# DeWalt DWS780 Type 22 Miter Saw?



## Mud (Feb 5, 2021)

Hi All,

I just bought a DeWalt DWS780 Miter saw brand new from HD. I am enjoying the accuracy and no-slop feel of the angle engagements. There are 2 things I dislike about it. 1) The action of the sliding on bars is very stiff even when the locking knob is fully loose. For example, it's hard to get precision movements to align to pencil marks when sawing crown moulding flat. 2) The 2-piece dust collection port is cheap, it wiggles around a lot and flimsy. It does not even accept a 1.5" vac nicely let alone a 2.5" vac without some shop mods. This is unacceptable for a saw that costs this much. Dust still goes everywhere despite my best effort to connect the vac. My $199 HF miter saw makes very little dust comparatively and slides really easily. It has horrible accuracy problems however, which is why I wanted the DeWalt.

So on to my question, lol. I just learned (after buying the DWS780 of course), that DeWalt makes "types" of DWS780 and it is difficult to tell which type you have without actually opening the box. Anyways, during my research of types of DWS780, I was able to find 4 different "types". My product label sticker on my saw clearly identifies it as a type 22, which is something I can't find info about on Google. Is this type 22 any good as compared to the type 20 and the other DWS780 types? I bought it from HD for $599 with no special offers or free items. Does this one have the cost-reduced features (motor) that I read about on the other types of DWS780 saws? Should I return it and get another model like the DWS779 and save some cash or keep the one I have?

I really wanted to get one of the battery powered Makita saws since I have like 8 of their larger capacity batteries, but I read that their accuracy is not as good as the DeWalt.

Thanks for your help!


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Makita has always been as about as good as it gets in my experience. I hated their miter saw because of the sound it made. The newer ones may not be that way but the older ones made an awful obnoxious noise. They were great saws, I just couldn't stand that sound all day trimming houses.

If you can find a DW708 that would be the saw to buy. They don't make that model any more but maybe a pawn shop would have one. I have owned many miter saws in my career but this DW708 rates right up there with the best I have ever owned. Most of the Dewalt miter saws now aren't built as sturdy as the 708. JMHO


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## Mud (Feb 5, 2021)

BigJim said:


> Makita has always been as about as good as it gets in my experience. I hated their miter saw because of the sound it made. The newer ones may not be that way but the older ones made an awful obnoxious noise. They were great saws, I just couldn't stand that sound all day trimming houses.
> 
> If you can find a DW708 that would be the saw to buy. They don't make that model any more but maybe a pawn shop would have one. I have owned many miter saws in my career but this DW708 rates right up there with the best I have ever owned. Most of the Dewalt miter saws now aren't built as sturdy as the 708. JMHO


Cool. I am starting to get the feeling that the cost cutters at DeWalt are responsible for this decline as you mention. I just might get that Makita saw to test it on my own since I have no experiences with it, but I have many other Makita power tools that I love.


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## stubach (Feb 20, 2021)

I’ve had the DWS780 type 1 for several years. Can’t speak to differences in types, sorry. Mine was bought at Lowe’s when they were running the free heavy duty travel stand and clips kit for free. I have loved it and anyone who uses it talks about how much more precise it is than whatever they have at home. 

Mine slides smoothly on the rails but I will agree with the cheaply made dust collection tube. I did recently discover that Rockler makes a small tools accessory dust collection hose with adapters that fits the port perfectly. This is opposed to buying the Dewalt specific adapter that they sell online only (part number should be in your manual). 

Prior to the Rockler hose I just made my own out of PVC that I tuned the inside diameter to the pipe and the outside I lined with felt to fit my vacuum hose. It worked ok but I like the Rockler one way better.


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

I am reasonably sure the "types" are the progression of changes to the saw model as time passes. What those particular 22 type changes are I have no clue, but I am reasonably sure that is what the type indicates. If anyone has any differing info it would be appreciated. I think of types like a revision to a drawing.

BTW, I have a DWS782 which is a dumbed down DWS780 on the lines of the DWS779. I am happy with it. It gets used for crosscutting and miters most of all occasionally some beveling. I don't have any dust collection other than the factory bag.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

stubach said:


> I’ve had the DWS780 type 1 for several years. Can’t speak to differences in types, sorry. Mine was bought at Lowe’s when they were running the free heavy duty travel stand and clips kit for free. I have loved it and anyone who uses it talks about how much more precise it is than whatever they have at home.
> 
> Mine slides smoothly on the rails but I will agree with the cheaply made dust collection tube. I did recently discover that Rockler makes a small tools accessory dust collection hose with adapters that fits the port perfectly. This is opposed to buying the Dewalt specific adapter that they sell online only (part number should be in your manual).
> 
> Prior to the Rockler hose I just made my own out of PVC that I tuned the inside diameter to the pipe and the outside I lined with felt to fit my vacuum hose. It worked ok but I like the Rockler one way better.


