[Noek]

I have a Dewalt 717 mitre saw with a Freud Dibalo 10" blade and for the llife of me I can't figure out why, when making straight cuts, they come out crooked. I am going slow, clamping the workpiece down tight, but nothing seems to work, every piece comes out the same crooked way. I have re tightened the blade, but it was already tight. The saw is only about 3 months old. I did a blade alignment test and it appears to be straight. I appreciate any comments/suggestions. Thank you.

 

[Sawdustguy]

Since you are clamping the board down it can be only one of two things that I can see. Either the saw is out of alignment or there is something on the fence.

Did you put a square on the table resting the head against the fence and check the arm of the square against the saw blade? Do not check it against the tooth check against the blade body.

 

[Noek]

George,

Thanks, I was measuring against the tooth, so I will try your advice. The weird thing is, it cuts straight halfway through the cut, then it gets crooked. So every cut is half straight, which is strange.

 

[BigJoe16]

George, Thanks, I was measuring against the tooth, so I will try your advice. The weird thing is, it cuts straight halfway through the cut, then it gets crooked. So every cut is half straight, which is strange.

That can't be. The blade can't cut anything but straight. If a circular blade like that of a mitre saw, cut a curve or bend like you say, it would bind up. It wouldn't fit around the bend in the cut.

As for the saw, make sure your fence and top is clean and free of chips. My saw cuts the same way, it is about 1/2 degree off. I have to turn the head of the saw to the right 1/2 a degree to get perpendicular cuts. Try ajusting that on your saw.

 

[cabinetman]

It could be as simple as operator input. You may be exerting side pressure on the saw when cutting, causing it not to cut straight.

.

 

[Noek]

I have checked the whole saw over, either it is me screwing up or my clamp down isn't holding the piece all the way. For these cuts, I was not able to use both sides of the fence (or both clamp downs) since it was a short cut, the board wasn't long enough to extend all the the way to the right since I was only cutting about 1/4" off the board so perhaps that is what happened. Funny thing is, I must be consistently sucking because I made that same cut three times the same way.


I did align the saw to fence and it is dead on. Thanks for the input guys, I'll do a few test cuts tomorrow using the whole fence and both clamps to make sure it really is me.

 

[Saxe Point]

Is you carpenter's square really square? Might be worth checking.

 

[Anguspapa]

I have a DeWalt DWS780, 12" compound miter, chop radial arm saw, and have had the same problem since day 1. I have been told that it just part of the saws problems. When I pull it all the way, go in, I'll be 1/16 to 1/8 off. If I just chop, right on. I'll have to try everything that has been listed. It is very annoying. Eric

 

[GoNavy429]

I have the same saw and it was dead on right out of the box. Which Freud Dibalo 10" blade exactly do you have ? Remember even with all the fancy sliding bevel etc...it is basically still a chop saw, you can't use rip blades or any blade with a positive hook angle more then 5 degrees, even with a negative hook angle shouldn't be over 5 degrees. Have you tried putting the stock blade that came with the saw back on and make a cut, to see if it cuts straight, that would be my first check. Wrong blade type could be grabbing the wood and moving it, much like using a router in the wrong direction it try to climb on you, which you won't feel because it's a slider.

 

[Anguspapa]

It could be as simple as operator input. You may be exerting side pressure on the saw when cutting, causing it not to cut straight. .

. I hope I don't sound bad but what do I need to do to correct that. I pull out drop done and gently push in.

Eric

 

[Anguspapa]

I have the same saw and it was dead on right out of the box. Which Freud Dibalo 10" blade exactly do you have ? Remember even with all the fancy sliding bevel etc...it is basically still a chop saw, you can't use rip blades or any blade with a positive hook angle, even with a negative hook angle shouldn't be over 5 degrees. Have you tried putting the stock blade that came with the saw back on and make a cut, to see if it cuts straight, that would be my first check. Wrong blade type could be grabbing the wood and moving it, much like using a router in the wrong direction it try to climb on you, which you won't feel because it's a slider.

I'm using a 12" Diablo 80 tooth blade, model D1280x. I looked it up and it says it is at 15 degrees.

Model # D1280X
Diameter 12"
Machine Use Miter & Slide Miter Saw
Application Fine-Finish
Teeth 80 Hi-ATB
(Alternate-Top Bevel)
Arbor 1"
Kerf .118"
Hook Angle 15°

If this is not a good blade to use may I ask what you are use or suggest? Thanks


Eric

 

[cabinetman]

I'm using a 12" Diablo 80 tooth blade, model D1280x. I looked it up and it says it is at 15 degrees.

Model # D1280X
Diameter 12"
Machine Use Miter & Slide Miter Saw
Application Fine-Finish
Teeth 80 Hi-ATB
(Alternate-Top Bevel)
Arbor 1"
Kerf .118"
Hook Angle 15°

If this is not a good blade to use may I ask what you are use or suggest? Thanks


Eric

I rarely use a blade other than a 60T. I would use an 80T for some very thin or fragile material. I find that operator input can be an unconscious thing. This doesn't mean that you are unconscious while working. It just means that at times we do things without consciously thinking about them.

With tools that have outboard activities, like a radial arm saw, a CMS, and a SCMS, you can create some play in lateral movements with enough input. IOW, you can inadvertently override the lash restraint of the bearings and guides. If you pull out the saw motor of a RAS, you could twist the motor to cause some movement of the blade (left to right). On a SCMS, the same is possible, once you get the saw motor outboard.

