Miter Saw, 12 Inch Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw, Includes Blade Wrench and Clamp, Increased Crosscut Capacity, Powerful 3800 RPM Motor 15 Amp (DWS779)

I'm comparing this to a DW70 sliding miter saw by Dewalt that's about 16 or 17 years old. A few years ago the retractable blade guard quit working correctly on it so I shoved a screw in the guard and locked it in the up position so I could still use it. This worked ok and yes you're right it is a little dangerous to use it this way. But I have it mounted permanently to a bench so no one uses it but me. Enters my youngest grandson who is now 20. Gramps, help me build some tables, which is teenage for "let me borrow your tools". So not wanting to have him go through life thinking Grandpop was responsible for him loosing a finger I opted to replace it and very happy I did. This is a great saw with a few better features than the old one. First it does come with a decent 12" blade, designed for crosscutting. Its not the best but defiantly decent. Most DIYers will find it most adequate. It's able to cut 4 x 4's in a single cut, which a 10" saw cannot. By the way it does have a 5/8" arbor so if you upgrade to a 12", 60 tooth blade, you'll need to buy an adapter ring. About $7 on Amazon. Any brand name will work as long as its a 5/8 x 1" adapter. It just a washer that fits inside the blade hole and over the arbor on the saw. This keeps the blade centered. Many 12" blades have 1" holes so they will fit sloppy without the adapter on this saw. By the way the guard retracting mechanism is all together different on this saw and will not have the same problems my old saw has, ever. Much simpler and cleaner. The saw also has an a safety switch built into the on switch in the handle. The DW70 did not have this. Unlike other tools with safety switches this one isn't a pain in the butt to use. You just have to get use to it. I's 3.5" wider than my old one which isn't important to me, since I have it built into a bench with an 8' long fence. But if you're using it portable an extra long fence is nice to have. Also the instruction book (yes I read it, well most of it) mentioned the fences are individually adjustable to keep you work perfectly in line. I have a different brand small miter saw that if you hold the board to the left of the blade it cuts perfectly but you hold the board to the right side of the blade it cuts about a degree off. since its not adjustable it can make for some sloppy, out of square miters. Talking about miters the adjustment mechanism is much better than the old style and this saw's stops came dead on, I didn't have to fine tune it all but it has the ability to fine tune it if it gets out of wack. It has a tube protruding out the back to exhaust sawdust and look like you can attach a vac to it or they include a dust catcher bag you can hang on it. That's a nice perk. My old saw blew sawdust everywhere. Of course there's no laser but I haven't convinced myself I need one. I had an add on, on the old saw, the little disc kind that fits on the arbor bolt next to the blade. You need the blade spinning to have it working and by then you really should have you board cut mark lined up anyway. So like most other woodworkers I set the stopped blade down on my cut line then raise the saw a bit above the board and turn it on then make the cut. I suppose its reassuring to see the red laser mark especially if it's a wide board and you haven't checked your miter alignment recently but really its just fluff. For $150 bucks more as a built it accessory its not worth it to me. As for the arbor disc gidgee, maybe I'll put it on when I change the blade to the 60 tooth, maybe? Right now it's in a drawer under the saw. My grandson, he went home with 2, 8 ft beer drinking frat tables and all 10 fingers and me I spent 2 great days with my youngest grandkid and hope he learned a couple tricks from his grumpy old grandpop. What a great saw

