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DEWALT DW708 12-Inch Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter saw
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Average customer review:
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #38529 in Home Improvement
- Brand: DEWALT
- Model: DW708
- Dimensions: 20.75" h x 19.25" w x 37.75" l, 73.00 pounds
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
DeWalt packs it all into this 12-inch compound miter saw: the big blade, the double bevel, the double rail slide. Very impressive. Finish carpenters who want to miter crown molding (up to 5-1/4 inches) vertically and framers who demand a 12-inch crosscut capacity will love this saw's 12-inch blade. The double bevel, of course, means you flip the saw instead of the wood, a great feature for those working with long molding or in confined spaces. The saw bevels to 45 degrees both ways and has the ability to bevel up to 48 if the need arises. The double rail slide is definitely burlier than the old single rail design. Both rails slide on self-cleaning, dust-sealed bearings, too.
What really gets us is the weight and balance of this saw: it slides smoothly through cuts, bevels are easy to set, and the miter gauge swivels lightly (all of which speak to the saw's excellent design). You can miter 50 degrees left, 60 degrees right. We also appreciated the cam-lock miter gauge on this saw--the handle simply clamps down, which makes switching angles noticeably quicker than with a twist-lock miter.
DeWalt's D-handle is designed for right-handed use, but the trigger is big enough to use comfortably with your left hand if a particular cut requires it. The saw also has a depth-stop adjuster in case you have to cut a quick dado or two at the job site. The easy-to-read stainless-steel miter scale, with 11 positive stops allows you to lock in the most common angles quickly and, thanks to the cam-lock miter, it's also easy to dial in precise cuts just over or under the positive stop--a feature finish carpenters, in particular, will love. The electric blade stops the blade quickly, which saves time and makes work safer. The saw doesn't have a safety switch--which is fine by us, since some safety switches can be downright dangerous--but it's something to consider if you're doing residential or remodeling work where children might stumble across your tools. --Jon Groebner
From the Manufacturer
DEWALT DW708 12-Inch Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter saw
From Hanley-Wood's Tools of the Trade
This was our favorite saw. It has a tight, solid feel and a smooth start. The dual-range miter scale is heavy-duty metal, and is easy to read and adjust. The miter angle scale indicator has a center line and 1/4-degree markings on either side great for hairline adjustments. The cam-action miter adjuster was the best of the bunch. It locks down into any degree setting and stays put. The slide rails are stacked on top of each other, giving the operator an excellent view of the bevel scale. The blade guard works okay. Good visibility through the guard into the line-of-cut. The fence slides on both sides; knobs must be securely tightened to keep it square to table. Easy bevel adjustment. The provided 60-tooth blade made fairly clean cuts; optional 80-tooth made glass-smooth cuts. Copyright Hanley-Wood, LLC
Customer Reviews
Makita who?
I have owned my 708 for 18 months now and am as happy with it now as when I bought it. The slide rails are very smooth and easy to adjust(needed depending on temperature extremes). The lever cam lock beats those twist knobs hands down. The miter detents are positive but not so deep as to make it difficult to go 1/4 of a degree to either side. The vernier scale on the miter pointer is handy. The depth stop is a useful item for certain uses, except for dados, where you have to keep the work 2-21/2" off the fence to get a flat cut. The tall fence is sturdy and is better than adding wood to the wimpy stock fence (a la Makita, Hitachi). The dual bevel feature is real nice, since now I don't have to move the zero stop to bevel right a degree or two. One improvement would be an overide for the bevel stops so you could bevel 47 degrees without messing with the adjustment. I just leave the stops turned out and go to the pointer for a true 45. The cutting capacity is plain heaven, especially for jig cutting railing parts(not even possible with a straight 12" or slide 10"). All told, the best saw on the market, even if it cost twice as much.
DeWalt DW708 Experiences
I considered a number of other leading brands before I purchased the DW708 and I couldn't be happier with my choice. While I have only had the unit for two months, I have really put it through the paces cutting framing lumber, trim moldings, and laminate flooring... in all cases it performed superbly. The powerful saw easily cut through a number of 4"x12" header plates like they were trim molding. In addition to the larger blade and cut capacity this saw further defines itself (and how versatile it is) with all the quick adjustments you can make to help your job go easier (i.e. both vertical & horizontal angles, depth of cut, fence, etc). Depending on your use, many of the accessories are "must haves" such as the material clamp and crown molding stops (One to avoid is the dust bag option for the DW708, as you really need a vacuum system to capture the dust effectively). This is another well thought out tool from DeWalt.
Highly refined , yet tough as nails
Love it , love it , love it. DeWalt really thought this one through. Form the smooth belt drive to the cam lock table. I can not find fault with this saw. It has absolutely the largest capacity of any SCM saw on the market. It is the only one with such a huge fence to support your material. If you need to bevel cut , just turn the knob , and it slides out of the way. No one else gives you that option. (If Makita did , I would be more inclined to go that direction, since their LS1211 is such a sweet saw, even more refined than the DeWalt.) The cam lock table is a very nice improvement over a screw knob design.The whole saw is very easy to adjust if it gets knocked out of whack by careless workers. It is however pretty heavy to lug around, so I mounted mine on a Trojan Miter saw stand. Now I roll it around instead. It sets up in less than 2 minutes.If you need the capacity , you can't go wrong with this saw. If you don't , consider the DW705.
