blade tension dewalt 788

[bgloyn]

I am having problems keeping the tension all the way through the cut. The tension is good at the begining but I have to adjust part way through. I have sanded the set screws and the blades, using olsen, but this seems to work only for a short time. Any ideas would be appriciated.

[Forester21]

You may have to remove the oil from the ends of the blades. I use baby wipes and just wipe the ends. You could use alcohol wipes or other types of solvents.
T

[bgloyn]

Thanks will try today

[Old Dust 1]

I have had to replace the set screws that hold the blades several times now.
Why they wear out I don't know.

John

Old Dust

[bgloyn]

did you have to order the set screws from dewalt or did you find them at a hardware store.

[NC Scroller]

When you sand the set screws make sure they are perfectly flat. Many issues are caused by a rounded spot or angle on the set screws. It often helps the thread the screw through a small block of wood to ensure you are sending it flat.

[shadowfx97]

I ordered mine from ereplacements.com

[Paladin]

If you remove the set screws to sand them (I'm talking about the set screws opposite from the thumbscrews) make sure to put some blue loc-tite on the screw threads before you put them back in, otherwise the vibration of the saw running will cause these screws to move and you'll lose tension.

[Marsha]

Have a look through this thread, you mat need to repair the blade tensioning mechanism

http://www.scrollsawer.com/forum/tools-and-blades/11289.htm

Very easy to fix & I've not had a problem since
Hope this helps
Marsha

[bgloyn]

i had not thought about putting loctite on the set screws. Tried the loctite twice and like the last time i tried to use loctite it never set ended up using super glue. Cut two pieces an never had the tension slip. Working like a charm.

[SawTooth]

Most scroll saws are woefully lacking in the blade holding department... and spending more for the machine does NOT buy a better holder (at least on the 788, Hegner, and RBI's that I have). The 788 holds a blade almost like you'd hold a watermelon seed that you wanted to send flying... the end of the blade-holding screw is a tiny circle that pivots (ie. wobbles) and it is designed so that only half of it makes contact with the blade... like pinching the edge of a watermelon seed. It is a shame that they never made improvements to actually hold onto a blade under tension.
Regarding sanding the end of the screw... the end comes out by pulling on it. Remove the tiny o-ring and keep it... I took a scrap of 4x4 to the drill press and drilled a hole for a snug fit of the shaft while the 'disc' that needed sanding is now flat on the 4x4 surface. Take that to a disc or belt sander and just touch the disc to the spinning abrasive... it should flatten it perfectly. Put the o-ring back on and push it back into the screw. (btw, I used the 4x4 to prop up the upper arm.)

Spence