Best Scroll Saw

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gottodo1

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Hi,
I'm a novice when it comes to scroll saws but I'd like to make some new gingerbread for my screen door. I've been looking and looking and I've come down to a few ideas. Anyone experieced/knowledgeable on which one would be best for general use, Pinewood Derby Cars, picture frames, gingerbread?


It's a bit pricey but the DW788 DW788 is the one everyone seems to recommend as the one stop shop.

There's also the fox W1713 which seems pretty good. http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Fox-W1713-16-Inch-Variable/dp/B001R23T08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394636038&sr=8-1&keywords=W1713


And then there's the Delta 40-570.
 
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I don’t know too much about scroll saws I have used a few years ago. I took a look at prices and they are really all over the place. I’m sure its quality etc. I had the chance to use a bosch jig saw some not too long ago and I was very impressed with that little machine. If they made a scroll saw I would be tempted to look at that. On the other hand last year starting the work on the new house I needed something like a sawzall and not the money to buy the real deal and I was in Harbor Freight and they had this heavy duty clone for 19 bucks and I thought if it works for a week it will get me by. I have used it every day for close to a year and worked that thing hard and it’s been great. So I wouldn’t not look at the clones from now on. For me a machine like a scroll saw I would just use here and there and I might go with an off brand and save some money until I saw I was using it a lot.

I know I wasn’t much help here.
 
I have had two dremells 16" worked good but I don't know if they are still available, they worked 40 hrs a week for 10yrs with some parts but easy fixes. Don't pay extra for dust blowers, have seen one that works well. Most come with little set screws to hold the blade, change the set screws to # 8 bolts and buy a couple extra blade carriers so you can do the quick change. Use Delta blades.
 
Here's Nextag's prices
http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buyer/OutPDir.jsp?search="scroll+saw"
and Excel's data reduction

$260 avg
$255 median

half between
$163
and
$318

If your candidate saws are within your price range maybe there is some scroll saw feature that is especially important to you? I doubt it's hp per dollar but it might be versatility (hard to quantify). Accuracy? Throat size? Replacement blade cost?
 
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Wuz, that's the problem I don't actually know what's important for a scroll saw. I've only used them for PWD cars before and well there's not much to that so I'm looking to teach myself a new skill (gingerbread making) and I haven't seen any real specialty items that needs. I do tend to like to go full bore so they last forever and I'm covered for the future but $400 Vs $120 both with good reviews does make me question that philosophy.
 
The one I saw on Harbor Freight was 70 bucks and I always get a 20 or 25% off coupon every month. It might be junk I don’t know but the reviews didn’t sound too bad. Might be a place to start and sell it at a garage sale for $30 after you get the bug big time and buy what you will then know you need.
 
The one I saw on Harbor Freight was 70 bucks and I always get a 20 or 25% off coupon every month. It might be junk I don’t know but the reviews didn’t sound too bad. Might be a place to start and sell it at a garage sale for $30 after you get the bug big time and buy what you will then know you need.
Not a bad idea.
When you find out the shortcomings of the HF model then you will know better what you'd like.

I got an HF sliding compound miter saw as a gift.
Half the price, it works fine for my occasional use but I'm waiting for it to fail catastrophically and take off an arm or something with that huge blade.
But there's not much a scroll saw can do to harm its operator.
 
I would start with a fairly cheap one maybe give a plus to one with a light and or quick blade change abbility. When youy want to upgrade, it won't be the expensive one with all the toys. It will be bigger, the one you will be eying is a 24" that delta and beaver made back in the fifties.
The most dangerous part of the scoll saw isn't the saw at all, it's the habbet you get of not being afaid of the blade and you keep pushiung the wood into the blade, no big deal until you go back to a ban saw and take half the thumb off. And when you break a blade, it will scare the crap out of you the first few times.
 
Hurm I've got a line on the DW788 for a good deal on craigslist so I think I'll be picking that up. Thanks everyone for the help. If I didn't have this readily available I'd probably get the HF junk and give it a whirl.
 
the biggest problem with scroll saws is that changing and tensioning blades can be a frustrating experience. So, whichever you buy, see if the change is easy for you.
I have a DELTA 16 inch , 2 speed, saw, blade changing is a snap. The saw is rugged and well powered. combined with the proper blades, I haven't had any problem cutting any kind of wood and even thick stuff
 
SO, about this tension thing :) I got the DW788 and I really like it, blade change seems easy, really really quiet seems great except the stand is a bit too high (I'll be fixing that soon). The guy told me how he "did" the tensioning. He listens for a specific pitch on the blade when he "twang'd" it.

The tensioner has numbers on it but apparently each blade is different he said so I'm not sure is this the standard way to tension it? I did it on a blade and cut some scrap and it cut so I assume I did OKAY? If it's over tensioned the blades will just break sooner right?

Next question is, how do I know which blades I need? I started reading a magazine on this so I think I'll figure out the TPI and stuff as I go but for the length & I think I need pinless? Is a good brand/Deal?
 
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We found that almost chest height was most comfortable after a while, build a platform to stand on before you lower it. Some blade manufactures have a chart for blade deflection for proper tension but you will get a feel for it, to loose and the blade will flex when turning corners and will cause it to break sooner.
 
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