Brand Newbie Just picked up 788 on CL

[TH'er]

Hello All,

I just picked up a Lightly used Dewalt 788 Type 1 on CraigsList today.

I wasn't going to buy it at first because it was a '97 model

and the guy lived 1 1/2hrs away from me each way.. So I bit the bullet and took a ride, Well it turns out that the guy only used it about 5-6 times. and it looks like he wasn't lying.

The table had a bit of surface rust to it.. I'm still in the process of polishing it up..

My question is would there be any other maintenance that needs to be completed prior to using. ie; oil,grease bearings or anything? The Brushes look brand new.

Oh.. he had the unit listed for $175.00..I got it for $150.00 with the base and a mobile platform to the base aswell..

I hope I did good.. I need to grab some blades though.

[wood-n-things]

You did very well, there are no other lube points. Just polish it up and get some quality blades.

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[Okie]

Welcome, You did GOOD, I recently bought a 1st Gen on Craigs List and I thought I got a great deal at $250.00. Mine was 4 years old but not used a lot. I hope you like it as well as I like mine.
Contact Mike and get some Flying Dutchman Blades and have fun.

[KarlB]

Good grab! It looks pretty good and the table looks like you've polished it up a bit. I got mine from Craigslist as well, but mine was $250. I love it!

Karl

[KTravis]

What a excellent deal on a great saw! Mike gave good advice (as per usual) and would reiterate that good blades make a huge difference. The only thing I might add is many folks find the blade guard/hold down thingy gets in the way. If it's annoying you can easily remove it. I find when doing intricate work it's somewhat troublesome so I removed mine.

Welcome aboard!

[ASDLF22]

Good deal... you can order great blades at an excellent price from Mike's Workshop - Mike's Workshop selling Flying Dutchman brand fret and scrollsaw blades

My first 788 had a hump in the table where the blade hole is punched out - make sure that is taken care of otherwise you will find it impossible to make accurate cuts in thicker woods.

There are no "maintenance" points on the saw according to DeWalt. Adjust your set screws in the blade clamps, make sure the table is square to the blade, and scroll away.

Be sure to post pictures of your work.

[TH'er]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

The table is perfectly flat. thankfully. I also noticed that the arm stays up when lifted, I'm wondering if this may be because it hasn't been used that much.

Should I start with the Assorted FD pack? until I determine
what I'll be using mostly?

I'm sure most of the materials that I'll be using will be cutoff's of
Maple, Cypress, Walnut and White Oak

[NC Scroller]

Nice steal. I have seen those go for $350 or better. The Type 1 is their best model. It should have thousands of hours left. I would clean the table with steel wool dipped in paste wax. Minor rust and pitting is OK. You just do not want to you works to catch when you slide it across the table.

[Mick Walker]

TH'er, Just tell Mike what you want to saw and the type of wood you will be using. Mike will tell you which blade to use for what. His e-mail address is: [email protected]. Be sure to show us photos of whatever you cut and happy scrollin.

[JimSawyer]

I bought my type 1 back in the summer of '98. It's still kickin' out great stuff...
You got really lucky there... I wouldn't mind a second 788 at that price...Especially since it's a type 1.
Good blades are a must. Flying Dutchman are just that.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is a foot pedal. You'll want one that runs the saw only while your foot is on the pedal. It offers a huge amount of control....

[Northerner]