# Dewalt DW745



## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

The Dewalt DW745 has recently gone on sale at Home Depot to a price of 269.00 and I was looking to buy my first table saw. I say my first because I am currently borrowing a Ryobi table saw from my step father. After using that saw, I will never buy a Ryobi; the fence was terrible and the motor too weak to rip through the material I needed it to. Any thoughts if this table saw will suffice? I am new to woodworking and have just begun to do minor furniture projects, plus the hubby do list for the new house. Please help!!


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Are you set on a bench top unit? Is it a space issue? Price issue?


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

Not set on anything. I grew up on dewalt and noticed this was on sale; I do not have my heart set on anything in particular. It is mostly a price issue, I kicked my wife's car out of the garage so I have full reign of the garage haha. I am only 24 and do not have a a lot of disposable income.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Here's the thing. Small portable table saws fit best into the need for portability. Everything else (accuracy, power, ease of use, safety) are all compromised by the portability. 

Are you open to the idea of an older used saw?


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Another vote for used.

I have zero experience with the saw you mentioned but Id take a used stationary saw over a new portable saw any day. You can pick up used contractor saws on CL for cheap. The old Emerson made Craftsman saws can usually be found for $150 or less. Most of them will need some cleaning up and a fence upgrade to make a really good saw out of them but you still wind up in the same price range as the new portable and end up with a much better and safer saw.:thumbsup:


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

It's not that I am not open to a used saw, it is that I have gift cards and a credit card to Home Depot; this went on sale, have always had a great experience with Dewalt and gave it a thought. I am very new to the craft of woodworking, experience being from the odd jobs around my new home and what I Learned from my grandfather, a master carpenter; so I thought I would ask.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Fair enough. The ridgid 4512 is a top notch saw if you really want to buy from Home Depot. The thing is that a good table saw makes or breaks the hobby in my opinion. Some Home Depots will take harbor freight coupons....getting you down to around 400 for the 4512. 

Where abouts do you live? Someone may be able to point out a good used saw.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

If you have to have a saw from HD, look at the R4512. Take a HF 25% off coupon with you and you can get it for right around $400.

Edit, guess we were typing at the same time. lol


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

If you were using that saw only for cutting down trim boards or something like that I'd say go for it....but if you want to do true woodworking I'd hold out for a good deal on a contractor saw


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

I live in ocala fl. I am going to try the harbor freight coupon today.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

RedSoxFan2833 said:


> I live in ocala fl. I am going to try the harbor freight coupon today.


Make sure you talk to a manager if they initially say no. If the first Home Depot won't take it...try another


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

If you can find 500 bucks ( or talk the guy down). There's a craftsman 22124 on your local Craigslist for 500. It has a bisermeyer fence which alone is worth 400 bucks.


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## Hawkeye1434 (Dec 11, 2013)

I have the dewalt tabletop from HD. It's great for some things mostly smaller stuff it cannot handle 3/4 stacked dado sets you will need a contractor or cabinetsaw. I have all three and by far I use the stationary cabinet saw the most second would be the contractors steel city saw it's my dado saw right now. The tabletop dewalt is mainly for my small woodworking projects and I have it recessed down into my large assembly table. Just mke sure whichever you buy it can handle ny future woodworking aspirations you may have or you will end up with three saws you love and your wife hates


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

I was reading some of the reviews of the rigid and a lot of the lower reviews were about the same issue; rigid's poor customer service and poor design. Does anyone have this saw or can attest to rigid's customer service? I don't want to spend the money on a saw that will work for only a year.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

RedSoxFan2833 said:


> It's not that I am not open to a used saw, it is that I have gift cards and a credit card to Home Depot; this went on sale, have always had a great experience with Dewalt and gave it a thought. I am very new to the craft of woodworking, experience being from the odd jobs around my new home and what I Learned from my grandfather, a master carpenter; so I thought I would ask.


Use the cards for something else that you need. The advise to find a full scale used saw is good advise. An experienced woodworker can take a small saw and do good things with it. A novice is going to have problems.

George


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

RedSoxFan2833 said:


> I was reading some of the reviews of the rigid and a lot of the lower reviews were about the same issue; rigid's poor customer service and poor design. Does anyone have this saw or can attest to rigid's customer service? I don't want to spend the money on a saw that will work for only a year.


