Trouble with my Dewalt 788 - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

greenwood · 12-06-2008, 04:17 PM

I have been using a Dewalt 788 for a few years now, but I am getting a little frustrated with it. The bottom blade holder does not seem to be able to hold the blades for very long. Sometimes I can only go about an inch and the blade will come out. I have tried to adjust it but sometimes that makes it worse. I have replaced the set screw adjuster but that does not seem yo help. I keep dust out of it. It is very frustrating and sometimes I just give up and walk away from a project. Any help would be appreciated. I love scrolling and really want to be able to do it without all the frustration.

Thanks,
Joe

tomsteve · 12-06-2008, 04:37 PM

hhhmmm. i hate to see a frustrated scroller walk away from any saw. good thing to do instead of getting more frustrated and not doing any more, though. how about wiping the blades down with some mineral spirits or some sort of cleaner? i take the ends of the blades and run em lightly against my disc sander to roughen em up a bit. if possible, take out the set screw and run the end of it across some sandpaper to roughen up where the blade will clamp. there are 2 set screws on the clamps on the top and bottom. one on each side of the blade. one is stationary. ya might wanna take an emery board along the clamp and roiughen up the stationary set screw, too. dont give up!!!! more will be suggested here by others soon.

Bill Wilson · 12-06-2008, 05:05 PM

I agree with tomsteve. Scratch up the ends of the blade with a little sandpaper. That removes any residue and allows the clamp to get a better grip.

For the clamps, get a light and even a magnifying glass if necessary. Take the blade out and tighten up the clamp. Look closely to make sure the thrumscrew and setscrew meet flat and tight to each other. If one or the other get worn, you may need to grind it a little to true it back up, so that it mates precisely with the other screw. Be careful using a file or sander or any more aggressive means of touching up the clamp. If you get them out of square, it will be next to impossible to get a blade to stay in them.

For routine maintenance, I will sometimes take an old piece of sandpaper, fold it over a couple times, then place it in the clamp. Tighten the thumbscrew just enough to put a little pressure on the sandpaper. Then run the sandpaper up and down in the clamp.

Jr_Ranger · 12-06-2008, 05:15 PM

Joe,
I would too check the stationary screw to make sure it hasn't moved. If you rough them up make sure they are perfectly horizontal to the sandpaer. I seem to remember someone made a little jig to hold the screws in a piece of wood. Let the screw ends come out just a tiny bit and rub it over sand paper. Hope that makes sense.

Jim McDonald · 12-06-2008, 05:58 PM

Don't have a 788, but as Bill Wislon said, check the blade holders thouroughly. With the blade being harder than the holder, there may some slight wear and a little precision grinding will true the shoulders of the holders and give you a better gripping surface.

groverd · 12-07-2008, 05:51 AM

I had the same problem with my 788's, , the screws that clamps the blade had a small tit on the end that prevented it from making complete contact with the blade. I took the screws out and using emery paper sanded the ends of the screws until they were flat. I put a nut on the screw while sanding to make it easier to hold it flat. I have had two t88's and had the same problem with both of them. About 5 minutes of sanding solved the problem

Paladin · 12-08-2008, 12:41 PM

I had the same problem earlier this year, and I replaced the set screws that came with the saw with a set screw that has an indentation on the end of it after seeing someone advise that on this board. It hold the blades much better. If you've already replaced the set screws, make sure you put some blue thread locker on the set screw threads, otherwise it will move when you turn the saw on (I didn't when I first replaced mine, and it wouldn't hold a blade worth a darn).

Daryl185 · 12-19-2008, 04:17 AM

had the same problem with my dewalt, I posted my remedy somewhere here, anyway I ended up taking the clamp completely off the saw disassembling it I readjusted the set screw cleaned the clamp with mineral spirits put it all back together and purrs like a kitten, I think after time that set screw backs off and doesn't allow a solid contact with the thumb screw

12-06-2008, 04:17 PM	#1
greenwood Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2	Trouble with my Dewalt 788 I have been using a Dewalt 788 for a few years now, but I am getting a little frustrated with it. The bottom blade holder does not seem to be able to hold the blades for very long. Sometimes I can only go about an inch and the blade will come out. I have tried to adjust it but sometimes that makes it worse. I have replaced the set screw adjuster but that does not seem yo help. I keep dust out of it. It is very frustrating and sometimes I just give up and walk away from a project. Any help would be appreciated. I love scrolling and really want to be able to do it without all the frustration. Thanks, Joe

