Dewalt Does it again! - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

AKAkopa · 04-23-2009, 11:31 PM

Well once more I have bitten by the bad switch bug on my Dewalt 788. It went to hell once before and had to take it in for service and it took almost two weeks to be fixed. After that, I taped down the switch and went to a foot pedal. After about 4 months my foot switch went to hell and needless to say that was put on my " will get another one of those one of these days list". Wish that day had come as once more I am without Ole Yeller for another "10 to 14 days waiting on parts". I did get lucky tho, the Dewalt service center is only 18 miles from me anyway.

Strikes me as odd that it takes 10 to 14 days for a part to come out of Maryland! Beginning to think all parts are overseas and it takes that long just to get them to the states.

Long story short--- I will take the time to find another foot switch before I even get the Dewalt back. Either tommorrow, the next day or maybe even next week I am going to stop my procrastinating the way I do!

Pat (currently suffering with Yeller Fever as I am mad at it and myself!)

wood-n-things · 04-23-2009, 11:44 PM

Gosh that stinks...Couldn't you just blow out the switch? That is what I did to mine and it worked fine. Hope you get it fixed sooner this time so you get back to making some more sawdust.

keystonecop · 04-24-2009, 12:26 AM

sorry for your trouble.

I have posted this before, and I do NOT know where to get TV tuner cleaner (old stuff that my dad never threw out).. but I have sprayed the switch with it when it goes out and it has corrected it both times).

Steviegwood · 04-24-2009, 12:32 AM

You can also use a 120volt toggle switch for a temporary fix until you get the parts. In fact mine became permanent as I was wearing out switches to often. Steve

Ramjet · 04-24-2009, 01:59 AM

Thanks for the reminder Keystone . My dewalt stops every once in awhile . Move the switch a couple of tomes and away it goes . Then I forget to clean it again .
LOL with the fix.
Roger

JimSawyer · 04-24-2009, 03:35 AM

I would imagine that circuit baord cleaner would work as well. You can get it at Radio Shack. I used to use it back in the day when I was into electronics. I salvaged a boombox raio from the trash, cleaned the contacts with the stuff, and had a primo radio. I hate to jinx myself, but I've had my DW 788 for about 10 years now and haven't had problems with the switch. I've always used a foot pedal.

lucky788scroller · 04-24-2009, 04:37 AM

You know, it really isnt very hard to repair that yourself if you have the torx driver to pull a couple screws with. I have totally dismantled the switch to clean it , and came to the conclusion that probably hardly any of the swtiches truly go bad.It doesnt take much dust to foul them, and taking the switch apart and cleaning it and putting it back together is definatly better than waiting for a new one.
Once you have that little switch out, use a thin screwdriver or knife to carefully pry the side of the switch open a little, so the peg on the red switch part comes out of the black part on the switch. Be careful to not lost the little tiny parts inside as you pull it apart. Then clean the parts off, and put them back together by reversing how you got it apart.Chances are after its back together, it will work fine, and you will be out no money, and your down time reduced to about 20 minutes.

smw6442 · 04-24-2009, 04:43 AM

I have a Dwalt DW788 and my saw didn't work so i took it in and they said it was the switch so i had them order one and yes it took 10 to 14 days to get it.. when i got it back i went to start it but it wouldn't turn on.. so i brought it in the house and after a few hrs it started working.. it was the cold weather that made it not run.. so i had to put a space heater behind it and let it warm up before i could use it...I did a search on the dw788 and its said something about when the temp. get below 35 degrees it wont start.. as far as the switch i really didn't need it replaced..so now i taped it down and use a foot switch.. i got mine at Harbor Freight tools and it was under 20 bucks.. steve

Gypsum · 04-24-2009, 05:01 AM

Somewhere in the mists of time I recall reading that one way of avoiding this problem on the 788 was to tape part of a latex glove over the switch. The latex is flexible enough to allow the switch to be used but keeps the dust out. I use the foot pedal but latex covers the hand switch. Five years and no problem.

edward · 04-24-2009, 04:02 PM

Take some plastic wrap and tape over switch to keep the dirt out, works great for me. Edward

04-23-2009, 11:31 PM	#1
AKAkopa Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 254	Dewalt Does it again! Well once more I have bitten by the bad switch bug on my Dewalt 788. It went to hell once before and had to take it in for service and it took almost two weeks to be fixed. After that, I taped down the switch and went to a foot pedal. After about 4 months my foot switch went to hell and needless to say that was put on my " will get another one of those one of these days list". Wish that day had come as once more I am without Ole Yeller for another "10 to 14 days waiting on parts". I did get lucky tho, the Dewalt service center is only 18 miles from me anyway. Strikes me as odd that it takes 10 to 14 days for a part to come out of Maryland! Beginning to think all parts are overseas and it takes that long just to get them to the states. Long story short--- I will take the time to find another foot switch before I even get the Dewalt back. Either tommorrow, the next day or maybe even next week I am going to stop my procrastinating the way I do! Pat (currently suffering with Yeller Fever as I am mad at it and myself!)

