Dewalt Table Saws: An overview of table saws made by DeWalt

 

There are brands in the marketplace that command such loyalty from their followers that they refuse to even consider buying competitive products from any other manufacturer. Dewalt is such a Brand. Pay a visit to any construction site and you’ll see Dewalt tools everywhere. Stop by your local home improvement center and they’ll tell you Dewalt is their top selling Brand for the pro user.

Founded in 1922, Dewalt is one of the few table saw manufacturers that actually started out in the woodworking market with their introduction of the first radial arm saw. Their early flagship product was the Dewalt Wonder Worker – a universal woodworking machine similar in concept to Delta’s early Handishop, although the Delta machine could perform more functions. Dewalt is one of the few early woodworking tool manufacturers that remained independently owned until they were finally bought by Black and Decker in 1992. Let’s take a look at some of Dewalt’s most popular table saw offerings.

Dewalt Table Saws: the DW744

Many experts feel the rip fence included with a portable table saw is as important as the saw itself. This is especially true for finish carpenters and hobbyists who require greater precision and consistency in their cuts. With many 10 inch jobsite table saws, the users waste a lot of time readjusting the rip fence as the slightest bit of vibration will knock the fence out of alignment.

Dewalt’s trademarked rack and pinion gear system completely eliminates this problem. Instead of clamping down on the table surface, Dewalt’s rip fence clamps to the rails themselves. It is the rails that move, easily controlled by a dial that moves the rack and pinion gear system back and forth, ensuring that the fence always remains perfectly parallel to the blade. The rails crank out to a full 24.5 inch width, making the Dewalt DW744 the only 10inch jobsite table saw that can rip 4 x 8 plywood right down the middle without extension tables. The rails retract to the saw body to maintain one of this saw’s major advantages: superior portability.

There are 744 models that come with the DW7440 folding stand, which can also be bought separately. For maximum portability, the DW744XRS comes with a fold down stand with wheels and a pull out handle, allowing full “dolly style” movement. Another reason pros love this saw is the optional DW7444 dado throat plate. With this attachment you can use stacked dado cutters.

Finally, all DW744 models feature a special table coating. This coating reduces friction as you feed stock and is a great safety feature. Their large, easily accessible on-off switch is another good safety feature but their blade guard mounting is a serious safety drawback.

The major cause of table saw accidents – especially among non-professional users – is running the saw without the blade guard. The Dewalt guard is fastened by two bolts requiring tools for removal and reattachment and some reviewers find the process cumbersome. The result is that many users will be tempted to simply not bother reattaching the blade guard at times, increasing the possibility of serious injury.

Dewalt Table Saws: the DW745

You might say Dewalt put their popular DW744 on a diet and came out with the DW745, which at 45 pounds is about 20 pounds less than the 744. The steel roll cage lets you move the saw around easily and it can be mounted on a stand, such as the DW74500 portable table saw stand. The DW745 table saw also has Dewalt’s exclusive pinion fence adjustment system and the saw includes a miter gauge. While the saw’s power is the same as the 745 it cannot run a dado blade, which for some is an essential need. In addition, some reviewers have found the included blade to lack the quality of the rest of the saw’s features, frequently leaving yellow marks on your wood.