Dewalt788

[bob b]

I Am Looking To Buy A New Scroll Saw And Was Thinking About The Dewalt 788 ,which Is In My Price Range .can Any One Tell Me About The Saw And Is It Worth The Money? The Hawk And Hegner Is Just To Much For Me . Right Now I Have A Dremel Which I Have Had For Awhile But Looking To Up Grade

[BobD]

Bob,

I haven't had the opportunity to try one yet, but I've heard really good things about it...

Bob

My standard answer to questions of this ilk:
I have owned three saws; a Ryobi, DeWalt and an RBI Hawk.
When I upgraded to the DeWalt I thought I had died and gone to heaven. When I got the RBI I found out what heaven was really like. If your on a budget get the DeWalt. If not get the RBI (or Hegner). Either way, you won't be sorry.

[scroller_guy]

Bob,

I own a Hegner AND a Dewalt788. Both are mounted on factory stands. The reason I have rwo is that I have a summer address and a winter address and I lost my hauling capacity to take the Hegner back and forth as I started out to do. [Sold my RV].

I have been running my DeWalt for 7 months now and it works pretty good. My minor issue with it is that it's a little tricky getting the blade seated in the bottom clamp which you cant see very well. Lately, I also have had problems with the blade slipping out of the upper clamp. This could be due to my senior citizen hands tightening the clamp. Another senior scroller down the street from me has a DeWalt and has the same problem.

I have a similar issue with the blade clamp on the Hegner. I removed Hegner's round knob and replaced it with a "star" knob and it works much better.

The arm of the DeWalt lifts up to help you with fret work, but does not come with the means to hold it up while you thread the blade through your work piece. Woodcraft sells a $20 gadget to solve this problem. I smply cut out a support prop that holds it up nicely and cost me nothing.

I know a guy who has used his DeWalt for 7 years that exclusively does intarsia work and only has had the power switch go out on him. [He does not use a foot switch which I highly recommend.] He probably runs his machine most days of the week. Since he does intarsia he does not have to fuss with the blade clamps as much as people who do fret work.

Bob, I hope this helps.

Dick

[Mick Walker]

Bob, check out the Delta P-20 before you buy, about the same price as the 788, both come with stands. Delta has about the best blade clamp system out there. You won't go wrong with either saw. Just about like Ford and Chevy. Whichever you have is the best one. Check www.scrollsaws.com. They review both saws. Mick.

[jttheclockman]

Bob

You will not go wrong with this saw. It can be set-up for top feeding or bottom feeding whichever you are accustomed to. As mentioned in the same price range is the Delta P20. the difference with these two saws is basically the blade holding system and you have a bit of a learning curve with the delta but can be overcome quickly. Many of both saws are out there. and like was stated comes down to choice. Good luck.

[PiALaModem]

I prefer the blade clamp on the DeWalt, as much as so many people say about the Delta. To me nothing seems so natural as turning the screw. I owned a Delta 16" with the flip-clamp and never liked it.

There is a bigger difference between these two saws (the Delta 20" and the Dewalt 20") and that is the difference between the parallel-link and parallel-arm. The parallel-link (dewalt) has lower vibration and a greater back-and-forth motion as the blade reciprocates. This means more of a difference in technique you have to use rather than a difference of what you can do. It is different enough that if you're used to a parallel-arm saw (or a C-arm), it will take a little getting used to on the most delicate maneuvers.

All that said, I like the DeWalt better overall. Doing portraits with dozens or hundreds of inside cuts, the lifting arm is a tremendous advantage, and I found it easy to learn to operate the lower clamp without looking.

[bob b]

Thank you all for helping me out. I went to the one site that review the dewalt and the delta and read it all and the one thing that I didnt like about the delta, that I didnt know was you have to change the belt to change speeds. that was not a good thing for me. I think I will go with the dewalt ,it sure will be a step up from my Dremel,which I think has seen its day,but I did do a lot of cutting with it and truned out some nice things. So thanks again for the help........Bob

I have the DeWalt and love it! I bought mine through www.toolking.com and have bought several tools from them, their reconditioned tools look just like new and are a lot cheaper,I got the stand and the light and the lift arm..all are worth it I my opinion! I have never had a problem with the tools or toolking and if something is wrong they make it right....they do all this is a minimal amount of time...I would recommend them highly! and no, I don't have an interest..ha ha...fact is, I heard a bunch of bankers of all people started the business and the site?

[Forester21]

Originally Posted by scroller_guy

Bob,


I know a guy who has used his DeWalt for 7 years that exclusively does intarsia work and only has had the power switch go out on him. [He does not use a foot switch which I highly recommend.] He probably runs his machine most days of the week. Since he does intarsia he does not have to fuss with the blade clamps as much as people who do fret work.


Dick

OK - is this what is happening with my DeWalt?? Sometimes when cutting, I push on the "on" button and nothing happens. Sometimes by thumping the top it will start - sometimes not. I was cutting something the other day without wearing my ear muffs, and it seemed to have a grinding noise when running too. The difference in the sound might be because I didn't have the ear protection on, but somehow I don't think so.
Theresa