DEWALT Recalls Table Saws Due to Laceration Hazard

[Rara Avis]

DEWALT Recalls Table Saws Due to Laceration Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary
recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using
recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: DEWALT DW744 Jobsite Table Saws

Units: About 13,000

Manufacturer: DEWALT Industrial Tool Co., of Towson, Md.

Hazard: The pivot bracket on the saw can separate which can misalign the
blade and the fence and cause kick back. This poses a laceration hazard
to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: DEWALT has received one reported incident of the
table saw's blade misaligning. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the 10 inch DEWALT jobsite table saw
model number DW744. Date codes included in the recall are 200715 through
200740. The table saws are yellow and black. The model number and date
code are located on the name plate on the front of the saw. Table saws
with an "X" stamped on the name plate by the date code are not included
in this recall.

Sold at: Major home centers and hardware stores nationwide from April
2007 through January 2008 for about $500.

Manufactured in: Mexico

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled table saws
and contact DEWALT for the location of a service center to obtain a free
replacement table saw.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact DEWALT toll-free
at (888) 742-9178 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or
visit the firm's Web site at DEWALT: High Performance Industrial Tools and Accessories

 

[Charlesaf3]

dewalts quality is really going downhill. metal gears are being replaced by plastic, and the recalls are getting fast and furious.

I have just about one of everything they make it seems, but as it breaks I'll be replacing it with Bosch and Makita and the like. Sad.

 

[emmy71]

I have one of those but it looks like it is older than the ones being recalled. It was made in Mexico though. No problems in over 2 years so I guess it's ok.

Terry

 

[mjncad]

dewalts quality is really going downhill. metal gears are being replaced by plastic, and the recalls are getting fast and furious.

I have just about one of everything they make it seems, but as it breaks I'll be replacing it with Bosch and Makita and the like. Sad.

That's what happens when Black & Decker owns a tool company. I expect Delta and Porter-Cable to get crappier now that B & D own them. I now call DeWalt by what seems to be more appropriate...DeFault.

 

[horse7]

That's what happens when Black & Decker owns a tool company. I expect Delta and Porter-Cable to get crappier now that B & D own them. I now call DeWalt by what seems to be more appropriate...DeFault.

DeWalt was always B&D (they weren't acquired) and Porter Cable was in the tank long before B&D bought out the division from Pentair.

I stopped buying Porter Cable several years ago when they sadly threw in the towel and became basically a Chinese tool remarker-- stuff had the same shape as the Harbor Freight tools, just different color [I even called them up when they first changed, to find out if the tools were Chinese or American or what. Yep, Chinese]. Too bad, I liked their tools before that.

Don't know about Delta, but then I usually buy Grizzly stationary tools since I don't need top end precision, but I do want replacement parts availability-- something lacking from most suppliers of Chinese tools. I have both Delta and DeWalt 12+-" luggable planers, Delta is maybe a little better but I use the DeWalt more.

The B&D 18v cordless stuff is pretty good. I flog my tiny 18v cordless chainsaw and it has kept right on working somewhat to my astonishment. Walk around with a bandolier of batteries... weedwacker is light duty but good for small stuff, and the blower is much more convenient than a corded. And, no gasoline, no springtime carb problems, no 'won't start in the cold', and other hassles like with my gas brushwacker (needed for the heavy stuff), gas compactor, gas....

 

[Kernopelli]

Had a gear strip on my Dewalt angle grinder. I ordered a new one from Dewalt and when I was putting it on I noticed it was stamped "made in China". Probably why the first one went south.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I will have to check mine out tomorrow. Beyond that, the reality is that table saws are dangerous.

Always have been and more than likely, always will be.

Not that a given tool is not dangerous mind you. I just think that having an owners manual with ten pages of warnings and one page of "nuts N' bolts" borders on rediculous.

 

[mjncad]

DeWalt was always B&D (they weren't acquired) and Porter Cable was in the tank long before B&D bought out the division from Pentair.

I knew DeFault was owned by B & D for quite some time; but like everything B & D owns...it seems to be turned into junk.

I own a Pentair-Delta 10" bench grinder. It's a decent machine; but I wish I would have bought the equivalent Jet. However, I've always suspected that Delta was at their best when Rockwell owned them; but that is a guess on my part.

About 3-years ago, a friend of mine was shopping for a 10" table saw for an extremely small shop. He narrowed it down to the Jet SuperSaw and the DeWalt equivalent. At the time, the price was similar; but the Jet is a far superior machine. Better fit, finish, parts, assembly, fence, etc, etc. The DeWalt looked like it was made in a back alley. My friend bought the Jet and is happy with it, except for the miter gauge, He wants to get an Incra 1000SE like mine.

Not that I do much woodworking; but I'd like a SawStop table saw. I have a Grizzly 5"x6" swivel head horizontal bandsaw I am happy with. Jet now sells the same saw with a few more features.

 

[gemini5362]

I will have to check mine out tomorrow. Beyond that, the reality is that table saws are dangerous.

Always have been and more than likely, always will be.

Not that a given tool is not dangerous mind you. I just think that having an owners manual with ten pages of warnings and one page of "nuts N' bolts" borders on rediculous.

I think PatG has the least dangerous table saw made. His will stop if it detects flesh instead of wood in it. I dont have a clue how it does it though.

