Ryobi RJC180 User manual

THANK YOU FOR BUYING A RYOBI CORDLESS RECIPROCATING SAW.
YournewcordlessreciprocatingsawhasbeenengineeredandmanufacturedtoRyobi’shighstandardfordependability,ease
of operation, and operator safety. Properly cared for, it will give you years of rugged, trouble-free performance.
CAUTION: Carefully read through this entire operator’s manual before using your new cordless reciprocating
saw.
Pay close attention to the Rules for Safe Operation, Warnings, and Cautions. If you use your cordless reciprocating saw
properly and only for what it is intended, you will enjoy years of safe, reliable service.
Thank you again for buying Ryobi tools.
OPERATOR'S MANUAL
18 VOLT CORDLESS
RECIPROCATING SAW
MODEL NO. RJC180
SAVE THIS MANUAL FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
SPECIFICATIONS:
Length of Stroke 7/8 in. (22 mm)
Strokes Per Minute 0-3,000 SPM
Motor 18 Volt DC
Switch Variable Speed
Charger Rating 120 Volts, 60 Hz, AC
Charger Rate 1 Hour
Net Weight 6 1/4 lbs. (2.9 kg.)

Page 2
■General Safety Rules .............................................................................................................................................. 2-3
■Specific Safety Rules/Symbols................................................................................................................................ 3-5
■Features .................................................................................................................................................................. 6-7
■Assembly .................................................................................................................................................................... 8
■Operation................................................................................................................................................................9-11
■Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................................. 12
■Parts Ordering / Service ........................................................................................................................................... 14
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WARNING:
Read and understand all instructions. Failure tofollow
allinstructionslistedbelow,mayresultinelectricshock,
fire, and/or serious personal injury.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Work Area
■Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered
benches and dark areas invite accidents.
■Do not operate power tools in explosive atmo-
spheres, such as in the presence of flammable liq-
uids, gases, or dust. Power tools may create sparks
which may ignite the dust or fumes.
■Keep bystanders, children, and visitors away while
operating a power tool. Distractions can cause you to
lose control.
Electrical Safety
■Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord to carry
the charger. Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp
edges, or moving parts. Replace damaged cords im-
mediately. Damaged cords may create a fire.
■A battery operated tool with integral batteries or a
separate battery pack must be charged only with the
specified charger for the battery. A charger that may
be suitable for one type of battery may create a risk of
fire when used with another battery. Use battery only
with charger listed.
MODEL BATTERY PACK CHARGER
RJC180 1322401 1423701
■Use battery operated tool only with specified desig-
nated battery pack. Useofany other batteries maycre-
ate a risk of fire. Use only with battery pack listed.
Personal Safety
■Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use com-
mon sense when operating a power tool. Do not use
tool while tired or under the influence of drugs, al-
cohol, or medication. A moment of inattention while
operating power tools may result in serious personal in-
jury.
■Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jew-
elry. Contain long hair. Keep your hair, clothing, and
gloves away from moving parts. Loose clothes, jew-
elry, or long hair can be caught in moving parts.
■Avoid accidental starting. Be sure switch is in the
locked or off position before inserting battery pack.
Carrying tools with your finger on the switch or inserting
the battery pack into a tool with the switch on, invites
accidents.
■Remove adjusting keys or wrenches before turning
the tool on. A wrench or a key that is left attached to a
rotating part of the tool may result in personal injury.
■Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance
at all times. Proper footing and balance enables better
control of the tool in unexpected situations. Do not use
on a ladder or unstable support.
■Use safety equipment. Always wear eye protection.
Dust mask, nonskid safety shoes, hard hat, or hearing
protection must be used for appropriate conditions.

