Update: Problems with my new DW-788

[dholkeboer]

Bought a new 788 from Amazon aabout a month ago. Ran really nice right out of the box. It is just sitting on an old Black & Decker Workmate table so it vibrates somewhat at high speed, which I don't use much. So you can get a good one. It is strange that they are different.

Dave
Scrolling with DW 788

[rcpropman]

I was going to purchase the Dewalt 788 last weekend and I noticed that the table was not very rigid on the floor model in the store. If you put a twisting motion to the table (same as if you were going to change the angle) the table would move considerably with little effort. The locking knob was very tight but you could still see the motion as the table would pivot slightly around the locking knob. I went to another store and theirs would do the same thing. Even the store employees were baffled as to why the table would move so easily. It appears like Dewalt just places a piece of rubber behind the miter reading area and relies on friction alone to stop the movement. This seems like a design problem. I didn't buy it until I could get more information. Has anyone else seen this on the Dewalt 788's??

[Genetoolman]

I was thinking of building a wooden knock-down stand for my second 788. Shop space is limited and it will only be brought out during the Christmas rush when my wife likes to get involved in scrolling. Anyone tried building a wooden stand that can be easliy disassembled for storage?

Gene

[lucky788scroller]

It appears like Dewalt just places a piece of rubber behind the miter reading area and relies on friction alone to stop the movement. This seems like a design problem. Has anyone else seen this on the Dewalt 788's??

And to think, I thought that foam was a packaging material.I removed that on mine, and I have never had the moving table blues! Im happy with my yella saws. dale

[Daryl185]

all these problems with the 788 make me wonder whats going on with DeWalt other then a bit of a learning curve on blade tension mine has been fabulous, yes I do have vibration but its at 5 or higher and I can't imagine any project I would cut at those speeds and my saw is not hard mounted either as I must move it around on my bench, so its just a minor thing to me, if it came to it I would buy another in a heart beat

[keithmc]

Being a relative newcommer to scroll saws, never sat down to one prior to a year and a half ago, I really have had no problems with my 788. Let me qualify that by saying no problems which were not related to the operator and my learning curve. I find that the time I spend with it and performance of the machine are linked. I started out with the saw bolted to 3/4 plywood and never had that much trouble with vibration.
Keith

[Kevin12]

Final Chapter

All of my problems have been resolved! And I actually had time, in among grass cutting and tons of other first-of-spring jobs to make some sawdust and get back on the boards here.


In summary:
1. Bolting the saw to 3/4" plywood made a marked improvement.
2. Buying the DeWalt stand turned the saw into a true "low vibration" saw at all speeds.
3. I did notice a little table twisting like rcpropman, but like lucky788, I removed the doo-hicky in back of the "miter knob" and the table is rock solid.

In conclusion:
1. The problem never was with the saw. The problem was me, not asking the right questions of the right people.

Hope my problems and solutions help a lot of people. My faith in DeWalt is completely restored. Now on to fun stuff ...

[Dragon]

I have a DeWalt 788 and the stand that comes with it and I don't know what doo-hickey you mean.! Have I missed something in installation?
Diane

[PuzzledMoose]

I have a DeWalt 788 and the stand that comes with it and I don't know what doo-hickey you mean.! Have I missed something in installation?
Diane

Your not alone there, Diane - as far as I know my DW788 is doohickeyless too ...

[lucky788scroller]

There is a piese on the saw, behind the angle guage part connected to the table. Its a black foamlike pad with a smooth side, and a sticky side. The sticky side is stuck to the saw, and the miter adjustment slot is tightened against the smooth side of that doohickey.It reminds me of something at work we call cap tape, like the same stuff installed tween a pickup truck bed, and a cap. Anyways, I never really even thought it was part of the saw. I just thought it was packing material. If i remember right, its about 4 inches long, about 1-1/4th wide, and around 1/8th inch thick. and shaped like ( . Dale

[PuzzledMoose]

Thanks Dale - OK I found the doohickey - it's still in situ on my saw.

Still puzzled though - are you saying it should, or shouldn't be removed?

[Dragon]

Went downstairs and checked on the saw and still can't find a doo-hickey.
Maybe I am not looking properly.
Diane

[PuzzledMoose]

Went downstairs and checked on the saw and still can't find a doo-hickey.
Maybe I am not looking properly.
Diane

If it's there it's immediately behind the curved part of the mitre gauge - and the same shape - mind you I couldn't see mine either until I grovelled on the floor with a flashlight ..

[Dragon]

Ok so I just grovelled with a very bright flashlight and wasn't sure so I poked at this black piece that was there. It feels soft when poked like a piece of foam but it is shiny. Same question here: should I have it there or not? Why didn't it say anything in the instructions about removing this piece if it needs to be removed?
Diane

[TerryInMich]

I'm not sure if the foam "doohickey" was or wasn't supposed to be removed, but I removed (and saved) mine and adjusting the table angle is a lot easier.
Terry