# Dewalt Delivers



## Dlow (Jan 16, 2011)

Good review. I have used this saw in the past and think it's probably the best portable saw out there but I have to wait for the trusty old Craftsmen to die before I can buy it. Are you saying that HD & Lowes accept Harbor Freight coupons? I did not know that!


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## Hermando (Sep 28, 2010)

Yes in most cases both big box stores will accept a competitors coupon. (Harbor Freight). There are those rare occasions when a sales clerk is not aware or the manager hums and hahs, but be persistent. In the case of price match this Dewalt I actually got for $220 from a grand opening sale on the saw from Merdocks.. The hesitated knowing it was $150 off the regular price, but HD had to honor the sale price.


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

1/32 is way too much for miter to blade or fence accuracy. It should be measured in thousandths. A great investment is a HF $10 dial indicator. While a purchased AlignIt bar is great to hold the DTI in the miter slot, you can DIY something easily, because there isn't anything critical other than holding the DTI rigid and no slop in the miter. You can use that to measure miter to blade and miter to fence alignment accurately. There is also a 2 pin thingie you can fabricate that will let you measure the blade (or fence) squareness to the table. Look at garageworks' site for that idea. If you add the mag base from HF, you can measure runout. Same tools will work with your Craftsman TS.

Another way to do that is to get a decent ($20) metal caliper and the DRO miter slot holder for it. The caliper is a mighty useful tool in the shop, and the DRO base allows you to use it for measuring fence and blade alignment. You need the type of caliper that sends a thin part out the bottom of the base as you slide the head. It's used for depth measurement, and, in this case, for alignment measurement. The really cheap composite calipers don't have that feature.


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## dustyal (Nov 19, 2008)

I use a similar Rigid bench top saw… and I am happy with it. But, it will not hold a dado blade. The arbor shaft is too short. How about the Dewalt… think you can you do a dado blade on it? I don't have the space for anything but these bench top tools… so I am gaining experience with them.


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## Hermando (Sep 28, 2010)

Brtech, you are right that 1/32 is way to much and it was my mistake as I was trying to go off memory when I wrote this review as to any misalignment. I do need to get me a dial indicator so that I can adjust the blade to miter slot. After rechecking using my combination square the factory setting was a 25# sliver pf paper off and the fence was dead on.. So I figure not to bad coming out of the box. What is nice about the DW745 is that it allows the user to adjust the blade to the miters, where as some of the cheaper portables are not.

This particular mode DW745 does not accept dado blades as the arbor is to short, I think Dewalt designed this saw this way so it would not compete with its larger brother the DW744. There is a great review from Popular Mechanics that compares the Dewalt DW745 vs Bosch GTS1031 (Bosch new compact saw)

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/power-tools/compact-table-saw-showdown-bosch-vs-dewalt#fbIndex1


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## lumberjockey (Oct 31, 2010)

This review just helped me decide between the Ridgid or the Dewalt. I am going with the Dewalt. Good review.


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## Hermando (Sep 28, 2010)

LJ, I think you will be pleased with this little work horse of a saw. I looked at the ridgid portables. There is the 4510 on a mobile cart, has some great reviews and competes with the Bosch 4100. The dewalt competes with the smaller TS that are lightweight, very durable and accurate. If you looked at the Ridgid R45161 then it has the metal roll cage and does 24" rip as well as wheels built in. I think its in line with the Craftsman version which has the 50/50 reviews. Amazon is a great place to check reviews and I would say 90% of reviews for the Dewalt are 5 stars. It does have its short comings but over all it is a great tool for what it is designed for and more.


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## htl (Mar 24, 2015)

I got the DW745 and love it.
Could kick my self now for not getting the more expensize one I could use a full dado but you can add some extra cutters but not the full 3/4" dado.
Would all so like to add that some think it can't cut 24" but the newer ones can and do it very well.
Most of my work is thinner stock so I like to use skill saw blades they are cheaper and save lumber plus they don't work the saw as hard.


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