questions working with my new Dewalt

[jshatsoff]

I did about 3 fairly simple projects on my Ryboi, then recently bought the Dewalt. I will say, that it isn't even the same hobby working with the Dewalt and the Ryobi. I am in the midst of the my first Dewalt project. For full disclosure I should mention the following. I went out and bought an EZ LIft over the weekend and think it is installed correctly (it works well anyway). I am using a craftsman spiral blade (.032 kerf I think), and the project is stack cutting 3 sheets of 1/4 inch oak ply. Oh and yes, I am placing my order wfor FD blades immediately. Now on to my questions.

I spent the time to center the blade clamp when I first brought the saw home. As I have gone through my project the *screw* in the top left of the blade clamp seems to slowly retract left. Is that even an understandable statement? Maybe it turns a little each time I tighten the blade clamp on the right. Is this a known *thing*/problem/issue*? I am assuming using some threadlock would be the wrong thing to do.

This one might seem silly, but oh well. Do most of you 1) open the blade clamp and then loosen the tension or 2) loosen the tension and then open the blade clamp. Seems like if I do 2 it bends the blades a little.

What tension do most of you need to move your Dewalt to. I almost always have to go to at least 5 to get the high C (or at least what I think is the high C)? Is it blade dependant? The EZ Lift doesn't seem like it shoudl have any effect, but the sound I am getting now is not quie as high as I was getting before. Maybe I knocked something loose.

Any tips on the blower. It seems like I can never get the blower in a good spot and then when I do, I need to move it to thread through the next whole. Tips?

Thanks for all your help in advance. Reading previous posts has helped a lot in the purchase of my saw, ordered blades, and lots of other tips.

Jordan

[Dragon]

Welcome to the group Jordan. More experienced scrollers will come around and answer all of your questions.
Definitely loosen the tension and then release the blade. Then reput the blade on and tighten the tension.
Diane

[Jeff]

I am using a craftsman spiral blade (.032 kerf I think), and the project is stack cutting 3 sheets of 1/4 inch oak ply.
3/4" worth of oak with a spiral blade? I haven't used spirals much, but that seems like a bit much (not that you asked!).

I spent the time to center the blade clamp when I first brought the saw home. As I have gone through my project the *screw* in the top left of the blade clamp seems to slowly retract left. Is that even an understandable statement? Maybe it turns a little each time I tighten the blade clamp on the right. Is this a known *thing*/problem/issue*? I am assuming using some threadlock would be the wrong thing to do.
IIRC the DeWalt blade clamp screws have swivel ends, so they don't twist/bend the blade as you tighten. This should also prevent one screw from turning the other. If I had that problem, I'd try thread locker. Use the "light-duty" stuff.

This one might seem silly, but oh well. Do most of you 1) open the blade clamp and then loosen the tension or 2) loosen the tension and then open the blade clamp. Seems like if I do 2 it bends the blades a little.
I always release the tension first. If the blade bends when you do that, it means you haven't brought the upper arm down far enough when you clamped the blade. The clamps should be brought as closely together as possible before tightening the clamp to remove any free play.

What tension do most of you need to move your Dewalt to. I almost always have to go to at least 5 to get the high C (or at least what I think is the high C)? Is it blade dependant? The EZ Lift doesn't seem like it shoudl have any effect, but the sound I am getting now is not quie as high as I was getting before. Maybe I knocked something loose.
If you do as above you should get good tension. I'm usually at 4-5. There is an adjustment for that, however: See Rick Hutcheson's web site at http://www.scrollsaws.com/ and look in the "DeWalt tune-up section.

Any tips on the blower. It seems like I can never get the blower in a good spot and then when I do, I need to move it to thread through the next whole. Tips?
I haven't spent more than a few hours yet on mine, but I also find myself moving the hose when I disconnect the blade. Not sure if it's just habit from my old Craftsman, but in retrospect it doesn't seem that it should be necessary to move it. I like the angled tips that some machines come with and wish I had one. That way, the hose can sort of sneak in from the rear of the blade, yet blow at a 90 degree angle.

Jeff

[Carter Johnson]

Jordan, always loosen the tension before disconnecting the blade. The little bend you get is temporary.

I route the blower on my DeWalt over the blade holder and then down so that the nozzle is blowing from the right side. I find that it doesn't get in the way very often in that position.

I set my tension at 4.5 for most puzzle work, reducing it only when I work with the thin jewelers' blades.

Have phun.....Carter

[Mick Walker]

Jordan, if you are top feeding the blower should not get in your way. The blower on my Delta P-20 comes down from the left side of the upper arm, it has a 90° tip which I position to blow across the blade toward the back and to the right of the saw. The table being a clock, the blade the center of the clock it blows from 7 to 1. I never move it. Hope this makes sense.

[Janette]

I have the DeWalt and the ezlift as well. I don't think that the blades shift over to the left at all. One thing, with the ez lift, I have to push down when I tighten a blade or it will flex. I think it has something to do with the tension the ezlift puts on it. My habit that I've gotten into is to put the blade in the top, put it in the bottom, undo the top, push down on the arm of the saw and tighten while holding it down. My tension will usually go between 3 1/2 and 4. If it goes over 4, I know it's loose and redo the top one while holding it down.

[Scott]

I don't go by the numbers, I go more by feel than anything else. If you have the arm all the way dow as the previous post mention you only need to go about 2 clicks to be right, sometimes it's only on 2 maybe 3. If you listen to your machine you will hear a funny noise if it is too lose click up a 1/2 should be right.
If you are too tight you will pull the blade out. The same thing happens on my Hawk. One other thing sometimes you can't get the arm down all the way, do a quick and very short hit on you foot switch, I think the arm is at the top of the arm and the cam is dead top you need to get past dead top to get the arm down all the way. Hope this make sense. It's like a car you need to listen to it.
It's E flat.