 Are you speaking of the R4512? Thats a well regarded saw around here. Id guess that theres a hundred or more owners of that saw right here at WWT and they are all happy with thier purchase. There were some complaints early on with some alignment issues but I havnt heard any recently. Go to the power tool section and type R4512 in the search box. Im sure youll find hundreds of threads.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

If your talking about the 4512...it's a darn good saw for the money. It's not a high end cabinet saw, but I'd have no issues buying one if I needed a saw in that budget area.


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## kkalin78 (Dec 20, 2012)

BassBlaster said:


> Are you speaking of the R4512? Thats a well regarded saw around here. Id guess that theres a hundred or more owners of that saw right here at WWT and they are all happy with thier purchase. There were some complaints early on with some alignment issues but I havnt heard any recently. Go to the power tool section and type R4512 in the search box. Im sure youll find hundreds of threads.


+1. I have R4512 for about year. Besides of the fence I believe this is a good saw for the money. Also there are is an issue with blade alligement. Apparently it's common issue of hybrid saws (not only this saw) Once you become aware about it it stops being the issue. See other threads where the issue was discussed.

Also I'm gonna replace the fence by Vega one and I believe R4512 will serve my needs perfectly.

Answering on initial question. I had dw745 prior R4512. This is a decent saw but it is benchtop saw. And I found that it is not safe and good for working with heavy or long stock or ply.This is why I sold dw745 and bought R4512.


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

Perfect, thank you everyone. HD did accept the coupon and military discount and ended up only paying 375 for the rigid hybrid. I plan on assembling it tonight.


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## d_slat (Apr 10, 2012)

You will probably be very happy with that saw. I've had mine for about a year and I like it a lot.


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

I went to a couple other sites, fine woodworking and stuff like that and the reviews were pretty consistent. I believe this saw will handle everything that I need it too; and really it was only 100 more, after discounts, than the bench saw. Again, thanks to everyone who replied; the craftsman on cl sold a couple says ago lol.


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## kkalin78 (Dec 20, 2012)

RedSoxFan2833 said:


> Perfect, thank you everyone. HD did accept the coupon and military discount and ended up only paying 375 for the rigid hybrid. I plan on assembling it tonight.


Cool. Do not forget to buy a good crosscut/combination and ripping blades. Stock blade is complitely trash.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Congrats. You'll be really happy with that saw.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Youll definately be glad you stepped up from that portable unit. Next time your at HD pick up a Freud Diablo 40 tooth combo blade. Be sure and spend some time with your blade to slot alignment if it needs any adjusting and then your fence alignment.


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

Got it all assembled. The directions were pretty straight forward but the pieces needed a little help aligning properly; over all it am very happy with the set up.


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## d_slat (Apr 10, 2012)

I can't tell from the pic but make sure that extension cord is at least 14 ga.


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

Will do, I was just using the extension cord to see if it works. The perm location has it's own designated outlet, will eventually be 220.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Is it just me.......or does it look like the wing on the left is bowed up at the end? Maybe its just an illusion....


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## RedSoxFan2833 (May 11, 2013)

I think it is just the picture, I used a square after it was assembled. I thought the same thing when I took the picture; it looked like both of the were.


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## Duane Bledsoe (Oct 18, 2012)

To me it does. If you look at the light reflection on the front edge of the left wing and follow it left, it appears to raise up away from the fence rail the further left it goes. If you have a 4 foot level, lay it across and see that it's truly flat. You can also just stretch a string from corner to corner and see if it is up or down from the table to determine flatness. It's a bit harder to determine a hump with a string but it can be done. A dip will easily show though.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

You made a huge step up from a portable saw....wise move IMO. The advice to buy a good blade is spot on too. :thumbsup:


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

RedSoxFan2833 said:


> The Dewalt DW745 has recently gone on sale at Home Depot to a price of 269.00 and I was looking to buy my first table saw. I say my first because I am currently borrowing a Ryobi table saw from my step father. After using that saw, I will never buy a Ryobi; the fence was terrible and the motor too weak to rip through the material I needed it to. Any thoughts if this table saw will suffice? I am new to woodworking and have just begun to do minor furniture projects, plus the hubby do list for the new house. Please help!!


A sample of one saw will not give enough information to either reject or accept the merits of any given manufacturer.

George


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