Quality of Cut, Body and Hand Position Figure

Bevel angles can be set from 48° left to 48° right and can be cut with the miter arm set between 50° left and 60° right. Ensure the fence has been adjusted properly. When per- forming right bevel cuts, or right miter compound cuts, it may be necessary to remove the right adjustable fence.

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 slow, even cutting rate will produce the desired results.

To ensure that material does not creep while cutting, clamp it securely in place. Always let the blade come to a full stop before raising the arm. If small fibers of wood still split out at the rear of the workpiece, apply 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 re- commended saw blades for your saw and select the one that best fits your needs.

Body and Hand Position (Figure 16)

Proper positioning of your body and hands when operating the sliding compound miter saw will make cutting easier, more accurate and safer. Never place hands near cutting area. Place hands no closer than 6" (152mm) from the blade. 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.

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

FIG. 16

English

CORRECTCORRECT

CAUTION: Disconnect the saw from the power supply before moving it or making any adjustments.

INCORRECT

If you cannot secure the workpiece on the table and against the fence by hand, for instance, when cutting an irregularly shaped piece, or when your hand would be less than 6” from the blade, a clamp or other fixture should be used.

For best results use the DW7082 clamp made for use with your saw. It is available through your local retailer or DEWALT service center at extra cost.

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 fences will slide from side to side to aid in clamping.

Support for Long Pieces

CAUTION: Disconnect the saw from the power supply before moving it or making any adjustments.

Always support long pieces.

For best results, use the DW7080 extension kit to extend the table width of your saw. The attachment is available for purchase from your dealer. Support long workpieces using any convenient means such as sawhorses or similar devices to keep the ends from dropping. The base top is 3.5" tall, allowing a 4x4 or 2 2x4s to be used on a long table or bench.

Precision Cutting

CUTTING PICTURE FRAMES, SHADOW BOXES AND OTHER FOUR SIDED PROJECTS

To best understand how to make the items listed here, we suggest that you try a few simple projects using scrap wood until you develop a feel for your saw.

Your saw is the perfect tool for mitering corners like the one shown in figure 17. Sketch A in figure 17 shows a joint made by using the bevel adjustment to bevel the edges of the two boards at 45˚ each to produce a 90˚ corner. For this joint the