DeWalt DHS780 - Saw Adjustments and Preparation; Fence, Guard, and Lock Adjustments; Pre-Operation Checks and Setup; Basic Operation

15
ENGLISH
To reduce effects of vibration make sure the environment temperature is not too cold, the
machine and accessories are well maintained and the workpiece size is suitable for thismachine.
Proper Body and Hand Position (Fig. R, S)

WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, ALWAYS use proper hand
position as shown in FigureR.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, ALWAYS hold securely in
anticipation of a suddenreaction.
• Never place hands near cutting area. Place hands no closer than 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 HANDS, AS SHOWN IN FIGURES.
• Keep both feet firmly on the floor and maintain proper balance. As you move the mitre
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.
Switching On and Off (Fig. A)
To turn the saw on, push the trigger lock-off button
5
to the left, then depress the trigger
switch
4
. The 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
36
is provided in the trigger for insertion of a padlock to lock the switch off
Use of XPS™ LED Worklight System (Fig. A)
NOTE: The mitre saw must be connected to a powersource.
The XPS™ LED Worklight System can be turned on by the momentary switch
20
. The light
will automatically turn off within 20 seconds if the saw is not in use. The light will activate
automatically every time the tool's main trigger
4
ispulled.
To cut through an existing pencil line on a piece of wood:
1. Turn on the XPS™ system, then pull down on the operating handle
2
to bring the saw
blade close to the wood. The shadow of the blade will appear on thewood.
2. Align the pencil line with the edge of the blade’s shadow. You may have to adjust the mitre
or bevel angles in order to match the pencil lineexactly.
Through-Cutting Operations (Fig. A, T,U)
If the slide feature is not used, ensure the saw head is pushed back as far as possible and the
rail lock knob
23
is tightened. This will prevent the saw from sliding along its rails as the
workpiece isengaged.
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.
Straight Vertical Crosscut (Fig. A)
1. Set and lock the mitre arm at zero, and hold the wood firmly on the table and against the
fence
15
.
2. With the rail lock knob
23
tightened, turn on the saw by squeezing the trigger switch
4
.
3. When the saw comes up to speed, lower the arm smoothly and slowly to cut through the
wood. Let the blade come to a full stop before raisingarm.
Sliding Crosscut (Fig. A, T)
When cutting anything larger than a 51 x 150mm (51 x 105mm at 45° mitre) workpiece, use
an out-down-back motion with the rail lock knob
23
loosened.
1. Pull the saw out towardyou.
2. Lower the saw head down toward theworkpiece.
3. 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.
Mitre Crosscut (Fig. U)
The mitre angle is often 45° for making corners, but can be set anywhere from zero to 50° left
or 60° right. Proceed as for a straight verticalcrosscut.
When performing a mitre cut on workpieces wider than 51 x 105mm that are shorter in
length, always place the longer side against thefence.
Bevel Cut (Fig. A)
Bevel angles can be set from 49° right to 49° left and can be cut with the mitre arm set
between 50° left or 60° right. Refer to the Features and Controls section for detailed
instructions on the bevelsystem.
1. Loosen the bevel lock knob
27
, and move the saw to the left or right as desired. It
is necessary to move or remove the fence
15
to allow clearance. Tighten the fence
adjustment knob
35
after positioning thefences.
2. Tighten the bevel lockfirmly.
At some extreme angles, the right or left side fence might have to be removed. Refer to Fence
Adjustment in the Adjustments section for important information on adjusting the fences for
certain bevelcuts.
To remove the left or right fence, unscrew the fence adjustment knob
35
several turns and
slide the fenceout. The fence lanyard 
37
prevents the fence from being removed completely
from the saw or being lost.
Once the bevel operations are completed, reposition thefences.
To adjust the right 22.5° bevel angle, flip out the right 22.5° bevel pawl
54
. Loosen the bevel
lock knob
27
and pull the bevel stop override knob
29
to override the 0° bevel stop. When
the saw is fully to the right, if the bevel pointer does not indicate exactly 22.5°, turn the crown
adjustment screw
52
contacting the pawl with a 10 mm wrench until the bevel pointer
indicates exactly 22.5°.