Page 3
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
Tool Use and Care
■Use clamps or other practical way to secure and sup-
port the workpiece to a stable platform. Holding the
work by hand or against your body is unstable and may
lead to loss of control.
■Do not force tool. Use the correct tool for your appli-
cation. The correct tool will do the job better and safer
at the rate for which it is designed.
■Do not use tool if switch does not turn it on and off.
A tool that cannot be controlled with the switch is dan-
gerous and must be repaired.
■Disconnect battery pack from tool before making any
adjustments, changing accessories, or storing the
tool. Such preventive safety measures reduce the risk
of starting the tool accidentally.
■Store idle tools out of the reach of children and other
untrained persons. Tools are dangerous in the hands
of untrained users.
■When battery pack is not in use, keep it away from
other metal objects like: paper clips, coins, keys,
nails, screws, or other small metal objects that can
make a connection from one terminal to another.
Shorting the battery terminals together may cause
sparks, burns, or a fire.
■Maintaintools withcare. Keepcutting toolssharp and
clean. Properly maintained tools with sharp cutting edges
are less likely to bind and are easier to control.
■Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts,
breakage of parts, and any other condition that may
affect the tool’s operation. If damaged, have the tool
serviced before using. Many accidents are caused by
poorly maintained tools.
■Use only accessories that are recommended by the
manufacturer for your model. Accessories that may
be suitable for one tool, may create a risk of injury when
used on another tool.
Service
■Tool service must be performed by a qualified repair
personnel. Service or maintenance performed by un-
qualified personnel could result in a risk of injury.
■When servicing a tool, use only identical replace-
ment parts. Follow instructions in the Maintenance
section of this manual. Use of unauthorized parts or
failure to follow Maintenance Instructions may create a
risk of shock or injury.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES AND/OR SYMBOLS
Additional Rules For Safe Operation
■Know your power tool. Read operator’s manual care-
fully. Learn its applications and limitations, as well
as the specific potential hazards related to this tool.
Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock,
fire, or serious injury.
■Make sure your extension cord is in good condition.
When using an extension cord, be sure to use one
heavy enough to carry the current your product will
draw. A wire gage size (A.W.G.) of at least 16 is rec-
ommended for an extension cord 100 feet or less in
length. A cord exceeding 100 feet is not recom-
mended. If in doubt, use the next heavier gage. The
smaller the gage number, the heavier the cord. An
undersized cord will cause a drop in line voltage result-
ing in loss of power and overheating.
Important Rules For Battery Tools
■Battery tools do not have to be plugged into an elec-
trical outlet; therefore, they are always in operating
condition. Be aware of possible hazards when not
using your battery tool or when changing accesso-
ries. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric
shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
■Do not place battery tools or their batteries near fire
or heat. This will reduce the risk of explosion and pos-
sible injury.
WARNING:
Batteries vent hydrogen gas and can explode in the
presence of a souce of ignition, such as a pilot light. To
reduce the risk of serious personal injury, never use any
cordless product in the presence of open flame. An
exploded battery can propel debris and chemicals. If
exposed, flush with water immediately.
■Do not charge battery tool in a damp or wet loca-
tion. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric
shock.
■For best results, your battery tool should be charged
in a location where the temperature is more than 50°F
butlessthan 100°F.Donot storeoutsideor invehicles.
■Under extreme usage or temperature conditions,
battery leakage may occur. If liquid comes in con-
tact with your skin, wash immediately with soap and
water, then neutralize with lemon juice or vinegar. If
liquid gets into your eyes, flush them with clean wa-
ter for at least 10 minutes, then seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Following this rule will reduce the risk of
serious personal injury.
Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when performing an operation where the cutting tool may contact hidden
wiring. Contact with a "live" wire will make exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the operator.

