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I've used it enough to go through a few blades (which change out easily and lock in place securely) and it still looks and behaves like it was brand new.The grip is comfortable and the weight feels solid but not heavy. I've cut all thicknesses of plywood, 2x4s, and paneling and it hasn't given me the least bit of trouble even once. I bought this saw to do some exterior remodeling on my house. It cuts through wood like a hot knife through butter.
It worked fine for about 1h of demo work, eventually the clamp developed a problem where it would not lock the blade in horizontal position (and I needed that the most to cut close to wall without bending the blade) anymore and releasing vertical lock was sometimes a challenge as well.The clamp also became VERY wobbly to the extent that the blade was oscillating around like crazy.The tool was returned and Lowes rep said this is not the first time this tool was returned to them for this or similar issue with clamp. I bought this saw at Lowes and it initially sounded like a quality tool with nice features (four way clamp is a nice idea. on paper).
Be careful using this, though, as it is strong enough to "get away from you". Everything Dewalt works great for me and the Amazon price is the best I've found.
The locking pin often locks up and has to be persuaded with a screwdriver to lock in place. My quick change system was ruined after cutting through some slightly damp boards, which was enough to cause some surface rust to creep up on the blade change mechanism, preventing it from locking at all, I can now only change blades by taking the entire head apart, and even then it will only lock in the sideways position and not the vertical. This is a good saw for a home owner or occasional use around the yard, etc but I would not recommend it for regular use. this takes all of the convenience out of the quick change system. If you are a contractor or pro, spend the extra money to invest in a heavy duty Milwaukee sawzall. The motor is powerful enough for most jobs, and while the 4 way blade change system is convenient, it often doesn't work. The release mechanism will only work at the beginning of the stroke so you sometimes have to slowly run the motor to just the right position to change the blade.
The Porter Cable I had was articulated in every joint so could go anywhere. Would be nice to have one of these and one of those. I bought this to replace a Porter Cable model that also worked extremely well until one day it died before it's time. That saw also cost twice as much as this one and still only lasted a couple of years. The Dewalt to be the workhorse and the Porter Cable to get in those tight spots. This one does its job and doesn't rip your arm of while you are trying to hold it like the Porter Cable. This has some adjustment in the guide that allows you to get in close to cuts with no clearance.
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