Fence Adjustment (Fig. A)
The upper part of the fence can be adjusted to provide clearance, allowing the saw to bevel to
a full 49° both left andright.
1. To adjust each fence
15
, loosen the fence adjustment knob
35
and slide the fenceoutward.
2. Make a dry run with the saw turned off and check forclearance.
3. Adjust the fence to be as close to the blade as practical to provide maximum workpiece
support, without interfering with arm up and downmovement.
4. Tighten the fence adjustment knobsecurely.
5. When the bevel operations are complete, relocate thefence.
For certain cuts, it may be desirable to bring the fences closer to the blade. To do so, loosen
the fence adjustment knobs
35
and slide the fences closer to the blade past the normal limit,
then tighten the fence adjustment knobs. Make a dry cut first to ensure the blade does not
contact thefences.
For certain cuts it may be desirable to remove the sliding fence. To do so, loosen the fence
adjustment knobs
35
and slide the fence completely free of the base fence. The fence
lanyard
37
prevents the fence from being removed completely from the saw or being lost.
Once the cut is complete, replace the slidingfence.
NOTE: The tracks of the fences can become clogged with sawdust. Use a brush or some low
pressure air to clear the guidegrooves.
Guard Actuation and Visibility (Fig. A)
The lower guard
1
on your saw has been designed to automatically uncover the blade when
the arm is brought down and to cover the blade when the arm israised.
The guard can be raised by hand when installing or removing saw blades or for inspection of
the saw. NEVER RAISE THE LOWER GUARD MANUALLY UN LESS THE BLADE ISSTOPPED.
Rail Guide Adjustment (Fig. A)
Regularly check the rails
22
for play or clearance. Ensure the rail lock knob
23
isloosened.
The right rail can be adjusted with the rail adjustment screw
24
. To reduce clearance, use a
4 mm hex wrench (not provided) and rotate the set screw clockwise gradually while sliding
the saw head back andforth.
Mitre Lock Adjustment (Fig. A, Q)
The mitre lock rod
60
should be adjusted if the table of the saw can be moved when the
mitre lock handle is locked (down) and in a non-detentedposition.
1. Put the mitre lock handle
7
in the unlocked (up)position.
2. Using a 13 mm open end wrench, loosen the lock nut
59
on the mitre lockrod.
3. Using a slotted screwdriver, tighten the mitre lock rod by turning it clockwise as shown in
FigureQ. Turn the lock rod until it is snug, then turn counterclockwise oneturn.
4. Re-lock the mitre lock to a non-detented measurement on the mitre scale – for example,
34° – and make sure the table will notrotate.
5. Tighten locknut.
Prior to Operation
• Install the base extensions to both sides of the saw's base. Refer to Assembling the Base
Extensionssection.
• Check the protective belt cover for damage and the proper functioning of the lowerguard.
• Make sure to use the kerf plate. Do not operate the machine if the kerf slot is wider than
12mm.
• Install the appropriate saw blade. Do not use excessively worn blades. The maximum
rotation speed of the tool must not exceed that of the sawblade.
• Make sure all locking knobs and clamp handles aretight.
• Use personal protective equipment and connect the saw to an external dustextractor.
• Although this saw will cut wood and many nonferrous materials, these operating
instructions refer to the cutting of wood only. The same guide-lines apply to the other
materials. Do not cut ferrous (iron and steel) materials, fibre cement or masonry with
thissaw!
• Do not attempt to cut excessively smallpieces.
• Secure theworkpiece.
• Allow the blade to cut freely. Do notforce.
• Allow the motor to reach full speed beforecutting.
OPERATION
Instructions for Use

WARNING: Always observe the safety instructions and applicableregulations.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of serious personal injury, turn tool off and remove
the battery packs or power supply before transporting, making any adjustments,
cleaning, repairing, or removing/installing attachments or accessories. Be sure the
trigger switch is in the OFF position. An accidental start-up can causeinjury.
Refer to Saw Blades under Optional Accessories to select the blade that best fits yourneeds.
Ensure the machine is placed to satisfy your ergonomic conditions in terms of table height
and stability. The machine site shall be chosen so that the operator has a good overview and
enough free surrounding space around the machine that allows handling of the workpiece
without anyrestrictions.