DeWalt DWE7480 Review

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Introduction

The DeWalt DWE7480 is the one of the new range of saws, recently released by DeWalt. in fact it is an upgrade and set to replace the very popular DW745, which has been a solid performer for company. The DW745 ticked a lot of boxes for wood workers and tradesmen, which is why it has always received great reviews, because it was and still is a great, well made product. Ultimately, all us wood workers want from the table saw that we choose, is something that is constructed well, sets easily and cuts accurately again and again and again. And all the time DeWalt keep churning out great table saws, we’ll keep buying them.

You may see references to DWE7480 and the DWE7480XA. These saws are exactly the same the “XA” refers to the version of the saw that comes with the their heavy duty scissor stand that folds flat for storage and transportation. I would have to recommend the version with the stand as their is only approximately $20 difference between the two

Now lets get back to the task at hand. DeWalt have tried to address some of the few shortcomings of the DW745. For some they have succeeded, and for some they haven’t (psst!! better saw blade please).

Specification

Size and Weight

As you would expect from a portable table saw. The DeWalt comes in at a very respectable 48lbs,(the weight without the stand) which is only 3lbs heavier than its predecessor the DW745. It has a very compact table size of 22″ x 23″. The only table saw smaller in this class of table saws is the Bosch GTS1031. However, the DWE740 does come with a wider rip capacity which is great news for anyone who works with full size sheet materials. The is achieved with a telescopic fence that t extends to give a rip capacity of 24″ which enables you to rip a full size sheet of ply in half.

The Scissor stand that is available with DWE7480XA version of this saw is strong and sturdy and brilliantly simple. OK, so it doesn’t isn’t the type of clever engineering that we have seen with Bosch’s Gravity Rise Stand on the 4100-09, or the barrow style stand found on the SawStop JSS-MCA. But for $20 its an absolute bargain.

So when it comes to portability, this saw is a winner. One of the lightest and smallest table saws around today.

Blades and Dado’s

Its a common complaint that the blade that comes with most table saws are through away rubbish. And the DWE7480 is no exception. Its a 24 tooth 10″ blade. Its lacks the lazer cut resonance slits and has small carbide teeth but it is factory sharp and does the job of ripping well.But I’m going to cut DeWalt a lot of slack here. We have to remember that DeWalt have produced a sub $400 table saw here. So when it gets dull, toss it and get one of the great quality after market blades that are available. Something like this Freud Blade

Now I’m afraid to say that you won’t be able to use a dado blade with this saw, this is due to the shaft on this saw not being long enough to accommodate it. If this is something that you really need from a saw. I would have a closer look at the Bosch GTS1031 This is capable of cutting 1/2″ dado’s. I have heard some people managed to get 5/8″, but this is the absolute maximum. It seems the widest dado you can get on this class of saws in the 13/16″. If you need this capacity I would be looking at the DeWalt DWE7490X.

The Max depth of cut at 90 and 45 degrees is 3-1/8″ and 2-1/4. This is pretty standard for saws portable table saws.

Fence & Miter

It comes with a the same rack and pinion telescopic fence system that was also very popular on the DW745. This lets you quickly and accurately set the blade over and over again. It glides smoothly on the measuring rail and locks perfectly square to the blade. Its a great system that works well. It can also be found on DeWalt DWE7490X, DWE7499GD

The saw comes with a standard square miter slot (unlike the T-Style found on the Bosch GTS1031) and a pretty standard miter gauge.

Motor

The motor is an area that has been improved with the DWE7480, Just like the DW745, It is powerful enough to handle hardwoods. It has a max RPM of 4800 which is faster than the DW745 which spins at 3850RPM. The DWE7480, as with all table saws in the portable category, they tend to use a 15 amp direct drive brush motor which has the benefits of being light but the disadvantage of being loud. The closest contender to this saw when it comes to the motor is the Bosch GTS1031

Safety

The DWE7480 comes with DeWalts ITE PRO Modular Guarding System. It’s a tool-less blade guard system consisting of a rise and fall riving knife, blade guard and anti-kickback pawls. It can be assembled and disassembled in a approximately 30 seconds.

Summary

DeWalt have done a amazing job with the DWE7480. It has really tried to learn from feedback on its predecessor and this is evident with the upgraded motor and the ability to rip full size sheet materials. Its rugged design and fast and accurate fence make this a great choice for the woodworker or tradesman who needs the portability of a site saw. This saw is amazing value. For less than $400 you get a small, light table saw. It has a powerful motor, cuts full size sheet materials, Has a brilliant fence system and a very safe modular blade guard and riving knife system.

You can read more about this saw on the DeWalt website

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Here is a great video from the ConcordCarpenter where he looks at the DeWalt DWE7480