What Do You Consider The BEST . . . - Page 2 - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

Carter-Johnson · 06-03-2009, 03:25 PM

To me its a matter of value versus price. For instance, you can buy a car for $10k. Is a $20k car twice as good? Probably? Is a $40k car twice as good as that? mmmmmmmmmm maybe.

With saws, you can buy one for $100. Or you can buy the DeWalt for $400. Is it 4 times as good, yes! Next you can buy an upscale Hegner, Excalibur, etc. for $1000+. Is it more than twice the DeWalt? I don't personally think so, but heavy, intricate use might prove otherwise. My DeWalt has been running 10 years and has perhaps a half-million puzzle pieces to its credit.

Have phun..... Carter

sajehill · 08-31-2009, 11:20 PM

Lee in NC (miniwoodworker) ...

A great big thank you for posting that link to the DeWalt 788! We moved a couple of months ago & DH didn't want to take any furniture or any heavy/awkward things with us. This included my shop equipment which included my DW 788. It was a few years old but in great shape & I sold it for $300 on Craigs List. Anyway, I've been looking to replace it & did some Google searching yesterday & Schooner's post came up on this forum. Started reading & saw your message, checked the link & couldn't believe the price! And shipping is only $20!!! I cannot wait to get another one of these scroll saws ... can't say enough good things about them. So thank you again for posting that link ... you've made me very happy : )

Blessings,
Shirlee

greatdane2 · 09-01-2009, 02:30 AM

I have a Dewalt and mostly cut wood 1 inch thick for intarsia and segmentaition. My last Dewalt lasted several years and several thousand hours. I bought a new EX30 and hated it and so went for another Dewalt.
I paid close to $900 for the first Dewalt and less than half that for the new one.
If I ever need another saw it will be another Dewalt if they are still making them.

wood-n-things · 09-01-2009, 02:34 AM

I have the Dewalt too. I started with Ryobi 16" pin blade saw back in the 80's..I almost gave up scrolling forever. I found the internet and information on the dewalt and have never regretted getting it.

Buy the best saw you can afford as already mentioned..if you are near a large city try some out in the stores.

CanadianScroller · 09-01-2009, 04:06 AM

I started on a Dremel 3" blade saw.... if I put paint on the table it would shake the can and I wouldnt have to.
Next I had an old Ryobi.... longer blade, deeper throat but still a shaker.
I went to Delta. Loved it, that was what I could afford at the time, Then a VS Delta, big improvement.
I saved up and bought an 18 inch Ryobi, it was much better than the previous saws, At the time it was around $300 while the DeWalt was around $600.

I took a huge leap from that saw and went to an Excaliber. It was around $900 at the time.
For years I swore by the Delta. it was the best saw I could afford at the time.
Everyone has said buy what you can afford. I agree.

Even if you invest in a good saw and dont care for scrolling, you will still get a good return on your investment when you sell it.

Rolf · 09-01-2009, 12:58 PM

The first response to this ? by Dale was the perfect one.
The best saw you can afford that has the features you need for the work that you want to do.

For me that was the RBI G4 (Hawk) It is easy to top and bottom feed, lots of room under the upper arm. smooth, powerful. I have used several saws and owned 4 and still have 2.
An old Dremel, pined blades only was a vibrating toy.
an old Craftsman, most painful blade changing process I have ever experienced on a saw. My Delta SS350 is still a good saw with the easiest blade change clamps ever, but the agressive front to back blade motion made it challenging to do the intricate work I like.

So the Hawk it is.

Jediscroller · 09-01-2009, 01:40 PM

Dale pretty much hit the nail on the head with his response. When I started out, my Dremel 2-speed 1671 did everything I wanted and it only cost me $50. I added a Dremel 1680 that I thought was the best thing ever. It broke and I bought a Craftsman 16" VS which was the same as the Dremel. I now use an EX-30 and have for the past 5 years with no problems whatsoever. All of these saws were the best at the time. The Eclipse is probably the best saw on the market though for me I eliminated it from contention as it doesn't allow top-feeding which was a must for me as I like to do intricate fretwork. There is no 1 best saw.

dragyn · 09-01-2009, 03:56 PM

I have beena using a craftsman 16" VS for close to 9 years now. It was the best I could afford at the time (inherited it from my father still in the box) It has its issues and would love to upgrade to the DeWalt 788, but have had to use the money I keep saving for other thigns that break in the house, such as the washer and dryer, refrigerator, new whole house, furnace and air conditioner, etc.

It works for me, but I know I would do better with an upgrade.

I also agree with everyone else, that the best one you can afford, is the one for you.

TerryInMich · 09-02-2009, 02:01 AM

I started with a 16" Craftsman (don't know the model number). It worked and I was happy with it, but then I got a good deal on the DW788. Less vibration, easier to change blades, and for some reason I almost never break blades with the DeWalt. I like it a lot.

09-01-2009, 02:30 AM	#13
greatdane2 Dumb Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Vancouver Island, BC. Canada Posts: 2,225	I have a Dewalt and mostly cut wood 1 inch thick for intarsia and segmentaition. My last Dewalt lasted several years and several thousand hours. I bought a new EX30 and hated it and so went for another Dewalt. I paid close to $900 for the first Dewalt and less than half that for the new one. If I ever need another saw it will be another Dewalt if they are still making them. __________________ Alan and Rafi. In our house, if you have to bend over to pet a dog it ain't a real dog! UNLESS its a puppy. And the puppy is getting huge. 8 months old and 32" at the shoulders.

