This is a super saw at a nice price. After more than two years of frequent use I am very happy with it. Five stars, easy. My grumbles are small, not enough to subtract a rating star.
Issues and comments:
#1--Grumble: The table of the saw was very slightly out of alignment with the saw arm. Although I took pains to square the blade to the table and to the fence there was something ever so slightly off. The first two years of use were mostly 1x and 2x lumber where the misalignment was too small to show up. A couple months ago I started some projects with fine moulding. The cuts were ever so slightly off, even though the blade was perfectly square to both table and fence. They were perfect at 45 degrees, too. I finally spotted the problem when cutting returns to finish some trim ends. The blade pushed very slightly to the left as it came down. It seems like the arm had a very small wander to the left, although it was impressively stable when tugged left and right to test it. I modified William Ng's 5-cut method for squaring the fence on a table saw sled. With a piece of 1x6 standing against the fence I cut at 90, then rotated the cut side down to the table and made another cut, etc. Check out his method on YouTube. The result was that the table itself was about 0.2 degrees out of alignment with the vertical path of the arm.
I tried the warranty approach and got shot down. When I bought this saw in 2014 the warranty was just 1 year, not 3 years as it is now. Also the service center seemed to think I had "abused" the saw and caused the misalignment. Fat chance, the saw was secured on a custom stand. It was never dropped, or banged around in a truck, etc. When I dismounted the saw from the stand for the trip to the service center, that was only the second time the saw was removed from the stand. DeWalt customer service was terrific but the service center stuck to their "abuse" theory. Anyway the old 1-year warranty had expired. After realignment ($60) the saw was perfect. So that's my tale of woe of you're interested.
#2 Grumble: Poor dust collection. Even with a strong vacuum connected there is a lot of sawdust whizzing out. Too much. There must be better configurations that capture much more dust without having to retrofit aftermarket gizmos that improve (but do not FIX) this design flaw.
#3 Comment: The throat in the table was typical for these saws. I opted for a modification with the
Aluminum Zero Clearance Insert (Z.C.I.) Plate for DeWalt 10" & 12" Non-Sliding Saws
from Infinity Tools, plus some spare inserts. The insert was easy to install and worked beautifully for the cut side in contact with the table. The back side of the workpiece still had tearout (unless I used a backer).
#4 Comment: I installed the
DEWALT DW7080 Extension System, for DW703, DW706, and DW708
. Currently it's recommended only for the DW703, DW706, and DW708. It is currently not recommended for the DW715. A couple years ago it WAS considered an accessory for the DW715. It installed easily and was helpful until I completed my own miter saw stand. No idea if the current DW7080 extension would fit a DW715 saw.
#5 Comment: Everything else worked great. The detents are very solid, precise, and accurate so cuts were reproducible. The table swung easily and locked firmly. Trigger control was solid with either hand. There's a bit of a screech on startup but that's pretty typical. The onboard wrench for removing and installing the blade is very handy. The carry handle works for a one-hand move. There's plenty of power to get through large boards of dense wood. Basically it's an excellent miter saw.
#6 Comment: DeWalt did an odd thing with this saw. There are three versions of the DW715. They did not go with 715A, 715B, 715C. No. You have to look carefully to see Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3. This is key when buying accessories. Triple check it. That's experience talking. (Mine is Type 3.)
If I did more carpentry I might prefer a double-bevel model with a sliding head and a 10" blade that's interchangeable with my table saw. But, I can't justify the expense. This saw has been a champion workhorse for thousands of cuts. At $200 it's a bargain compared to saws costing two to three times as much. If DeWalt improved the dust collection I'd give it six stars.
But do check that vertical alignment. No kidding, everything was perfectly square EXCEPT the vertical travel of the arm and blade. The error was too small to see until some fancy moulding revealed the problem.
| Brand | DEWALT |
|---|---|
| Color | Silver With Black and Orange |
| Blade Material | 12-inch,Stainless Steel,Steel |
| Surface Recommendation | Stainless Steel |
| Power Source | Hand Powered |
| Special Feature | Brushless |
| Included Components | Power Miter Saw, Construction - Power Saws, Miter Saws |
| Product Dimensions | 26.1"L x 19.6"W x 17.2"H |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Item Weight | 21.3 Kilograms |
| Speed | 4000 RPM |
| Blade Length | 12 Inches |
| Number of Teeth | 60 |
| Cutting Angle | 45 Degrees |
| Current Rating | 15 Amps |
| Manufacturer | DEWALT |
| Part Number | DW715 |
| Item Weight | 46.8 pounds |
| Item model number | DW715 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 1", 5/8" |
| Style | Discontinued model |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Measurement System | Metric |
| Special Features | Brushless |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | 90 Day Money Back Guarantee, 1 Year Service Contract, 3 Year Limited Warranty |
