Concord Carpenter

DEWALT  12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw DWS780

Would it be nice to have a miter saw that was designed to be precise and accurate enough for fine woodworking, yet durable enough for framing and deck building?  The new DeWALT DWS780 is just that saw.

It was designed for a variety of trades including cabinetmakers, trim carpenters, framers, installers and carpenters.  The one thing that all of these contractors have in common and demand in a miter saw is product that delivers the accuracy, capacity, durability, portability and ease-of-use.

Recently DEWALT sent me the DEWALT DWS780 to review and evaluate.  I took it to the job site to put it to the test under real life conditions.

First Impression:

The DWS780 is a well built and sturdy saw – at 56 pounds you don’t have to worry about someone picking this up and running away with it.  Compared to my 10” bevel miter saw this is a much bigger saw.

The DWS780 miter saw does have some nicely well placed ergonomic grips and when the saw is turned at a 45 degree angle it is fairly compact.With its increased size come increased capacity and a few real sweet improvements.

XPSTM LED Light:

Don’t ask me what XPSTM stands for but I can tell you that it is a cutting alignment system that casts a shadow of the miter saws blade on the work piece.  Unlike a laser, which casts a red line on one side of the blade, the XPSTM casts this shadow of the blade so you know where the kerf will be.

Capacity: 

The DWS780 miter saw can cut a 6-3/4 inch board vertically and a 7-1/2 inch nested crown molding.  What I liked the most was that the saw can cut a  13-7/8 inch horizontal board.

That means you can cut a 2×12 at a 45 degree angle ~ how sweet is that?When cutting in a standard chop operation the saw rail can easily be locked in order to holding the head away from the fence.

The DWS780 miter saw has a dual bevel system which allows a right and left bevel from 0 to 49 degrees.  Those 49 degrees come in super handy when you’re looking for sharper miters than a 45 degree bevel.

The DWS780 also has positive stops at 0, 22.5, 33.9, 45 and 49 degrees in both directions and a really nicely done stainless steel miter and highly visibly bevel scale.

The saw miters 60 degrees to the right and 50 degrees to the left and has ten [10] positive stops at the most used locations.  There is a cam lock that controls the miter gauge and this took a bit getting used to.  There is nothing wrong with the design, it was different than what I was used to and on the first few jobs, I often had to pause to figure it out.

The DWS780 miter saw has a 15 AMP motor that delivers 3,800 RPM.

Dust Collection:

I was unimpressed with the dust collection with used with the provided dust bag.  Because of the sliding rails the dust tube is just too long to be as effective as I would have liked.

DEWALT claims that the dust collection system collects over 75 percent of the dust generated.   The DWS780 worked great when hooked up to my shop vac.

This was not a major con for the DWS780 as most of my outdoor cutting I am not even slightly concerned with the sawdust.  If I go indoors I will hook up to a vacuum.

Using the DEWALT DWS780 12” Miter Saw:

So far we have used the DWS780 to do small framing project, install Tongue and Groove bead board in a small addition and finish off trimming a room.

It easily survived an unintended 30lb tool box impact test.  The tool box fell off the top shelf of my tool trailer and landed on top of the saw.  After checking the accuracy of the blade adjustments it was fine.  This is one tough saw.

Accessories For The DWS780 Miter Saw:

1. Heavy Duty Miter Saw Stand (DWX723),
2. Compact Miter Saw Stand (DWX724
3. Heavy Duty Work Stand (DWX725)
4. Heavy Duty Work Stand with Miter Saw Mounting Brackets (DWX725B).

I tested the Compact Miter Saw Stand with the miter saw.  the two compliment each other nicely.

DWX724 Compact Miter Saw Stand

The DWX724 is designed for contractors who are looking for a more compact solution it weighs 30 pounds and measures less than 4 feet long when folded, the DWX724 is portable and conveniently fits sideways in a truck bed for transport. This stand extends to support work up to 100 inches of support and a max capacity of 500 pounds.  It has a height of 32 inch, and a folded height of 8″ for storage.  Non-marring feet on the legs protect floors from scratching.

The nicest feature of the compact miter stand is the work stops and supports.  These supports can be positioned quickly anywhere along the extending rail.  A simple flip over attachment converts the work support into a work stop for cutting multiple, same size pieces.The legs on the stand unfold and lock in place, easily with over-sized levers.

DWX724 Technical Details:

• Universal design works with all brands of miter saws
• Compact design allows easy transport and storage
• Lightweight aluminum construction (29.8 lbs.) allows for easy transport to and from the jobsite
• 40-Inch beam extends to support up to 10 feet of material and up to 500 lbs.
• Legs provide superior support and fold for easy storage

The DWX724 sells for approximately $179.

Overall Impression:

I really enjoyed using the DWS780.  I found it accurate right out of the box and the XPSTM LED light was easily seen in daylight and accurate.  The miter gauge is super easy to see with my ever fading eyesight and the adjustments, although they took some time to get used to, were easy to use and understand.

The capacity of this saw gives any contractor the versatility and accuracy to work from frame to finish as well as stair tread work and cabinetry!

Highly recommended!!

How Much and Where To Buy:

The DEWALT DWS780 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw will be available at home centers and independent distributors beginning in September 2011.
it can be purchased on line here for $ 618.00 DEWALT-DWS780-12-Inch-Sliding-Compound

It comes with a three-year limited warranty, one-year free service contract and 90-day money-back guarantee.
Product reviews on this site contain our opinion of a product or service. I will always strive for objectivity and transparency in my reviews.  My goal is to provide readers with honest, objective information based on my training and experience.  I never have and never will accept payment in exchange for a positive review. Many of the products that I review are provided free by a manufacturer. In some cases, we also have advertising or affiliate relationships with manufacturers and retailers of products and services we review

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