Dcs355b question

So I just picked up the cordless multi master for myself, a tool I’m very familiar with from a previous employer having one. Am I crazy or didn’t the clamp lever use to be metal? Mine is some kind of hard plastic. The lever works great, and the tool has a 2018 stamp in the battery slot. 

Any input is appreciated. Happy Saturday fellas

Quite certain mine is metal but I’ll have to double check. 

I just checked mine and it’s plastic. Wtf

I could have sworn it was that powdered metal stuff. Nope. 

It’s a Type 1 (see side label) and dated 2017 in the battery slot.

Just checked both of mine (Type 2, 2016 and 2017 dates); they’re both plastic.  Not that there should be a difference, but one was a bare tool while other came in a kit.

I feel a strong plastic is better.  It will flex instead of breaking and is lighter.  Mine takes a ton of abuse. 

I looked up the part on Dewalt ServiceNet and it doesn’t offer the detail. On Ereplacementparts.com they say the piece is metal. Odd

Hmm always thought the DeWALT was metal. It at least feels and looks like metal but who knows nowdays plastics can be quite convincing they are metal.

Just returned from Home Depot, where the display DCS355B had a conveniently broken lever.  It’s hard to tell from the poor quality cell phone pics, but the lever is definitely plastic of some sort.  You can almost see the texture and some areas of lighter (almost neutral) tones.

This was a 2017-dated Type 2.

My older one, 3-4 years old was metal. They probably made the switch at some point.

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So I finally checked. It’s plastic. A metallic grey painted plastic. They went the GM route…release it with features and then slowly de-content it while hoping no one notices lol. 

They’ve definately always been plastic and they’re dirt cheap to replace should you have a failure in one.

Part Number Dewalt N254620

https://www.partswarehouse.com/DeWalt-Sa-Clamp-Lever-DWB-N25462-p/dwb-n254620.htm

$6.88

Whatever plastic is used it is very strong and durable. The lack of flex makes it pretty convincing that it could be metal. Also with the spring on the blade release as strong as it is, you would think a plastic lever would break or bend. Kinda cool how far plastic technology has come.

Jronman wrote:

1 minute ago, Jronman said:

Whatever plastic is used it is very strong and durable. The lack of flex makes it pretty convincing that it could be metal. Also with the spring on the blade release as strong as it is, you would think a plastic lever would break or bend. Kinda cool how far plastic technology has come.

Plastic production and the distance it has come is the result of manufacurers being cheap. If it works it doesn’t matter but the quality of machined or even cast parts is becoming a neccesity when required rather than an expectation.

There’s also an environmental impact by using more readily disposible plastics.