Miter saw acting weird (re-titled thread)

[KingwoodFan1989]

I actually ordered the saw off Amazon, so I couldn't check it first. Hopefully it was just one defective fence and they take the time to check this one beforehand. Also, what about the countersunk holes that the screws go through to attach the fence to the table? Those don't seem like they allow for ANY adjustment. The countersink is what affects that. Yeah, I could just buy some screws with a flat bottom and that are slightly bigger than the countersunk hole, but I intend on either getting this thing resolved through DeWalt's own parts or, if worst comes to worst, return the saw and get a different model (or another one of the same that has been verified before it gets sent out. 

I could technically request them to grind off a couple thousandths or so on each side of my current fence, right? I'll test it with my new square's edge and my feeler gauges when it's on the saw to see how many thousandths would need to be ground off the outer edges? I already know how the fence behaves when I attach it to the saw, so I think I should ask about sending in the fence I have now to get it ground flat so I don't risk any problems if another fence they send is flat but has holes that weren't machined correctly.

And yes, the whole two piece fence thing seems like a no-brainer. Heck, I'd be fine it they had that feature but didn't even install the fences! I'd be fine doing that myself and getting it perfect rather than having to live with their mistake.

To repeat what I said earlier, I'm a big fan of DeWalt, and my other 3 DeWalt tools have given me minimal issues in the time I've owned them (over 12 years for my palm sander and over 9 for my table saw and thickness planer). Thus, I think I might have just gotten unlucky. But I think I should combine my own quality control and do what I thought up...I'll ask them Monday if I can send the same fence in and get it re-ground.

[EdL]

Why do you make it so hard?

Castings have stress, depending on the design some move, some don't.

That design does.

Just cut the danm thing in half and move on.

DeWalt isn't going to remachine for you, they'll send you a new one that is just like what you have now.

Ed

[KingwoodFan1989]

Why do you make it so hard?

Castings have stress, depending on the design some move, some don't.

That design does.

Just cut the danm thing in half and move on.

DeWalt isn't going to remachine for you, they'll send you a new one that is just like what you have now.

Ed

The reason I make it hard is because I'm not into modding machines to get them to work the way they should. My end goal is more than just having a working tool. I like to have tools that I can be proud to own and recommend to others, and I'm not gonna have either of those things if I have to do any surgical mods like that. If these fence castings do, like you say, universally have this problem, I'll get another saw. It's worth it for me. I'll see what I can do on Monday when I call them, and I will be letting them know that I'll be returning the saw and getting one from a different brand that has a dual fence system on it if this problem is widespread or universal on their fences. I'll even e-mail the pictures to the representative who is on the phone while we're talking if that's able to be done.

Please try to understand where I'm coming from. I'm gonna get a saw that I'm proud to own and recommend one way or another, whether it's through getting a proper fence for this saw or getting another saw. I'm frugal, but I'm also picky with this kind of stuff. That's just how I operate.

[KyleD]

Please try to understand where I'm coming from. I'm gonna get a saw that I'm proud to own and recommend one way or another, whether it's through getting a proper fence for this saw or getting another saw. I'm frugal, but I'm also picky with this kind of stuff. That's just how I operate.

Sounds to me like you are buying a hyundai and expecting BMW standards. Good luck getting a saw with different results. Those saws are built towards the construction rather than the cabinet industry. Expect to make modifications and adjustments to get the most from your tools. In the end it will make you a better craftsman and eliminate a lot of heartache.

[Stwood_]

Getting that fence reground (if they will do it) may take quite a while. Dewalt isn't like your local machine shop around the corner. Heck that fence may be cast and ground in Ethiopia, and they send it back there.
I understand wanting to get it fixed correctly.

Hopefully dewalt will work with this issue with you.
And Ed may have the best, quickest fix.

[Handplanesandmore]

Getting that fence reground (if they will do it) may take quite a while. Dewalt isn't like your local machine shop around the corner. Heck that fence may be cast and ground in Ethiopia, and they send it back there.
I understand wanting to get it fixed correctly.