Please don't think I was trying to run any other Dewalt saw down, I have never used any other Dewalt Miter saw so I can't say one way or the other. I do know the DW 708 I have is a really good saw. I also know Makita makes great products. As for sturdy, the DW780 weighs 56 pounds, the DW 708 weighs 76 pounds. I have checked the other saws out and I found the DW708 was the best saw for me at the time.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

DW708 is a very good saw.. I've used the DW780. Not as good , but like everything weight and cost come with production. 

After awhIle the discussiin in comparison willl become extinct.


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## stubach (Feb 20, 2021)

BigJim said:


> Please don't think I was trying to run any other Dewalt saw down, I have never used any other Dewalt Miter saw so I can't say one way or the other. I do know the DW 708 I have is a really good saw. I also know Makita makes great products. As for sturdy, the DW780 weighs 56 pounds, the DW 708 weighs 76 pounds. I have checked the other saws out and I found the DW708 was the best saw for me at the time.


I agree completely. As new features come out you sometimes sacrifice in one area to add in another. My dad has a really old delta miter saw that is rock solid and amazingly accurate. But has no slide action, now alignment light/laser, limited tilt to one side, etc. as new innovations come along sometimes you sacrifice somewhere else. There are several plastic items in the saw that probably were metal at one point that could account for the weight difference. 

When I was researching what miter saw to replace my crap ryobi one that couldn’t keep 90deg, the 780 was the hands down highest rated saw at the time but I’ve seen a lot of new ones come out since than. Sounds to me like more of that cost cutting has happened between the type 1 DWS780 and type 22 based on Op notes. I’d be curious to see if the type 22 is a Home Depot only model to allow HD to sell more competitively? I know Hd and Lowe’s get exclusive models on a lot of gear for that reason. Example would be the Delta 725 table saws that are only available from Lowe’s but are lower priced (cheaper made?) version of the more expensive series that Looks identical. (Note: I bought this model due to its value price point and love it)

My only advice, if your unhappy with it now, return it and get something else. Those issues will nag you for years till you replace it anyways so might as well save the money now and just do it. If you’re so inclined, buy a 780 from Lowe’s and see what type you get. If not go with one of the other brands that have high rated ones out there. I’ve heard the new Ridgid one is solid and comes with an awesome warranty but I will agree Makita makes great stuff too and they seem to be going through a revival of quality and new tools coming out based on what I’ve read/seen in store.

At the end of the day, our project time and funds are too precious to waste with tools we hate to use. You’ll just end up avoiding that tool and the investment will be worthless. Save and buy what your happy with when you can rather than settling, lesson my grandpa taught us and I have relearned the hard way many times over my life.


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

Clearly the OP should buy what he wants. $600 is a lot of money.

Anyway, as time passed Dewalt has had many 12" sliders. Their flagship saws were the DW708, upgraded to the DW718 upgraded to their DWS780 which has been around a long time now. They also offer the DHS790 which is their flexvolt model and would be considered a flagship as well. As lesser (what I like to call dumbed down), more a affordable 12" sliders they have had several. The DW709, the DWS779 and the DWS782 (there may have been others). These saws all have something that makes them less than their flagship counterpart. The 709 had a straight bar operating the blade guard limiting it to smaller crown molding. The 779 and the 782 handles didn't have features for adding a light or weren't offered with lights. Not an exhaustive list of what made them different or less but a couple points to show some difference. The 709 was their lesser model for a long time. Originally, the 779 and the 782 were just specialty or limited runs with the 779 eventually taking over as the lesser offering from the 709. These lesser saws could generally be had at 50%-75% of the cost of the flagship.

This is only about 12" sliders as I know it. Not meant to be exhaustive. There may be more information out there. Maybe this will help if you are adding used saws to your search.

Good luck.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Subroc...Dewalt 708 was it and since then they gotten cheaper made. If I reme,be correctly at that time Bosch and Milwaukee sliders weren't exactly cheap...

We were using the newer Dewalt at the shop and the first one we could not get aligned, bought a new one and the motor failed. I've heard from many the motors weren't as good..


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

Rebelwork said:


> Subroc...Dewalt 708 was it and since then they gotten cheaper made. If I reme,be correctly at that time Bosch and Milwaukee sliders weren't exactly cheap...


If you say so. Not looking for an argument. I don't care if you like the current crop of Dewalt stuff or not. Truth of the matter is I was just trying to provide the OP some sort of timeline for Dewalt 12" sliders as I know it. Lot of guys feel the need to run down stuff they have limited experience with and this forum has an abundance of those people.

I like my slider. I have nothing bad to say about it.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I tthink everything gets worse with cost. The tool, shipping, and labor. 

