ScrollSaw Purchase

[Dar Lounsbury]

I am looking to purchase a high end scrollsaw but I do not know the quirks of the different brands. I have played with some of the more commonly available lower priced ones and most of them shake so hard that one does not want to use them for very long. Others are a nightmare to change blades. Some lose power when the speed is slowed down. I am sure the better ones have this fixed so that they have full power at all speeds.

I understand this is not a high tech machine but surely some are better than others. Speed control, smoothness, ease of changing blades are some of the important needs. If you were buying one, what would you get and why.

Thanks, Dar

[Steven DeMars]

I am looking to purchase a high end scrollsaw but I do not know the quirks of the different brands. I have played with some of the more commonly available lower priced ones and most of them shake so hard that one does not want to use them for very long. Others are a nightmare to change blades. Some lose power when the speed is slowed down. I am sure the better ones have this fixed so that they have full power at all speeds.

I understand this is not a high tech machine but surely some are better than others. Speed control, smoothness, ease of changing blades are some of the important needs. If you were buying one, what would you get and why.

Thanks, Dar

We have a Dewalt & it is very well built.

You could spend big bucks on a Excalibur, but you will still get a Chinese built saw. We almost bought one until I call and confirmed they had moved manufacturing to China.

I would also look at a $$$$ Hegner if I was looking for the best.

From my research I determined that you need to determine if you will be doing fret work or "scroll work.

Fret work does not require the "power" while scroll work needs a more powerful saw.

My 2 cents . . .:)
Steve

[Montgomery Scott]

Hegner. The only thing that it doesn't have is quick blade change, but it's not bad.

I met a professional marqueter who did amazing work. He owned four Hegners. No other brand. Hegner is still made in Germany. The DeWalt is made in Taiwan now.

[Steve Mellott]

The best "high end" scroll saw may be the Eclipse (app $1850) but the Dewalt 788 is more than adequate for most people who use a scroll saw (regardless of where its made). Nearly everyone in my scroll saw club owns and uses the Dewalt. I personally own an Excalibur, but I think the Dewalt is just as good.

Steve

[glenn bradley]

At $450 with a free stand and light (http://grizzly.com/products/DW788-7880-7881-20-Scroll-Saw-W-Stand-And-Light/H7414). the DeWalt DW788 purchased through Grizzly is pretty hard to beat. I would say it is the first step toward the "good" saws. When I decided I "needed" one, I did my usual exhaustive research. Joined a few scroll saw forums to talk with folks who do this a lot if not exclusively.

The Eclipse, Excalibur and Hegners are out there and well liked. The DeWalt seemed to be the preferred tool over anything until you hit the low end Excalibur at around $750 - $850. Mine arrived with an, apparently common, domed top. DeWalt CS swapped it without even blinking and the replacement top is great, saw's, great, stand's solid . . .

Don't forget those Flying Dutchman blades . . . I actually say that tongue in cheek as so many serious sawyers raved about them, I just bought them. They don't cost any more than other blades and seem great but I have no experience to actually compare with so take that with a grain of salt ;-)

[Jim Finn]

I bought the best Hegner they offer and like it. (Promax)
I sold my DeWalt after repairing it three times in two years. It cut well but did not hold up.
Hegner blades are not as easy to change, but I do not change blades often and seldom do inside cuts so it is not an issue to me.

[jerry cousins]

i used a hegner for many years - really a good solid saw - it was the 22" variable speed. last year i got the 30" excalibur - it took a while but i'm liking it too. it is very solid and i like having the xtra depth. i use the saw for marquetry and cut at an angle. the big difference is that the hegner table tilts while the excalibur headstock tilts and the table stays level. for me threading blades is a bit easier and easier to handle bigger pieces since they are not at an angle. but i do break more blades with the excalibur - maybe i just don't get the hang of setting the tension.
jerry

[John alder]

At $450 with a free stand and light (http://grizzly.com/products/DW788-7880-7881-20-Scroll-Saw-W-Stand-And-Light/H7414). the DeWalt DW788 purchased through Grizzly is pretty hard to beat. I would say it is the first step toward the "good" saws. When I decided I "needed" one, I did my usual exhaustive research. Joined a few scroll saw forums to talk with folks who do this a lot if not exclusively.

The Eclipse, Excalibur and Hegners are out there and well liked. The DeWalt seemed to be the preferred tool over anything until you hit the low end Excalibur at around $750 - $850. Mine arrived with an, apparently common, domed top. DeWalt CS swapped it without even blinking and the replacement top is great, saw's, great, stand's solid . . .

Don't forget those Flying Dutchman blades . . . I actually say that tongue in cheek as so many serious sawyers raved about them, I just bought them. They don't cost any more than other blades and seem great but I have no experience to actually compare with so take that with a grain of salt ;-)
I am looking for a used dw788.Any one out there selling one?

[Shannon Seelig]

I picked up a Dewalt with stand and light on CL for 200.00. It is a good saw and no vibration. My son likes to use as well for his 4-H projects. I haven't had much time to work with it because I've been back in school for the last 2 1/2 years, but in 3 weeks I'm done and I hope to have more time for "Butchering" up some wood. :D

[Peter Kuhlman]

Had a Dewalt for a few years. While it worked ok for single layer thin stock, it would not do stack cutting of multiple layers of 1/8-1/4" stock very well at all. The orbital cutting action is much greater than some other saws and results in the top board not looking like the bottom at all. Really a problem when doing intricate cuts with lots of inside cuts as some of the fine details end up getting cut off. I found it to be a VERY frustrating saw to use. It does do decent cuts on really thick wood and works nicely for stuff like 1" and thicker as the big orbital action helps speed the cuts up. Have a 22" Hegner now and like it. Wish I could have got an Eclipse as it is the only saw to have TRUE vertical cut action - just pricey!! So ---- I feel it really depends upon the type of projects you think you are going to do. If thicker wood, a Dewalt works but for really fine detail and intricate inside cuts, a Hegner or other high end saw will make you much happier. While a Dewalt can do accurate cuts, it just fails when making multiples while stack cutting. JMHO

[Ron Bott]

As someone who has recently tried just about every scroll saw I could before purchasing, the clear winner to me was the Eclipse. Not surprisingly it is also the most expensive, but I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". I wouldn't go any lower than the DeWalt, which is an OK mid-range scroll saw. Actually it is really the only mid-range scroll saw. It is usable, but not comparable to the saws at the next level. Anything below the DeWalt is marginal in my opinion. The Eclipse was the clear winner of those saws I tried, with the Hegner second and the rbi third. Wasn't as impressed with the Excaliber.