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SWITCH
To turn the saw on, depress the trigger switch. To turn the tool off, release the switch. Allow the
blade to spin up to full operating rpm before making the cut. Release the trigger switch and allow
the brake to stop the blade before raising the saw head. There is no provision for locking the switch
on, but a hole is provided in the trigger for insertion of a padlock to lock the saw off.
CUTTING WITH YOUR SAW
If the slide feature is not used, ensure the saw head is pushed back as far as possible and the
rail lock knob is tightened. This will prevent the saw from sliding along its rails as the workpiece
is engaged.
NOTE: Although this saw will cut wood and many non-ferrous materials, we will limit our
discussion to the cutting of wood only. The same guidelines apply to the other mat erials. DO
NOT CUT FERROUS (IRON AND STEEL) MAT ERIALS OR MASONRY WITH THIS SAW. Do
not use any abrasive blades.
CROSSCUTS
Cutting of multiple pieces is not recommended but can be done safely by ensuring that each piece
is held firmly against the table and fence. When the saw comes up to speed (about 1 second) lower
the arm smoothly and slowly to cut through the wood. Let the blade come to a full stop before
raising arm.
A crosscut is made by cutting wood across the grain at any angle. A straight crosscut is made with
the miter arm at the zero degree position. Set and lock the miter arm at zero, hold the wood firmly
on the table and against the fence. With the rail lock knob tightened, turn on the saw by squeezing
the trigger switch shown in Figure 4.
When the saw comes up to speed (about 1 second) lower the arm smoothly and slowly to cut
through the wood. Let the blade come to a full stop before raising arm.
When cutting anything larger than 4.4" (111.8 mm) [3" (76.2 mm) 45º miter] use an out-down-
back motion with the rail lock knob loosened. Pull the saw out, toward you, lower the saw head
down toward the workpiece, and slowly push the saw back to complete the cut. Do not allow the
saw to contact the top of the workpiece while pulling out. The saw may run toward you, possibly
causing personal injury or damage to the workpiece.
CAUTION: Always use a work clamp to maintain control and reduce the risk of workpiece
damage and personal injury.
NOTE: The rail lock knob shown in Figure 4 must be loose to allow the saw to slide along its rails.
Miter crosscuts are made with the miter arm at some angle other than zero. This angle is often 45º
for making corners, but can be set anywhere from left or right. Make the cut as described above.
When cutting wider workpieces wider than a 2" x 6" (51 x 152 mm) that are shorter in length,
always place the longer side against the fence (Fig. 12).
To cut through an existing pencil line on a piece of wood, match the angle as close as possible.
Cut the wood a little too long and measure from the pencil line to the cut edge to determine which
direction to adjust the miter angle and recut. This will take some practice, but it is a commonly
used technique.
BEVEL CUTS
A bevel cut is a crosscut made with the saw blade at an angle to the wood. In order to set the
bevel, loosen the bevel lock handle, lift the bevel latch lever, Figure 4, and move the saw to the left
or right as desired. (It is necessary to move the fence to allow clearance). Once the desired bevel
angle has been set, tighten the bevel clamp handle firmly.
Bevel angles can be set from 48º right to 48º left and can be cut with the miter arm set between
50º right or 60º left. At some extreme angles, the right or left side fence might have to be
removed. To remove the left or right fence, unscrew the fence adjustment knob several turns
and slide the fence out.
QUALITY OF CUT
The smoothness of any cut depends on a number of variables. Things like material being cut, blade type,
blade sharpness and rate of cut all contribute to the quality of the cut.
When smoothest cuts are desired for molding and other precision work, a sharp (60 tooth carbide)
blade and a slower, even cutting rate will produce the desired results.
Ensure that material does not creep while cutting, clamp it securely in place. Always let the blade
come to a full stop before raising arm.
If small fibers of wood still split out at the rear of the workpiece, stick a piece of masking tape on the
wood where the cut will be made. Saw through the tape and carefully remove tape when finished.
For varied cutting applications, refer to the list of recommended saw blades for your saw and select
the one that best fits your needs. Refer to Saw Blades under Optional Accessories.
BODY AND HAND POSITION (FIG. 13)
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 6"
(152 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 HANDS, AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 13B.
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.
CLAMPING THE WORKPIECE
WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, turn off the tool and disconnect
it from the power source before attempting to move it, change accessories or make any
adjustments accept as written in laser adjustment instructions.
WARNING: A workpiece that is clamped, balanced and secure before a cut may become
unbalanced after a cut is completed. An unbalanced load may tip the saw or anything the saw is
attached to, such as a table or workbench. When making a cut that may become unbalanced,
properly support the workpiece and ensure the saw is firmly bolted to a stable surface. Personal
injury may occur.
