New DeWalt788 Scroll Saws Defect-My 'Saw-ga'

[TonyK]

Just to let everone know that I have had three new DeWalt788 scroll saws since November. Each one had to be adjusted by a technician at a service center. The last one I just received I could not even get the blade into the blade holders because of the excess distance between the the blade holder thumb-screw clamps.

This saw was adjusted but only to about 1/8" blade protrusions above and below the blade-clamp thumb screws.

I was told by their customer service that the factory specification is about 1/8" to 1/4" above and below the aluminum blade holder castings. Larry Wagner, DeWalt phone specialist (1-800-433-9258) told me that their engineers seem to think that the wedge in the upper arm that attaches to the tensioning lever are being manufactured out of specification. DeWalt does not have a resolution for the situation yet as this seems to be very new problem with the newer Type 2 (as marked on the motor housing) saws.

If you are scrolling with a larger blade then this may not be much of a problem. But if you do much veining and fret cutting with the smaller blades it could be.

More info on this issue is posted on Rich Hutcheson's scrollsaw site (www.scrollsaws.com) at the end of his DeWalt Tune-Up section.

Maybe this info will help someone that is experiencing the same frustrating blade attachment problem/s that I have had.

[lucky788scroller]

Thank you for that info.It will possibly help some of the ones buying the newer Dewalts. It also gives them a place to look into the trouble, and a contact that is a human, that actually knows something! Thanks for the post. Dale

[TonyK]

Dale,

Hopefully, DeWalt will send an alert out to all their service centers about this issue. If they had done that then I wouldn't have had to go through three seperate saws only to learn from DeWalt that this is a manufacturing defect in what appers to be ALL their new (Type 2) 788 saws.

To their credit, after I brought this situation to their attention they were willing to send me a fourth saw but, with no assurances that the saw would not have the same problem as the other three. I declined their offer. I am waiting for an official resolution from DeWalt on how they are going to correct this problem. Fortnately, mine is still warrented under their customer satisfaction gurantee. I just may return the saw, stand and light for a full refund and buy an Excalibur. I don't need to go through this excersice a fourth time...

[lucky788scroller]

True, three times is wayyy to many. I have had two people tell me that trying to contact them at excaliber just for info on their new purple saws was a nightmare, and I know one of them opted for a dewalt after unsuccessful attempts to get info about the purple saw.I hope if thats the route you choose you get better satisfaction from them. Let us know. (both my dewalts must be comsidered type 1's, both are canadain made, and running very smooth).Dale

[harrisg]

My saw-ga was a little different but never the less upsetting. However since it was taken care of, I love the saw (fingers crossed My problem had to do with the table having a crown around the blade hole. The story is really convoluted but basically, the last (3rd) time back, we took number 3 out of the box at the store and set it up. The table with number 3 also had the crown so we took the flat table from number 2 ( which was another trip to Dewalt to replace number 2's crowned table for a flat one and replace number 2 because it stopped working (the switch I think), and put it with the good saw, number 3 and so far so good. (fingers crossed) What was particularly upsetting was that each trip was 120 miles round trip. (4trips)

I thank the day that I spent a few more dollars to buy from someone more local than Amazon.Com or Tool King. By the time it all sorted out I'd probably still be waiting for number 2 to arrive and I wouldn't have been able to show them and Dewalt the problem. Of course the answer by phone before Western Tool and Dewalt saw it was "Why we've never seen anything like this before. Please bring it back. BTW, the store offered to sell me the 788 on the floor to keep me happy but guess what, it had the same crown in the table as the others.

When it's all said and done, I hope it holds together because I love my saw. Western Tool and Dewalt have tried to help however they could.

One more BTW. So there will be no more problems with it stopping because of the switch or variable switch, I put a surgical rubber glove over the switches on top and now the Dewalt looks like a Rooster with a comb.

Harris

[TonyK]

Dale: I guess I've been lucky. I've called Sommerville a couple of times (800.357.4118) and didn't have any problems. On my last call, the recpt refered my question re the distance the blade protrudes past the thumb-screws to their tech engineer, Eric Johnson who call me back latter that day (on the EX21 saw there is prox 1/4" blade protrusions past both the top and the bottom thumb screws blade clamps). Their USA distributor, Syco in Texas has also been very responsive.

.

I think the DeWalt saw is a good product if once this minor problem is taken care of. It's hard for me to justify the the additional cost of the Excalibur over the DeWalt. Maybe I'm missing something though.

[PHP][/PHP]. It would be interesting to hear from someone that did made the switch from the 788 to the EX21 to see if they felt the switch was worth the change.

[Frumper64]

I thought it was just me!

Tony, thanks for this information. I changed over from a Delta 250 to the Dewalt last summer and have been constantly frustrated by the low tolerance for blade postioning. I can just barely get the blade to catch in both clamps due to the vertical spacing between the arms. I just assumed all Dewalts were this way and chalked it up to lack of experience. Other than that, I really like the saw. I guess I'll give the nice folks at the service center a shot at fixing it or at least making it somewhat better. Would loosening the tension arm a turn or two allow the arms to be closer together, do you think?

