# New Sliding Miter Saw, DWS780 or DW717



## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

I have a friend that works at a local big box store that is going to help me out on a new saw. But now I need some help deciding on which one. Those are the two I have narrowed it down to and I can basically get them for the same price.

So part of me thinks, why not just get the bigger one and enjoy it. But some of the reviews I have read on the 12" have led me to rethink my position. I have read that its not really smooth on the rails and that it has a lot of flex in the head when fully extended.

I understand the basic differences in the two, just looking for a little guidance.

Thanks


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

Or maybe even the Hitachi C12RSH?


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## DirtyMike (Dec 6, 2015)

I am about to purchase the C12RSH and like you i have done a lot of research on miter saws. My skil 10 inch miter was the most used tool in my shop before i started woodworking and bought a table saw. I knew soon after i bought it that a 12 inch slider would be my next miter saw. I have compared a lot of 12 inch sliders and read a ton of reviews and the hitachi will be my choice. I advise you go to your local lowes, grab a square then check the saws you are considering for squareness and blade deflection at full slide. I was very surprised how dialed in and tight the hitachi display model compared to other 12 inch miter saws. good luck man


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## dyfhid (Jun 4, 2015)

I have the DWS780 and love it. It can be set up to cut 16", but even without special setup it will crosscut near 13" at 90. Can cut very deep, too. I've had it about six months. I am just a hobbyist, so I don't demand a lot from my tools, but I did use it in the final stages of building my shop before I made its home in the shop, and it did great on a stand, now even better on a permanent station. I'm doing the final trim in the shop and using that saw for it, very accurate, very clean cuts.

It replaced a 10" non-sliding Hitachi, which is also a good saw, but I wanted the big slider.


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

I've been using a DW718 since 2002. Before that I had a DW708. I wore out the 708 after nearly 10 years of heavy use. The 718 is holding up well. I just had to have new bearings installed at the motor/pulley connection. Dirt daubers had gotten into belt cover area and caused the bearing failure.

I have no complaints about ether the accuracy or durability of the saws. No problem with any flexing or smoothness of the operation of the saws. Some on the site have stated concerns regarding the lack of accuracy that one isn't able to achieve with a sliding miter saw. Properly cared for and maintained I've never had such a problem. Here's a couple examples of the accuracy one can achieve with proper setup and execution. 
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/42304

I also wrote a review on the 718. http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/1876

When my motor was in the shop I went by and checked out the new model. It appeared to be the same with the exception way to set the bevel settings & which side had the 60°/50° miter settings. The 708 and the new model bevel settings are the same. The 718 bevel settings include a plate with notches at specific angles like the miter settings have. The 708 & the new model miter settings are 50°/60° left,right, the 718 has 60°/50°, left,right.


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## alittleoff (Nov 27, 2014)

Personally I like the 10 inch, but I would say go with what you want. 12 inch blades are expensive and I really never cut anything that I would need a 12 inch saw for. I have had my dewalt for about a year now and would buy it again if I had it to do over. I've heard some say that dewalt wasn't accurate, but once I set mine up it cuts perfect. I would put it up against any saw. Just remember I said after setting it up, it's not very accurate out of the box.
Gerald


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## RogR (Jan 12, 2016)

+1. I very seldom need to cut anything that my 10" can't do and it is a big plus to me that my stack of blades are all interchangeable between my jobsaw, tablesaw and mitersaw. Finally, if you ever work away from your workshop, toting a 10" compound saw is already plenty.

Lot's of comments here.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I have the DeWalt 708 that I bought in 2000 to build decks. I then used it in my workshop until December 2015. It was starting to make strange noises in the motor. It still works but I came across a Bosch on Creigs list that was new and too cheap to pass up. They are both 12" saws and work well but a 10" saw would also serve my needs. I like the Bosch because it can be installed closer to the wall. It has a smaller footprint than the DeWalt slider has.


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

*Jim Finn*, my saw also started making strange noises until one day it sounded like rocks in a hubcap. Removing the belt cover I discovered the bearing at the motor/ pulley had failed.

Further inspection revealed the presence of dirt daubers. I removed the motor, took it to my repair guy and had it replaced.

Around $60.00 to install a new bearing. I replaced the motor and the saw works fine again. Turns out there are a couple small holes in the casting that the belt cover screws to that would allow the dirt daubers in.

btw, I was using my cousins Bosch this past week and it has similar holes in about the same place.

I elected to can the belt cover on my saw and built a new belt cover from expanded metal so I can monitor the dirt daubers.


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

Does the Hitachi laser take batteries or does tht DeWalt light take batteries or are they ran off the 110 power source?


