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Scroll Saw Options
RoyBoom
Posted: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 9:23:36 AM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 3/3/2007
Posts: 0
Location: Mechanicsburg, OH
I'd like to get another scroll saw for next year. Right now I've got a DeWalt 788 that I'm liking pretty well, but I see they are running about $550 at Woodcraft. I looked on Amazon and I see quite a few for $100 to $150. Anyone have any suggestions on any of them, if they'll hold up or break in a week. I could afford to get a couple of them if they'll last a couple years.

On another note, I used to get my lathe tools from Paxton, and I think they were stamped "Buck Brothers" on them. They weren't bad, and they were fairly inexpensive. I can't find them in the catalog anymore. Any suggestion where to find inexpensive lathe tools? I mostly need roundnose and parting tools. Most of the cheaper sets on ebay come with gouges and skews but I don't really need all them.
Joe Marquart
Posted: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:11:33 AM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 4/22/2008
Posts: 0
Location: Lake Placid Florida
I have two roboi saws they serve me well
BRYAN CONKLIN
Posted: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 11:00:08 AM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 11/6/2007
Posts: 0
Location: BOSTON, MA
I've found that in the long run, the Dewalt's were the best of the lesser priced scroll saws. We tried a Ryobi and it lasted I think two weeks before stuff broke or stripped out.
Check pen state ind. for the lathe tools. They sell a brand called benjamin's best that are decent for the money.
If you wanted to go real cheap check out harbor freight, I know they had some as well.
klandin
Posted: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 4:58:04 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 6/1/2006
Posts: 0
Location: Connecticut
I hate to say this but I've had inexplicably good luck with my Craftsman scroll saw. When my last scroll saw broke I was in a bind because I needed to replace it fast, and I didn't have a lot of money left in my budget. So I bit my tongue and ran over to my local sears store figuring "what the heck. All I need it to do is to last the rest of this school year". Well that was three years ago and my cheapo Craftsman scroll saw is still going strong. It did break once in the first year, the motor control burned out, but they fixed it for free - no questions asked. I don't normally advocate buying cheap tools, especially Craftsman brand tools, but this one has worked out just fine. The only caveat I would add is that the scroll saw is not a very heavily used tool in my shop. It probably only sees one or two students per day.

Keith Landin
Woodshop instructor, Woodstock Academy
"Mens tua sit implementum acerrium in fabrica"
mrb1977
Posted: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 6:13:23 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 3/5/2007
Posts: 0
Location: Albany, ny
I wouldn't buy any scroll saw but a Dewalt. I have tried many different brands, none have held up to the wear and tear of middle school students like the Dewalt does. I have four Delta scroll saws that are sitting on my benches collecting dust. The blade changing design is not user friendly for middle school students to learn on. Mr.B
eastondrums
Posted: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:05:35 AM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 6/3/2009
Posts: 0
Location: Kingsburg, CA
I have two Dewalts in our shop. They work beautifully. After two years of constant use we have had zero problems. These replaced two Delta's that were nothing but a pain in the butt.
RoyBoom
Posted: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 1:31:25 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 3/3/2007
Posts: 0
Location: Mechanicsburg, OH
I don't have any major complaints about my DeWalt now. I had lots of trouble in the beginning with it not holding the blades tight, they's slide loose in no time at all. I went through several clamps because we'd over tighten and strip them out, cheap aluminum. I'd retap them and go at it again. The last year or two has been a lot better. It does seem to knock a little too much at higher speeds, but if we don't run so fast it's ok. I may see if I can scrape enough together from my secret petty cash and snack fund to see if I can just get another one of them.
mstang64bb
Posted: Thursday, June 4, 2009 11:14:36 AM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 8/21/2007
Posts: 0
Location: Coventry, CT
As others have said, the DeWalt is a good machine in my shop. My complaint is the hold down. It's an aluminum housing that strips out easily and a little costly to replace (that's after tapping to 1/4-20). I did buy a re-manufactured Dremel scroll saw that is doing quite well and I would buy other one if and when needed..

A project isn't finished, until a FINISH is on it....Bob~
klandin
Posted: Monday, June 8, 2009 5:59:23 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 6/1/2006
Posts: 0
Location: Connecticut
Me and my big mouth. I should have known better than to tempt the fickle tool gods. My Craftsman scroll saw, you know - the one that I just bragged about, finally gave up the ghost today. I think its the motor control again. Its too close to the end of the school year to worry about it now, but I guess that next year I'll have to look into getting a DeWalt.

Keith Landin
Woodshop instructor, Woodstock Academy
"Mens tua sit implementum acerrium in fabrica"
cro8248
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:42:39 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 4/12/2009
Posts: 0
Location: PA
I like both dewalt and delta, but I really prefer delta scroll saws. They have the new Quickset II Blade Change System & Blade Tensioning which really makes changing the blade easy and fast. The quality of delta products just cannot be beat!

Also I do not care for ryobi products as their quality has always failed me when I tried them.
craigp
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:52:13 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 2/6/2008
Posts: 0
Location: Chesapeake City, Maryland
I had one of the Delta's with the Quickset II Blade Change System, and I had nothing but problems with it.

Craig R. Patterson, CD
PLTW Teacher
Elkton High School
Elkton, Maryland
RoyBoom
Posted: Monday, June 22, 2009 8:31:07 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 3/3/2007
Posts: 0
Location: Mechanicsburg, OH
Well, I checked around and found that the DeWalt788 would be costing right about $550 plus about $70 for a stand. That would have stretched out my budget but I figured I could probably do it. In my checking around for the best price I ran across a saw on ebay and it turned out that I was the only one to bid on it. I got the saw and stand for $300. I did have to drive about an hour and a half to get it but that wasn't too bad. When I got there I had the guy plug it in and it ran so smooth that I considered keeping for myself and go ahead and get the new one for school. It runs so much quieter than the one I've already got at school that it made me realize I need to find those tune up instructions and do some work on other one. The guy said he only had about 12 hours of use on it, just cut out one guitar. I used $100 of the money I had and bought one of those router bowl kits, I think the kids will like doing those. And finally at a yard sale last weekend I picked up a like new PorterCable 1/4 inch router for $15. The thing looks perfect other than a little dust on the collet.
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