Agreed. I would be extremely surprised if Amazon/Dewalt's solution is to regrind the fence! I have never heard of a vendor offering to regrind any woodworking machine (to spec.) at the retail level.

This is not how Bosch, Dewalt, Hitachi etc. run their business. Not only would it cost more, but the system to do so at the retail level simply doesn't exist. That's what Returns & Exchange is for. 99.9999999% confident that Amazon would not do any regrinding to solve the fence issue.

I suspect it costs more labor money to regrind that fence than throw it away.

Simon

[Strokes77]

Sounds to me like you are buying a hyundai and expecting BMW standards. Good luck getting a saw with different results. Those saws are built towards the construction rather than the cabinet industry. Expect to make modifications and adjustments to get the most from your tools. In the end it will make you a better craftsman and eliminate a lot of heartache.

This.

It is a ~$300 contractor saw.  And a pretty good one.

[Tapper]

The reason I make it hard is because I'm not into modding machines to get them to work the way they should. My end goal is more than just having a working tool. I like to have tools that I can be proud to own and recommend to others, and I'm not gonna have either of those things if I have to do any surgical mods like that. If these fence castings do, like you say, universally have this problem, I'll get another saw. It's worth it for me. I'll see what I can do on Monday when I call them, and I will be letting them know that I'll be returning the saw and getting one from a different brand that has a dual fence system on it if this problem is widespread or universal on their fences. I'll even e-mail the pictures to the representative who is on the phone while we're talking if that's able to be done.

Please try to understand where I'm coming from. I'm gonna get a saw that I'm proud to own and recommend one way or another, whether it's through getting a proper fence for this saw or getting another saw. I'm frugal, but I'm also picky with this kind of stuff. That's just how I operate.

I sincerely hope that you eventually get the saw operating to your satisfaction, i.e. whatever it takes to make it right. OTOH, every time one of these threads comes along about sliding compound miter saws, I recount the research, price comparison, reviews online and eventual purchase I made several years ago when I was looking for one of these saws. My research pointed strongly to the Milwaukee  slider (model 6955-20) and I bought it. It was relatively new at the time, but there was one particular video online (Demo video) that showed a user demonstrating all the various quality features that helped make this saw extremely user and ergonomically friendly,  as well as accurate.

I've had this saw for several years now and can say without reservation that I would buy it again were I currently in the market. If the Dewalt does not work out for you and you decide to take another look, I can recommend the Milwaukee strongly. I have no association with Milwaukee in any way whatsoever.

Doug

[Admiral]

For me, sliders are not precision tools. Too many things to go out of alignment. Ok for construction work, or rough work, but I'm not building decks, but cabinets and furniture. A 12" non sliding compound miter does give you extra cc capacity, enough for me. Not relevant to the OP's problem, which seems to be a manufacturing defect, but for me, a slider is not and never will be on my list.

[KingwoodFan1989]

Doesn't the Milwaukee have that same one piece fence, though? It seems my previous saw, which had the same style fence, had the same issue the DeWalt is having now. I don't think, if I end up returning the DeWalt, that I'll be going with another saw with a one piece fence. 

Speaking of returns, I've done quite a few test cuts on this saw...do you think I'd even get a full refund since it's been lightly used (provided I can't get a fence for this one that works)? I've read about people having these DeWalt saws with fences that were right on, and it sounds like the person above with the Milwaukee got one with a good fence, so I'm hoping that all points to a light at the end of the tunnel for the saw I have now. Still, it better be resolved with the next fence I get or else I'm giving up on the one-piece fence thing. Not sure who thought it was a good idea to make that style of fence anyway...seems like a two-piece system with elongated screw holes is a no-brainer that would allow one to get perfect or near perfect results.

I guess I won't ask to get the fence re-ground when I'm on the phone with DeWalt, but I gotta ask...there's a tool repair place about a half hour from my house (where I had the arbor replaced on my table saw years ago)...do those places typically do this type of re-grinding? Granted, re-grinding this fence there is a bit of a last resort, since it technically would cost me extra. I don't think sawing down the center of the fence would help since putting the bolts back into the holes in the fence results in it being positioned in a specific way (in other words, they make minute adjustments impractical).