12-06-2008, 05:05 PM	#3
Bill Wilson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Butler, PA Posts: 590	I agree with tomsteve. Scratch up the ends of the blade with a little sandpaper. That removes any residue and allows the clamp to get a better grip. For the clamps, get a light and even a magnifying glass if necessary. Take the blade out and tighten up the clamp. Look closely to make sure the thrumscrew and setscrew meet flat and tight to each other. If one or the other get worn, you may need to grind it a little to true it back up, so that it mates precisely with the other screw. Be careful using a file or sander or any more aggressive means of touching up the clamp. If you get them out of square, it will be next to impossible to get a blade to stay in them. For routine maintenance, I will sometimes take an old piece of sandpaper, fold it over a couple times, then place it in the clamp. Tighten the thumbscrew just enough to put a little pressure on the sandpaper. Then run the sandpaper up and down in the clamp. __________________ "I'm a white male, aged 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me! No matter how dumb my suggestions are."

12-06-2008, 05:15 PM	#4
Jr_Ranger Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 869	Joe, I would too check the stationary screw to make sure it hasn't moved. If you rough them up make sure they are perfectly horizontal to the sandpaer. I seem to remember someone made a little jig to hold the screws in a piece of wood. Let the screw ends come out just a tiny bit and rub it over sand paper. Hope that makes sense. __________________ Sylvia Support Our Troops

12-06-2008, 05:58 PM	#5
Jim McDonald Workin' for the Weekend Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: On the Other Side of the Monitor Posts: 940 Blog Entries: 6	Don't have a 788, but as Bill Wislon said, check the blade holders thouroughly. With the blade being harder than the holder, there may some slight wear and a little precision grinding will true the shoulders of the holders and give you a better gripping surface. __________________ Jim Exuberance can be corrected; dullness is incurable. --E. Deters "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

12-07-2008, 05:51 AM	#6
groverd Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: washington state Posts: 449	I had the same problem with my 788's, , the screws that clamps the blade had a small tit on the end that prevented it from making complete contact with the blade. I took the screws out and using emery paper sanded the ends of the screws until they were flat. I put a nut on the screw while sanding to make it easier to hold it flat. I have had two t88's and had the same problem with both of them. About 5 minutes of sanding solved the problem __________________ Grover D RBI Hawk 226 and Dewalt 788 http://groverd.myphotoalbum.com/albums.php

12-06-2008, 04:37 PM	#2
tomsteve Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 407	hhhmmm. i hate to see a frustrated scroller walk away from any saw. good thing to do instead of getting more frustrated and not doing any more, though. how about wiping the blades down with some mineral spirits or some sort of cleaner? i take the ends of the blades and run em lightly against my disc sander to roughen em up a bit. if possible, take out the set screw and run the end of it across some sandpaper to roughen up where the blade will clamp. there are 2 set screws on the clamps on the top and bottom. one on each side of the blade. one is stationary. ya might wanna take an emery board along the clamp and roiughen up the stationary set screw, too. dont give up!!!! more will be suggested here by others soon.

12-08-2008, 12:41 PM	#7
Paladin Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 53	I had the same problem earlier this year, and I replaced the set screws that came with the saw with a set screw that has an indentation on the end of it after seeing someone advise that on this board. It hold the blades much better. If you've already replaced the set screws, make sure you put some blue thread locker on the set screw threads, otherwise it will move when you turn the saw on (I didn't when I first replaced mine, and it wouldn't hold a blade worth a darn).

12-19-2008, 04:17 AM	#8
Daryl185 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lakewood Ranch Florida Posts: 1,162	had the same problem with my dewalt, I posted my remedy somewhere here, anyway I ended up taking the clamp completely off the saw disassembling it I readjusted the set screw cleaned the clamp with mineral spirits put it all back together and purrs like a kitten, I think after time that set screw backs off and doesn't allow a solid contact with the thumb screw __________________ Daryl S. Walters Psycotic scroller with a DeWalt 788

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