04-23-2009, 11:44 PM	#2
wood-n-things Behave Yourself..I can't. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Right here ---silly Posts: 4,471 Blog Entries: 1	Gosh that stinks...Couldn't you just blow out the switch? That is what I did to mine and it worked fine. Hope you get it fixed sooner this time so you get back to making some more sawdust. __________________ The Mike One of them anyway. Don't be so open-minded. Your brains will fall out!

04-24-2009, 12:26 AM	#3
keystonecop Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 153	sorry for your trouble. I have posted this before, and I do NOT know where to get TV tuner cleaner (old stuff that my dad never threw out).. but I have sprayed the switch with it when it goes out and it has corrected it both times). __________________ The other John A. Nelson johnsworkshop.com I just follow the lines and make sawdust on a Purple EX-30 and a Yellow DW788

04-24-2009, 12:32 AM	#4
Steviegwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arthur, WV Posts: 2,145	You can also use a 120volt toggle switch for a temporary fix until you get the parts. In fact mine became permanent as I was wearing out switches to often. Steve __________________ If This HillBilly Can't Fix it Then it Ain't Broke!!! My Gallery steve03@frontiernet.net

04-24-2009, 03:35 AM	#6
JimSawyer Laying into Inlay Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lincoln, RI Posts: 1,075	I would imagine that circuit baord cleaner would work as well. You can get it at Radio Shack. I used to use it back in the day when I was into electronics. I salvaged a boombox raio from the trash, cleaned the contacts with the stuff, and had a primo radio. I hate to jinx myself, but I've had my DW 788 for about 10 years now and haven't had problems with the switch. I've always used a foot pedal. __________________ Jim The limits of the imagination are imaginary. No task is too tedious for Art. Rock and Scroll My Website Featherwood Woodcrafts

04-24-2009, 01:59 AM	#5
Ramjet Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Saltspring Island B.C. Canada Posts: 1,096	Thanks for the reminder Keystone . My dewalt stops every once in awhile . Move the switch a couple of tomes and away it goes . Then I forget to clean it again . LOL with the fix. Roger

04-24-2009, 04:37 AM	#7
lucky788scroller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: wisconsin Posts: 6,260	You know, it really isnt very hard to repair that yourself if you have the torx driver to pull a couple screws with. I have totally dismantled the switch to clean it , and came to the conclusion that probably hardly any of the swtiches truly go bad.It doesnt take much dust to foul them, and taking the switch apart and cleaning it and putting it back together is definatly better than waiting for a new one. Once you have that little switch out, use a thin screwdriver or knife to carefully pry the side of the switch open a little, so the peg on the red switch part comes out of the black part on the switch. Be careful to not lost the little tiny parts inside as you pull it apart. Then clean the parts off, and put them back together by reversing how you got it apart.Chances are after its back together, it will work fine, and you will be out no money, and your down time reduced to about 20 minutes. __________________ Dale w/ yella saws

04-24-2009, 04:43 AM	#8
smw6442 Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 31	I have a Dwalt DW788 and my saw didn't work so i took it in and they said it was the switch so i had them order one and yes it took 10 to 14 days to get it.. when i got it back i went to start it but it wouldn't turn on.. so i brought it in the house and after a few hrs it started working.. it was the cold weather that made it not run.. so i had to put a space heater behind it and let it warm up before i could use it...I did a search on the dw788 and its said something about when the temp. get below 35 degrees it wont start.. as far as the switch i really didn't need it replaced..so now i taped it down and use a foot switch.. i got mine at Harbor Freight tools and it was under 20 bucks.. steve

04-24-2009, 05:01 AM	#9
Gypsum Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 104	Somewhere in the mists of time I recall reading that one way of avoiding this problem on the 788 was to tape part of a latex glove over the switch. The latex is flexible enough to allow the switch to be used but keeps the dust out. I use the foot pedal but latex covers the hand switch. Five years and no problem. __________________ Dan When you have a lot to do, it's always best to get your nap out of the way. Margene Lett

04-24-2009, 04:02 PM	#10
edward Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: philadelphia Posts: 323	Take some plastic wrap and tape over switch to keep the dirt out, works great for me. Edward __________________ http://www.scrollsawer.com/gallery/s...00&ppuser=6384

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode