel and includes a rip fence. The DW960 right angle drill
is only 4-1/2 inches, designed to fit into tight spaces. The
DC410 includes both cutting and grinding guards and wheels.
The DW919 has a flexible neck that allows the beam to be
pointed in any direction. The DC6KITA combo kit includes the
hammerdrill with 360 degree side handle, circular saw with
blade and rip fence, reciprocating saw with blade, right
angle drill, cut-off tool with grinding wheel and guard,
cutting wheel and guard, flanges and wrench, flexible
floodlight, two screwdriver bits, two XRP batteries,
one-hour charger, and contractor bag.
