Scroll Saw Selection

[BillH]

Help

I am looking at the Grizzly Scroll Saw with a 22" throat. The only ptoblem is that it takes pin type blades. Does anyone know if there is a conversion kit that would enable ti to take plain end blades or both types of blades?

Thanks.
Bill H.

[Andy]

Hey there Bill,

I don't know anything about the Grizzy saw or a conversion kit for pin to pinless blades. I looked on the Grizzly site and the price is certainly right eh? If it were me, I think I'd fire an email off to Rick Hutcheson at www.scrollsaws.com and see if he has any insight for you on your dilemna.

He knows more about saws than most of us will ever forget and keeps his finger on the pulse of what's happening. A 22 inch saw for less than $150 makes me raise my eyebrows and wonder where the defincies in the saw might be that could market it and sell it so cheap. My first scroll saw was a $99.99 Ryobi and I was tickled pink with it, thrilled, addicted and totally consumed with scrolling, for the month that the saw did what it was supposed to. Then I hit the wall of the learning curve and found out I'd wasted $100 on a saw that couldn't begin to do what I wanted it to do.

The moral of the story? Get the best saw you can afford at the time you're purchasing. Do exactly what you're doing, consult with people (Rick would be my first choice). If there's a Grizzly tools showroom near you perhaps they'll let you try the saw out? If it can't be converted to a pinless setup, I'd look elsewhere for another saw.

Hope it helps, sorry I couldn't help more.

Andy Deane
www.80artdesigns.com

[GrayBeard Phil]

Bill H:

Welcome to the site!! I hope you enjoy your visits.

I was going to post about the same as Andy... take an extra moment to re-consider the purchase of the Grizzly 22 inch scroll saw. Don't buy a saw with the intent of adding an after-market third party modification. How can you prove warranty claim?

If you do buy it, would you mind adding your comments here as to review the saw? Not many who post here own the Grizzly saw. Can't say for the 70% of the people who joined the site but have never posted. Maybe they bought a bad saw, found out it didn't function like they expected, and dropped the hobby?

Phil

[Mick Walker]

Bill H. I agree with all of the above. You can check www.pozsgaidesigns.com for a conversion kit. I personally would not purchase a saw that would take pin type blades only.

[core-eagle]

I looked at the Grizzly originally a few years back but they did not know of a conversion kit at that time. Went with the Makita 16" and have upgraded to twin DeWalt 788's.

Tim

[eendreno]

hello- the first saw i bought was a grizzly 22" they sell these little triangle clamp blade holders. i guess they sorta copied the hegner. that's where the similarity ends. you must loosen up the tension, unscrew then rescrew to the proper tension. very , very, difficult to reset to the same tolerances. the chucks are small and the blades slip out real easy. the saw vibrates like a cement mixer. i stated earlier it was my first, and i did not have anything to compare it to. the constant throwing of blades, the vibration will probably turn you off to scrolling before you learn how to cut a decent project. if money is tight, try looking at something that takes a pinless blade, and has some decent clamps. there has been several other posts where others have enquired about low end saws, like dremel and delta 350, hitachi. i would rather have anything other than the grizzly. if you must go grizzly the clamps are not in their catalogue. call the factory they will ship to you was 12.95 plus shipping. sears also sells the same clamp. doug

[BillH]

Sorry to take so long getting back to everyone. I am now using an older Delta Saw. It does everything it is suppose to and more, but every once in awhile I get the wants for one with a longer throat.

I appreciate all of the responses and will probably just stay with my Delta.

Once agan thanks to everyone.

Bill Husbands