I got the Dewalt today and other stuff

[harrisg]

All I can say is WOW... Paying more than twice as much for the Dewalt DW788 than the Delta 350SS that I returned today was a tough pill to swallow until I got it home. Cuts like a dream, it's heavy with almost no vibration and the blade changes are so much easier than with the Delta Quick Clamp. You experts were right about the Dewalt!!! However, I didn't get the stand and light but it sits perfectly on a long table I made a couple of years ago. It's nothing more than a 30" wide picnic table top mounted on top of metal sawhorses. My light source is one of those cheap articulated arm office lamps which doesn't get in the way and moves around to put light wherever I need it. Even my wife, who has never done or been interested in any woodworking is quite exited to use this saw.

As to raising the upper arm when putting the blade through a drilled hole, is there any reason you can't just put a block of wood between the upper arm and the base instead of using the Jim Dandy or other devices?

[bearfretworks]

CONGRATS harrisg!!! Good on ya!

I understand the excitement as I upgraded a few months ago to the 788 and am amazed at the difference.

Sounds like another is in your future - is that table big enough for 2 Dewalts so you and your wife can scroll together??? Just think how fast 2 of you scrolling at the same time could crank out one of those monster clocks....

[jttheclockman]

No problem at all with the use of a block of wood. Some people use bungie cords too. Congrads on a great saw. You are going to love it and be able to put out alot of nice projects and we want to see them all.

[Neal Moore]

Congrats Harrisg...as for blocking the upper arm up: Yes you can use a block of wood but it will soon become a pain. Sort of breaks the rythm when cutting a few hundred inside cuts...raise the arm, insert the block, push the blade through the hole, move the block, lower the arm etc....you get the picture. Anyway, if you keep the allen screws in the back snug where the arm pivots it should stay up by itself. At least I suppose it's supposed to do that because mine always has. It just sort of clicks in place and stays there. I have to retighten the screws occasionally when it starts falling back down.

[lucky788scroller]

i kind of agree with neal.I totally agree on the wood block being a pain,I been there,the jim dandy,although I dont think it is a perfected item,it sure is nice,and I have trouble using a dewalt without it now.About tightening those screws, I wouldnt do that, recently there was a discussion on doing just that, I dont remember where,either here or on WOOD magazine site,and the verdict was its not meant to be used like that. After all $20 isnt that awfully much anyways.Congrats on the saw, I assume through Grizzly there in WA?

[harrisg]

Actually Grizzly, which has a showroom in Washington state is back ordered 6 to 8 weeks so I bought locally in Portland, Oregon.