WARNING: The clamp foot must remain clamped above the base of the saw whenever the
clamp is used. Always clamp the workpiece to the base of the saw–not to any other part of the
work area. Ensure the clamp foot is not clamped on the edge of the base of the saw.
CAUTION: Always use a work clamp to maintain control and reduce the risk of workpiece
damage and personal injury.
If you cannot secure the workpiece on the table and against the fence by hand, (irregular shape,
etc.) or your hand would be less than 6" (152 mm) from the blade, a clamp or other fixture must
be used.
For best results use the DW7082 clamp made for use with your saw. Another type of clamp may
be supplied with your DW717. To purchase the DW7082 contact your local retailer or D
service center.
Other aids such as spring clamps, bar clamps or C-clamps may be appropriate for certain sizes
and shapes of material. Use care in selecting and placing these clamps. Take time to make a dry
run before making the cut. The left or right fence will slide from side to side to aid in clamping.
TO INSTALL CLAMP
1. Insert it into the hole behind the fence. The clamp should be facing toward the back of the miter
saw. The groove on the clamp rod should be fully inserted into the base. Ensure this groove is
fully inserted into the base of the miter saw.
If the groove is visible, the clamp will not be secure.
2. Rotate the clamp 180º toward the front of the miter saw.
3. Loosen the knob to adjust the clamp up or down, then use the fine adjust knob to firmly clamp
the workpiece.
NOTE: Place the clamp on the opposite side of the base when beveling. ALWAYS MAKE DRY
RUNS (UNPOWERED) BEFORE FINISH CUTS TO CHECK THE PATH OF THE BLADE. ENSURE
THE CLAMP DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE ACTION OF THE SAW OR GUARDS.
WARNING: A workpiece that is clamped, balanced and secure before a cut may become
unbalanced after a cut is completed. An unbalanced load may tip the saw or anything the saw is
attached to, such as a table or workbench. When making a cut that may become unbalanced,
properly support the workpiece and ensure the saw is firmly bolted to a stable surface.
WARNING: The clamp foot must remain clamped above the base of the saw whenever the
clamp is used. Always clamp the workpiece to the base of the saw–not to any other part of the
work area. Ensure the clamp foot is not clamped on the edge of the base of the saw.
SUPPORT FOR LONG PIECES
WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, turn off the tool and disconnect it from
the power source before attempting to move it, change accessories or make any adjustments
accept as written in laser adjustment instructions.
ALWAYS SUPPORT LONG PIECES.
Never use another person as a substitute for a table extension; as additional support for a
workpiece that is longer or wider than the basic miter saw table or to help feed, support or pull
the workpiece.
For best results, use the DW7080 extension work support to extend the table width of your saw.
Available from your dealer at extra cost. Support long workpieces using any convenient means
such as sawhorses or similar devices to keep the ends from dropping.
CUTTING PICTURE FRAMES, SHADOW BOXES AND OTHER FOUR-SIDED PROJECTS
To best understand how to make the items listed here, we suggest that you try a few simple
projects using scrap wood until you develop a "FEEL" for your saw.
FIG. 19
FENCE
FIG. 20
FIG. 21
RIGHT
FIG. 23
FIG. 25
SCREWS SHOWN
WALT
E
FIG. 26
Your saw is the perfect tool for mitering corners like the one shown in Figure 14. Sketch A in Figure
15 shows a joint made by using the bevel adjustment to bevel the edges of the two boards at 45º
each to produce a 90º corner. For this joint the miter arm was locked in the zero position and the
bevel adjustment was locked at 45º. The wood was positioned with the broad flat side against the
table and the narrow edge against the fence. The cut could also be made by mitering right and left
with the broad surface against the fence.
CUTTING TRIM MOLDING AND OTHER FRAMES
Sketch B in Figure 15 shows a joint made by setting the miter arm at 45º to miter the two boards
to form a 90º corner. To make this type of joint, set the bevel adjustment to zero and the miter arm
to 45º. Once again, position the wood with the broad flat side on the table and the narrow edge
against the fence.
The two sketches in Figure 15 are for four side objects only.
As the number of sides changes, so do the miter and bevel angles. The chart below gives the
proper angles for a variety of shapes.
BLADE
RIGHT
BLADE
FENCE
WRONG
FIG. 22
FIG. 24
SCREWS
(two each side)
BACK FENCE
SCREWS
BACK FENCE
STORED
SCREWS
SET SCREW
WRONG
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