Customer Reviews

DEWALT DW703 Heavy Duty 10-Inch Compound Miter saw

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading all the reviews on miter saws here, I decided on the Dewalt DW 703 10-inch compound miter saw. Originally, I had ordered a DW 706 ten months ago, but a bad wreck the same day of the order meant I had to send it back until I could be sure I could even use any saw, let alone one like the 706. At any rate, I ended up buying the smaller saw because of current health considerations.

The DW 703 is great for my immediate needs. It's lightweight but sturdier than the Hitachi 10-inch saw, something one can carry from worktable to pickup tailgate with the easy-carry handle, simple to use, is accurate, and changing the saw blade relatively uncomplicated, unlike the least expensive 10-inch Delta model I tried. In addition, the blade that comes with it cuts moulding like a knife slicing cold butter....clean and smooth without any splinters. I used tape on the moulding at first to eliminate any splinters, but realized that wasn't necessary, as there were no splinters without it.

The bevel clamp knob on the back is accessible, easy to work, and very stable, adding to the feeling of security when making bevel cuts. Both miter and bevel scales are easy to read and accurate. Although some reviewers have commented that the markings are only painted on and will wear off in time, I plan to take the added step of coating the markings with a clear sealant for added life.

Probably the best feature I've found is the light grip required on the operating handle. I can't see getting carpal tunnel syndrome from overuse of the handle, for it is truly comfortable to use, unlike some of the ones i tried that required both a hard grip on a safety device as well as a tough pull-down on the handle.

It's too bad that Hoover didn't buy out Black and Decker/Dewalt, for then this saw might have had a decently engineered dust spout and bag. For this reason, I am giving the saw only four stars.

I am a hardwood flooring contractor. I have used just about every saw out their in my 25 years in the flooring buisness. This mitre saw, just flat out beats the rest, I have been a big Makita fan for years. The 10" Dewalt is more accurate and is as smooth cutting of a saw, I have ever used. This saw is a must for the professional. You won't be dissapointed.

A very portable solid saw. Looked at all the others like Delta, Craftsman, etc. and this saw was lighter than the rest. A must for me because it gets moved around alot. Also, the numbers on the miter gauge were not made of cardboard and tacked on like on other saws but, made of metal and easier to zero in on. A friend of mine had his Craftsman gauge fall off after only one week on the jobsite. I looked at many different saws and the DeWalt 703 saw is just built better and able to do more than the competition. Some other companies make lesser expensive saws but, you get what you pay for. Spend a little more and get the DeWalt. You won't regret it.

After using this saw heavily for over a year (both for rough construction and woodworking), it's time for an honest review. This saw certainly is a great value, but it helps to know its little quirks, to get the most benefit from it. For general construction and framing, the miter and bevel settings are not too critical, and they were accurate out of the box for me. To cut a 4x4, you only need to manually raise the blade guard and hold it up, to get the workpiece up against the fence for cutting. The supplied blade will cut tons of softwood for framing, and the saw's portability makes it easy to carry anywhere. For woodworking, however, you will probably want to zero the miter and bevel adjustments for best results. The manual recommends using a square to check the blade's angle for the bevel, but you will discover that it's next to impossible to raise the blade guard, hold a square, and adjust the locking nut and bolt, all at the same time. A much better method is to cut a 2x6 and then flip one side upside down, putting the cut end up against the other cut end. If the bevel is not square, there will be a gap at either the top or bottom of the cut sides, and you can adjust the locking nut and bolt to eliminate the gap. In the same way, the miter adjustment can be checked by crosscutting a 2x6, flipping one side, and checking for gaps against the fence, or facing the operator. If you plan to make picture frames, router templates, etc., you can get both the miter and bevel accurate enough to perfectly crosscut an 11" wide workpiece, simply by flipping the workpiece upside down, after cutting one side. But don't expect to do this on the "out of the box" settings! DeWalt should be commended for making such a quality saw at a reasonable price, and whether for construction or woodworking, you will not be disappointed with this one.

My 22 year old dewalt power miter saw was starting to show it's age, it's lack of compound mitering prevented me from cutting the large base and crown moldings common to new home constuction. I wanted another Dewalt but didn't want the size and weight of a 12 inch saw, I looked at other brands and visit tool forums and read all the reviews and still couldn't decide. Then dewalt cane out with the DW703. I checked it out at the stores read all the reviews and finally bought. I love it, first thing I did was to put a First quality precision trim blade on it do some very minor adjustments with a square and buy the crown molding stops. If your like me and have to cut a wide variety of different types of trim and need to set up work packup and move several times a day you need a saw thats powerful accurate and easy to transport, then the DW703 might be the saw for you the built in handle makes it a breeze to carry and it's small foot print doesn't take up much room in the back of your truck.

