DEWALT DW718 12-Inch Double-Bevel Slide Compound Miter Saw

by DEWALT

• Powerful 15-amp, 3,600 rpm motor delivers extended power and durability
• Adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate with 10 positive stops improves productivity and ensures cutting accuracy
• Precise miter system and machined base fence support optimize cutting accuracy
• Tall sliding fences support crown molding up to 6-5/8-inch nested and base molding up to 6-1/2-inch vertically against the fence
• Innovative gearbox and belt-drive design increases vertical cutting capacity

Product Description

Amazon.com

Whether you're cutting baseboard or crown molding, the DEWALT 12-Inch Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw provides quick, accurate cuts to complete the job. Thanks to a powerful 15 Amp motor, an easy-to-adjust cam-lock miter handle, convenient miter and bevel stops, and a tall fence for oversized moldings, this saw is ready for a range of crosscutting and miter-cutting applications. In addition, it comes with a durable carbide blade, a blade wrench, and a convenient dust bag.

12-Inch Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw At a Glance: Powerful 15 amp motor delivers no-load speed of 3,600 rpm Adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate with 11 positive stops Tall, sliding fence for work with crown and base moldings Four hardened steel bevel stops on each side for versatility Two steel horizontal rails for blade travel Three-year limited warranty, one-year free service, and 90-day money-back guarantee

This miter saw features a 15 amp motor that delivers 3,600 rpm for a wide range of cutting jobs. View larger.

The saw's tall fence allows you to cut oversized molding. View larger.

Smart, Powerful Design for Quick, Accurate Cuts
The DEWALT double-bevel sliding compound miter saw's 12-inch blade is backed by a powerful and dependable 15 amp motor. Offering a no-load speed of 3,600 rpm, it makes quick work of cutting framing or molding, as well as other crosscutting and miter-cutting jobs.

This sturdy saw is designed to deliver precise cuts, allowing for the versatile setups required for miter applications. The precise miter system's adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate features 11 positive stops. An easy-to-adjust cam-lock miter handle delivers quick and accurate miter angles, and features a convenient detent override, which allows you to adjust the miter setting without the saw slipping into the miter detents. And the saw's big miter capacity--0 to 60 degrees to the left and 0 to 50 degrees to the right--adds versatility.

Tall Fencing and Compact Sliding Rails
The tall fence supports 6-5/8-inch crown molding nested vertically, as well as 6-1/2-inch base molding set against the fence. The fence slides out of the way easily when it's time to make bevel cuts. This saw stays compact thanks to its dual horizontal steel rails, which feature an innovative clamping mechanism and linear ball bearings for increased accuracy and durability.

Increased Bevel Capacity and Convenient Stops
This saw is designed to deliver quick, accurate bevel cuts. You can easily set up for bevel cuts that measure between 0 and 48 degrees to the left and to the right. This handy setup provides increased capacity for big jobs and allows you to flip the saw instead of the material. Plus, with hardened steel bevel stops at 0, 33.9, 45 and 48 degrees on both sides, it makes finding and setting the most common bevel angles a quick, easy process.

Ideal for a range of applications, the saw's unique fence design allows it to deliver clean, 45-degree bevel cuts through dimensional lumber measuring up to 2 by 12 inches. At 90-degrees, it can cross cut 2 by 16s.

Portable and Compatible with the DEWALT Laser System
This lightweight compound miter saw weighs just 53 pounds and features a built-in carry handle, so you can move it around the jobsite easily and lift it comfortably when it comes time to stow the saw at the end of the day.

For additional accuracy and ease of use, this saw is compatible with a DEWALT DW7187 (sold separately) adjustable miter saw laser system (sold separately), which ensures that the cutting line is easy to see via a red laser line.

This 12-inch double-bevel sliding compound miter saw also comes with a DEWALT warranty package that includes a three-year limited warranty, a one-year free service contract, and a 90-day money-back guarantee.

