Crosscuts; Bevel Cuts; Quality Of Cut; Body And Hand Position - DeWalt DW718 Instruction Manual

the saw comes up to speed (about 1 second) lower the arm smoothly and
slowly to cut through the wood. Let the blade come to a full stop before
raising arm.
A crosscut is made by cutting wood across the grain at any angle. A straight
crosscut is made with the miter arm at the zero degree position. Set and
lock the miter arm at zero, hold the wood firmly on the table and against the
fence. With the rail lock knob tightened, turn on the saw by squeezing the
trigger switch shown in Figure 4.
When the saw comes up to speed (about 1 second) lower the arm smoothly
and slowly to cut through the wood. Let the blade come to a full stop before
raising arm.
When cutting anything larger than a 2 x 8 (2 x 6 at 45 degree miter) use
an out-down-back motion with the rail lock knob loosened. Pull the saw
out, toward you, lower the saw head down toward the workpiece, and
slowly push the saw back to complete the cut. Do not allow the saw to
contact the top of the workpiece while pulling out. The saw may run toward
you, possibly causing personal injury or damage to the workpiece.
NOTE: To provide greater crosscut capacity with reduced stroke the blade on
the DW718 extends deeper into the table. As a result a greater lifting force
on the workpiece may be experienced during the cut.
CAUTION: Always use a work clamp to maintain control and reduce the
risk of workpiece damage and personal injury.
NOTE: The rail lock knob shown in Figure 4 must be loose to allow the
saw to slide along its rails.
Miter crosscuts are made with the miter arm at some angle other than zero.
This angle is often 45 degrees for making corners, but can be set anywhere
from zero to 50 degrees left or right. Make the cut as described above.
When cutting wider workpieces wider than a 2 x 6 that are shorter in
length, always place the longer side against the fence (Fig. 12).

BEVEL CUTS

A bevel cut is a crosscut made with the saw blade at an angle to the
wood. In order to set the bevel, loosen the bevel lock handle, lift the bevel
latch lever, Figure 4, and move the saw to the left or right as desired. (It
is necessary to move the fence to allow clearance). Once the desired
bevel angle has been set, tighten the bevel clamp handle firmly.
Bevel angles can be set from 48 degrees right to
48 degrees left and can be cut with the miter arm set between
50 degrees right or 60 degrees left. At some extreme angles, the
right or left side fence might have to be removed. To remove the left or
right fence, unscrew the Fence Adjustment Knob several turns and slide
the fence out.

QUALITY OF CUT

The smoothness of any cut depends on a number of variables. Things like
material being cut, blade type, blade sharpness and rate of cut all contribute to
the quality of the cut.
When smoothest cuts are desired for molding and other precision work,
a sharp (60 tooth carbide) blade and a slower, even cutting rate will
produce the desired results.
Ensure that material does not creep while cutting, clamp it securely in
place. Always let the blade come to a full stop before raising arm.
If small fibers of wood still split out at the rear of the workpiece, stick a
piece of masking tape on the wood where the cut will be made. Saw
through the tape and carefully remove tape when finished.
For varied cutting applications, refer to the list of recommended saw
blades for your saw and select the one that best fits your needs (page 3).
BODY AND HAND POSITION (FIG. 13A)
Proper positioning of your body and hands when operating the miter saw
will make cutting easier, more accurate and safer. Never place hands near
cutting area. Place hands no closer than 150mm (6") from the blade.
FIG. 9
BLADE WRENCH
FIG. 11
Hold the workpiece tightly to the table and the fence when cutting. Keep
hands in position until the trigger has been released and the blade has
completely stopped. ALWAYS MAKE DRY RUNS (UNPOWERED) BEFORE
FINISH CUTS SO THAT YOU CAN CHECK THE PATH OF THE BLADE. DO
NOT CROSS HANDS, AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 13B.
Keep both feet firmly on the floor and maintain proper balance. As you
move the miter arm left and right, follow it and stand slightly to the side of
the saw blade. Sight through the guard louvers when following a pencil line.

CLAMPING THE WORKPIECE

Turn Off and Unplug Saw.
If you cannot secure the workpiece on the table and against the fence by
hand, (irregular shape, etc.) or your hand would be less than 150mm (6")
from the blade, a clamp or other fixture must be used.
For best results use the DW7082 clamp made for use with your saw.
Another type of clamp may be supplied with your DW718. To purchase
the DW7082 contact your local retailer or D WALT service center.
E
Other aids such as spring clamps, bar clamps or C-clamps may be
appropriate for certain sizes and shapes of material. Use care in selecting
and placing these clamps. Take time to make a dry run before making the
cut. The left or right fence will slide from side to side to aid in clamping.
8
FIG. 10
FENCE KNOB
(one each side)
MITER LOCK
ROD
FIG. 12
TO INSTALL CLAMP
1. Insert it into the hole behind the fence. The clamp should be facing
toward the back of the miter saw. The groove on the clamp rod
should be fully inserted into the base. Ensure this groove is fully
inserted into the base of the miter saw.
If the groove is visible, the clamp will not be secure.
2. Rotate the clamp 180 degrees toward the front of the miter saw.
3. Loosen the knob to adjust the clamp up or down, then use the fine
adjust knob to firmly clamp the workpiece.
NOTE: Place the clamp on the opposite side of the base when beveling.
ALWAYS MAKE DRY RUNS (UNPOWERED) BEFORE FINISH CUTS TO
CHECK THE PATH OF THE BLADE. ENSURE THE CLAMP DOES NOT
INTERFERE WITH THE ACTION OF THE SAW OR GUARDS.
WARNING: A workpiece that is clamped, balanced and secure before
a cut may become unbalanced after a cut is completed. An unbalanced
load may tip the saw or
anything the saw is attached to, such as a table or workbench. When
making a cut that may become unbalanced, properly support the
workpiece and ensure the saw is firmly bolted to a stable surface.
LOCK NUT