 

[Charlesaf3]

gemini - sawstop. probably what I'll get. nice saw by accounts, aside from the safety bit

 

[laurencen]

This seems a stupid question but I have a Dewalt 744 saw of 3 year old vintage, I have looked high and low for a serial plate that shows the complete model number, only place it shows is on the front plate with model, its simply dw744, where do I find the serial #

Tanks

 

[gemini5362]

gemini - sawstop. probably what I'll get. nice saw by accounts, aside from the safety bit

It was a very impressive saw. I probably wont get one. The price tag is too high for my casual useage of a table saw. But I lusted after it when I saw it.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Do you mean a laceration like the one in the pic below? *Warning, do not look at the pic while eating.* Whatever you do, leave the guard on the saw. My orthopedic surgeon told me that in adult males, half of the hand injuries he sees are from a table saw. The other half is from everything else on the planet. This hand injury cost me at least $100,000. Possibly much more as I had a promising career in athletics before this happened.

 

[Charlesaf3]

yep, that's why I'm pretty set on the saw stop... I use a table saw pretty often, and am in the habit of using my hands every day...

 

[mjncad]

Do you mean a laceration like the one in the pic below? *Warning, do not look at the pic while eating.* Whatever you do, leave the guard on the saw. My orthopedic surgeon told me that in adult males, half of the hand injuries he sees are from a table saw. The other half is from everything else on the planet. This hand injury cost me at least $100,000. Possibly much more as I had a promising career in athletics before this happened.

Man, that's nasty! How long ago did that happen and how well has your hand healed? I hope your hand recovered well from that incident.

I was watching a video at Woodworking tools, supplies, plans, projects, accessories, articles and more - Woodcraft.com on a Gripper product to replace traditional push sticks and featherboards. It looked promising until I saw the host demo the product, and although his hands were relatively protected by the Gripper, I had ugly visions of a user slipping on a slick floor and having the table saw blade go up the length of the forearm after the Gripper went past the blade.

Take care.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Man, that's nasty! How long ago did that happen and how well has your hand healed? I hope your hand recovered well from that incident.

Take care.

Thanks for your concern. This photo was about 4 days post-op. The accident, no, my foolishness happened 5 years, 4 days and 20 hours ago. I had 3 surgeries. I have partial use of my thumb and have no feeling from the middle finger to my thumb. The doctor said a quarter inch deeper and I may have lost the hand entirely. I somehow did not cut any bone, all tendons and nerves.

Exactly what happened. Of course, there was no guard on the table saw. Everyone knows you can't cut anything with the guard on. Hey, that was my attitude at the time. Anyway, I was installing the pre-finished oak floor in the pic background. 400 square feet, I was down to the last 3 boards. I started in the middle and worked my way out. On the first end of the house, there are air vents for the heat. I cut these out of the floor with a jig saw. At the other end, the table saw was right outside on the deck and I only had 1 cut left to notch for the air vent. So, I proceed to make a plunge cut on the table saw. All went well until I hit a knot. Blade grabs the knot, pulls my left palm right across the blade. If I tell you it happened in the blink of an eye, I would be lying. It happened faster. One moment of sheer , utter, senseless stupidity changed my life forever.

Now, When Paul Christenson starts bringing up this safety stuff, please listen to him. I can tell you from experience, all it takes is a split second of bad judgment to change your life forever.

* Just for the record, this was not a De-Walt saw and I didn't sue anybody. I fully admit my own stupidity and beat myself up everyday.

 

[FlaDon]

Table saws are dangerous by design. That said, I have a 12" that I wouldn't give up for just about anything. Will cut a 4X4 in half on a 45° angle. And it has a 3 HP motor. Table saw weighs about 185lbs. I'd hate to slip like Wayne County Hose did. It would take the whole hand off.

 

[AlanB]

Just got word that a good freind of my dads a day or two ago slipped while using the big shaper.

Lost the little finger and 1/2 the next one.

Had previously cut off 3 on a tablesaw and they had re-attached them.

Said there was nothing to pick up after they hit the shaper.

Back to work the next day (self employed)

Man, just gives me a knot in my stomach thinking of it.

 

[mjncad]

Now, When Paul Christenson starts bringing up this safety stuff, please listen to him. I can tell you from experience, all it takes is a split second of bad judgment to change your life forever.

* Just for the record, this was not a De-Walt saw and I didn't sue anybody. I fully admit my own stupidity and beat myself up everyday.

In any case, I'm glad to hear the damage to your hand wasn't worse.

I try to have as much respect for power equipment as I can, and yes I do dumb things too. Like you I realize that my actions could have nasty consequences and I weigh the risks carefully before doing so (e.g. disabling PTO Lawyer Switches on my tractors).

However, when I bring out the gas trimmer, I have a hunch the neighbors think I'm overly paranoid because I wear jeans, a long sleeve shirt, ear and protection, a hardhat with a clear Lexan face shield, and leather tennis shoes. If I can find leather safety shoes that aren't boots, I'll probably get a pair. I've seen people in my neighborhood wear no head, eye and ear protection; they wear short sleeve shirts and shorts and sandals. I think they're nuts because even with what I wear, an errant piece of gravel stings when it hits the legs and tumbleweeds make a heck of a racket when they hit a hard hat. I've had my face shield look like I stood in front of a salad shooter. I use a brush cutter style head on my trimmer.

I'd rather look like a dork and make every effort to be safe than be a cool dude wearing shorts and sandals while weed whacking.

 

[FlaDon]

.....

I'd rather look like a dork and make every effort to be safe than be a cool dude wearing shorts and sandals while weed whacking.

Word! Stihl hard hat with ear muffs and face guard, long sleeve shirt, blue jeans ( denim) , steel toe boots ( 8-9" high ). Behind the face guard are a pair of glasses also.