Update 3-15-2019--Great price on this saw on Amazon right now at $334. Perhaps best ever. Buy it! ________________________________________________________________________________________ DeWalt does not list this model (DWS779) on their web site, probably because this saw is the top-of-the-line DWS780 corded sliding compound miter saw without the DWS780's superb XPS guide light. Right now on Amazon (as of January, 2017) and elsewhere (Home Depot online) the DWS779 is selling for $200 less than the DWS780--a substantial savings if you can do without the light. DeWalt used to sell an accessory XPS light for older saw models, but no longer. Though the accessory lights can still be found on Ebay, the electrical coupler for the accessory is no longer built into newer saws. Youtube has guides to ordering the relevant parts off the DWS780 parts list and hacking them onto the DWS779. It will set you back a bit less than $70 and a little work. My wife bought me a DWS709 12-inch sliding compound miter saw at Home Depot on Black Friday. It was advertised as a $549 value being sold as a "Special Deal" at $399 (with an additional $25 taken off at the register from manufacturer). When she gave it to me at Christmas I looked it up and found that it was a substantially different saw than the DWS780, and that it was then selling (post-Christmas) for $349 at Home Depot. Home Depot's Black Friday advertising led my wife to believe the saw she was buying was the DWS780, DeWalt's top-of-the-line saw. The Black Friday ad didn't mention model number, nor was it on display in the store, suggesting an intention to mislead potential buyers. The saw she actually received (the DWS709) is a twelve-inch sliding compound saw. But though it superficially resembles the DWS779 and DWS780, it has diminished cutting capacities along with several other more minor deficiencies (handle placement, miter-angle adjustment release, etc.). Despite Home Depot selling the DWS709 as a Black Friday "special" for $399, the store routinely sells the saw for less than $399 on its web site. This saw, the DWS779, is routinely sold for $399 on the web. That's what I bought it for from Amazon, and that's its price at Home Depot online. It is the DWS780 without the XPS light, possessing the same motor, fence, blade, stops and capacities as the DWS780. Home Depot occasionally offers a special combination of a DeWalt 12-inch sliding miter saw with a stand for $599. However, the saw sold with the stand in my experience is not the DWS780, but the DWS779 and sometimes the DWS709. Purchasers who aren't aware of the different models (and I think DeWalt intentionally obscures model differences to enable such marketing ploys) don't realize that they could buy the same saw for $399. They think they're getting the top-of-the-line DeWalt DWS780 sliding miter saw with a free stand (about a $200 value). Instead, they're getting as a package a DWS779 or DWS709 saw and a stand that they might be able to purchase separately for cheaper.... Finally, as to the tool itself (the DWS779), if you can live without the XPS light, it's everything people write about the DWS780. Good saw. Heavy. I mean, HEAVY. I'm amazed at how much heavier it is than my 20-year-old DeWalt miter saw. But a great machine. You will want a rolling stand for it if you intend to use it on sites. Trust me on this.

If you aren't already aware, this DeWalt 12-in Sliding Compound Miter Saw is already one of the most highly rated miter saws on the market. It's perfectly suited for jobsites as well as garage shops for the DIY-er. It is a hefty piece of equipment that feels solid in all the right places. With a 12-in blade and the ability to slide, this saw is capable of cross-cutting very wide stock. While most people won't need to cut stock this wide, it's nice to have the capability to do so when needed. As is the case with all miter saws, the dust collection leaves much to be desired. You can count on dust flying every direction when cutting anything. It's nearly impossible to contain without a shroud of some kind. Even with a shop vac attached to the vacuum port on the back, you will still need to clean the front side of the saw to remove sawdust. The saw came pretty square out of the box, with only minor adjustments needed. I replaced the stock blade for a higher tooth count blade for cleaner cuts, so I can't comment on the quality of the stock blade. It would likely suffice for cutting construction grade lumber, but is likely not suitable for cleaner cuts on surfaced wood for projects. The miter gauge on the saw with stops at the most common angles is pretty spot on and standard for a saw of this caliber. The bevel adjustment is performed by loosening the knob at the back of the saw and then retightening it to the desired bevel angle. I haven't utilized this yet, so it is yet to be seen how accurate the bevel markings are. All in all, I would recommend this saw. DeWalt makes quality products that you can rely on in any setting. While their prices are typically higher than other big box brands, you can rest assured you are getting a solid and sturdy product that will last you for many years. I got this miter saw on sale at a price that was competitive with other manufacturers' 12-in sliding compound miter saws. You will not go wrong with this miter saw for your job or garage!

