i am considering getting a scrollsaw

what is the consensus here
i know there is always a consensus in harmony here

i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated

what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
the blade

not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there

"I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
tool shaped objects from HF"

On 9/30/2015 2:38 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
i am considering getting a scrollsaw

what is the consensus here
i know there is always a consensus in harmony here

i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated

what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
the blade

not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there

"I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
tool shaped objects from HF"















I have a dewalt.. love it.
The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the table.

Look for used.

Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
go. but first dip your feet.
Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.

--
Jeff

On 9/30/2015 1:46 PM, woodchucker wrote:
On 9/30/2015 2:38 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
i am considering getting a scrollsaw

what is the consensus here
i know there is always a consensus in harmony here

i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated

what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
the blade

not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there

"I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
tool shaped objects from HF"



I have a dewalt.. love it.
The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the table.

Look for used.

Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
go. but first dip your feet.
Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.



I no longer have a scroll saw but many years did have a Delta, POS.

I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive ones
are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too short for
aggravating equipment, IMHO.

Anyway those that woodchucker mentioned have always had good reviews.

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote in
:

I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive ones
are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too short for
aggravating equipment, IMHO.

I think scrollsaws are like bandsaws in that the blade makes
much more difference than the saw.

That said, in the little scrollsawing I've done, the biggest
annoyance was sawdust collecting on the line I was trying to
follow, so I'd say a good dust blower is the important feature
to look for.

John

On Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 4:32:33 PM UTC-5, John McCoy wrote:

That said, in the little scrollsawing I've done, the biggest
annoyance was sawdust collecting on the line I was trying to
follow, so I'd say a good dust blower is the important feature
to look for.

One of my friends does a lot on the scroll saw, and they have their own strange little community here. He loves his really large DeWalt. He had a couple of cheap ones, a Dremel and something else, and told me they were crap.. Weight is needed for dampening of vibration, and then of course accuracy of the saw's movements.

I would agree 100% about the dust blowing as well as collecting. Not one of the guys that I have met saw outside on the patio. They saw in the air conditioned garage, or a converted room in the house. In their cases, dust collection is a must.

Robert

On 9/30/2015 1:46 PM, woodchucker wrote:



I have a dewalt.. love it.
The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the table.

Look for used.

Surprisingly, Craigslist - wherever you happen to be - generally seems
to have a number of the Hegner scroll saws within driving distance.

Some great deals to be had. I got their top of the line model -
Polymax, 20",somewhat vintage, but working like a charm - on Craigslist
at a price that made me think I should be wearing gloves and maskg

Contacted the manufacturer's rep out east, picked up some missing parts
and upgraded the tensioner. I don't think I have much over $500 total
invested in a $2900 plus shipping tool.


Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
go. but first dip your feet.
Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.


Good tip on the glasses. I find the magnifying glass light to be more
of a hindrance than a help.

On 9/30/2015 4:30 PM, John McCoy wrote:
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote in
:

I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive ones
are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too short for
aggravating equipment, IMHO.

I think scrollsaws are like bandsaws in that the blade makes
much more difference than the saw.

That is the opposite of my experience. I had an 18" Rikon BS for a
brief period of time and it did well with no name brand blades,
sometimes, and never with a quality blade like Timberwolf. In fact
Timber wolf sent me replacement blades to remedy the tracking problem
with no luck. I had a couple of off brand blades made for the saw and
one did fine as well as the no name brand blade that came with the saw.

I returned the saw two weeks later because of that problem and other
issues and ordered a Laguna LT16HD band saw.
That was the end of my blade problems, period. I have a very low
tolerance level for having to tweak every setting when changing blades
and between saw operations days apart.

The Delta scroll saw that I had would almost vibrate off of the table
and could not hold on to the blade.

Now I will agree that a quality blade is most likely to perform well and
last longer but as far as tracking and cutting well the free throw in
blades that Laguna gave me with the saw were as easy to set up to track
perfectly on the saw as the Timberwolf blades and the Laguna Resaw King
blade.
Timberwolf was gracious enough to give me full credit on the 5 blades
that I previously purchased, for the 150" blades that fit the Laguna.

I understand that many people have better results with different brand
blades but my results with the Laguna are that the quality or brand of
blade does not matter.

