This comes pretty darned close to being the ideal jobsite saw. Heading the list of features we love is the great miter detent override, allowing you to compensate for a world that just isn’t square all the time. Normally, you’d have a fight on your hands with regular detents because of that annoying tendency saws have to snap into the detent when you get too close. But built into the cam lock miter handle is a detent override, and you can cut as close to a detent as you need to without slipping in. It miters from 0 to 50 degrees both right and left, and of course, there are the 11 positive stops you expect, and all dead-on accurate. The cam lever is a great improvement over the turnscrew knob on the miter arm, too.
The tall sliding fence has a machined support that promises nothing but the ultimate accuracy. We like the extra height because it supports crown molding beautifully, even up to 6-5/8 inches nested and base molding up to 6-1/2 inches vertically. Need a bevel cut? The fence slides neatly out of the way for bevels, anywhere from 0 to 48 degrees both left and right. (If you’re in the market for this much power but just a single bevel, check out the DeWalt 715 saw. If you want all this, a bag of chips and a slider, step up to the DW718.) There are absolutely no complaints from this motor no matter what you’re cross-cutting, as it’s drawing 15 beefy amps and has a max rpm of 3,600, slicing through 2-by oak like it’s paper. What we found impressive is the saw’s ability to crosscut a 2-by-10 just by adding an auxiliary base to bring the stock up to level with the back fence.
If portability is a factor, there are few saws that rival this one, we think: It’s just 44 pounds despite its brawny power, and a smart designer incorporated easy-on-the-body handles into the base that offer a nice, wide, secure grip. Though it’s well-enough suited to the home workshop, this saw is at home at the jobsite.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste
