DeWalt 788 Problems

[MarriedToWood]

The new saw arrived today and I just had to get it set up eventhough I should have been sleeping (graveyard shift stinks). First the wingnut screws for the blade clamp were missing, but not a big deal, went to the hardware store and picked up some M6x1.0 cap screws and ground the ends flat. I'll make some knurled screws tonight at work. My problem lies in the table and blade position. There is not enough adjustment in the table so that the blade will clear the right edge of the hole. The blade when tensioned should in the center of the hole if I'm correct. Even with everything ajusted as far as it will go I am almost still on the edge of the hole on the right side. I took the table off for the 4th time and put the blade in and looked at my lines and things don't match up. Looking straight on at the blade it doesn't match up with the seams down the center of the saw, it looks like it's about a 1/4" off to the right.

Ok so how do I fix this or is it possible to fit it. I haven't called Dewalt yet and I'm sure they're just going to tell me to take it to some place farther than I want to drive. I don't know if it is possilbe to reassemble the arms so that things will line up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated because the wife is ready to cut and a farmer fix isn't going to be the best option.

Carl

[Rick-H]

Dewalt table

Someone sent the same problem to me awhile back. If you look at the bottom of the table the hole should be in the center of the casting layout area. His was off by about a 1/4". He was getting a new table from Dewalt to replace the one that was machined wrong.

[MarriedToWood]

Wow how they ever let that one pass QC I wouldn't know. Thats not exactly my problem. I went and checked the tapped holes to the blade cutout with a pair of calipers and they are about .005 off. With as loose as the machine is that shouldn't be the problem. Every thing else seems to be good, it just seems like the arms are 1/4" to the right of where they should be.

Carl

[Rolf]

Carl
I am sorry to hear that you have problems with a Brand New Saw, missing parts and misalignment are just not acceptable especially in this day and age of CNC machining. A new saw should work right out of the box without having to putz with it.
I have been a member of this forum for about 1.5 years. In that time I have heard a lot of complaints (and praise) about the DW788. I just can't understand why the customer complaints and repair shop complaints are not getting back to corporate? Dewalt seems to have a big market share of the scroll saw industry. What is it going to take to wake them up and get their QA in gear?

If it makes you feel any better I bought a $326k machine for work that I have tried to make functional for 6 months now.

Sorry had a need to vent.

[Minnesota scroller]

Carl, that's gotta suck. I feel for you. This is why I opted to buy a used DW788 off Ebay. I've heard of too many problems from people who have bought the newer ones made overseas. The older ones like mine were made in Canada. A member from MN bought a new one a few months ago and the blade holders were too far apart so the blade would keep popping out. He was without a saw for 2 months before he finally got it replaced. What a bummer. You spend some serious money and then anxiously await your new tool and then this happens. Not a good feeling.

We have a local store that sells almost a full line of Dewalt tools and I stopped put there a week ago and checked them out. Two were made in Mexico, one in Czechoslovakia and the rest in China. Dewalt has always had a great name but by trying to save money and have everything made overseas is going to ruin their good name. Personally, I would prefer to spend more money for something of good quality and workmanship. Before I spend money on a tool nowadays I first look to see where it was made.

Good luck. I hope you get this resolved soon so we can see some of your work.

[B Smith]

I believe that Dewalt was bought by Black And Decker and since then the quality of the saws has been terrible. I have one of the old saws and have replaced the upper blade holder and both thumb screws . O ther than that have had no problems.
If I ever repace my Dewalt it will be with the Delta P20

[Minnesota scroller]

Actually, I just ran across a 1998 stock holders report online and it reports that Dewalt is just another trade name marketed by Black & Decker. Another site explains that Dewalt is the industrial division of B & D. That explains the supposedly higher quality and higher price tag. This also explains why a store that carries Dewalt tools also carries Black & Decker.

[MarriedToWood]

Well one problem down one to go. Last night at work I made some new thumb screws and they are sweet. I took some aluminum stock, knurled it, and press fit a M6x1.0 cap screw through it and surface ground the end that contacts the blade flat, it works a heck of a lot better than standard cap screws and look alot better than the standard plastic pieces. The hours stink but working in a machine shop is great. I hope tomorrow I can see what the alignment problem is on the arms. If not I guess I get to fight with Dewalt on getting the thing fixed or replaced.