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

Those dirt dauber shure are a nuisance, they got in my job site planer around the fan and almost killed it from blocking airflow around the fan. As far as the slider, I've had three older Dewalts, none perfect but if you use them as much as I did you just use a little Ky windage. If it were to stay in the shop I would probably go with the Bosch so you don't have the length from the rods at full back.


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## Woodchuck2010 (Jan 19, 2016)

Flex isn't really an issue with the Axiel Glide Bosch saw.


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## Picklehead (Feb 12, 2013)

> Personally I like the 10 inch, but I would say go with what you want. 12 inch blades are expensive and I really never cut anything that I would need a 12 inch saw for. I have had my dewalt for about a year now and would buy it again if I had it to do over. I ve heard some say that dewalt wasn t accurate, but once I set mine up it cuts perfect. I would put it up against any saw. Just remember I said after setting it up, it s not very accurate out of the box.
> Gerald
> 
> - alittleoff


+1 to this post. I have a 717 that I like very much. If you get the Dewalt, make sure it is a model which will accept the LED blade light, which throws a shadow of the blade on your work and shows you exactly where the blade will cut. Love that feature. I baby mine and use it lightly, but the features are awesome. Miter 50 one side, 60 (which is HUGE) on the other side. Double bevel. Easy to lock in an angle, even if it's just a hair off of a preset. Ability to cut 45 degrees on a 12 inch wide board (by moving the fence to a "back fence" location, which I haven't ever needed to do). Used to have a 12 inch miter saw, blades are too expensive and I felt they had too much flex and vibration, resulting in a wavy cut.


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

Oh, I would be more than happy with the 717, but I could get the 780 cheaper than I could get the 717 for. So I thought, why not get the 780. Plus, it already comes with the light.


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## Sawdust4Blood (Feb 16, 2010)

I've owned the 780 for about a year now and I'm very happy with it. Love the light shadow showing exactly where the blade will cut. Mine is smooth and accurate. As with all power saws, you'll want to replace the stock blade with a better quality blade for finish quality cuts.

I've owned smaller miter saws in the past and would say that if the price is the same, it really comes down to whether you need the larger capacity and whether or not you'll be using in one fixed point or transporting it to jobs. It's a bigger saw than I would want to tote around unless you absolutely need the extra capacity. On the other hand, if it's never going to move, I'd take the extra capacity to avoid the occasional frustration of when the saw just won't quite want to handle the task at hand.


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

Im actually going back to thinking about getting the 717 and just buying the additional lighting system and putting it on as an extra.


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## glass (Sep 20, 2012)

what about the new Bosch cm12sd (not the glide saw ) you could be our guinea pig and review it


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

I pretty much just have those 3 choices.

The Hitachi 12" slider for around $340. 
Either of the DeWalts for around $375.


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

I just went and looked at th DeWalt saws again.

My thoughts:
I really like how the 10" felt and I liked that it has positive bevel stops. I can't believe the 12" doesn't have that feature. I like that I can add the xps work light to it. I definitely want that feature. And then I think, why not just get the 12"? It already has the light and it has everything I could ever need. I would only be getting the 10" to save money on blades but I bet I've only ever bought about 5 blades total.

Help.


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

I don't see why saw blade price should be a factor as 10" vs 12" price per blade. If you used a blade per month and only bought new blades versus having them sharpened it might come into question.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

You will be glad you chose the 10" saw down the road


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## Picklehead (Feb 12, 2013)

> You will be glad you chose the 10" saw down the road
> 
> - exelectrician


Please expound.


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## Sundowner (Feb 6, 2013)

consider what kind of work you are doing with the saw. I have both a 12" dewalt and the new 7.25" SCMS dewalt. I bought the little dewalt because it's cordless and it's both a PITA to lug the big 12 up stairs / through doors and it's nice not to have to run a long extension cord if you're working a job with an electrician who hasn't put in the outlets yet.

I really don't even use the big saw anymore. the little saw does pretty much everything the big saw does except for roof and deck framing, which is probably the only place that you do need the bigger saw for compound miters in 12" rafters. The little 7.25 sits in my shop on a stand and gets used all the time, the big 12 sits up in the loft collecting dust instead of making it.

I'm not saying it's right for everyone, but I know for me and I think for many that the smaller saw is better.


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## ARCarpenter (Feb 1, 2015)

I went and bought the 780 today. Thanks everyone!


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

A 10" saw blade always has a narrower kerf on average than a 12" blade so waste not want not.

My 1013LS Makita saws through a 4 by 8 in one shot do you want to cut bigger than a 4 by 8?


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## 716 (Nov 22, 2015)

It is nice to be able to share the same blades between several different saws. Consider it if you have a 10" table saw.


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