I purchased this saw several months ago and put it through some minor work. I really liked it, but it is a nice Dewalt saw, so that was not a surprise. Fast forward to April and I started to build a new deck. I really put this tool through a gauntlet of testing. I used it for cutting pretty much everything to make the new deck. The deck is ~450 square feet. The supporting structure is all pressure treated lumber and the decking surface is all Trex composite material. To sum it up, I am so thankful I purchased this saw prior to this job. It made the job much faster, much more precise, and much safer than it would have been without it. I preach to employees at work how they need to use the right tools to do a job safely, but I am often guilty of ignoring that advice for myself at home. Fortunately, I am married to someone much smarter than I am. She convinced me to get the saw I was ogling and I am so happy she did. It cuts incredibly well. Clean, reproducible cuts. Even with the stock blade that came with it, it was excellent. It has power enough to go through everything I threw at it without concerns. I cut many pressure treated 4x4s, 2x12s, and all other lumber. The versatility of the saw made each of these tasks minor and safer than I would have had to do with my old miter saw and radial arm saw. I looked heavily at the DWS779 vs. the DWS780 before making this purchase. I recommend you look hard at both before deciding. The major factor for me was that the critical parts are exactly the same. The only difference was the lighting system for the blade. This was not worth $150 additional for the DWS780 model to me. If it matters to you, the DWS779 can be upgraded for <$50 to be an exact copy of the DWS780. Google it and you can find what parts to buy on Amazon to complete this upgrade. Overall, I highly recommend this saw. It is not inexpensive, but if you want an excellent tool that will last for many years, it is a worthy investment.

Great saw for a great price

I previously had a 12" makita miter saw with a direct motor this was my first belt drive unit. I use my miter saw daily as it is vital part of my daily work. My makita was ten years old and I really needed a sliding compound to cut larger wood. Here are my quick pro and cons: Pros: ~Cuts are pretty accurate and clean ~Good power through the cuts Cons ~Belt drive kicks on initial start up (makita slow start is nice feature) ~Rubber funnel dust collector. Big thumbs down if your hook it up to a dust collector. The dust collector will actually cause the rubber to collapse and block the dust hole. My fix was to fold it back over it self. I really wanted this saw to work. Still not sure if I'll keep it. Really miss the makita slow start/ direct motor but really needed the slide. My buddy swears by dewalt. So decided on this saw mainly due to price. The 12" sliding makita goes for $570. Just might have to go back to team teal. BTW on the dewalt box it did say "special purchase". For a weekend warrior this is a good saw at a fair price but I think for someone that uses it daily I probably would step it up Update 08/14/2018. I've been using this saw everyday and it has been great. I added a laser to it and makes cutting even faster. Has a few issues here and there but nothing major. Nothing a few adjustments cant fix.. Overall good work by Dewalt. Update 08/29/2024 Use the saw daily as part of work since 2016. ABout 800 cuts a week. So far Ive replaced following parts: Armature (bearing went bad) , Bearing at blade, Carbon blades and today the torsion spring snaped (replacement on order) . Not bad for 8 year old saw. Ive been using the diabolo blade and that blade has lasted the longest with all those cuts.

This DEWALT 12-inch Miter Saw is an absolute game-changer for all your DIY projects! Let me tell you, the increased crosscut capacity is a total game-changer, making those tricky angled cuts a breeze. The powerful 3800 RPM motor? It's like a beast - smooth, precise, and cuts through wood like butter. Plus, the double bevel sliding compound feature? So handy for those complex cuts without having to flip your workpiece.Now, for some real talk. The only minor downside I've noticed is that it's a bit on the heavier side, but honestly, it's a small price to pay for the quality and performance you get in return. Trust me, once you get your hands on this bad boy, you won't look back. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a newbie DIY-er, this DEWALT Miter Saw is a must-have in your workshop arsenal! 🔥🔨

I recently purchased the DEWALT DWS779 12-Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw, and it has exceeded all my expectations! This saw is incredibly powerful and precise, making it perfect for a wide range of woodworking projects. The dual horizontal steel rails with innovative clamping mechanism and linear ball bearings deliver an accurate cut every time. The 12-inch blade effortlessly handles large pieces of wood, and the sliding feature allows for extended cutting capacity. The dust collection system is highly efficient, keeping my workspace clean and reducing cleanup time. The bevel and miter adjustments are easy to use, allowing for quick changes and fine-tuning. The build quality is top-notch, and the saw feels sturdy and well-constructed. Overall, the DEWALT DWS779 is a reliable, high-performance tool that has significantly improved my workflow. I highly recommend it to both professionals and DIY enthusiasts looking for a dependable miter saw!