You finally get your DeWalt miter saw set-up in the garage. Clamp down that long 2×12. Adjust your square and pull the trigger.
The blade grabs hold of the wood but then wander off track rather than cutting perpendicular to the board. Ahh… You see…your fence is pulling on your workpiece and making this precision tool a waste of time and scrap material.
A lot of times when people complain that their router is bad, they have nothing wrong with the router. It is usually because the fence are bad. A good fence on a DeWalt should be solid and give you a firm guide as to what you’re cutting.
If it’s loose or not right then the whole thing fall apart. Think about it like this…you’re attempting to cut something out using a wobbly hand. Most of the time you don’t have to take the whole thing off; it’s just a mechanical issue and can be repaired.
So what’s causing it? That’s where the process of elimination come in. Is it a loose clamp, buildup of dirt, or something else?
We’ll run you through some of more popular failures and how to fix them easy so you’re cutting straight on your DeWalt saw once again. Before you grab tools, try the easiest option first. The sliding tracks gets clogged with fine sawdust over time.
How To Fix DeWalt Miter Saw Fence Problems
Cleaning the Sliding Tracks
That gunk becomes a spacer and keeps the fence from laying flush against its base. Even a small amount of dust will add enough play to throw it off square. Use a can of compressed air to blow it all out and clean the contact surfaces.
Keeping things clean is your first line of defense when it comes to precision. Wipe everything down and if your fence is still feeling looser then normal, continue reading about hardware. The fence clamp is the primary mechanism holding everything in place.
Tightening the Fence Clamp
In most cases with DeWalt models, there’s just a handle or lever that tighten a cam mechanism on the base. That handle should feel snug when locked up and not be spongy or come loose easy. If the handle feels soft or fails to lock down firmly, the fence will shift under pressure of the cutting blade.
Examine the fence clamp mechanism to see if it have any play. Just turning the adjustment screw located near the end of the lever will tighten it back up again. Otherwise, it might require replacing the fence clamp assembly which include the cam and sometimes even the lever handle itself.
The assembly is not expensive and save you a lot of trouble. Still not getting good cuts? Your fence might not be aligned properly.
Aligning the Fence Square
For a straight cut, the fence need to be completely parallel to the blade path. You can verify this by laying one of your square block between the blade and the fence. Is there any difference in the gap from top to bottom?
That means that your fence isn’t square. Adjustment bolts on most DeWalt fences is located towards the front and rear of the fence. Just loosen the main clamp just enough so that you can use your square to nudge the fence until it’s aligned, then tighten back up.
Make a couple test cuts and recheck for alignment. This is critical for accuracy. And last but certainly not least, think about state of the fence’s surface.
Smoothing the Fence Surface
Over time, the fence face may become gouged and pitted by rough materials or harsh clamping systems. This will cause your workpiece to seat inconsistently. You can often clean up minor inconsistencies in the fence plate with just a slight sanding using fine grit paper or even a bench grinder.
Take care not to take off too much. You don’t want it thinner, just smoother. Smooth and consistent means repeatable cuts each and every time.
A DeWalt miter saw fence is not rocket science, it’s about taking out the variables that cause the error. Clean up the tracks. Tighten the clamp.
Square the plate, and your saw will be like new again. Now you have confidence because you know those reference points are true. You pull the trigger with peace of mind that the next cut will be where you planned on cutting.