Just so happens I have pictures. ;~)

These two show a fresh cut with a Laguna throw in blade. It appears it
was a 1/2" blade. I did this before the replacement Timberwolf blades
arrived.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb112...posted-public/

Pretty thin

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb112...posted-public/

This is a tiger maple veneer I cut with the Resaw King 1.25" blade. I
had a 4"x4"x36" piece that I wanted to use and not all of it.
The veneer is glued to the 1/2" thick regular maple drawer fronts.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb112...posted-public/

I had 26 drawer fronts to cover.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb112...posted-public/









That said, in the little scrollsawing I've done, the biggest
annoyance was sawdust collecting on the line I was trying to
follow, so I'd say a good dust blower is the important feature
to look for.

John

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:19:12 -0700, wrote:

One of my friends does a lot on the scroll saw, and they have their own
strange little community here. He loves his really large DeWalt.

The Woodcraft store I used to work at used nothing but the DeWalts for
classes. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.

And yes, I could put a coin on edge and leave it there - vibration is
next to non-existent.

That was all over 5 years ago - the bean counters may have cheapened it
by now, but if not you can't beat it for the money. One review I
remember said it was "90% of a Hegner for 20% of the cost."

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:46:11 -0400
woodchucker wrote:

I have a dewalt.. love it.
The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the
table.

i will keep my eye out for a dewalt

Look for used.

always do but will probably have to get new unless i am lucky

Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
go. but first dip your feet.

those are like the festool of scroll saws

i saw a video of an eclipse and it was taken at a trade show
the unit had a window in the side to see the inner workings but i also
saw a circuit board

still puzzled over why it had a circuit board

Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.

right now good lighting is enough but will probably need something later

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:39:31 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

I no longer have a scroll saw but many years did have a Delta, POS.

one site recommended them due to their lower price I think

I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive
ones are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too
short for aggravating equipment, IMHO.

i try to never aggravate my equipment
and life is too short in any case

On 9/30/2015 8:15 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:39:31 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

I no longer have a scroll saw but many years did have a Delta, POS.

one site recommended them due to their lower price I think

I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive
ones are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too
short for aggravating equipment, IMHO.

i try to never aggravate my equipment

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

now the wood is another story

i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder

then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry

they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
not just a hairline either
8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch

i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
from them after i cut them in half along the split

Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)
now the wood is another story

i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder

Maybe painting them would have helped? I know people frequently put
something on the ends.
I suppose that's where the highest "concentration" (per square inch) of
evaporation occurs.


then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry

they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
not just a hairline either
8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch

i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
from them after i cut them in half along the split

i am considering getting a scrollsaw

what is the consensus here
i know there is always a consensus in harmony here

i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated

what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
the blade ... not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there

"I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
tool shaped objects from HF"
Electric Comet

I have a DeWalt and love it. It cuts thru everything I have thrown at
it and keeps going great.

That said, I hope one day to upgrade to the Excaliber which are about
double the price, but very well worth it imho, if you scroll a lot.

If you can find a good used Excaliber, Henger or RBI Hawk for a
reasonable price, you would probably be very pleased. I don't know
anyone with an Excalibur who isn't happy.

I got my DeWalt off a guy only selling it because he won an Excaliber
and his wife wouldn't let him keep both in the house. He had health
issues, on oxygen, and had to stay indoors.

As a side note, I have a small bandsaw (3-wheel gift from FiL) that I
use to bulk cut wood for scrollsaw, carving or pyrography. It works
well but no way it can do what the DeWalt can do in detail.

Hope that helps!

On 10/1/2015 11:49 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

now the wood is another story

i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder

then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry

they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
not just a hairline either
8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch

i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
from them after i cut them in half along the split



You need to seal the ends of the logs and let dry. Just like you see on
the ends of hardwood lumber that.

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote in
:

On 10/1/2015 11:49 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

now the wood is another story

i got some oak logs cut fresh
...
they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece

You need to seal the ends of the logs and let dry. Just like you see on
the ends of hardwood lumber that.

Might not have helped. Oak likes to split. I used to love
it when splitting firewood with my brother-in-law if we
got some oak to split, because you barely had to tap it
with the maul and it'd break cleanly all the way thru.
He got some cottonwood once (it was free) and that stuff
has such interlocked grain it wouldn't split at all. I
think he eventually chain-sawed it into wedges.

John

Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

now the wood is another story

i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder

then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry

they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
not just a hairline either
8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch

i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
from them after i cut them in half along the split












If you leave the heart (pith) in the log, it WILL split. If you
really want the wood for later use, make two lengthwise cuts, on each
side of the pith, then seal the ends. You will have two half logs,
with luck, which is better than none.

--
GW Ross

Anything I do is purely coincidental.

