Gloat Revisited

[Unquestionably Confused]

Okay.. My gloat (Hegner Polymax-3) is now confirmed. After the complete assessment of the saw and obtaining parts from the US Distributor, Advanced Machinery (whose customer service is as fine as the saw), I installed them and put the saw through some paces today.

My Polymax now is upgraded beyond even what the new one fresh from the factory is in that I installed the upgrade quick-release tension rod and the Quick Release upper blade clamp.

The blade clamp supports, which the previous owner had FUBAR'd since he didn't have blade clamps and wanted to "try" to use pinned blades, were replaced by the new version from Hegner. The new version allows for the use of either pinned or pinless (using the blade clamps).

The difference between it and my old Craftsman 23" parallel arm 2-speed scroll saw is like night and day which comes as no surprise. Vibration even without the saw stand (OEM) anchored to the floor. On that score I am debating possibly mounting the stand to a mobile base and then placing within the base, one of ~ 50 or 60lb flooring weights I have laying about. If not, I may just build a plywood shelf and set the weight on that, removing it when I want to manhandle the saw to a different spot in the shop for whatever reason.

Bottom line is that the $500 total investment has netted me a $3,000 plus scroll saw. My next best score has to be the comple

te set of Stanley No. 55 plane blades, in original wooden cases, unused, that I scored at an estate sale for $3.00 to complement the No. 55 I picked up with a half dozen blade at a flea market for $35.

When I suck, I suck big time.

Now to sell off the Craftsman and recoup a bit of my investment.

[Sonny]

I was wondering how much it would take to repair it. That's an excellent bargain.... As is/was the plane & blades, also.

Sonny

[Unquestionably Confused]

If I'd taken my time, I undoubtedly could have done it for a bit less.

The blade clamp holders are pretty dear... ~$39 each. I'm not into metal fabrication, but I probably could have cobbled together a working replacement since I had the battered remnants of the real deal still attached. I did attempt to pound them back into shape but they were too far gone.

As some indication of just how pricey the replacement parts are (and it's hardly limited to Hegner), they have apparently upgraded to a studded, adjustable handle to loosen the motor mount for speed adjustment. I'd already had the brain storm to replace the 8mm-20 socket cap screw with an adjustable handle.

The price through Hegner's distributor? ~$21, ordered through Jergen's it was $4.53. Neither did I necessarily need to buy all three sized blade clamps for the pinless blades but... why not do it all at once? Those were $22 a set.

Asa a practical matter, I could have had the saw up and running like a champ, equipped for pinned blades only for a total investment of $310, all I really HAD to have to make it workable was the upper and lower blade clamp holders.

[woodchucker]

wow on the 55 too. You suck.