Page 4
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES AND/OR SYMBOLS
WARNING:
Never use a battery that has been dropped or received a
sharp blow. A damaged battery is subject to explosion.
Properlydisposeofadroppedbatteryimmediately.Failure
to heed this warning can result in serious personal injury.
Important Safety Instructions For Charger
■Save these instructions. This manual contains im-
portant safety and operating instructions for battery
charger part number 1423701. Following this rule will
reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or serious per-
sonal injury.
■Before using battery charger, read all instructions
and cautionary markings in this manual, on battery
charger, and product using battery charger. Follow-
ing this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or
serious personal injury.
■To reduce the risk of injury, charge only nickel-cad-
mium and nickel metal hydride type rechargeable
batteries. Other types of batteries may burst caus-
ing personal injury and damage. Following this rule
will reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or serious per-
sonal injury.
■Do not expose charger to rain or snow. Following this
rule will reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or serious
personal injury.
■Use of an attachment not recommended or sold by
the battery charger manufacturer may result in a risk
of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons. Following
this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or
serious personal injury.
■To reduce the risk of damage to charger body and
cord, pull by charger plug rather than cord when dis-
connecting charger. Following this rule will reduce the
risk of serious personal injury.
■Make sure cord is located so that it will not be
stepped on, tripped over, or otherwise subjected to
damage or stress. Following this rule will reduce the
risk of serious personal injury.
■An extension cord should not be used unless abso-
lutely necessary.Useofimproperextension cord could
result in a risk of fire and electric shock. If extension
cord must be used, make sure:
a. That pins on plug of extension cord are the same
number, size and shape as those of plug on charger.
b. That extension cord is properly wired and in good
electrical condition; and
c. That wire size is large enough forAC ampere rating
of charger as specified below:
Cord Length (Feet) 25' 50' 100'
Cord Size (AWG) 16 16 16
Note: AWG = American Wire Gage
■Do not operate charger with a damaged cord or plug.
If damaged, have replaced immediately by a quali-
fied serviceman. Following this rule will reduce the risk
of electric shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
■Donot operate charger if ithas receiveda sharpblow,
been dropped, or otherwise damaged in any way;
take it to a qualified serviceman. Following this rule
will reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or serious per-
sonal injury.
■Do not disassemble charger; take it to a qualified
serviceman when service or repair is required. In-
correct reassembly may result in a risk of electric
shock or fire. Following this rule will reduce the risk of
electric shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
■To reduce the risk of electric shock, unplug charger
from outlet before attempting any maintenance or
cleaning. Turning off controls will not reduce this
risk. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric
shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
■Do not use charger outdoors. Following this rule will
reducetheriskof electric shock, fire, or seriouspersonal
injury.
■Disconnect charger from power supply when not in
use. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric
shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
DANGER:
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT TOUCH
UNINSULATED PORTION OF OUTPUT CONNECTOR
OR UNINSULATED BATTERY TERMINAL.
■Savethese instructions. Referto them frequently and
use them to instruct others who may use this tool. If
you loan someone this tool, loan them these instruc-
tions also. Following thisrulewillreduce the risk ofelec-
tric shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
WARNING:
Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grinding,
drilling,andotherconstruction activities contains chemi-
calsknownto cause cancer, birthdefectsorother repro-
ductive harm. Some examples of these chemicals are:
• lead from lead-based paints,
• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other
masonry products, and
• arsenicandchromiumfromchemically-treatedlumber.
Your risk from these exposures varies, depending on
how often you do this type of work. To reduce your
exposure to these chemicals: work in a well ventilated
area,andworkwithapprovedsafetyequipment,suchas
those dust masks that are specially designed to filter out
microscopic particles.

Page 5
SYMBOLS
SYMBOL NAME DESIGNATION/EXPLANATION
V Volts Voltage
A Amperes Current
Hz Hertz Frequency (cycles per second)
min Minutes Time
Alternating Current Type or a characteristic of current
--- Direct Current Type or a characteristic of current
n0No Load Speed Rotational speed, at no load
.../min Revolutions or Reciprocation Per Minute Revolutions, strokes,
surface speed, orbits etc. per minute
Safety Alert Symbol Indicates danger, warning or caution.
It means attention!!! Your safety is
involved.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
The purpose of safety symbols is to attract your attention to possible dangers. The safety symbols, and
the explanations with them, deserve your careful attention and understanding. The safety warnings do
not by themselves eliminate any danger. The instructions or warnings they give are not substitutes for
proper accident prevention measures.
SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL:
Indicates danger, warning, or caution. May be used in conjunction with other symbols or pictographs.
DANGER: Failure to obey a safety warning will result in serious injury to yourself or to others.
Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and personal injury.
WARNING: Failure to obey a safety warning can result in serious injury to yourself or to others.
Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and personal injury.
CAUTION: Failure to obey a safety warning may result in property damage or personal injury to
yourself or to others. Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock
and personal injury.
NOTE: Advises you of information or instructions vital to the operation or maintenance of the equipment.
SYMBOL MEANING

