DeWalt DW872 14" 70T 15 AC/DC Amps HD Carbide Tipped Blade Multi-Cutter Saw

This saw is the most expensive in its class.. so naturally I shopped around looking for a cheaper saw that compared while performing the same task.. The other saws looked OK at best.. so It made me understand why this one is priced so much higher. But is it really worth the higher cost or are We just paying for the DEWALT name? I read online reviews and watched a few YouTube videos that compared saws side by side with the Dewalt.. yet I was still left with questions. the reviews were on older models of the dewalt DW872 which this one still has the same part number. But this one is definitely a new and improved version. It seems as if dewalt took customer feedback and improved on the base, the clamps, the backstop and the overall look of the saw. the clamp is beefy and holds well, theres another clamp included that slides down into the base and clamps down similar to a vise grip. the backstop is fabricated with welded in gussetts and seems like a great deal better than the previous version that used a large stamped L with integrated gussetts at the bend which seem insufficient. the handles are bigger and more ergonomic and the base is pretty darn thick and sturdy.Overall I love the look and feel its a good investment.. but I do think there could be a couple more things Dewalt should improve on.1. Why does the base have to be a square block with such a coarse camping system? My Dewalt Sliding compound miter saw cost less than this one and it had a robust cast aluminum base with fine adjustment and positive detents for common angles.. and i do realize that cutting steel requires a good deal of support and rigidity and can result in an overall higher level of danger.. but the base on my miter saw is pretty substantial! And ive actually cut steel and aluminum with a cheapy miter saw in the past with good results, just short blade life.2. Lining the cut up is a bit combersome. Im not unfamiliar with tools that take a good amount of effort and some skill to use effectively.. but I admit I am a little spoiled by my saws that either have a laser or had an LED to cast a shadow of the blade onto the workpiece. this allows me to not only see the exact cut path but also shows my kerf width which is helpful when you want to split, take, or stay on one side of the mark. i know.. steel isnt trim molding but I like making accurate cuts!3. I would like the ability to mount this saw to the portable miter saw stand and swivel the saw to make 45° cuts. or any anle other than 90° ... but since this saws adjustment is in the clamp and not the base, you need the entire saw to swivel.Overall I like the saw, Im happy I chose this one, I feel that its made well and itll last for a long time but, I think its a bit overpriced due to the rudimentary base and built in adjustment method as well as the narrow contact surface the base offers leaving room for error. It may make the saw more portable, but so is my miter saw thats twice as wide.

I originally bought the Porter Cable abrasive saw, and that saw was very good for what it cost. However, I did not like all the cleanup I had to do to the parts. I then bought the blade that goes to this Dewalt DW872 thinking that I could use it on the Porter Cable abrasive saw instead of the abrasive blade. Granted, I have no doubt that some do use it, the many kind people who responded to my inquiry about using the metal blade at the high speed of the abrasive saw was a unanimous, “Don’t do it” The higher speed of the Porter Cable Abrasive saw would damage the blade, and possibly cause injury the user when teeth of the blade fracture off at high speed. The thought of that was a bit frightening. So I sold the Porter Cable to a friend for what I paid, and ordered the Dewalt DW872 to replace it. I already had an extra blade, and I decided to keep it as a backup.Now I want to address the reviews that said that the blade wore down and became useless quickly, and it made the saw expensive to use. That is just nonsense, if the saw is used correctly, the blade does a wonder job, and makes many more cuts than a stack of abrasive blades can do. The not so secret about using this saw is to take your time. If you see sparks, there should only be a few. The saw should be allowed to make the cut with moderate pressure from the user. Sure it will still cut if you push it through as fast as you can, but that is when the blade heats up, and destroys itself.The cuts I made with this saw were amazing. I cut angle iron from a bed frame, and the edges were bright, shiny, and smooth. The saw has a nice clamping system, and if you read the manual it explains why the clamps are there, it has one more clamp than an abrasive saw needs. That is because one other important step in using this saw is to clamp your work down tight. They ad another clamp that presses downward to keep the blade from pulling the metal up out of the other clamp. The teeth of the blade shave metal away, and it takes a lot of energy to shave steel, so that means you need an equal amount of energy to hold the work down. If you push the work back into the blade more, it will catch part of the up-turn of the blade, and that can pull whatever is in the first clamp straight up and cause damage to you, and your work all at the same time. So be sure to read the manual, and learn to use as many clamps as you can, how still the metal is, is the first half of all that matters when using this saw. The other thing that is equally important is to go slow, don’t force it.This saw is much heavier than the Porter Cable, and everything about it is better quality, the motor turns much slower, and it uses gears to turn speed into power.