Automatic Electric Brake; Operation - DeWalt DWS780 Instruction Manual

Controls
Your compound miter saw has several main controls, which will be discussed briefly here. For
more information on these controls, see the respective sections later in the manual.
Miter Control (Fig. A)
The miter lock handle 5 and miter latch button
50° left. To miter the saw, lift the miter lock handle, push the miter latch button and set the miter
angle desired on the miter scale 7 . Push down on the miter lock handle to lock the miter angle.
Trigger Switch (Fig. A)
The trigger switch 1 turns your saw on and off. A hole is provided in the trigger for insertion of a
padlock to secure the saw.
Miter Latch Override (Fig. A)
The miter latch override 22 allows your saw to override the common stop angles. To override
the common stop angles, push the miter latch button
the vertical position.
Bevel Lock Knob (Fig. A)
The bevel lock knob 11 allows you to bevel the saw 49° left or right. To adjust the bevel setting,
turn the knob counterclockwise. The saw head bevels easily to the left or to the right once the 0°
bevel override knob is pulled. To tighten, turn the bevel lock knob clockwise.
0° Bevel Override (Fig. A)
The bevel stop override allows you to bevel the saw to the right past the 0° mark.
When engaged, the saw will automatically stop at 0° when brought up from the left. To
temporarily move past 0° to the right, pull the bevel lock knob
override will be reengaged. The bevel lock knob can be locked out by twisting the knob 180°.
When at 0°, the override locks in place. To operate the override, bevel the saw slightly to the left.
45° Bevel Stop Override (Fig. I)
There are two bevel stop override levers 49
past 45°, push the 45° bevel override lever rearward. When in the rearward position, the saw can bevel
past these stops. When the 45° stops are needed, pull the 45° bevel override lever forward.
Crown Bevel Pawls (Fig. I)
When cutting crown molding laying flat, your saw is equipped to accurately and rapidly set a
crown stop, left or right (refer to Instructions for Cutting Crown Molding Laying Flat and
Using the Compound Features). The crown bevel pawl
adjustment screw 45 . The saw is factory set to be used for typical crown in North America
(52/38), but can be reversed to cut non-typical (45/45) crown. To reverse the crown bevel pawl,
remove the retaining screw, the 22.5° bevel pawl and the 33.9° crown bevel pawl. Flip the crown
bevel pawl so the 30°  is facing up. Reattach the screw to secure the 22.5° bevel pawl and the
crown bevel pawl. The accuracy setting will not be affected.
22.5° Bevel Pawls (Fig. I)
Your saw is equipped to rapidly and accurately set a 22.5° bevel, left or right. The 22.5° bevel
pawl 46 can be rotated to contact the crown adjustment screw.
Rail Lock Knob (Fig. A)
The rail lock knob 29 allows you to lock the saw head firmly to keep it from sliding on the rails.
This is necessary when making certain cuts or when transporting the saw.
Depth Stop (Fig. A)
The depth stop 24 allows the depth of cut of the blade to be limited. The stop is useful for
applications such as grooving and tall vertical cuts. Rotate the depth stop forward and adjust the
depth adjustment screw 28 to set the desired depth of cut. To secure the adjustment, tighten
the wing nut 20 . Rotating the depth stop to the rear of the saw will bypass the depth stop
feature. If the depth adjustment screw is too tight to loosen by hand, the provided blade wrench
can be used to loosen the screw.
Lock Down Pin (Fig. A)

WARNING: The lock down pin should be used only when carrying or storing the saw. NEVER
use the lock down pin for any cutting operation.
To lock the saw head in the down position, push the saw head down, push the lock down pin
in and release the saw head. This will hold the saw head safely down for moving the saw from
place to place. To release, press the saw head down and pull the pin out.
Slide Lock Lever (Fig. K) Fig. K
The slide lock lever 57 places
the saw in a position to maximize
cutting of base molding when cut
vertically as shown in Figure K.
Automatic Electric
Brake
Your saw is equipped with an
57
automatic electric blade brake
which stops the saw blade within
5 seconds of trigger release. This is
not adjustable.
6 allow you to miter your saw to 60° right and
6 and flip the miter latch override lever to
11 . Once the knob is released, the
, one on each side of the saw. To bevel the saw, left or right,
50 can be rotated to contact the crown
On occasion, there may be a delay after trigger release to brake engagement. On rare occasions,
the brake may not engage at all and the blade will coast to a stop.
If a delay or "skipping" occurs, turn the saw on and off 4 or 5 times. If the condition persists, have
the tool serviced by an authorized D
Always be sure the blade has stopped before removing it from the kerf. The brake is not a
substitute for guards or for ensuring your own safety by giving the saw your complete attention.

OPERATION


WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, turn unit off and disconnect
it from power source before making any adjustments or removing/installing
attachments or accessories. An accidental start-up can cause injury.

WARNING: Always use eye protection. All users and bystanders must wear eye protection
that conforms to ANSI Z87.1 (CAN/CSA Z94.3).
Plug the saw into any household 60 Hz power source. Refer to the nameplate for voltage. Be sure
the cord will not interfere with your work.
Body and Hand Position (Fig. L1–L4)

WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, ALWAYS use proper hand position
as shown.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, ALWAYS hold securely in anticipation of
a sudden reaction.
Proper positioning of your body and hands when operating the miter saw will make cutting
easier, more accurate and safer. Never place hands near cutting area. Place hands no closer than
4" (100 mm) 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 ARMS, AS SHOWN IN FIGURE L3.
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.
Fig. L1
Fig. L3
Trigger Switch (Fig. M)
17
To turn the saw on, push the lock-off lever
saw will run while the switch is depressed. Allow the blade to spin up to full operating speed
before making the cut. To
turn the saw off, release the
switch. Allow the blade to
stop before raising the saw
head. There is no provision
for locking the switch on.
A hole 54 is provided in
the trigger for insertion
of a padlock to lock the
switch off.
Always be sure the blade
has stopped before
removing it from the kerf.
WALT service center.
e
Fig. L2
Fig. L4
39 to the left, then depress the trigger switch
Fig. M 39
English
1 . The
54
1
7