The Dewalt DW745 Table Saw is Dewalt’s new 10-inch compact job-site saw. It features the new Site-Pro Modular Guarding System that adjusts the saw quickly for a variety of cuts, and it has a compact, portable design coupled with a powerful 15 amp motor, a large16-inch rip capacity and maximum depth of cut of 3-1/8 inch. The DW745 comes with a split blade guard, adjustable miter gauge and a push stick (which all secure to the side of the tool itself for easy portability) as well as a 10-inch, 24-tooth carbide blade to get you started.
What to Look for When Buying a Table Saw
The central tool in almost all cabinetmaking shops is the table saw, probably the most useful single tool the average woodworker is going to have, because the work it does serves as a base for everything that comes afterwards. There are 3 main types – bench top, contractor and cabinet saw – with bench top table saws being the lightest, used most often by contractors and other people who need a lightweight, portable job-site saw.
Once you’ve used one you’ll wonder how you managed without it and you certainly won’t want it sitting back in the workshop when you’re out on site – hence the popularity of lightweight, portable saws. Whatever type you choose there are a number of features that you need to look for. In this Dewalt DW745 Table Saw Review we’ll take a look at the power of the motor, the guard, the fence, the miter gauge and dust extraction. Since this is a job-site saw we’ll also look at the portability and sturdiness.
Powerful 15 Amp Motor
Despite its compact and lightweight design, the Dewalt DW745 still has a powerful 15 Amp motor with a no-load speed of 3,850 rpm which is adequate to rip through hardwoods and pressure treated lumber.
Site-Pro Modular Guarding System
The DW745 uses Dewalt’s Site-Pro™ Modular Guarding System which is a three-part, modular system that includes a rise and fall riving knife, anti-kickback pawls and top guard. This tool-free, adjustable guard system provides an easy-to-use blade guard that offers a clear line of sight when making cuts, and minimizes installation and removal of guard components to 30 seconds or less.
The tool-free riving knife helps to reduce the occurrence of kickback and allows users to easily change riving knives in order to accommodate for various blade thicknesses. Additionally, the riving knife can be situated in two different positions for making through cuts and non-through cuts. A spring-loaded lock helps users quickly find the detents for each position.
Telescoping Rack and Pinion Fence
To increase the cutting capacity in this compact saw, the DW745 has telescoping fence rails; this means you can retract the fence rails when you’re carrying it around and then by extending the rails you get a 16-inch ripping capacity. Another excellent feature is that the fence rails have rack and pinion adjustment which makes adjusting the fence fast and smooth, and most importantly accurate.
Miter Gauge
In line with pretty well every table saw on the market, including expensive cabinet saws, the miter gauge that is supplied with this saw is fairly basic. If you plan to do a lot of cross cutting then you should consider investing in an after market miter gauge. There are some excellent miter gauges on the market and you can read reviews of the best of them at Miter Gauge Reviews
Dust Extraction
Whether you are working on site or in the workshop, dust extraction is very important, and the Dewalt DW745 has a 2-1/2″ dust collection port that you can attach to a Shop-Vac to safely and efficiently extract dust from the work area.
Sturdy and portable design
This saw gives you everything that you need in a portable saw – although the DW745 is compact and very lightweight at only 45lbs meaning you can easily carry it around, it is designed with the job site in mind and so it is also very sturdy with a metal roll cage base which is much more durable than plastic bases. It also has adjustable rear leveling feet as you can’t always guarantee that you can find somewhere flat on site.
How much should you expect to pay?
What’s in the box?
The kit includes everything you need to get started
- DEWALT DW745 10-inch job site table saw
- 10-inch 24-tooth TCT saw blade
- Miter gauge, push stick and blade guard
What are other people saying?
The Dewalt DW745 Table Saw has received a lot of excellent comments from users
- “I think DeWalt hit a home run with this saw”
- “Absolutely fantastic portable saw!!”
- “Long story short: five stars for this saw”
- “It is hard to imagine going wrong with this saw”
- “Absolutely the best saw in its class!”
Any complaints?
We couldn’t find any complaints about this saw, apart from a few complaints about the miter gauge. As we said earlier, the miter gauge that is supplied with this saw (and with pretty well every other table saw including high-end cabinet saws) is fairly basic – you should consider upgrading if you are going to do a lot of cross cutting. You can read reviews of the best miter gauges on the market at Miter Gauge Reviews
What kind of warranty is there?
Even though this saw is aimed at the job-site and can expect to get a bit of heavy treatment, you still get a three-year limited warranty, one-year free service, and 90-day money-back guarantee