I never had the chance to use the milwaukee or the Bosch, these might have been better , don't know. 

I just heard a lot of negatively towards the newer modes from tri carpenters. 

I don't know the newest Dewalt slidr. I'll take a look at it..


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## Mud (Feb 5, 2021)

Thanks all for the replies.  I just completed some crown moulding, cutting it flat, which as you know does not require coping. The saw performed really well with exception of the dust collection and the grabby/notchy sliding action. Accuracy was outstanding and it was easy to dial in the miters and bevels due to the easy to read scales and nice feel in the rotations of the miter table.

Maybe I got a bad saw (grabby slider)?

I am getting the feeling that my type 22 is the latest cost reduced model with lesser amount of who knows what inside it. It's still leagues beyond my HF cheapo, so I have that going for me.

Still may return it and exchange it for a new one, or at least explain it to HD and see if another one does the same thing.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

stubach said:


> My dad has a really old delta miter saw that is rock solid and amazingly accurate.


Back in the 70s. there was a Delta miter saw that was one of the best saws I ever had. They stopped making them and I looked high and low for another one but no luck. It was just a miter saw, no tilt or slide. No saws were on the market like that back then. The first electric one I ever say back in the 60s was a Rockwell, that little sucker was heavy, it was made out of cast iron. Things have come a long long way since I first used a miter saw.


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

BigJim is anything made in the past 20 years any good? Or, is only these tools from your past that are good enough?


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

The Makita LS1000 was a good miter box. There's a Craftsman motorized miter saw I had good luck with too. I'll try and find a picture..


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## Mud (Feb 5, 2021)

subroc said:


> BigJim is anything made in the past 20 years any good? Or, is only these tools from your past that are good enough?


Good question. Seems like the DeWalt stuff, (type 1 of the DWS780 and earlier?) was good, but the cost cutting measures Dewalt made took care of that to some degree. I think the 780 still is in the conversation for the best saw made today, however. I can't think of a better one with possible exception of the Makita, but you dont have the shadow light system on that one.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Shadow light isn't a saw maker or breaker..


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## stubach (Feb 20, 2021)

Rebelwork said:


> Shadow light isn't a saw maker or breaker..


I’ll say the shadow light feature was one of the big features I liked about the 780 when I was making my decision and it has proven to be amazing. No need to align/adjust laser settings when you change a blade. It just works no matter what blade is on and no matter the angles. Just my 2c.

Fully agree on older tools being built to last he’s our disposable society of today. Old cast iron beats new sheet metal any day unless you need modern features for some reason.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

the problem with the "older" miter saws is that many were 8", or less...


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

As someone that loves old stuff, hell, my table saw is 65 years old, these modern power tools are terrific. The battery powered stuff is so much better than the corded stuff it replaced as to make it laughable. More power, lighter, convenient AND no cord to drag around the room. We hardly ever hear anyone anymore making the claim that battery powered stuff will never be as good as corded stuff. That was a common refrain here for many years. I just watched a YouTube where the new Dewalt rear handle went up against a Skil 77. The Dewalt kicked its ass. These new miter saws are great. I like mine. Without significant evidence that this current crop is inferior, I won't believe it. Anecdotal at best. The reviews at Amazon back up my opinion. Clearly we can all say what we want and believe what we want.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Skill77. You couldn't pull it out of a carpenters hands and trade. I actually have a Milwaukee worm drive ..

I'll say it, other than cordless drill and paslodes, I'll skip other battery powered tools. Pulling a power cord routing cabinets aren't that hard...

Battery operated ate good for housecall, hardwares on houses, etc. Most shops use air when there smart enough. Reason I consider a quality air compressor 1st important tool of the shop.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

subroc said:


> As someone that loves old stuff, hell, my table saw is 65 years old, these modern power tools are terrific. The battery powered stuff is so much better than the corded stuff it replaced as to make it laughable. More power, lighter, convenient AND no cord to drag around the room. We hardly ever hear anyone anymore making the claim that battery powered stuff will never be as good as corded stuff. That was a common refrain here for many years. I just watched a YouTube where the new Dewalt rear handle went up against a Skil 77. The Dewalt kicked its ass. These new miter saws are great. I like mine. Without significant evidence that this current crop is inferior, I won't believe it. Anecdotal at best. The reviews at Amazon back up my opinion. Clearly we can all say what we want and believe what we want.


Everyone doesn't have the same opinion about any tool, what is a really good tool to one may not be to another. What I consider what is a really good tool shouldn't matter at all to anyone other than myself. Other people's choice is theirs to make. I have reasons to not buy a certain tool as well as why I do buy a certain tool. If everyone like just one tool that tool brand would be rich and every other ones would be out of business.

I am an old cuss and I have had some really good tools and I have had some really bad tools, the age didn't make a difference, the quality of the tool did.


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