What's in the Box
DW718 DEWALT 12-Inch Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw, carbide blade, dust bag, blade wrench, and vertical material clamp.

The adjustable stainless steel detent plate features 11 positive stops and rotates 90 degrees for a wide range of cuts.

From the Manufacturer

The DW718 takes cut capacity to the next level. The innovative back fence design delivers cut capacity up to 2 x 16 at 90 degrees and will cut up to 6-1/2” base molding when standing vertically against the fence. The DW718 is powered by a 15 Amp motor and comes equipped with a 12” carbide blade which spins at 3,600 rpm. The extra tall fences and double bevel feature deliver unmatched performance. The DW718 incorporates an adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate with 10 positive stops for the most common miter cuts. The cam lock miter handle eliminates the need to twist the miter handle to lock in on the miter angle and delivers a quick and solid miter lock. The saw features a miter detent override which allows the user to override the miter stops and adjust to the miter setting desired without the saw slipping into the miter detents. The innovative machined base fence design delivers long term fence straightness by providing additional support to the fence. The DW718 is designed to accept the DW7187 DEWALT Adjustable Miter Saw Laser System which delivers visibility to the cut path. The saw can be beveled to the left 0˚ - 48˚ and to the right 0˚ - 48˚ with positive stops at 0˚, 22.5˚, 33.9˚ and 45˚. Weighing in at 53lbs and equipped with dual horizontal rails, the DW718 is designed to be compact and portable. The DW718 includes a vertical material clamp, carbide blade, blade wrench and dust bag.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

419 of 450 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Serious Quality Issues!!!... October 4, 2005

By Jay Concepcion

Color Name:NA

I have just recently purchased the new DW718 double-bevel sliding compound power miter saw with the high hope of a getting something really nice. Boy was I wrong! I really had high hopes since the older DW708 was a nice saw!

Firstly, the table is smaller than the dw708, the rails are 1 inch in diameter (rather than the common 1 3/16") this smaller rail system causes major power head deflection!!!! Accuracy is severely compromised by too much head flex - even worse is how over 14 inches of travel, the cut is out by about 16th of an inch, too much play in my opinion! Since the saw is made in MEXICO, I really feel that there are quality issues. As the older model was made is the States (hurray), this new model has a bad finish! There are aluminum slag deposits everywhere! I had to get out my grinder and start grinding off the extra aluminum that appears to be everywhere! The newly redesigned cam-lock handle is flimsy and harder to use than the previous cam-lock system. One thing that I really don't like is that they got rid of the miter-verneer scale for the miter scale. One could easily adjust (on the DW708) to 1/4 or even 1/2 degrees - you still can now, but it is way harder. They now use a wimpy piece of "flexible red plastic" single arrow; very unimpressive; it is hard to read! Also, the bevel lock is hard to use and get at. DeWalt placed it very close to the motor. So you have to pull the power head completely forward in order to get a complete grip on the bevel lock handle if you want to lock into a certain bevel angle, very bad design! They have redesigned the dust collection system. It works by having a black plastic pipe run for about 12 inches before the dust bag is attached. Barely any dust is caught. Even with my 6.5 peak Horse Power vacuum I cannot collect any dust. At least other miter saws have "some sort" of dust collection, this one fails miserably! The bevel lever (this is what allows one to set the bevel into preset detents) is sometimes hard to operate - it can stick and get jammed, so look out for this! THE SLIDE ACTION (FRONT TO BACK) IS VERY JERKY (NOT SMOOTH)! EVEN AFTER LUBRICATION, IT STILL DOES NOT SLIDE EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT IT SHOULD FOR THAT PRICE. ALSO, WHEN THE SAW IS BEVELED EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT (PAST 15 DEGREES), THE SLIDE ACTION GETS WORSE--AS THE WHOLE MOTOR ASSEMBLY PUTS ADDED STRESS ON THE RAILS. WOW-WEE!?#...

