Scroll Saw

Hello;

I am interested in getting a new scroll saw and once you get past the $100 or so mark you are in the real expensive stuff. I don't object to spending the bucks, but I have never had the opportunity to see, let alone touch, any Eclipse, Hegner, or other high end saws.

Does anyone have any experience with these or done any side by side comparison that would help me make a decision?

I have a delta but some stuff I am doing now is so small and thin that the slop in the machine makes thing more difficult than I suspect they need be. That, coupled with my decision to cut, say abalone shells, resawed 1/32 Corian, and things smaller than a quarter, marquetry and other things of that ilk have me seeking a better solution. I have even cut these things by hand, but I can't properly injure myself that way, so I am looking for something with a motor.

I have not found any other forum, like rec.hardtocutyourfingeroff, but no luck.

Suggestions???

Reply to
T McCoskery
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G'day there, I have had a number of scroll saws, starting with a Ryobi, followed by a delta variable speed and now a Dewalt. Each saw outstripped the previous in performance but the Dewalt is so far ahead it's remarkable. Although the Dewalt was cost far more than the other 2 combined it is worth every penny. Almost no vibration, ease of threading blade etc etc. Just my 2 bob's worth. regards John

Reply to
John B

Sounds like you're getting pretty seriously into scroll sawing. If I were that serious and had the money, I'd buy a Hawk brand. I don't own one, but I've seen them in action. I was plenty impressed with the way it was made and the precision it showed. But seriously pricey.

DonkeyHody "A bulldog can whip a skunk, but it's probably not worth it."

Reply to
DonkeyHody

I had the chance to use a DeWalt DW788 recently and boy was it nice. "Vibration" Whats that? It was so nice. I have an old dremel that I have used for about 20 years. I am now considering buying a DeWalt.

Chris

Reply to
ChrisGW

Get a Dewalt. Every review I've read says it's almost as good as the high end stuff at half the price or less. I have one. I can't compare it to the Hegner et al, but it's by far the best scroll saw I've ever used.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

I think it is still the case with scroll saws that the "middle ground" is pretty small. There are a number of machines in the under $150 -

200 range, and there are some that are really expensive like the Hegner. In the middle I don't think you will find much argument that the DeWalt is the hands-down best value. Delta has made a couple mid-range scroll saws over the years, I recently was able to purchase a (* DRIVE-BY ALERT *) lightly used Q3 myself for $100 and it is a nice saw, but the DeWalt is better. If I had more budget it's the one I would get. I believe the Q3 was discontinued a few years ago anyway. I haven't seen or heard much about Delta's later top-end scroll saw, I don't know if it's still available either. Especially since B&D owns Delta now and their DeWalt saw is the superior product anyway.

For what it's worth I started off some years ago with the little Delta

16" and it was always a solid, dependable unit, but it _does_ shake and the blade changing setup is less than ideal for inside holes.
Reply to
lwasserm

At work we have four Hegners and five Deltas (two different sizes and models). I don't think that any of them hold a candle to my DeWalt at home. IMNSHO they don't even come close.

Glen

Reply to
Glen

Two suggestions:

1st:

There are several hosted forums that you can search and read without joining, but if you join you can ask your question. Few scroll saw threads appear in this newsgroup.

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Hosted by a scroll saw hobby magazine
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(watch the link wrap) hosted by Wood Magazine
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hosted by a Scroll Saw hobby vendor.

There are several more hosted forums, including MSN Groups, Yahoo Groups. and so forth.

2nd:

If you decide to go with a DeWalt 788 (about $500.00) be aware that there still may be a few boxed new ones that have a warped table top. The table top should be flat, but a manufacturing defect had the center blade hole quite a few thousands below the rest of the table top. Until the bad ones are purged from stores, take a steel ruler and check before you take one home. By now most of the bad ones should have been purged.

Not a suggestion, but a comment:

10 years ago and before, scroll saws were all long arms that moved up and down with the blades between the two arms. Modern design has only the last few inches of the arms actually moving the blade up and down (the rest of the long arms are stationary.) This makes for low vibration, longer blade life, plus noise reduction.

Phil

{snip}

Reply to
Phil-in-MI

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