Thanks again,
Jim

[Capt Weasel]

Ya'll got me scared now.

Just bought a new 788 about 2 weeks ago and it has "type 2" on the motor housing. I personally haven't had any problems with the blade attachment. I'm using FD blades ranging from FD-SR 1 up to a 5 without any probs. I've attached the blade in the bottom and when I went to do the top I had to go let the blade down so I could get the top in but thats it. I have a hard getting the blade into the bottom because I can't see it so I have to lean over to get it into the slot. I think the table has a burr in it around the slot but I'm going to fix that soon. Am I lucky with my saw or am I missing something that hasn't reared it's ugly head yet?

[TonyK]

Tony, thanks for this information. I changed over from a Delta 250 to the Dewalt last summer and have been constantly frustrated by the low tolerance for blade postioning. I can just barely get the blade to catch in both clamps due to the vertical spacing between the arms. I just assumed all Dewalts were this way and chalked it up to lack of experience. Other than that, I really like the saw. I guess I'll give the nice folks at the service center a shot at fixing it or at least making it somewhat better. Would loosening the tension arm a turn or two allow the arms to be closer together, do you think?

Thanks again,
Jim

Turning the tension arm c-c wise a turn or two will close the distance between the clamps. The service tech did mine so that I could at least get my blade in the clamps (just barely). But, the defective wedge currently installed in the Dewalt 788 saws is causing your (and mine) frustrations. The problem is that DeWalt does not have a solution for the fix yet and, we're stuck with the saw as it is.

You should have about 1/4"+ blade protursions beyond both the upper and lower alumn castings - not just beyound the thumb-screw blade holders. That way you can feel the blade placement below and beyond the bottom clamp and, NOT have to bend your head down under the table to see that it is in the blade slot.

The service center techs can only adjust this distance very little if any... but, not the close spread that the clamps are originaly designed to be spaced because the wedges are being manufactured out of spec.

I've been told by their hq customer service dept that all the 788 saws including the Type 2's are suppose to be have the same distance. If you have a chance to see a Type 1 saw to be able to compare your Type 2 to, it will be very obvious.

I would strongy urge you and, anyone else who is experiencing this problem to contact DeWalt to discuss this situation and, when they intend to be able to make the new wedges available to their service centers for the necessary repairs.

Please let me know how you fare out. Good luck!

[TonyK]

Just bought a new 788 about 2 weeks ago and it has "type 2" on the motor housing. I personally haven't had any problems with the blade attachment. I'm using FD blades ranging from FD-SR 1 up to a 5 without any probs. I've attached the blade in the bottom and when I went to do the top I had to go let the blade down so I could get the top in but thats it. I have a hard getting the blade into the bottom because I can't see it so I have to lean over to get it into the slot. I think the table has a burr in it around the slot but I'm going to fix that soon. Am I lucky with my saw or am I missing something that hasn't reared it's ugly head yet?

Congrads on your new saw. I'm glad you're not having problems with it but, you should not have to lean over the table to get the blade into the bottom slot. That could get real old-real fast if you do a lot of inside (fret) cutting on a project (time consuming). All you should have to do is to feel for the blade protruding out past the bottom of the alumn housing to confirm it is in the slot and,then just turn the thumb-screw to secure the blade.

Please see my post to 'Fumper 64' this forum and, posts about this issue on Rick Hutchinson's web site at the bottom of his DeWalt Tune-Up section.

Hope this helps. Cheers!

[SharonW0111]

I love my Craftsman even more after reading about ya'lls troubles--I am not bragging -please don't think that - butI tend to get hard to be around when I have tool trouble and at least Sears is only 30 miles away for my son to exchange for a new one..and it was my fault I broke the first one./// well to be honest I just broke the knob on the speed control when I got mad at the blade I didn't get in tight enough--poor saw..
Sharon

[Dutch]

Dw788

I would like to throw my two-bits into the ring on the DW788. I purchased one the tail end of December, 2005. I have had nothing but grief in trying to clamp the blades into the machine. I have about 1/8" leeway here where there should be maybe 3/8" of better. You have to clamp the bottom just right or there is nothing for the top clamp to grab.
I talked to DeWalt service twice on the telephone and a couple of times via email. They give me the song and dance that the "tension needs to be adjusted a bit by the service center nearest here". The local one has an exceedingly bad reputation and the next good full service station is 209 miles away.
I brought up "the wedge". Their answer... "there may be some "slight" engineering differences in specifications".
Other than this, I love the saw. Quiet. Easy to run. Better than my last three saw. But... that blade change is going to drive me nuts!

[TonyK]

Stack Cutting: Hot Melt Glue

Usually I clamp and tape the edges of my stack but, I ran out of tape recently and the stores were closed. I did have an old glue gun with some hot melt glue sticks tucked away so.... I clamped my stack on all four sides and just ran a bead of the glue down the sides. What a difference. A nice solid stack and without the tape overlaping onto the bottom of the stack which caused a little drag on the movement of the piece while cutting. I would encourage anyone who has not yet tried this method to do so. They might just find it easier to secure their stack. I don't think I'll be using tape any more to keep the pieces together.