Aligning The Fence On Dewalt's Dw718 Miter Saw

With a tool so tough as Dewalt's DW718 12" double-bevel sliding compound miter saw, it is no mystery that the sucker is going to get a little kicked around. Of course, the regular abuses of jobsite life will wear on the tool and eventually it's going to require a bit of tinkering on your behalf. Don't fret though, said tinkering is generally simple with the right tools and a bit of patience.

It may surprise you to learn that the leading cause of inaccurate miter saw cuts is actually a misaligned or warped fence. Because misalignment of the rip fence can cause such terrors as dangerous kickback and of course those sloppy cuts and inaccurate angles, this alignment thing is pretty important and the alignment process, despite seeming a bit rudimentary, is particularly important as well. Additionally, because Dewalt's DW718 packs such a serious amount of punch, ensuring that your cuts are accurate and your materials are safe from error or kickback is all the more important. Be precise and be cautious.

So, to get down to business, using a framing square or straight-edge that is at least as long as your fence, press a piece of ultra thin paper (i.e. tracing paper or telephone book paper) against the fence (or straight-edge). The paper should be sandwiched between the square and the fence. Now, tug softly at the top of the paper. It should be tightly stuck between the fence and the square at all points from one end of the fence to the other. If at any point you can remove the paper from said contraption, you have a bow, a sway, or an imperfection in the fence that needs to be corrected.

To adjust the DW718's one piece fence, loosen the screws closest to the imperfection and remembering to not over-correct use a pry bar to gently force that bent fence straight. Maintain pressure on the pry bar and tighten the screws. Recheck this space to be sure the bow has completely straightened. Repeat the process until the paper can not be removed from any point on the fence. Additionally, and as with almost all things in life, this procedure is generally easier with four hands; if someone can help you, gratefully accept their offer and hold and push and pull and test and measure until your fence is perfectly straight. Additionally, and I reiterate, please be careful as you correct your fence; move it only in very small increments to avoid over-correcting any imperfections.

If after all this, you find you need an extra hand with your Dewalt DW718 miter saw fence alignment, take your tool to a Dewalt factory authorized service center for a professional adjustment.