Does any body else own a Dewalt DW317K Jig saw?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I bought one of these a couple days ago because my other one died on me. It was serval serval years old. Any way the blade will not stay in it. It is a keyless blade lock. The blade will stay in for about 1-5 inches of cutting and then it falls out!

Sence I am working tonight and Dewalt is closed. I thought that I would come here for a little help.
Has any one else had this proble? I have the right baldes for it but I am not sure why it keeps comeing out. I know that I have it in all the way. I am just wondering why is keep falling out.

Thanks
Baker

2

I don’t own a Dewalt brand one, but check the blade holder to make sure no sawdust got in there and jammed the mechanism of the holder open.

3

I used it for the first time today and it has never been used before.

4

The last Dewalt jig saw I had, the blade lock was the front top handle. You twisted it till the blade was tight.

Nick

5

I own a lot of Dewalt tools, including a 318K and a 318VS, but no 317K. From long experience with DeWalt, if I had the slightest problem with any of their tools, it would go straight back to the vendor for a full refund.

I like my DeWalts, they are stout, somewhat overbuilt for the casual user, and typically heavy, but their turnaround time at the DeWalt service enters is very slow. For that reason, it’s easier for me to deal with the place I bought a DeWalt than to deal directly with DeWalt.

Next jigsaw I buy will be a Bosch. I have overpowered, always dependable DeWalts to fall back on, now I want something fast and lightweight, with solid engineering behind it, and Bosch makes some of the lightest jigsaws out there.

As for your specific problem, I’ve worked with a lot of guys who use the keyless blade locks from DeWalt, and they most definitely do NOT replace the blade every five strokes, or at all, in most cases, unless they need a fresh blade for a critical cut, which is rare. A jigsaw is not a finishing tool. In order of probability, I’d look at the following:

  1. Are you using DeWalt blades?

  2. Are you sure they are getting deep enough in the soicketr to lock into place?

  3. Have you read the manual, cover to cover?

  4. DeWalt screwed up. It happens. I still buy their tools, but if oe isn’t right from time to time, it goes back to the store.

6

Since the tool is so new and only has not minutes, but only inches on it, I would check that the collar locking device is not hanging up. Also as already mentioned, use the proper blade and make sure it is seated before locking the collar. This happens to me all the time w/ Milwalkee. My trouble is dirt, wear and corrosion though. It is not uncommom to have these locks jamb or not seat when new.

7

I don’t have a DeWalt, but I know they are quality tools.
I own a top of the line Craftsman scroll saw, best one they make, have had it maybe ten years, and never have had a problem.

8

DeWalt, Porter Cable, Bosch, and Black & Decker (B&D) are all owned by the same company – B&D. I had a very similar problem with a new B&D jigsaw when some sawdust got into the area above the blade that kept it from being fully inserted. Use some type of very small pick to reach up into the blade holder and check for an obstruction.

9

If you want really high quality, look at Fein (www.fein.de) Made in Germany for the production shop. They’re now doing informercials for their orbital tool which is a homeowner version of the SuperCut too.

I suspect that the problem is the wrong blade not seating in the jaws. Could have some packing materials jammed in it.

Good luck and go back to your retailer. If nothing else, they can show you what you may be doing wrong.

10

Ditto jeffers remark. My wife bought the Bosch jigsaw at Lowes a couple of years ago, and loves it–actually the sales person there thought it was the best of the ones Lowes offered. After having said that, I have both a Dewalt cordless drill and sander and they’re both excellent, so I’d follow the advice above and if still having the same problem, take it back to where you purchased it.

Jim

11

While we are on the subject, I was giving thought to a brad nail gun to put my next set of benches together with. I picked up some of the new Loctite caulk glue ( outdoor heavy duty at Menards) to use in putting together my tables (1x4’s with 2 inch foam top) built much like a bed frame
Anyone have any experience with a decent brad nailer? I am leaning towards an electric or cordless at least 18 volt in cordless.
By the way, my scroll saw is the big heavy duty Craftsman with a 20 inch throat.
I have a 12 inch band saw, radial arm saw table saw, and Ridgid 10 inch portable table saw, and also a table mounted Craftsman drill press, so I can do about anything I want .