There are some positives though: the unit is lighter and smaller, it does cut 14 inches with the regular fence (and when you use the auxiliary fence with a 1 1/4 inch auxiliary wood table built-up, you can cut up to 16 inches, NICE!). The positive bevel stops: crown molding miter-bevel 33.85 degrees Left / Right, 90 degree, 45 Left / Right and right are on the money and very sturdy, They are also easily calibratable if needed. The laser feature is nice, but not needed in my opinion! The laser is sold separately!!!... The left and right fence assemblies are very sturdy and accurate (they too can be adjusted if need be)! They have reversed the 60 degree and 50 degree positions on the miter table. The dw708 went 60 to the right, 50 left. Now the DW718 goes 50 right, 60 left no real bigy here! They have redesigned the saw base for better stability - the saw does NOT tip like the older dw708 did. It does cut really high molding; both nested and flat. I tried 6 5/8 nested crown, and it did it no problems here! It will cut 6 1/2 baseboard vertically, very nice!

I am going to return this saw and buy the MAKITA LS1013, now there's a saw! If you really want to buy a DeWalt slider though, then get the DW708! It is proven. My opinion, buy the MAKITA LS1013 - still made in the good old U.S.A., where quality still remains! DeWalt has seriously dropped the ball on this one!!!...

I have now purchased the makita ls1013, wow what a machine! The dw708 does have more cutting capacity etc, but for the quality that makita offers, you just cannot beat it. I also, give high praise to the hitachi c10fsb (no laser)!

** I do NOT work for makita or any other tool company! I am just giving technical information not given by anyone else on amazon.com; to allow decent people to make informed decisions. ** TAKE CARE!!!...

140 of 156 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Very poor Quality/Jay is right November 13, 2005

By Remodeling in SoCal

Color Name:NA

Jay has it right on. I also own a dw706,I am not trying to bash DeWalt,I have many yellow tools and the 706 is a good saw for base and crown capacity upright. This dw718 is something like you would expect from Harbor Freight Tools Brands,the castings alone are very crude. $720 with laser,and a cheap series 20 60th blade is way too much. It went back.
I bought a ls1013L, what a difference,great saw,super build/finish. The laser is preinstalled,can move line without tools to eitherside of kerf quickly and the vertical does not change as on the 718 if you move the laser kerf position you need an allen wrench and have to play with the guard. I would have bought the 12" if I did not have the DW706. The Makita is Made in USA even,except for the blade.
I understand the capacity is good but the accuracy,etc. is crude, even the holdown shaft "D" shaped end looks like someone rubbed it on rough concrete,not even flat.
Checked another display at Lowes and the same thing.esp. rough slider action too.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied... June 9, 2007

By GM

Color Name:NA

I would say this is a great contractor saw, but perhaps not the best trim saw. Then again, you probably wouldn't be buying a slider if you were interested in precision cuts for trim work. And if you wanted a precise long cut, you'd probably be using a table saw. I bought this one because I felt it was the best bang for the buck and the best compromise for everything I was looking for at the time. I can't afford to have a separate saw for every situation, and thought this would serve me well in most anything I would do, except ripping. I had used the 708 for a good while and was extremely happy with it. I was looking forward to the quality of the 708 with the new features.

I've had the 718 for a year now, and I've got to agree with everybody; the good and the bad. I was a little apprehensive about buying it based on reviews of the slide action not being very good. But I have a tendency to research and analyze things to death; so I decided to just get it and find out for myself.

