DeWalt DWE7491RS Jobsite Table Saw: The Rack-and-Pinion Fence Benchmark
DeWalt 10-Inch Jobsite Table Saw with Rack and Pinion Fence
- Telescoping rack-and-pinion fence rails stay dead parallel to the blade with zero front-to-back wiggle.
- 32-1/2" rip capacity cleanly breaks down full 4x8 plywood sheets without a dedicated panel saw.
- Rolling scissor stand deploys and folds in five seconds with one foot-latch.
- Onboard 2-1/2" dust collection port actually moves air when connected to a shop vac.
- Stock miter gauge is stamped tin junk, plan on replacing it with an Incra or Kreg gauge immediately.
- Tabletop surface is ribbed cast aluminum, which scratches easily and doesn't glide as smoothly as polished cast iron.
- Universal motor screams like a jet engine at 4,800 RPM.
The No-BS Reality
If you don't have a 600-pound 3-horsepower cabinet saw wired for 220V in an industrial shop, this is the table saw you buy. I’ve owned three different portable table saws over the last decade (including a budget Delta and a Ridgid), and the DWE7491RS blows them out of the water solely because of one component: the fence.
On almost every portable saw under $500, the fence locks down crooked. You measure 12 inches at the front of the blade, lock the lever, and find out the back of the fence kicked out to 12-3/16". That leads to binding, burning your hardwood, or getting kicked in the chest by a flying workpiece.
DeWalt’s rack-and-pinion system connects the front and rear fence rails with gear racks driven by a knurled brass dial. When you turn the dial, both ends move in lockstep. You set it to 14 inches on the micro-adjust scale, lock the lever, and it is dead square every single rip.
Where It Earns Its Keep
- The Rolling Stand: The scissor stand with big 8-inch rubber wheels rolls over cords, gravel, and dirt thresholds without tipping over. You pull the release pin with your toe, push down, and it folds flat like a hand truck.
- True 32-1/2" Rip Capacity: You pull the fence flip-support out and you can rip an entire 4x8 sheet of 3/4" Baltic birch right down the middle without needing a helper to hold the edge.
- Dado Compatibility: It takes a stacked dado set up to 13/16" wide (requires the optional dado throat plate). That is critical for building drawer boxes, half-laps, and cabinet carcasses.
The Weak Spots
- The Factory Miter Gauge: Throw it in the scrap bin. It has almost 1/16" of lateral slop in the T-slot groove. Buy a $90 aftermarket miter gauge or build a crosscut sled on day one.
- Noise: This is a brush-type universal motor. It will wake the dead. Wear hearing protection every time you flip the paddle switch.
Final Call
Don't buy cheap jobsite saws with lever-only clamping fences. The extra $150 for DeWalt's rack-and-pinion setup will save you hundreds of dollars in ruined lumber.
Shop Benchmarks & Specs
| Rating | 4.9 |
| Opp Score | 0.0 |