1st Scroll Saw Recommendations

[kamara]

Hi Everyone,

I am officially impressed by all of your talents, and the scrolling hobby. I would like to hear suggestions or recommendations on a person's 1st scroll saw, blades, and any other advice I need to know before I make my first scroll saw purchase.

So, I guess what I am asking, is what is the best option for my 1st general purpose scroll saw purchase, for not a huge investment.

Thank you everyone for the help in advance...

Kam

[rcramer37]

Dewalt 788 is a good mid line saw. That is what several here have. Blades? Flying Dutchman or Olsen are ones I use.

Ronnie

[w.2014.h]

I agree with Ronnie. I use a Dewalt with Dutchman blades. Having cut on several different saws, all I have to say is you get what you pay for. Invest in a good saw!

[Jan]

Welcome to the forum. You will find as folks here answer your question that it is the same as asking which car one would recommend. We all have strong preferences as to brand and types of scroll saws we like and will say so loudly. It would be helpful for you to look at the article in SSWC issue 40 that compares saws in various price ranges. You will learn a lot. As for which saw to buy, consider your budget and the quality of the saws available both new and used in that cost range.

Jan

[B'ville Scroller]

Kam,
I started with a variable speed Delta. Unfortunately, Delta stopped making this model but you can still find several out there for sale secondhand. I would suggest that you could look on Craigslist for a possible used saw. I have several members who have done just that and gotten a good beginner saw. Stay away from any saw that cannot take pinless blades. Best of luck.

[Carter-Johnson]

Three things are real requirements for a saw: 1) variable speed, 2) use pinless blades that change easily 3) quiet, low vibration operation. In my book, echoeing what others have said, the DeWalt (try Grizzly.com) and FD Blades (mikesworkshop.com) are your best bets. If you can't afford the DeWalt right now and can't find a good used one online, buy a saw at retail with the characteristics above as a starter.

After you get it and set it up, don't install the blade guard device. It's not necessary and will only get in your way.

Good luck....and have phun

Carter

[marshall]

Dewalt 788 is a good mid line saw. That is what several here have. Blades? Flying Dutchman or Olsen are ones I use.

Ronnie

This is what I would say also ...........and most of all penty of one thing ---- Practice

[Jim Finn]

Look for a used Hegner. Better than a DeWalt and about the same $$ I paid $600 for one, but sometimes they can be had for less. In my experience, DeWalt is a great cutting saw but not as durable as some others. Flying Dutchman blades is what I like to use. Having a thickness planer and band saw for re-sawing is useful. Rough wood is a lot cheaper than finished and thninner wood.

[ubgoofy2003]

Three things are real requirements for a saw: 1) variable speed, 2) use pinless blades that change easily 3) quiet, low vibration operation. In my book, echoeing what others have said, the DeWalt (try Grizzly.com) and FD Blades (mikesworkshop.com) are your best bets. If you can't afford the DeWalt right now and can't find a good used one online, buy a saw at retail with the characteristics above as a starter.

After you get it and set it up, don't install the blade guard device. It's not necessary and will only get in your way.

Good luck....and have phun

Carter

Kam, I'm with Carter on the info that he gives. I have a DeWalt 788 & it's fine for me. You have to 1st, decide what you will spend on a saw, whether it will be new or used. Once you get a saw & start practicing, you will learn a lot with the experience, as you go. Quality blades are a must & low vibration.
Will you be standing or sitting while doing your cutting. I prefer sitting & I would not use my saw without the foot switchl. It is not a good idea, to use the foot switch if you stand while cutting. Hope you can find a saw that you like & is good for you. If you don't like using a particular saw, you will not enjoy scrolling. I wish you luck with your new hobby. Take Care

[wwalker47]

I can only speak about me and as for me I use a DeWalt 788 and I guess you could look into a Delta since they did buy the DeWalt Scrollsaw line. I use Flying Dutchman blades you can go here to the site.

I do love my DeWalt.

And, of course, this is my humble opinion.
-Bill

[Jim Finn]

I agree with all this advice. I started with a harbor freight scroll saw and after the speed control died they sent me another. It was such a lousy saw I stopped doing any scroll saw work at all, for years. Some friends convinced me to try a DeWalt so I got one and did a lot of scrolling with it and learned a lot. I found I ran it at one speed all the time and just adjusted my feed rate. The two Hegners I have now do not have variable speed. One is fixed and the other is changed buy moving the belt from one pulley to another. I just leave it at one speed. Some folks find speed control more important than I do. I do not do fretwork at all, not yet. I do a lot of inlay work and some toy making.

[Toneman]

Hello Kam, I am Tony,aka,Toneman from Paris, Texas. First of all, welcome to the forum. I have only been scrolling since January,so, I consider myself still a beginner, but, I was once at the point where you are now, and was asking the same advice. I had to make a decision if scrolling was going to be a "maybe" thing or I was determined to become a good scroller. With that in mind, I was afraid the lower end saws($100.00-$200.) would eventually give me a negative attitude about scrolling, so I purchased a higher end , the Excalibur 21. I did a lot of research (2 months) before purchasing and decided this was the saw for me. I am not saying it is better than others, just saying it is a very good saw and since I live just a few miles from the dealer and service center, seemed to be the logiical move for me. Good luck and if you want to know more about my purchase, please PM me.

[kamara]

Thanks Everyone

Hi,

Thank you everybody, for all of your useful information. I do have a Planer, and Band Saw already, so thank you for that; it will help me save some money on wood by purchasing rough wood.

So from what I understand I need to look at a machine that has easy change pinless blades, variable speeds, and is quiet which is under $200 (my current price range). My friends Dad, has an old Delta that I could get for very cheap, but I think I will look at something more modern then, cause this one is really loud and seems to catch the wood sometimes. It could be the Blades need to be changed, but they are held in by Allen bolts.

I have several older hand me down power tools and several of them I would not trade for the top of the line modern products, but this tool sounds like I should go more modern.

Thanks again everyone, you are all great sources of Wisdom.

Kam

[psychoCutter]

I have a Porter Cable 16" saw from Lowes that was under $200. I'm a beginner but the saw seems to be well made and I'm very happy with it. It also came with a metal stand.

For blades I started with the pinned from Lowe's but swiftly took the advice here and purchased pinless Flying Dutchman blades.

[Denco]

Amazon.com has the DeWalt DW788 on sale for $479.00 w/free shipping right now. That's the direction I went. I LOVE my DeWalt. This is after trying several other lower end models. Here is the link.

Amazon.com: DEWALT DW788 1.3 Amp 20-Inch Variable-Speed Scroll Saw: Home Improvement