DW745 table saw - am i expecting too much?

[MG1977]

A few weeks back I took the plunge and got myself a DW745 compact table saw. Having read a number of reviews and stalked some super useful threads here (thanks guys) I felt this was the perfect compromise and there seems to be a fair few folk making good use of them.

I have diligently nudged the blade into alignment with the mitre slots (well the LHS one anyway :roll: ), got my rip fence all trued up and even constructed a zero clearance insert. And then whilst trying to level my insert realised that the bed of the damn thing is all over the shop!

I've not yet gotten to the stage where I've got my straightedge and feelers out....but that's because I don't need to. There's a bump in the middle to the LHS of the insert that when a 12" straight is put across it shows probably a 20-30 thou range of travel...there also appears to be a general dip towards the insert which results in the blade being at 90deg to thin pieces that go over the insert, but larger pieces are no longer square or vise-versa.

Is it too much to ask to expect a tighter tolerance than this? Should I make a warranty claim or just get some blue on it work it with a stone?

Trouble is it is a coated aluminium table and if I start removing the coating I'm going to end up with all manner of headaches I'm sure!

It's doing my head in at the moment but I don't really want to be cursing this machine every time I use it, but then I also don't want to be without it for months if I have to ship it out.

Would appreciate some feedback/thoughts etc.

I'm about to make a sled (sic) so maybe that will at least eliminate the cross cut problems.?!?

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

It is a portable site saw, not a cabinet makers saw. You might be expecting too much of it, it is 10th the cost of a precision machine. That is not to say it is useless, but you have to judge it in the context of was designed and made for.

A couple of thoughts; if you can only align the blade parallel to one mitre slot, how can you make a crosscut sled that uses 2 slots? You could maybe make a sled running on just one, but that is a compromise that defeats the point, I think.

Do not start removing material from the table in an attempt to flatten it. Aluminium alloy needs to be hard anodised to have any reasonable wear resistance, which you will destroy if you try to flatten it.

If you are not happy with the saw, maybe return it for a refund and expect to pay a lot more for the precision you seem to think necessary. Or just live with it as is and it may just be good enough for your needs if you don't fret over details. I'm sure you could do reasonable work on the saw if you just do it and not over think. If you really need sub 1/10 mm precision, get a Felder!

Mike.

 

[Bodgers]

I would take a look at the Woodgears YouTube channel review of the battery powered Dewalt site saw. The cast aluminium tops on these things are just not manufactured to precise standards. Fine for site work though.

You might be able to tweak it to get it up to what you need, but ultimately you would be better off with something like a TS200 with a cast iron top. It gets some critisicim, but at least with a few tweaks the basics are right and it is much more suitable for the hobbiest workshop-based woodworker.



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