09-01-2009, 02:34 AM	#14
wood-n-things Behave Yourself..I can't. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Right here ---silly Posts: 4,471 Blog Entries: 1	I have the Dewalt too. I started with Ryobi 16" pin blade saw back in the 80's..I almost gave up scrolling forever. I found the internet and information on the dewalt and have never regretted getting it. Buy the best saw you can afford as already mentioned..if you are near a large city try some out in the stores. __________________ The Mike One of them anyway. Don't be so open-minded. Your brains will fall out!

09-01-2009, 04:06 AM	#15
CanadianScroller Moderator CUT IT OUT Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chilliwack British Columbia, Canada Posts: 3,937 Blog Entries: 12	I started on a Dremel 3" blade saw.... if I put paint on the table it would shake the can and I wouldnt have to. Next I had an old Ryobi.... longer blade, deeper throat but still a shaker. I went to Delta. Loved it, that was what I could afford at the time, Then a VS Delta, big improvement. I saved up and bought an 18 inch Ryobi, it was much better than the previous saws, At the time it was around $300 while the DeWalt was around $600. I took a huge leap from that saw and went to an Excaliber. It was around $900 at the time. For years I swore by the Delta. it was the best saw I could afford at the time. Everyone has said buy what you can afford. I agree. Even if you invest in a good saw and dont care for scrolling, you will still get a good return on your investment when you sell it. __________________ CAЯL HIRD-RUTTEЯ "proud member of the best scroll sawing forum on the net." Ryobi SC180VS scroll saw EX21

09-01-2009, 12:58 PM	#16
Rolf Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bellport, LI New York Posts: 2,808	The first response to this ? by Dale was the perfect one. The best saw you can afford that has the features you need for the work that you want to do. For me that was the RBI G4 (Hawk) It is easy to top and bottom feed, lots of room under the upper arm. smooth, powerful. I have used several saws and owned 4 and still have 2. An old Dremel, pined blades only was a vibrating toy. an old Craftsman, most painful blade changing process I have ever experienced on a saw. My Delta SS350 is still a good saw with the easiest blade change clamps ever, but the agressive front to back blade motion made it challenging to do the intricate work I like. So the Hawk it is. __________________ Rolf RBI G4 Hawk, Delta SS350 Philosophy "I don't know that I can't, therefore I can"

09-01-2009, 01:40 PM	#17
Jediscroller American Crafstman Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Galaxy far, far away Posts: 3,174 Blog Entries: 5	Dale pretty much hit the nail on the head with his response. When I started out, my Dremel 2-speed 1671 did everything I wanted and it only cost me $50. I added a Dremel 1680 that I thought was the best thing ever. It broke and I bought a Craftsman 16" VS which was the same as the Dremel. I now use an EX-30 and have for the past 5 years with no problems whatsoever. All of these saws were the best at the time. The Eclipse is probably the best saw on the market though for me I eliminated it from contention as it doesn't allow top-feeding which was a must for me as I like to do intricate fretwork. There is no 1 best saw. __________________ Kevin Scrollsaw Patterns Online Making holes in wood with an EX-30, Craftsman 16" VS, Dremel 1680 and 1671

06-03-2009, 03:25 PM	#11
Carter-Johnson Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 739	To me its a matter of value versus price. For instance, you can buy a car for $10k. Is a $20k car twice as good? Probably? Is a $40k car twice as good as that? mmmmmmmmmm maybe. With saws, you can buy one for $100. Or you can buy the DeWalt for $400. Is it 4 times as good, yes! Next you can buy an upscale Hegner, Excalibur, etc. for $1000+. Is it more than twice the DeWalt? I don't personally think so, but heavy, intricate use might prove otherwise. My DeWalt has been running 10 years and has perhaps a half-million puzzle pieces to its credit. Have phun..... Carter

08-31-2009, 11:20 PM	#12
sajehill Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1	Lee in NC (miniwoodworker) ... A great big thank you for posting that link to the DeWalt 788! We moved a couple of months ago & DH didn't want to take any furniture or any heavy/awkward things with us. This included my shop equipment which included my DW 788. It was a few years old but in great shape & I sold it for $300 on Craigs List. Anyway, I've been looking to replace it & did some Google searching yesterday & Schooner's post came up on this forum. Started reading & saw your message, checked the link & couldn't believe the price! And shipping is only $20!!! I cannot wait to get another one of these scroll saws ... can't say enough good things about them. So thank you again for posting that link ... you've made me very happy : ) Blessings, Shirlee

09-01-2009, 03:56 PM	#18
dragyn Local Goofball! Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,665	I have beena using a craftsman 16" VS for close to 9 years now. It was the best I could afford at the time (inherited it from my father still in the box) It has its issues and would love to upgrade to the DeWalt 788, but have had to use the money I keep saving for other thigns that break in the house, such as the washer and dryer, refrigerator, new whole house, furnace and air conditioner, etc. It works for me, but I know I would do better with an upgrade. I also agree with everyone else, that the best one you can afford, is the one for you. __________________ Dragyn (Oh my! Another Mike! ) It's a good thing my head is attached to my ... ... Has anyone seen my head?!?

09-02-2009, 02:01 AM	#19
TerryInMich Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Michigan Posts: 52	I started with a 16" Craftsman (don't know the model number). It worked and I was happy with it, but then I got a good deal on the DW788. Less vibration, easier to change blades, and for some reason I almost never break blades with the DeWalt. I like it a lot.

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