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DeWalt's DW746:The Sliding Table Makes A Sweet Machine Two years ago DeWalt entered the benchtop table saw market with a tool that proved innovative and popular. This year DeWalt stepped up even further and entered the stationary table saw market with the DW746, which pushes the upper limit of what we usually expect of a contractor saw. The 10" left-tilt saw actually exists in a couple of configurations, but let's start with the base model. Priced just under $900, the base model has a 1-3/4hp (15amp) motor that's mounted inboard to give the saw a small footprint. If you've ever tried to put a contractor saw in a one car garage, you know that a motor that hangs 12" off the rear of a saw gets in the way. The two heavy-gauge stamped steel extension wings give the saw a table surface of 40-3/4"x 27". The standard model has a rip capacity to the right of the blade and a 16" capacity to the left. Also included in the base model is a clever dust shroud that surrounds the underside of the blade assembly. This shroud is remarkably effective compared to the open frames on other U.S. contractor saws. The easy-to-use oversized switch lets you turn off the saw with your knee in case you're in an awkward situation. And the beveling and height adjustment wheels are located far enough away from the table to keep your kuckles safe. The overall fit and finish of the saw is excellent, with attention to details that are often missed. Also included is a smooth-operating rip fence with good accuracy and repeatabilty. The fence facing can be slid forward and back (much like Delta's Unifence) to improve stability for unusual cuts and set-ups. The rip fence face on our original test saw had a slight crown running the entire length that had a gap of .007". A second fence we tested had similar problems, and DeWalt has recently started milling the face of the extruded aluminum fence and the beam itself to guarantee a square and flat face to within .002". If you already own a DW746 with a problem fence, DeWalt will replace it with a milled face and beam by simply calling 1-800-4-DeWalt. Priced within $50 of both the Delta and Jet 1-1/2hp contractor saws, the DW746 performs nicely. The competition offers soild cast wings, but the extra listed horsepower, low vibration and superb dust collection makes this saw a contender. The DW746 really excels when you upgrade it with DeWalt's slick sliding table. The table adds another $400 to the price tag (totalling $1,300), but this well designed accessory moves effortlessly, locks easily in place when not in use and features a great miter fence similar to the Osborne Miter Guide. In fact, part of the miter fence is made by DeWalt under Osborne patents, and DeWalt has made some nice improvements to Osborne's design, including a beefier fence face. The crosscut is easily adjustable, locks firmly to the sliding table in seconds and includes a flip-up stop for making repetitve crosscuts. Our only complaint with the sliding table system is that the fence is only 24" long, and you need 30" to crosscut a table leg. In addition to upgrading the saw with a sliding table, 52" fence rails can be added ($220) to tackle any piece of plywood. In all, we were pleased with the performance, attention to detail and the design of the DW746. Now that the company has improved the fence, this woodworking machine is a complete package for the serious home woodworker. You can start out by buying the base saw and then save your pennies to add the sliding table and extra rails. But if you're looking to spend all that money at once, you're in the price range of a good cabinet saw (without a sliding table of course). And that is a whole other pleasant equation to consider. PW
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