DeWalt 788 Table Issue's!

[superman0617]

Hello all! Received my new DeWalt 788 over the weekend and I noticed by using a stright edge, that the table has a high spot on it. Right where the blade comes threw the table! Anyone else have this problem with there's? If so what did you do about it? I ordered it online so I REALLY dont want to have to pay $50. Just to ship it back. Does anyone know if DeWalt will just exchange the table? Send me a new one then I send my old one to them? Any information would be greatly appericated!!

[minowevie]

I don't really know anything about the dewalt 788 but just wondering. do you have a removeable plate on your saw. where the blade inters the saw. I do and sometimes i don't punch it in real good after doing a 45. that will make a bump. maybe just check to see if it is pushed in good. It might have saw dust in the grove where it sets in place,or dirt or oil. . IF you have used it at all. your friend Evie

[William Young (SE BC)]

From what I am hearing , lot of them are warped like that. Even the tye 1 that were supposed to be better. I never realized mine was warped until it was slightly over a year old and I saw some discussions about it and then checked it out. . Mine was crowned in the middle just like yours and also sloped badly from center to the front edge but because it was just over the warranty period they would not replace it. It didn't affect the cutting all that much on fretwork under 1/2" but it did affect the accuracy of cutting later on when I got into thick sawing of 3D and compound cutting projects..
It might be worth your while to pay the shipping and hopefully get a flat one because now that you know it is warped it will probably always bug you that it could have been better.
Will your local authorized DeWalt service center not order a good one for you under warranty ? ?
I wouldn't think it would matter where you bought it if it is defective and the authorized service center recognizes it as such.

I wish you the best of luck in getting that problem solved.
W.Y.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Evie;
DeWalt does not have a removeable plate.
Just an oval slot casted or punched into the table top.
There have been some discussions about the possibility of the oval slot being punched into the center of the table after the table was casted which was causing them to not be flat. . I don't know if anyone found anything definite on that or if it is just a theory that some thought might be causing it.
W.Y.

[harrisg]

Hi,

I think I'm the one who brought this up in December. My Dewalt was bought from Western Tool in Portland and after checking their stock for an exchange, all theirs had the same problem. Not to worry. Dewalt has a repair station about 3 miles east of the Portland airport. Give them a call and ask for the person who handles Dewalt repairs. He had a new flat table to me in about a week. I'm sorry I don't remember the tech's name. Good luck. I still love my Dewalt.

Harris

[superman0617]

Thanks for all the help folk's! I really appericate it! I sent an email off to DeWalt, will see if I get a response tomorrow like they say will do. I cant let a mere little table problem stop me from making sawdust, so I'm off to the garage to make something else!!! You know how you can tell a happy scroller?

By all the sawdust in his teeth!!!

Will keep you all posted on the happenings!
And Thanks again!!!
Will post picture of my second project when I complete it!

Corey

[bearfretworks]

I was too cheap/lazy to pay to ship mine back so I just went after it with my belt sander. Less than 5 minutes and the bump in the middle was gone. Kind of like a home milling shop......

[superman0617]

New table on the way!!!

Hello everyone, I just wanted to let you know that DeWalt sent me a reply in less than 24 hours and here is what they said.

Response (Larry) 04/18/2006 10:55 AM

Hello Corey, and thanks for using DEWALT's on-line support.
I have ordered you a new table and I do not have to have the other table back. I would like to get the serial number from your unit. Part of the serial number is a manufacturing date code which would help us track the units down if we started getting more reports of bad tables.
Table ships from Maryland, I would imagine you would have it within 7 to 10 business days.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve you. If your question remains unresolved or if you require additional information please update this incident.

Sincerely,

Larry Wagner

[William Young (SE BC)]

That's wonderfull news.
Glad they are looking after it for you.
W.Y.

[Rolf]

Flat table.

If the table is out of warranty you can always take it to a local machine shop and have it fly cut. (Special type of cutter) Although it would probably be cheaper to buy a replacement from Dewalt.
I had a crown in my RBI and they sent me a new one no hassle. It made a difference with the fine stack cutting.

[lucky788scroller]

So far the news is good! Keep us posted. Mine does have a slight crown towards the center, but it hasnt effected me really. I never noticed it until this same question was asked a few months ago. There was a slight burr on the surface at the hole on one of mine, but it didnt appear from it being punched, and once i sanded the table with 400 grit on a block of wood, that high spost was gone. I wetsanded the table when new with mineral spirits trying to get the cosmoline off of it prior to waxing it.

[superman0617]

Cosmoline? What's that???

[Rolf]

Cosmoline

It is a waxy oil substance used to protect the unpainted metal parts on machinery.
Many years ago it was used on new cars especialy those shipped overseas.

[superman0617]

O, okay, thanks for the tip. I will have to try that on the new table.

[William Young (SE BC)]

It is not something you put on the table.
It is something you take off before you ever use it .It should have beeen coated with that stuff when you first took it out of the box. It is to prevent rust from forming on cast iron parts during shipment and storage. .
After removing it, use carnauba paste wax frequently on the table to make the wood slide easily and to prevent rust.
W.Y.