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My $20 craigslist sawzall.

evintho

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Apr 6, 2006
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1,358
Location
Santa Rosa, CA.
It looked a mess when I first saw it but it seemed to work fine. It's an older model #6511 but for $20, I can't go wrong! Took it home, tore it apart, cleaned, greased and painted everything. The armature had hardly any wear at all and the brushes looked almost new! I repaired the cord, spliced on some new spade connectors, put it back together and threw in a new blade. This thing will probably outlast me!

PC060001_01.jpg
 
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Toolhorder

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Nov 9, 2009
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Montana
Nice buy! you ****.

Now you seem to know what you are doing with these saws can you help me out? I borrowed a friends Dewalt recip. saw. I wanted to cut up a truck frame. Anyway I must have ruined it because it operated really slow after that. I took it to a Dewalt factory repair center and waited a month and when I got it back it immediately broke and did the same thing again. Fed up with the saw and the people at the place I bought my friend a new one to replace it and then moved onto the torch.
I still have the damn saw and I was thinking about taking it apart to see what the problem is. Any pointers? It makes noise but doesn't move on the outside currently.
 

Bull

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Dec 12, 2005
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Hey! Where are the "before" and "during" pics? Those are some of the best ones to see!
 

bmwpower

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NJ
Wasn't there a guy selling a metal box for one of these? Look in the classifieds.

Nice find.
 
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evintho

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Apr 6, 2006
Messages
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Location
Santa Rosa, CA.
I still have the damn saw and I was thinking about taking it apart to see what the problem is. Any pointers? It makes noise but doesn't move on the outside currently.

They're pretty simple construction. It's just an electric motor that actuates a corkscrew pinion gear that drives some type of planetary gearset. Tear it apart and inspect everything. Are the motor connections good, is the armature really worn, brushes worn, etc. It doesn't sound like the gearset, it sounds more like the motor isn't getting full power.

Hey! Where are the "before" and "during" pics? Those are some of the best ones to see!

Sorry, my bad! I was bored at work and started tearing it apart. Didn't have my camera with me.
 
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Toolhorder

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Nov 9, 2009
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They're pretty simple construction. It's just an electric motor that actuates a corkscrew pinion gear that drives some type of planetary gearset. Tear it apart and inspect everything. Are the motor connections good, is the armature really worn, brushes worn, etc. It doesn't sound like the gearset, it sounds more like the motor isn't getting full power.

Well I tried to take my Dewalt apart but there is a cage around the recip. arm that comes out of the front and I can't figure out how to get it off so I can remove the end and the rubber cover...
 
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evintho

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Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
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Location
Santa Rosa, CA.
Where are you at?
I bought the exact saw new with the bigger amp motor for $110 at HD.

I'm in Santa Rosa. They're everywhere on craigslist! I was just looking for the cheapest one I could find and after a couple of weeks the $20 one popped up, on the other side of town!

SF Bay Area craigslist search

Well I tried to take my Dewalt apart but there is a cage around the recip. arm that comes out of the front and I can't figure out how to get it off so I can remove the end and the rubber cover...

Here's a great site I found that gives exploded photos of just about every tool out there! Type in your DeWalt's model # and they should have it. Look it over real good. If it got put together, it can come apart!

Tool parts replacement and exploded photos
 

Toolhorder

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Nov 9, 2009
Messages
5,711
Location
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I'm in Santa Rosa. They're everywhere on craigslist! I was just looking for the cheapest one I could find and after a couple of weeks the $20 one popped up, on the other side of town!

SF Bay Area craigslist search



Here's a great site I found that gives exploded photos of just about every tool out there! Type in your DeWalt's model # and they should have it. Look it over real good. If it got put together, it can come apart!

Tool parts replacement and exploded photos




Yup that's damn close to mine. Mine is a 303 but it looks the same as your link. The #30 (blade clamp kit) won't come off so I can remove the #29 and take it apart further. It sounds like it's getting full power but the recip. part isn't moving.
I should have taken it right back to the repair center but I was pissed and blew it off.
 
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evintho

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Apr 6, 2006
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Santa Rosa, CA.
Check this link. The 303's are in rows 3 & 4. Now it sounds like a broken gear or something of that nature. If you can't figure it out, call these guys. I'm sure they'll walk you through it.
BTW, DeWalt is not the best.

303 Exploded photo
 

Toolhorder

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5,711
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Check this link. The 303's are in rows 3 & 4. Now it sounds like a broken gear or something of that nature. If you can't figure it out, call these guys. I'm sure they'll walk you through it.
BTW, DeWalt is not the best.

303 Exploded photo

I'm going to call them then. If I can fix it for cheap I will. I have a cordless Dewalt recip. saw too but it doesn't have the power of a dedicated cord unit. I know Milwalkee is better but I've had decent luck with Dewalt so far. The saw I'm trying to fix has been abused by it's PO trust me. It's cut about 3 cars up over the years and my friend beat it to death. I just hate to throw it out. I'm kinda old school and I want to fix everything.
 

wyndycity

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Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
286
Location
Chicago
Nice job! my cousin still uses his Sawzall which he bought brand new ~25 years ago and it's still tickin' after 20+ years of regular abuse in the home remodeling business. He only has had to replace the power cord and the brushes once.

When I say "Sawzall", I mean the real deal....Milwaukee.
 
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