Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw

The Dewalt DWS716 compound miter saw is a good option for people who need a miter saw with dual bevel capabilities without sliding action. Let’s take a closer look at this one.

Check Pricing or Buy Now
Amazon
Home Depot

Cutting Power & Motor

This saw has a lot of cutting power and can be used to cut up to 2×8 inch materials at 90 degrees and 2×6 inch lumber at 45 degrees. The motor has 15 amp power and runs at a max no-load speed of 3,800 RPM.

The motor on this saw is positioned towards the back of the arm and the blade is belt driven. This is done to make room for the right side bevel action. It also adds a little more room up behind the back of the blade, which makes it more capable when cutting vertical base board or larger crown molding.

This saw uses 12 inch blades and has a 5/8 inch arbor. It is packaged with a 12 inch 60 tooth carbide blade to get you started. People find that upgrading the blade right away can be a good move, but the included blade isn’t all that bad.

This saw makes clean cuts through 4×4’s with no problem at all. It also has enough capacity behind the blade to cut 6-1/2 inch baseboard molding vertically and 5-1/4 inch crown molding nested. The vertical cutting capacity is the biggest strength on this saw. To get more cross cut capacity you’d have to step up to a sliding miter saw.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Cutting 4x4 2

Miter Adjustments

The miter capacity is 0 – 50 degrees to the left and right. The miter plate has 14 positive stops for quick adjustments to common cutting angles. The positive stops are at 0, 10, 15, 22.5, 31.6, 35.3 and 45 degrees on both sides, with an additional stop at 50 degrees on the right. This makes the miter adjustments very quick, accurate and easy.

The miter scale is located on a removable and replaceable plate. The positive stops are notched into the plate, so if you run into issues with the stops feeling sloppy after time it can be replaced.

Making adjustments with the miter is easy. You loosen the knob on the handle and then release from the stop (if needed) by using the release trigger underneath. After making your adjustment, simply tighten the knob.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Miter Handle

Bevel Adjustments

The double bevel design means you can tilt this to the left or right for bevel cuts. The bevel capacity is 0 – 48 degrees to both the left and right. There is a visual dial for measurements. There are stops at 0, 22.5, 33.9 and 45 degrees on the bevel.

Adjusting the bevel is quick and easy, but you need to reach around the back of the saw to get to the release lever. After turning the lever, you can tilt to one of the stop or anywhere in between. There is an override knob for the bevel stop at 0 that allows you to tilt to the right. Once you make your adjustment you simply tighten the lever again to clamp it down.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Bevel Scale

Cutting Table & Fence

This saw sports an aluminum cutting table and fence, both are smooth and flat with a nice finish to them. The table has mounting holes on the four corners of the base, which is great if you want to mount this to a workbench.

The fence is tall enough to support cutting base molding vertically. Both sides of the fence slide out on the left and right to make room for bevel cuts. The fence pieces can also be attached to the side support extensions for storage or use in that position.

People don’t really have any issues with the table and fence on this saw as long as it come out of the box flat.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Vertical Clamp

Handling & Safety

This saw powers on with a trigger switch on the handle. There is an addition sub-trigger that needs to be switched before you can push the main trigger, which keeps you from accidentally powering this on. During use, things move smoothly and there really isn’t anything awkward in how it operates.

The blade cover works well and keeps the blade from being exposed when you are not using this saw or transporting it around. There are also small clips on the frame to keep the power cord out of the way and from accidentally coming in contact with materials or the blade.

Overall, this is a safe saw to use as long as you are using typical safety precautions.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Hero
Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Bevel Miter Left

Dust Collection

This saw does come with a dust collection bag, but it’s pretty small and not terribly effective on it’s own. People find that hooking this up to a dust collection system works a lot better if you will be doing a lot of cutting with this saw. The size of the dust collection port is 1-1/2 inches and can be connected to dust collection systems. Depending on the size of the hose or the system you are using, you may need to get an adapter for the dust collection port.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Cutting Crown Molding 2

Build Quality

This saw feels very well built both when taking out of the box for the first time and when putting it to use. It’s got some weight to it at 49 lbs. The frame and table are made from aluminum and other metals and they feel sturdy during use. The action for both the miter and the bevel also feel really good and don’t feel sloppy when making adjustments. There are a good amount of plastic switches, levers and knobs on this saw and there could be some potential for breakage there.

The belt is considered a replaceable part on this saw, so that is something to consider. The belt may wear over time and need to be replaced depending on how much you use this saw. Not really a build quality issue, but something to be aware of.

People who have used this saw for longer periods of time say it holds up well and outside of running into lemon units out of the box, this saw is built to last. Dewalt offers a good warranty and has replacement parts available if needed via support, just in case you get a lemon out of the box or run into problems early.

Dewalt DWS716 Miter Saw Profile Front

Included Accessories

This saw comes with a few accessories, here’s what’s in the box:

  • Miter saw
  • 12 inch carbide tipped blade
  • Dust bag
  • Wrench (Allen and Torx)
  • Vertical clamp

Setup & Assembly

This saw requires a little bit of setup time and you’ll want to take the time to check all the calibration points and align everything properly. After getting everything setup and aligned, you’ll be able to make adjustments and measurements quickly during use. It’s important to read through the manual on this one so that you catch the smaller details for calibration, blade changes and safe use.

Warranty

Dewalt offers a 3 year warranty on defective parts or workmanship. They also include a 1 year free service contract and a 90 day money back guarantee. This is good enough to help you out if you have quality control issues in that first year of use.

Pros

  • Smooth and reliable miter and bevel action
  • Dual bevel
  • Large cutting capacity
  • Good cutting power

Cons

  • Dust collection bag isn’t that great
  • Belt drive can require more maintenance than a direct drive
  • No laser or LED

Technical Specifications

Amperage

15 A

Max Speed

3,800 RPM

Blade Size

12 inch

Bevel Type

Dual Bevel

Max Bevel Cut Angle – Left

48 degrees

Max Bevel Cut Angle – Right

48 degrees

Max Miter Cut Angle – Left

50 degrees

Max Miter Cut Angle – Right

50 degrees

Size (Height x Width x Depth)

19.9 in x 22.5 in x 27.2 in

Weight

49 lbs

Dust Collection

Yes

Cord Length

6 Ft

The Verdict

The Dewalt DWS716 compound miter saw is a good option for reasonably priced dual bevel miter saw. It has an excellent cutting capacity with it’s 12 inch blade. The belt may require a little maintenance from time to time. If you don’t absolutely need the dual bevel capability the Dewalt DWs715 is a more affordable but very similar saw.

Check Pricing or Buy Now
Amazon
Home Depot