[bobj3]

I just got a new Dewalt DW788 and have used it for about two weeks off and on.

Review Below ▼

Just one user Review of the Dewalt DW788 Scroll Saw.

I give it 4 Stars out of 5 Stars....

It has one error that I had to fix, the hold down foot part is junk, if you need to cut small parts like I do it will not do it, anything that's smaller than 1" x 1 1/2" in size, I took a part off the old Craftsman scroll saw I have and drilled a hole in the Dewalt hold down foot/guard bracket and put it on .

One 10-32 x 1/2" Allen flat head screw took care of the error and with the old Craftsman hold down foot bracket, it now works great.

Now I can cut parts that are 5/16" wide x 5/8" long and I don't need to use a stick to hold it down to the table top.



All in all it's a great saw

Stock hold down foot below, 1st. picture below, 4th,5th,6th is the fix.
picture #7 is a tip I got from wihtewolft710 to hold the saw head up when I change the blade,it works great for that job, thanks whitewolft710.

Bj

 

[challagan]

Hi Bob, congrats on the new saw! Do you do alot of scroll work?

Corey

 

[bobj3]

Hi Corey

Thanks
Well yes and no, I had/have a old Craftsman and it was a pain to change the blades so most of the time it just sit on the bench and when I wanted to get real ticked off I would fire it up and then say OK that's it, got so bad I would walk by and flip it off as if it would give a dam.
But I enjoy doing Intarsia ,so now I look forward to do more now that I have put 325 bucks into a Dewalt scroll saw...

Bj

 

[challagan]

20 years ago I did alot of scrolling of country cut outs that were painted and sold at craft shows. I had a Delta 2 speed 16 inch then. Today I have it's replacement, a Delta 16 inch SS350 with Variable speed. Not as nice as the Delta but it's a pretty nice saw. It won't hold up to 8 hours a day of a production scroller but it will work for me. I want to do more scrolling of box lids. I like that look.

I made these boxes entirely onthe scroll saw but I found them to be a huge wast of wood! Will try Intarsia one of these days!

 

[bobj3]

Looks Great

Have you tried a bowl on the scroll saw, I did one last week and used some 3/4" scrap Pine, It was about 10" x 12" to start out with and cut one line all the way around the board and about 1/2" wide for about 25 times around the board,in a cir. and ended up with a bowl that was about 6" high I think, I set the saw at a 5 1/2deg. cut.
I should have used some hardwood but I was just fooling around, so when I got it done and I wanted to pull up the center of the bowl it snap in about 6 spots and became fire wood at that point. LOL

Bj

 

[Mark]

Wow, nice new tool bj!

 

[bobj3]

Thanks Mark

Bj

 

[whitewolf710]

Glad you like the saw and im glad too see that a tip or two actually helps someone
One question is the back of your saw raised up as high as it will go and then some

 

[bobj3]

Hi Whitewolf

"your saw raised up as high as it will go " yep, that's the 1st tip I got from you and used it on the new saw when I screwed it down to the work bench.
It's about 6" higher in the back than the front, works great and saves my back plus the dust just slides off the front of the table top.

Thanks again for the tips..

Bj

 

[Mort_Stevens]

Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.

Mort

 

[bobj3]

Hi Mort

The key word for professional is " 3 Phase " most have 3 Phase motors
and can't be used in a home shop, the norm.
Some of the smaller ones have a 220 volt 1 (single) phase motor.
Most schools did this to keep the tool in the school and to use less power.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7631611076&category=57124

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140007145644&category=57124

Mort,,just a note**,It's no big deal to switch out the motor with a (single) phase motor 120 volt, 1HP or a 2HP one,that you can get new for about 50.oo bucks or a good used one from the flea market for about 20.oo bucks.

Bj

 

[whitewolf710]

Check out the excalibur saws

 

[New Mission]

What Craftsman Scroll Saw model did you use to add the hold down to the Dewalt 788?

 

[bobj3]

Hi New Mission

Here the model number plus a parts break down

Model number 113-236180

Part #53===#820303 AT $6.49 ea.
Part #56===#819238 AT $3.49 ea.



http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...*.shcapp3205?modelNumber=113-236180&pop=flush

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action


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What Craftsman Scroll Saw model did you use to add the hold down to the Dewalt 788?

 

[noveltyman]

Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.

Mort

Check the Eclipse Scroll Saw out

 

[harveri]

Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.

Mort

Hi I have craftsman version of saw u describe without motor. u can have it for $65 plus shipping. Why do u seem to prefer straight up and down movement? [email protected]

 

[cseymour]

I know some folks who swear by their RBI Hawk machines.

I know RBI went out of business but I believe a company in Kansas is taking over their production.

Chris

 

[del schisler]

Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.

Mort

here is the one i have Hegner 18" I bought it for $150.00 shipped to my door Here is what it look's like Also the blades to use are flying dutchman here is the link for those Mike's Workshop selling Flying Dutchman brand fret and scrollsaw blades

Hegner 18" Variable Speed Scroll Saw | Advanced Machinery

 

[jrprottas]

Does the excaliber saw allow for really close, zero-clearance work any better than the dewalt?

 

[WoodHaven]

here is the one i have Hegner 18" I bought it for $150.00 shipped to my door Here is what it look's like [/url]

Hi Del: I am curious as to how you got that saw for $150 when the listing on Amazon has it priced at $1,200.00? How does it work for you? Sounds like you really got a good deal.

Steve