It's too bad that a name such as Dewalt has to be destoryed by black and decker. My parents have loved the Dewalt tools they have got in the past but I'm starting to think things have gone down hill in order to "lower costs". Even at work I try to explain to them that our costs would be less having parts cast right the first time in the US vs. getting parts from China that have to be modifyed and having to immediately scrap 10% of the parts.

I hope this weekend I can get some pictures of the new thumb screws and show what is going on with the alignment of the arms.

Carl

[William Young (SE BC)]

Carl
It is such a shame to hear of the never ending problems with those saws since they quit making them in Canada. I find it hard to believe that so many are still buying them after hearing all the bad news about them all over the various sites. . Maybe they just don't want to believe it and hope they will get a good one.
It is wonderfull that you have machinists ability and are able to manufacture parts for yours .But what about the vast majority of men and women that are not capable of making such modifications . I truly feel sorry for them because a saw of that price should not have those kind of problems right out of the box.
I hope your modifications don't affect your warranty but perhaps it is a case where you are able to beef it up and make it better than original so in that case the warranty may not be of great concern to you.
Good luck with the modifications and it would be nice to see the pictures of them when you get the saw working to your satisfaction.
W.Y.

[Marcel in Longueuil]

It's too bad your saw is out of alignment Carl, but that is not a problem that's reported often with the tool. And this is the first time I hear of missing pieces. Was this a new saw you purchased? Isn't there any way for you to get it exchanged from the retailer? If they are reputable, it shouldn't be a problem. and hang on to those Aluminum screws they are a good upgrade no matter what model DW788 one might own.

The most reported problems are about the table not being flat, and it's not all of them, and the distance between the blade holders on the model2 of the saw.

I have a model2 I purchased last year and have been satisfied with it.
Most of the DW788 owners have had good service from DeWalt service centers and the company when reporting problems.

Most woodworking magazines. in the last 3 years have rated the DW788 as the best buy.


The majority of DW788 Owners are satisfied with their saw. The ones that will complain the most about the 788 don't own one, but "have heard from someone" about problems (I'm not aiming at anyone in particular with that comment).

The problem is that the scrolling community on the net isn't that big, and most have heard from the same unsatisfied people. (It is proven that a satisfied customer will tell one person, an unsatisfied one will tell ten.)

So while it is an inconvenience to you, I suggest you contact DeWalt and have your saw serviced, it's worth it.

Regards,
Marcel

[Neal Moore]

Carl...I was looking at my Dewalt yesterday after hearing of your problems. I couldn't really see how the arms could have been misaligned by 1/4 inch and the saw still operate. It does seem as if the trunnion that allows the table to tilt could be misaligned if the bolt holes were drilled wrong where the trunnion bolts to the bottom of the table. That would allow the table to be off center on it's pivot points and make the arms appear to be misaligned. I also have a type 2 and everything works as it's supposed to work. I believe the quality issues started cropping up just over a year ago. It all started with the table being deformed during the punch process for the blade hole. Next came the issue with too much distance between the upper and lower blade clamps. Now it appears that two more problems have surfaced. I agree with Marcel, contact DeWalt and tell them what's going on. I hate to hear of your problems as I know it's frustrating to buy a saw and have it turn into a "do it yourself" repair and maintenance project. Once you get it running "as advertised" however, you're going to love that saw!!! I'll look at mine some more and maybe see something I missed earlier that could be causing your problems.

[MarriedToWood]

Well I did a little tweaking this morning and was able to get things moved about .030 so the wife could use it a little today without asking me to come fix it every half hour while I'm trying to sleep. I tweaked a little more tonight and was able to get about another .030. I'm going to go ahead and call Dewalt probably tomorrow morning and see what they say about the saw. I'm not sure if it's the arms, the table, or the tilt piece for the table.

Other than this one problem I love the saw. It cuts good and it vibration free until I crank the speed way up and that's probably just the table I have it on right now. The clamp system for the blades is kinda lame but that can be fixed. For what you get it's a good saw for the money even if you have to monkey around with it.

More to come later....

Carl