The first one I received, I sent back because of the slide action. It felt extremely jerky, and I didn't feel that I could get a smooth cut. I figured it had been damaged in shipment as the box was damaged. Unfortunately, the replacement saw felt the exact same way. Making a tour of different stores, I found all of the display units felt the same as well. There is a huge difference in the slide action when compared to the smoothness of the 708. I don't feel that you would ruin your cut because of it; but it's not what you expect... especially for the money you just spent. It definitely makes you take your cut slow and easy. However, I will say that the jerky action you feel when you slide it while not making a cut is somewhat lessened while you are actually cutting. I believe as you are cutting into the wood the head is lifted somewhat, reducing the downward pressure and taking the bind off of the rails. Speaking of the rails, I too don't understand why they are smaller. If anything, it would seem that the side-by-side arrangement would need larger rails... Because of this, I have noticed some play in the head; though I don't believe I've suffered from it yet - but, I'm not doing much trim work either. For most of my cuts I don't need the slide action, so I leave the head locked in the back. With the head locked, I can't detect much of any play at all. I've been able to cut smaller, four inch, crown mould accurately in this manner, though I haven't tried anything larger.

The biggest detractor I noticed right out of the box was the finish of the saw itself. I was expecting more for the money. There were slag deposits, unfinished edges, and the holes for the material clamp were not clean enough to remove the clamp with out giving it a solid hit. I don't feel I should have to hit my saw to make it work... I haven't had time to clean things up with a grinder, like everyone else, but it's definitely on my rainy day list. I will say that the table and the fence are finished nicely and that the fence is square to the table. Even the extensions are square and solid.

I have mixed feelings over the dust collector. I notice a good bit of dust not collected, however, the bag does fill up. So, it is working. I just don't know how effective it is overall. For now, I just accept that cutting wood creates saw dust and I'll clean it up just like before. One time, I was becoming very annoyed at how little dust was being collected. When I took the time to investigate, the bag was completely full and the collection pipe was packed solid all the way to the front of the chute. I had to clean out the pipe with a stick, somewhat forcefully I might add, to dislodge the dust. When I cranked up the saw, without the bag, it continued to blow dust out of the pipe and launch it a good three feet! So, dust does go in and air does move through it. I suppose everyone's mileage will vary. I wonder if the type of wood makes any difference? That example was from cutting blood wood, which is very dense. Perhaps heavier wood is collected better?

I do like the mitre cam-lock, though it too looks like it too could have been designed a little nicer. I don't have a problem with the mitre scale and adjustment, but I do have reservation with the plastic indicator. It seems accurate so far, and I haven't had any trouble, but it just feels cheap. The cam-lock for the bevel is very nice and one of the main reasons I chose this saw over the 708. I've not had any trouble adjusting it and it makes adjusting your bevel very easy. The stability of the saw does feel better than the 708. I also have mine mounted on the mounting brackets for the 723 mitre saw stand which increase tabletop stability greatly.

At first I had an issue with how the blade guard and handle were constructed. I was accustomed to the 708 with the handle in front of the guard. Consequently, I was used to letting my thumb hang on the outside of the handle. If you do this on the 718, your thumb will get pinched as the blade guard raises. I later found out that this was done intentionally so that you could use your thumb to raise the guard manually when cutting oversized stock. I don't notice it anymore.

Some people have mentioned that the kerf plate opening is a bit large, and it is; but you can create your own or buy another blank and cut it yourself. As it is, it is just open enough to accept a full bevel in either direction. I've noticed very little rip out. The blade does drop below the plate a little more than other saws, but I believe this is to accommodate the increased cutting width. I haven't had a problem with this so far. This one only spins up to 3,600 RPM; not as fast as the 708 which I believe was 4,000 RPM. I would really like the higher RPM as I feel it would make a cleaner cut; but, I really can't complain with what I'm getting out of it now.

So far I'm satisfied with my purchase. It's handled everything I've needed it to so far, and like any other tool I'm learning how to use it most effectively. I bought it with the intention of having a good-all-round saw and not needing to buy another for a good 10 years or more, and I think this will work for me. I had considered the Makita LS1013, like a lot of people, but I think bang-for-the-buck was the final deciding factor for me; at the time I bought it, it offered the most features for the best price. Hopefully I won't be disappointed too soon.

I would give it 3.5 stars, but I didn't feel that I could justify 4 due to the finish and the slide action.