Page 6
KNOW YOUR RECIPROCATING SAW
See Figure 1.
Before attempting to use your reciprocating saw, familiarize
yourselfwithalloperatingfeaturesandsafetyrequirements.
WARNING:
Carefullyreadthroughthisentire operator'smanualbefore
using your new reciprocating saw. Pay close attention to
all Safety Rules, Warnings and Cautions. If you use your
reciprocatingsawproperly andonlyforwhat itisintended,
you will enjoy years of safe, reliable service.
Your reciprocating saw has been shipped completely
assembled except for the blade. Inspect it carefully to make
sure no breakage or damage has occurred during shipping.
If any parts are damaged or missing, contact your nearest
AuthorizedServiceCentertoobtainreplacementpartsbefore
attemptingtooperatesaw.Ablade,bladewrench(5mmhex
key) and this operator's manual are also included.
WARNING:
If any parts are missing, do not operate your saw until the
missing parts are replaced. Failure to do so could result in
possible serious personal injury.
BLADE WRENCH HOLDER
A blade wrench (5 mm hex key) is packed with your saw. A
convenient feature on your saw is the wrench holder. This is
a slot located on the bottom portion of the saw handle. It is
convenient for storing the wrench when it is not being used.
LOCK-OFF BUTTON
Your saw is equipped with a "lock-off" button which reduces
the possibility of accidental starting. The lock-off button is
located on the handle above the switch trigger. You must
depress the lock-off button in order to pull the switch trigger.
The lock resets each time the trigger is released. Note: You
can depress the lock-off button from either the left or right
side.
SWITCH
To turn your saw ON, depress the lock-off button and pull
switch trigger. Release switch trigger to turn your saw OFF.
VARIABLE SPEED
This tool has a variable speed switch that delivers higher
speedwithincreasedtriggerpressure.Speediscontrolledby
the amount of switch trigger depression.
APPLICATIONS
(Use only for the purposes listed below)
■Cutting all types of wood products (lumber, plywood,
paneling, composition board, and hard wood).
■Cutting masonite and plastic.
■Cutting drywall.
■Cutting metals such as sheet steel, pipe, steel rods,
aluminum, brass, and copper.
WARNING:
Donotallowfamiliaritywithyoursaw tomakeyoucareless.
Rememberthatacarelessfractionofasecondissufficient
to inflict severe injury.
FEATURES
Theoperationofanypowertoolcanresultinforeignobjectsbeing thrown into your eyes, which can
resultin severeeyedamage. Beforebeginningpower tooloperation,always wearsafetygoggles or
safety glasses with side shields and a full face shield when needed. We recommend Wide Vision
Safety Mask for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses with side shields. Always use eye
protection which is marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1.
WARNING:
BLADE SELECTION
To obtain the best performance from your saw it is important to select a specific blade for the particular application and type
of material you wish to cut. By doing this you will get a smoother faster cut and prolong blade life. Replacement blades for this
saw are available from your nearest Ryobi dealer.

Page 7
Fig. 1
FEATURES
LOCK-OFF
BUTTON
SWITCH
TRIGGER
BATTERY
PACK
SAW
BLADE
BLADE WRENCH
(5 mm HEX KEY)
BASE
(SHOE)
ASSEMBLY
LOCK-OFF
BUTTON
BLADE
WRENCH HOLDER
DEPRESS HERE TO
PULL SWITCH TRIGGER

Page 8
ASSEMBLY
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
BLADE
CLAMP SCREW
BLADE CLAMP
BLADE
SAW BAR
PIN
BLADE
CLAMP
SCREW
BLADE
CLAMP HOLE
HOLE IN
SAW BLADE
BLADE CLAMP
■Loosenthebladeclampscrewenoughtopermitthesaw
blade to be inserted between blade clamp and saw bar.
Note: It is never necessary to remove the blade clamp
screwfromthebladeclampwheninstallingorremoving
blade.
■Aligntheholeinthe shank of the blade and blade clamp
with the pin in the saw bar, then seat both on the pin in
the saw bar.
■Tighten blade clamp screw securely.
■Remove blade wrench and store it in wrench holder.
■Replace battery pack.
Note:Theremaybetimeswhenthebladeclampstickstothe
saw bar and will not loosen enough to allow blades to be
installedorremoved.Ifthishappens,loosenthebladeclamp
screwwiththebladewrench,thentaplightlyontheendofthe
blade wrench with a mallet. See Figure 4.
BLADE
CLAMP SCREW BLADE CLAMP SAW BAR
BLADE WRENCH
(5 mm HEX KEY)
MALLET
WARNING:
Always remove battery pack from your saw when you
are assembling parts, making adjustments, assembling
or removing blades, cleaning, or when not in use.
Removing battery pack will prevent accidental starting
that could cause serious personal injury.
TO REMOVE / ATTACH BATTERY PACK
See Figure 2.
TO REMOVE:
■Locatelatches onsideof batterypackand depressboth
sides to release battery pack from your saw
■Remove battery pack from your saw.
TO ATTACH:
■Placethebatterypackinyoursawaligningraisedribon
battery pack with groove in saw's battery port. See
Figure 2.
■Make sure the latches on each side of the battery pack
snap into place and battery pack is secured to saw
before beginning operation.
TO INSTALL SAW BLADE
See Figure 3.
■Remove battery pack. See Figure 2.
WARNING:
Failure to remove battery pack from saw could result in
accidental starting causing possible serious personal
injury.
■Removethe5mmbladewrenchprovided withyoursaw
from wrench holder. Note: Wrench holder is located in
bottom portion of saw handle. See Figure 1.
BATTERY
PACK
DEPRESS LATCH
TO RELEASE
BATTERY PACK
BATTERY PORT
LATCH
BLADE WRENCH
(5 mm HEX KEY)
Fig. 4

