No matter what you’re into, most of us are always looking around to see what the other guy has. I’m constantly checking out what bikes show up at the Saturday group ride, what trucks are parked at the job site, and what tools are in other shops. What really gets my attention is when a tool company uses an outside brand to show off what they’ve made. That’s exactly the case when it comes to the DeWalt DW872 14-Inch Multi-Cutter Saw.
It was just an hour before the doors opened up to let us into the Phoenix Convention Center for STAFDA 2015. Diablo was showing the latest blades and cutting accessories they’d produced and we were looking at their 14-Inch Steel Demon with Cermet II technology. Diablo is under the Bosch umbrella along with Skilsaw and others, but it was the DeWalt DW872 they chose to put their blades on.
That made an impression and I’ve been looking forward to testing this model ever since. We’re still trying to sort out which saw is going to be the one that takes up residence in our shop full time. There are a lot of features to consider on the 872 and we also need to take a close look at how quickly and cleanly it cuts.
So without further ago, let’s dive in.
DeWalt DW872 Features
Spinning the blade at just 1300 RPM doesn’t sound very impressive compared to the 3500+ RPM of abrasive chop saws. That puts DeWalt in a more elite category of cold cutting metal saws. The slower speed keep the blade and material cooler, allowing you to cut with teeth rather than grind with diamonds or abrasives. This class cuts faster with fewer sparks.
Flexible Quick-Fence System
Of the seven metal cutting saws in this series, DeWalt has the most flexible fence with its Quick-Fence system. Unlike others that just pivot for miter cuts, DeWalt’s Multi-Cutter Saw slides forward and takes advantage of 45 and 90-degree detents to take the guesswork out of the most common cuts. Both sliding and angle adjustments are tool-free using the locking mechanism. The build quality in the fence area is very solid.
Not All Vises are Bad
DeWalt is one of several that mercifully employ a quick-lock style vise that allows you to quickly slide it forward before using the crank to tighten it down. The crank gets away from the wheel-style adjustment in design and doesn’t seem to help or hurt things. However, the adjustment is one of the quickest and smoothest we’ve seen.
A bonus feature that comes with the Multi-Cutter Saw is a vertical clamp. We’re used to seeing this on miter saws, but not chop saws. It’s a nice touch for materials that you really need to ensure don’t go anywhere.
Blade Runner
Sooner or later, you’re going to have to change the blade, and DeWalt seems to have done well in that arena. The blade lock is intelligently designed to operate with your small finger while holding the blade guard up. Thanks to the blade guard design, there are also fewer steps to changing the blade than we saw on any of the others. It would be nice if the guard had a latch to be held up on its own, but I also understand the safety aspect of ensuring it can’t.
Other Notable Features
- Onboard tool storage
- Ergonomically sound handle/trigger
- 5-3/16 inch round material capacity
- 4-1/2 inch by 6-1/2 inch rectangular material capacity
- Cuts ferrous and non-ferrous material with stock blade
DeWalt DW872 Cutting Performance
We already had high expectations for performance thanks to our experience at STAFDA. We fed the DeWalt DW872 plenty of angle iron with some rebar for dessert to get an idea of how it compared to the others. Even with the stock blade, these were hardly a challenge. Cutting was so easy and smooth that it hardly seemed like the saw had to work all that hard. The results were excellent with little to no burring in each of the materials we cut.
One of the things we noticed as we pulled the motor head down for each cut is the spring design. Most chop saws return to their upper position with a horizontally aligned spring that tightens the coils when pulled down and loosens when released to hold it up. DeWalt’s spring is oriented vertically and is much stronger. This pushes the spring together rather than tightening the coils to produce its action. Time will tell if one design is superior to the other, but on the surface, a spring replacement should be much easier on the 872.
DeWalt 14-inch Multi-Cutter Saw Specifications
- Model: DeWalt DW872
- Motor: 15 Amps
- Blade diameter: 14 in.
- Max cut depth: 5-3/16 in.
- No-load speed: 1,300 RPM
- Miter: 45 degrees
- Weight: 47 lbs.
- Warranty: 3 years limited, 1 year free service, 90-day money-back guarantee
- Price: $599
The Bottom Line
As we worked through each of the features, we became more impressed with the saw’s design. While several things stand out, the fence, vice, and vertical clamp work together to create a user experience that’s a step ahead of most cold saws. Having said that, you do want to check for squareness on the fence from time to time. The same features that make it great also give it a little bit of wiggle room to walk.
The DeWalt DW872 14-Inch Multi-Cutter Saw may very well be the best, most feature-rich metal cutting saw on the market right now. It’s certainly the most impressive we’ve used so far. Price is going to be near the top of the range, but the build quality and feature set put it in a place where it’s worth it. Keep in mind to check the fence for squareness at the beginning of each day and you should have no regrets about your purchase at the end of the day.