So, all this dribble just means that it could be operator input. As you pull out your saw...or push it (whichever way you like to cut), let the saw ride as it will with just a guide control factor, and without any wrist action that could cause a deflection of travel. It's all about the feel.

.

 

[GoNavy429]

deleted..... thought I replying to OP, sorry..lol...when I saw 12" Diablo 80 tooth blade, model D1280x I freaked out for a sec, thought it was the OP and he was using that on DW717 which is a 10" saw...lol

 

[Anguspapa]

Well right off the bat that is a 1 inch arbor and these saws use a 5/8" arbor, so unless you are using some type of adapter, the blade may be moving on you, and is potentially dangerous. The main thing you need to check is arbor size and hook angle, just don't go over 5 degrees, positive or negative. Stay away from combination blade almost all of them have high hook angles, allot of finish blades that 80 to 100 tooth do as well. Freud are good blades. If you want to stick with them then Freud LU91R010 10-Inch 60 Tooth ATB will do just fine. But to be honest, 90% of the time I just use the stock blade that came with it, unless I plan to do fine miter cuts for joints then I use ATB blades, you really don't need more then 60 tooth. Just my opinion but for the cost difference of an 80 to 100 tooth vs the 60 ATB not worth it. I don't see the difference. edit: Oh almost forgot DW717 is a 10 inch saw NOT a 12" if you wanted a 12" saw should have got the next model up. running 12" blade on a 10" saw is DANGEROUS, stop doing that...if you value your limbs

The saw that I'm using is the DeWalt DWS780, 12", with a 1" arbor. It's about 2 years old and still there newest of the 12" saws by DeWalt. Just like you said, I'll not use any adapter. The first gentleman on the post is using a 10" and we are both experiencing the same problem. Do you know what the angle is on the DeWalt blades? They're not saying on the websites I have been to. Thanks!

Eric

 

[Anguspapa]

deleted..... thought I replying to OP, sorry..lol...when I saw 12" Diablo 80 tooth blade, model D1280x I freaked out for a sec, thought it was the OP and he was using that on DW717 which is a 10" saw...lol

No problem! I have done same thing. I guess I quoted you to fast.

 

[GoNavy429]

I'm using a 12" Diablo 80 tooth blade, model D1280x. I looked it up and it says it is at 15 degrees.

Model # D1280X
Diameter 12"
Machine Use Miter & Slide Miter Saw
Application Fine-Finish
Teeth 80 Hi-ATB
(Alternate-Top Bevel)
Arbor 1"
Kerf .118"
Hook Angle 15°

If this is not a good blade to use may I ask what you are use or suggest? Thanks


Eric

OK now I am on the right one...I still don't like that blade, because these are miter saw and anything more then a 5 degree hook angle positive or negative can cause some problems, because for all the fancy stuff these saws do, they are still basically a chop saw. I agree with anything more then 60 tooth is really just wasting your money. For 90% of the stuff I do the basic stock blade works just fine, unless your doing a fine miter for a joint then use any ATB 60 tooth blade, just check the hook angle less then 5 degrees. Could be that 15 degree blade might be grabbing the wood and moving it, but I doubt it, wouldn't do it every time. My guess is either, the glide bars are bent, or you really didn't square it up right.

To square it up, first unplug it, the put your square against the fence and blade, have the blade all the way down, move the unit back and forth along the full lenght so the square touches both full out and fully in along the entire lenght of the slide

One additional thought your saw also does both 5/8 and 1 inch arbor, just a check but do you use an adapter for that, my saw only has 5/8 so it's not an issue, but if an adapter is necessary and your not using it, might make some blade play.

 

[Brian T.]

I bought a 10" Delta "chop" saw back in about 1985 or so. Any blade you want, the cut wasn't square to the fence. Took a thin wall socket as a friend discovered that the fence casting was so thick that once moved into "square," you could not get at the tie-down bolt head. Sort of zero clearance, just before it was in the correct alignment. The other half of the fence has lots of space around the bolt heads.

It's as close as we can get it now, not quite correct but far better than it once was. If/when it gives me any more grief, I'll have a machine shop mill away some of the back of that half of the fence. Maybe 1/8" overtravel would be useful for access.

 

[jigs-n-fixtures]

Is it not cutting square? Or, is it cutting dished?

If it is cutting dished the guides are loose. Which since you say it is good for part of the cut is my guess.

If it isn't cutting square the Dewalts have an adjustable index, just loosen the protractor and adjust the detent locations.

I have an old DW705 that I use for narrower boards because the more things that move the more slop you have. So a slider is inherently less accurate than the 705 with its one pivot point.

 

[Anguspapa]

Is it not cutting square? Or, is it cutting dished? If it is cutting dished the guides are loose. Which since you say it is good for part of the cut is my guess. If it isn't cutting square the Dewalts have an adjustable index, just loosen the protractor and adjust the detent locations. I have an old DW705 that I use for narrower boards because the more things that move the more slop you have. So a slider is inherently less accurate than the 705 with its one pivot point.

I'm not sure what is meant dished?

Eric

 

[Dandan111]

You get the same result from both left and right fence? That should show if its fence related