First scroll saw?

[Urich1]

Being a new guy in the hobby I'm looking for a saw I was looking at the Craftsman 16 in. Variable Speed I seen these going for between 60 and 120 I don't want to spend alot on something that might just sit in my shop if I find out I don't like the hobby thanks J

[lucky788scroller]

I personally would pass on that saw, and spend the extra dollars on one like the Dremel #1830 . It runs around $200 I think, and is fairly user friendly,on the sears saw you need an allen wrench to change blades, one more cumbersome thing to bobble with in my opinion.. Things to look for...variable speed, easy blade changes (PINLESS blade acceptance a must!!), easy to reach controls. Im betting you will become addicted to scrolling, or one of your kids will surely, and having a tool thats not user friendly may make your venture more troublesome than if you just spent a few more dollars for a few simple handy features.And yes, you can always upgrade in the future!

[Fremmed]

Check out your local Home Depot. Here at my local store, they have the Dremel 1830 on clearance for under $150. Don't know if that's the case out your way.

[SNAPPER]

I spent $100 on a Delta 40-540 16"vs 10 yrs ago, have cut many fret and non fret work projects. This unit has and continues to serve me well. Regular maintenance is the key for longevity. One of the features I really like is the Quickset II blade clamps, I think it is second to none. I tried upgrading to a Dremel 18" scrollstation. After having the same issue with 3 of them I decided to keep the Delta. The place I purchased it at has the same type but it is a Black and Decker brand. In my opinion this would be a good beginner saw.
Dean

[azbison]

Check your newspaper and craigslist as well. I got my first saw on craigslist for $30, a backup on ebay for $10, and went up to a dewalt via craigslist later on.

[tookiedoo78]

I've had a Dremel 1830 for about 6 weeks now, and I love it! This is my second saw after a cheapo one came apart after a week. It's definitely well worth the $200. You'll be so much happier starting out with it instead of a cheapo like I did.

Josh

[Carter Johnson]

A few years ago, I bought a Black & Decker at a local store as a backup for my DeWalt. Whenever I've used it, it has performed quite well. Variable speed and easy blade change. It's not as smooth as the DeWalt, but it's cost was only $110 and well worth the price.

Have phun..... Carter

[Jediscroller]

I used a Craftsman 16" VS for quite a while with very good results. IMO, it's the best saw available for under $150. The Dremel 1680 and Hitachi CW-40 are the same saw as well (all made by Rexon Industries). I would comparison shop for the best price between the 3 as they are virtually identical.
Dale, unless they've changed the saw, it uses thumbscrews for blade changes.

[lucky788scroller]

Thanks for the info Kevin, perhaps I was looking at a different model. The one I was looking at was #21602 , which looks like an allen wrench change style.

[muzzleloader]

My old Craftsman single speed used thumbscrews for blade clamps and so does my new (this year) 18" Craftsman VS. Delta, on the other hand, used an allen wrench on their (discontinued) 16" vs model. Don't know what Delta uses now, rubber bands maybe? lol