This saw replaced a Ryobi 10" miter saw that was highly recommeneded to me at Home Depot and which lasted a little over a year before the motor gave out. The DeWalt is on an entirely different level of home power tool. The quality of construction, ease of use (especially setting the miter table), excellent included blade, and the power and accuracy of the tool makes me wish I'd spent the extra money for this saw when I listened to the idiot at Home Depot. I'm using it for everything from light trim to 4X4s and rafters and have no complaints. I wonder about the stock people are cutting when they say this saw has a hard time with pressure treated lumber---must be soaking wet from the treatment process. As long as you let the motor get up to speed the DeWalt with the standard blade can handle deck building with ease. I didn't calibrate it, just set it up and started cutting. I'd give it 5 stars if the basic kit came with supports and clamps (the Ryobi did), though I highly recommend buying a miter saw stand for it anyway.

Bought this saw as my first compound mitre. Have used radial arm saws and table saws before but wanted a saw to do tight miters for small box making. The first thing I did was replace the blade with a red "tkr" 80 tooth ultra fine cut blade and have been happy with the smoothness of cuts since. I have found on small work like this it is necessary to ALWAYS check angles on this saw before cutting as the built in guage allows enought play to make miter corners on small items look sloppy. It is very difficult to clamp anything on this saw as the fence is short and irregular in the back. length stops are available but are rather expensive. In retrospect I should have paid up to begin with and gotten a more expensive saw with more features for what I am doing. I think any of the clamps for this tool are special order as I cannot find them at any local stores. Also the dewalt clamps for their bigger miter saws do not fit this model correctly. Another thing to know is the dust collection on this saw is worthless if you are using the bag provided with the saw but not too bad if you hook it up to a vacuum (however the fitting is not a standard shop vac size and the hose is a bit loose in the saw's fitting. I cannot speak for the ability of this saw to cut moulding as this is not what I used it to do. A last observation: When I do replace this saw I will get a sliding compound miter as I quickly learned that the 6 inch cut width can be limiting. Especially if you are used to more flexability with a radial arm saw.

Like you, I checked out these reviews before buying. This machine is accurate right out of the box. It is easy to use, transport, and adjust if necessary. I build furniture and I needed something to cut accurate cross cuts and miters. This is the machine I went with and I am very satisfied.
The only con I can think of is that the dust bag is really useless. It really doesn't pick up any sawdust. But, I find that to be a minor problem. Do yourself a favor and buy this machine.

I bought this saw last Summer and have used it nearly every week since. I have been using to cut coping, crowns, molding, door jams, wanscotting, PVC/CPVC piping... you name it.

Here the benefits:

- It has ALWAYS worked, and worked well.

- Original blade has stayed sharp for hundreds of cuts.

- Blade stops fairly quickly when trigger is released (yes, there are faster-stoppping blade mechanisms out there.)

- Fairly easy to carry one-handed, and can fit through interior doorways.

- Arm can be locked/stowed in the down position for carrying and protecting the blade within the kerf.

- Kerf is easily replacable.

Dislikes:

- I bent the fence. I didn't know I could, and I certainly didn't know I could with a hand-sized piece of soft pine! (The blade hit a cement-like knot in the wood and rammed it into the left fence, bending it a 16th of an inch.)

- Unless the saw in on the edge of the bench you will find the miter release clip nearly touching the benchtop. I was using this saw on the floor and found the clip to bit awkward to press. (Nothing major, just an annoyance.)

- TRUE miter cuts are not out-of-the-box. I suggest buying a GOOD miter gauge and setting your blade to the gauge, NOT theirs. Mine is less than 1-degree off (and that's before I bent the fence.) My 45's were more like 44.7's. Now I set the blade to the gauge and there is no problem.

- I could use another foot or two on the cord. I know 99% of use use it with an extension cord, but what would it hurt to give us another 50-cents in wire anyway?

I HIGHLY recommend this saw for all of the do-it-yourselfers out there. Just remember to get a fine-toothed blade for those finnishing cuts.

I just bought my DeWalt 10" mitre saw. WOW!! Not only is this saw a "mini brute" but it is also very smooth and precise. The finish and quality of this saw are both great. The taller fence is nice for cutting support and the preset stops are very convenient. The smoothness and ease of the table adjusments make this saw easy to use. This is definitely one saw to consider! Bravo, DeWalt!