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9

1.  Open up blade clamp release lever.
2.  Remove blade.

OPERATION

 

WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal 
injury, turn unit off and remove the battery pack 
before making any adjustments or removing/
installing attachments or accessories.

 An 

accidental start-up can cause injury.

Installing and Removing the Battery Pack 
(Fig. H)

nOTE:

 For best results, make sure your battery pack is 

fully charged.
To install the battery pack 

 7 

 into the tool handle, align the 

battery pack with the rails inside the tool’s handle and slide 
it into the handle until the battery pack is firmly seated in 
the tool and ensure that it does not disengage.
To remove the battery pack from the tool, press the release 
button 

 8 

 and firmly pull the battery pack out of the tool 

handle. Insert it into the charger as described in the charger 
section of this manual.

Fig. H

8

7

Proper Hand Position (Fig. I)

 

WARNING:

 To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, 

ALWAYS

 use proper hand position as shown. 

 

WARNING:

 To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, 

ALWAYS

 hold securely in anticipation of a sudden 

reaction.

Proper hand position requires one hand on the main handle 

 6 

 and one hand on the hand grip 

 5 

. Refer to Figure I.

Cutting (Fig. I–K)

 

WARNING: Always use eye protection.

 All users 

and bystanders must wear eye protection that 
conforms to ANSI Z87.1.

 

WARNING: 

Exercise extra caution when cutting 

towards operator. Always hold saw firmly with both 
hands while cutting.

Before cutting any type of material, be sure it is firmly 
anchored or clamped to prevent slipping. Place blade lightly 
against work to be cut, switch on saw motor and allow 
it to obtain maximum speed before applying pressure. 
Whenever possible, the saw shoe must be held firmly 

against the material being cut (Fig. I). This will prevent 
the saw from jumping or vibrating and minimize blade 
breakage. Any cuts which put pressure on the blade such as 
angle or scroll cuts increase potential for vibration, kickback, 
and blade breakage.

 

WARNING:

 Use extra caution when cutting overhead 

and pay particular attention to overhead wires which 
may be hidden from view. Anticipate the path of 
falling branches and debris ahead of time.

 

WARNING: 

Inspect work site for hidden gas pipes, 

water pipes, or electrical wires before making blind or 
plunge cuts. Failure to do so may result in explosion, 
property damage, electric shock, and/or serious 
personal injury.

FIG. I

5

6

Pocket/Plunge Cutting – Wood Only 
(Fig. J)

The initial step in pocket cutting is to measure the surface 
area to be cut and mark clearly with a pencil, chalk or 
scriber. Use the appropriate blade for the application. The 
blade should be longer than 3-1/2" (89 mm) and should 
extend past the shoe and the thickness of the workpiece 
during the cut. Insert blade in blade clamp.
Next, tip the saw backward until the back edge of the shoe 
is resting on the work surface and the blade clears the work 
surface (position 1, Fig. J). Now switch motor on, and allow 
saw to come up to speed. Grip saw firmly with both hands 
and begin a slow, deliberate upward swing with the handle 
of the saw, keeping the bottom of the shoe firmly in contact 
with the workpiece (position 2, Fig. J). Blade will begin 
to feed into material. Always be sure blade is completely 
through material before continuing with pocket cut.

nOTE: 

In areas where blade visibility is limited, use the edge 

of the saw shoe as a guide. Lines for any given cut should be 
extended beyond edge of cut to be made.

Summary of Contents for DCS388B

Page 1: ...may result in minor or moderate injury Used without word Indicates a safety related message NOTICE Indicates a practice not related to personal injury which if not avoided may result in property damage WARNING Read all safety warnings and all instructions Failure to follow the warnings and instructions may result in electric shock fire and or serious injury WARNING To reduce the risk of injury rea...

Page 2: ...t such as dust mask non skid safety shoes hard hat or hearing protection used for appropriate conditions will reduce personal injuries c Prevent unintentional starting Ensure the switch is in the off position before connecting to power source and or battery pack picking up or carrying the tool Carrying power tools with your finger on the switch or energizing power tools that have the switch on inv...

Page 3: ...ermanent injury to fingers hands and arms Use gloves to provide extra cushion take frequent rest periods and limit daily time of use Additional Safety Information WARNING ALWAYS use safety glasses Everyday eyeglasses are NOT safety glasses Also use face or dust mask if cutting operation is dusty ALWAYS WEAR CERTIFIED SAFETY EQUIPMENT ANSI Z87 1 eye protection CAN CSA Z94 3 ANSI S12 6 S3 19 hearing...

Page 4: ... battery contents come into contact with the skin immediately wash area with mild soap and water If battery liquid gets into the eye rinse water over the open eye for 15 minutes or until irritation ceases If medical attention is needed the battery electrolyte is composed of a mixture of liquid organic carbonates and lithium salts Contents of opened battery cells may cause respiratory irritation Pr...

Page 5: ...ream and the Call 2 Recycle program provides an environmentally conscious alternative Call 2 Recycle Inc in cooperation with DeWALT and other battery users has established the program in the United States and Canada to facilitate the collection of spent nickel cadmium nickel metal hydride or lithium ion batteries Help protect our environment and conserve natural resources by returning the spent ni...

Page 6: ...ge only DeWALT rechargeable battery packs Other types of batteries may overheat and burst resulting in personal injury and property damage NOTICE Under certain conditions with the charger plugged into the power supply the charger can be shorted by foreign material Foreign materials of a conductive nature such as but not limited to grinding dust metal chips steel wool aluminum foil or any buildup o...

Page 7: ...F 18 24 C DO NOT charge the battery pack in an air temperature below 40 F 4 5 C or above 104 F 40 C This is important and will prevent serious damage to the battery pack 2 The charger and battery pack may become warm to the touch while charging This is a normal condition and does not indicate a problem To facilitate the cooling of the battery pack after use avoid placing the charger or battery pac...

Page 8: ...d as a flashlight Low Battery Indicator As the battery nears a fully discharged state the worklight will blink twice and then dim dropping the brightness of the light below the normal level The light will continue to blink twice every 45 seconds until the battery is fully discharged at which time the light will turn off Indication time will vary based on battery pack capacity ASSEMBLY AND ADJUSTME...

Page 9: ...in maximum speed before applying pressure Whenever possible the saw shoe must be held firmly against the material being cut Fig I This will prevent the saw from jumping or vibrating and minimize blade breakage Any cuts which put pressure on the blade such as angle or scroll cuts increase potential for vibration kickback and blade breakage WARNING Use extra caution when cutting overhead and pay par...

Page 10: ...us To reduce the risk of injury only DeWALT recommended accessories should be used with this product Recommended accessories for use with your tool are available at extra cost from your local dealer or authorized service center If you need assistance in locating any accessory please contact DeWALT Industrial Tool Co 701 East Joppa Road Towson MD 21286 call 1 800 4 DeWALT 1 800 433 9258 or visit ou...

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