Page 9
Fig. 5
LED FUNCTION OF CHARGER
See Figure 5.
LED WILL BE LIGHTED TO INDICATE STATUS OF
CHARGER AND BATTERY PACK:
■Red LED lighted = Fast Charging Mode
■Green LED lighted = Fully Charged Battery Pack
■Yellow and Green LED Lighted = Control Charge or
Possible Faulty Battery.
CHARGING BATTERY PACK
The battery pack for this tool has been shipped in a low
charge condition to prevent possible problems. Therefore,
you should charge it prior to use.
Note: Batteries will not reach full charge the first time they
are charged. Allow several cycles (cutting followed by re-
charging) for them to fully charge.
TO CHARGE
■Charge battery pack only with the charger provided.
■Make sure power supply is normal house voltage,
120 volts, 60 Hz, AC only.
■Connect charger to power supply.
■Place battery pack in charger. See Figure 6. Align raised
rib on battery pack with groove in charger.
■Press down on battery pack to be sure contacts on
battery pack engage properly with contacts in charger.
When properly connected, red light will turn on.
■Normally, the yellow and green lights on the charger will
come on. This indicates charger is in control charge
mode and should switch to fast charge mode within 5
minutes. When charger is in fast charge mode the red
light will come on. If after a period of 15 minutes the
yellow and green lights remain on, remove the battery
pack, wait 1 minute and reinsert battery pack in charger.
If the yellow and green lights continue to remain on an
additional 15 minutes, the battery pack is damaged and
will not accept charge.
■When your battery pack becomes fully charged, the red
light will turn off and the green light will turn on.
■After normal usage, 1 hour of charge time is required to
be fully charged. A minimum charge time of 1 to 1-1/2
hours is required to recharge a completely discharged
tool.
■The battery pack will become slightly warm to the touch
while charging. This is normal and does not indicate a
problem.
■Do not place charger in an area of extreme heat or cold.
It will work best at normal room temperature.
■When the batteries become fully charged, unplug your
charger from power supply and remove the battery pack.
BATTERY
CHARGER
GREEN LIGHT "ON"
INDICATES FULLY
CHARGED
YELLOW AND GREEN LIGHTS "ON"
INDICATES CONTROL CHARGE OR
POSSIBLE FAULTY BATTERY
RED LIGHT "ON"
INDICATES FAST
CHARGING MODE
Fig. 6
BATTERY
PACK
BATTERY
CHARGER
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR RECHARGING
HOT BATTERIES
When using your reciprocating saw continuously, the
batteries in your battery pack become hot. You should let
ahotbatterypackcooldownforapproximately30minutes
before attempting to recharge.
Note: This situation occurs when continuous use of your
saw causes the batteries to become hot. It does not occur
undernormalcircumstances. Referto "CHARGINGBAT-
TERY PACK" for normal recharging of batteries. If the
charger does not charge your battery pack under normal
circumstances, return both the battery pack and charger
to your nearest Authorized Service Centerfor electrical
check.
BATTERY PACK SHOWN
ATTACHED TO CHARGER
OPERATION

Page 10
BASE (SHOE) ASSEMBLY
See Figure 7.
The base (shoe) assembly of your reciprocating saw pivots
upanddowninbothdirections.Theshoemaybeinstalledat
variousdepths,allowinguseofdifferentportionsoftheblade
teeth.
TO CHANGE POSITIONS OF BASE (SHOE)
ASSEMBLY:
■Remove battery pack. See Figure 2.
WARNING:
Failure to remove battery pack from saw could result in
accidental starting causing possible serious personal
injury.
■Loosen the set screw in the gear frame with the blade
wrench provided with this saw. See Figure 7.
■Reposition base (shoe) assembly to desired position.
■Retightenset screw securely.Do not overtightenscrew
or use an aid with blade wrench.
■Remove blade wrench and store it in wrench holder.
Fig. 7
BASE (SHOE)
ASSEMBLY
SET SCREW
BLADE WRENCH
GENERAL CUTTING
See Figure 8.
OPERATION
Fig. 8
Hold your saw firmly in front of and clearly away from you.
Makesuresawbladeisclearofanyforeignmaterial.Besure
materialto becutis heldfirmly.Small workpiecesshould be
securely clamped in a vise or with clamps to the work bench
or table. Mark the line of cut clearly. Depress the lock-off
button, then pull switch trigger to start the cutting action.
Place the base assembly against the work, then move the
bladeintothework.Donotforce.Useonlyenoughpressure
to keep the saw cutting. Let the blade and saw do the work.
Useofexcessivepressurethatcausesbendingortwistingof
the blade may result in broken blades.
PIVOT
GEAR
FRAME