Ed

12

All my air nailers are Senco. I’ve used Paslode in the past, and Bostitch in dim memory, no real problems, but every contractor I’ve ever worked for bought fasteners from Senco, so using Senco guns means you avoid the hassle of buying your own nails and trying to get reimbursed. Also the Senco techs would fix your guns for free, even replacing major parts if necessary.

None of that applies to you, except indirectly. If you choose to use contractor grade tools because they’re better built and last longer, then take a look at Senco air nailers. The mix on crews I was on in the past was roughly 75% Senco, 25% Porter Cable.

13

Thanks for the information jeffers_mz

14

Get ryobi cordless 18v tools, muchhhhhhh cheaper and have used them on construction jobs, thought for sure I would burn up the sawsall, no tried but no luck, made me put my milwakee in storage. Only problem i have had is a charger blew a fuze after who knows how many years, also learned batteries do not last forever, only good for a couple years on construction. Last those of you in the trades will like the low cost because of jobsite theft, can buy a couple of drills for one dewalt.

15

I had a friend who brought some Ryobi 18v tools on a trim crew I worked with. He was always running them down a little, making sure everyone knew he got them as a gift, didn’t want us thinking he chose them. Thing is, they always seemed to work fine whenever I saw him using them.

I have a Ryobi table saw at home, in a very tight workshop and it works just fine. Cost me $80, new on sale, and I’d have paid $40 easy, just for the sheet steel table that came with it. I built matching “cabinets” for my main home tools, miter box, table saw and utility top (router table, dovetail jig, sander, grinder, etc.). I wanted them all the same heigth so each could act as a table extension for the others. I put a 26" by 26" inch piece of scrap 3/4 poplar ply on the Ryobi table and now have an extra bullet proof work table that I can sit on to eat lunch, clamp to, jigsaw on, hammer on, you name it. The table saw was a bonus.

A trim carpenter I have a lot of respect for used that same Ryobi table saw as his backup, set up full time with dado heads, and if you’ve ever cut a bunch of dadoes, you know it puts way more stress on a saw than simple ripping or crosscutting. His saw was still running perfect after two years of that abuse.

All that said…however…when it comes to tools, if you use common sense, you get what you pay for. My Ryobi table saw is perfect for what I need it for, rough ripping. It is NOT an edge joiner. The mechanism supporting the motor and blade tends to hop some when you stress it, and you can’t feed wood into a table saw without stressing it. That makes the cut wobble some, not enough make giant S curves, but at least one boss commented on the daylight it left showing through a joint which called for being tight. If I need to nub off the corner of some block for clearance, and the table saw is set up, hooked up to the dust co, and and ready to go, I might nub it with the table saw. If I need degree accuracy, the Delta mi

16

Remember I was talking about ryobi 18v stuff (don’t beleive they make a 18v table saw but do make an 18v compound miter, which I own, great for making the final trim cuts on job site as you don’t have to look for power ) , not their plug in, whole other set of tools. If I was still doing roof work I would still own my 12v makita, you could drop that from 12’ plus on concrete and it would still work ( top heavey so top hit instead of battery ) we lost a couple high end dewalts that way, dose not mean I endorse their other stuff…

17

Yeah, I don’t know what happened to Makita. I think they decided to move into consumer grade tools. It’s too bad. I have a 14.4 volt cordless drill they made that I flat out love, but I’m not planning on buying any more Makita equipment unless they go back to contractor grade tools. An old boss had a vintage Makita slider, it was a thing of beauty even though it was a decade or two old.

I’d also like to get my hands on a 1950’s vintage DeWalt radial arm saw like a different boss used to have. Cast steel frame, massive steel U-channel base, it took two of us to move it in and out of the truck and he had a pair of them. Rock solid in any configuration, all the horsepower you could handle and then some, they don’t make them like that any more.

Ahhh, the good old days.

:slight_smile:

18

Used to use a delta table saw, cast iron bed ect., much better than what I use now.

19

My Black & Decker jigsaw has the same blade mechanism & I’ve never had a problem with it, even going through 2x4s.

Mind you, all I’ve ever used were the blades that came with it.

Check the lock mechanism, make sure the spring action is there. Also make note of where the lever position is with the blade in & out of the saw.

Gordon