Scroll Saws - who are the top brands

[RzB]

Llamello for biscuit joiners, Altendorf for Table Saws, Festool for Jig saws... all arguable at the top of their game...

so who for Scroll Saws?

Who produces the top quality Scroll Saw?

Googling brings up all sorts of options mainly from names that I don't immediatly associate with out and out quality...

Thoughts?

Roy (in the UK)

[Jay Pique]

Hawk and Hegner are excellent. Dewalt also makes one that I've heard praised by some very good scrollsawyers, and at a lower price.

Unless you're set on doing pretty finely detailed scrolling, I'd go with a quality bandsaw and some good, narrow blades.

JP

[David]

Kinda hard to do inside cuts on a bandsaw...

Dave

[RzB]

Jay, Many thanks for your response...

I have googled etc but can't find a URL...

Do you have a link to Hawk and Hegner ?

Many thanks, Roy

[Russ Stanton]

For Hawk

[RzB]

Russ, Many thanks, Roy

[Russ Stanton]

Not sure where you are located but RBI demonstrates at most of the woodworking shows and also offers price cuts at the shows.

Not affliated with RBI in any way just providing useful info.

[RzB]

Hmmm... Yes I could pop along to one but it would be a bit of a journey -

I'm just south of Winchester... UK!

Thanks anyway, Roy

[Phil-in-MI]

Roy:

UK (as member of EU) has lots of problems with import duty and VAT Taxes. For EU brands, google for Fretsaws.

Dollar for Dollar, DeWalt #788 is your best bargain in US / Canada Of equal price range and quality is the Delta P-20. Both expensive with taxes in EU.

(Aside: There have been a few reports, the table on the DeWalt have not been flat since vendor change in Taiwan. DeWalt has honored warranty and replaced the table. But with delay due to shipping from overseas.)

The Major feature of the really high end Scroll Saws are for use in 'fretwork':

- Lack of Vibration (and no harmonic point as speed changes)

- Ease of being able to thread a blade thru a very small drill hole (#62 or even #71 US number drill hole), and attach the blade to holder

- Some users like to thread blade from top to bottom and attach blade in blade chuck without looking under saw table; others like to bottom feed.

- Blade can be repetitively, and accuracy, inserted into blade chuck, to correct position before clamping jaws of chuck.

- Blade chuck requires no special tool.

- Quite running

- Blade goes only up and down, no multiple dimensions tool path: - - absolutely no side to side motion of blade path - - no forward motion on down stroke - - just up and down in same plane

The links below, saws are about $1000.00 (USD) and they are of similar quality. Available in UK I don't know.

(has new model, table does not tilt, the rest of saw tilts instead. Keeps project flat, a great improvement) (Heginer Scroll Saws)

UK made scroll saw (NO JOKE! don't buy until you try it!) Diamond Fretsaw (does not have a web page that I know of try

on left hand side, scroll down to Reviews, and last entry is Diamond Scroll Saws. Saw needs to be bolted to table, and table bolted to concrete floor.)

Don't forget to google 'woodworking forum, UK' Maybe someone on your side of the pond has been there, done that.

HTH

Phil

[Sam Soltan]

Just STAY AWAY FROM DELTA

I teach at a middle school 6th - 8th grade. Someone "borrowed" a top jaw assembly from one of our school's three delta scroll saws over the summer. When I called to order the replacement parts I was told that Delta no longer supports the machine, mind you these are less than ten years old. I doubt that I will ever again order or recommend a Delta tool again.

[Phil-in-MI]

Delta scroll saw blade chuck replacement is at Amazon.com:

Search Amazon under Tools and Hardware for Delta 40-251 II Quickset Blade Chuck. Less than $25.00 while supplies last.

Yes, you are correct, The New Owner's of Delta now have a no support after so many years. This is the same mind set that brought you "Planned Obsolesce" in the 1960's and 1970's.

Just a heads up, if your saw is 10 years old or so, as part of the top arm assembly there is a small rubber disk, or grommet, that works with the blade tension system. This rubber grommet needs to be replaced every few years because it becomes compressed and hardened. (Blade tension will be incorrect, and blade breakage will occur more often. In extreme cases, damage to tension bolt will occur.) Grommet replacement cost about $1.00 USD currently. Soon, Delta will no longer carry this part, as it is an older design that uses it. Your school should start looking into getting a supply this part ASAP.

When you replace the grommet, it is a good time to replace the 2 small sealed ball bearing that attaches the motor to the lower arm. Local bearing store should carry them as it is a common bearing.

Phil

[George]

Well, you could have had my problem. Grant-purchased Grizz stuff under constant repair. Doesn't take a batch of kids long to misuse a tool. Can't watch everyone.

Fortunately most of the shop was based on ancient iron - Delta.

[RzB]

Phil, Many thanks for your excellent response.

That gives me plenty to go on. Yes importing from the US is a pain - duty, VAT, carriage, support, returns, 110V - to name but a few!

I'll do some more investigation using your links and advice, and see what I can come up with in the UK.

The DeWalt 788 is available in the UK at £305 about $530. However I have had a bad experience with DeWalt. Probably an exception to the rule, and it was just as they were merging with the B & D support staff in the UK, (to give them the benefit of the doubt), but I am now very wary.

I have just got a book Scroll Saw Handbook by Patric Spielman so should also be able to get some direction from that.

Many thanks for your help, Roy

[wildbill]

I use an Excalibur, 19" throat if I remember correctly. Had for almost

20 yrs now and not one problem ('course I just realized I've cursed myself by writing that.....)

Got it from Seyco sales when they were in Dallas/Garland TX.

Bill W

[Barry Lennox]

Hawk, Hegner and Excalibur are probably the best up there. However, they are all costly!!

I looked at them all at the WW shows, they were very nice, but the DeWalt 788 seemed almost as good for about 1/3 the cost.

My mind was made up when Home Depot flogged them off (in 1999?) after some kind of argument with DeWalt, for around $249 or $269.

I have to run it off a 230-115v transformer, but what the hell, the power goes through several transformers before it gets to me, one more is no big deal.

It runs beautifully smoothly and is a much-used tool

Barry (in NZ)

[RzB]

Barry, Many thanks for your response...

Hmm... perhaps I should give DW another chance ...

Now if only we had a "Home Depot" in the UK.... :-)

Thanks, Roy

[CW]

Be careful what you wish for, you may get it. :)

[RzB]

Ho ho.... :-)

Yes - should take care with comments like that... :-)

Roy

[Sam Soltan]

[RzB]

A bit of a late entry!

I did find a URL for Hegner...

And - its in the UK -...

Many thanks to all who posted ... Roy.