On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:24:49 -0400
Casper wrote:

I have a DeWalt and love it. It cuts thru everything I have thrown at
it and keeps going great.

the cheaper the better and i doubt i will want to upgrade later as this is
really just for doing decorative features that are part of a larger whole
piece

so mid-range but not garbage is what i am trying for

i think the delta 40-694 and dewalt 788 share some heritage

i watched a video on the 788 and the design of the saw action makes a
lot of sense

the guy talked about the needle bearings drying out
he used valvoline synthetic grease with a specially rigged grease gun
it has 32 needle bearings

i saw another video of a guy assembling the 40-694 and they must be
literally from the same mold and the delta $100 cheaper

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:19:12 -0700 (PDT)
" wrote:

One of my friends does a lot on the scroll saw, and they have their
own strange little community here. He loves his really large

it is funny you say that because before i posted this message i looked
around at websites and noticed that there is some kind of scroll saw
sub-culture

different than wood turners
a lot wider audience of participants
but it is good because it is wood

there is some really beautiful and amazing work done on scroll saws
i had no idea

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 23:21:47 +0000 (UTC)
Larry Blanchard wrote:

The Woodcraft store I used to work at used nothing but the DeWalts
for classes. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.

have heard good reviews on it

And yes, I could put a coin on edge and leave it there - vibration is
next to non-existent.

yes the blade action is driven by an eccentric shaft like a crankshaft
and introduces very little movement into the system

That was all over 5 years ago - the bean counters may have cheapened
it by now, but if not you can't beat it for the money. One review I
remember said it was "90% of a Hegner for 20% of the cost."

and the delta seems to share heritage with it but is $100 less
i still need to look around for some more delta info

Electric Comet wrote:


it is funny you say that because before i posted this message i looked
around at websites and noticed that there is some kind of scroll saw
sub-culture

different than wood turners
a lot wider audience of participants
but it is good because it is wood

there is some really beautiful and amazing work done on scroll saws
i had no idea

Did a fast google search on images of scrollsaw work - Holy Cow! That's
some amazing work these guys do!

--

-Mike-

On 10/1/2015 6:46 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:24:49 -0400
Casper wrote:

I have a DeWalt and love it. It cuts thru everything I have thrown at
it and keeps going great.

the cheaper the better and i doubt i will want to upgrade later as this is
really just for doing decorative features that are part of a larger whole
piece

so mid-range but not garbage is what i am trying for

i think the delta 40-694 and dewalt 788 share some heritage

i watched a video on the 788 and the design of the saw action makes a
lot of sense

the guy talked about the needle bearings drying out
he used valvoline synthetic grease with a specially rigged grease gun
it has 32 needle bearings

i saw another video of a guy assembling the 40-694 and they must be
literally from the same mold and the delta $100 cheaper















The delta is not the same imho.


--
Jeff

On 10/1/2015 6:58 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 23:21:47 +0000 (UTC)
Larry Blanchard wrote:

The Woodcraft store I used to work at used nothing but the DeWalts
for classes. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.

have heard good reviews on it

And yes, I could put a coin on edge and leave it there - vibration is
next to non-existent.

yes the blade action is driven by an eccentric shaft like a crankshaft
and introduces very little movement into the system

That was all over 5 years ago - the bean counters may have cheapened
it by now, but if not you can't beat it for the money. One review I
remember said it was "90% of a Hegner for 20% of the cost."

and the delta seems to share heritage with it but is $100 less
i still need to look around for some more delta info



I always read the most negative reviews first.
I like to see what the problems are. Sometimes it's user.
The delta has some issues. Mainly customer service, and the company not
standing behind the product when it stops running.

That repeats over and over.


--
Jeff

On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
woodchucker wrote:

The delta is not the same imho.

they look very similar but will have to look into it some more

the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same

and the base also looks the same

i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past

Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
woodchucker wrote:

The delta is not the same imho.
they look very similar but will have to look into it some more

the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same

and the base also looks the same

i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past



I would choose the Dewalt because I feel more confident that it would be
better supported
when I need replacement parts.

In article ,
says...

Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
woodchucker wrote:

The delta is not the same imho.
they look very similar but will have to look into it some more

the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same

and the base also looks the same

i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past



I would choose the Dewalt because I feel more confident that it would be
better supported
when I need replacement parts.

Googling "delta vs dewalt scroll saw" found this
http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/articles/scroll-saw-selection.

the cheaper the better and i doubt i will want to upgrade later as this is
really just for doing decorative features that are part of a larger whole
piece

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

so mid-range but not garbage is what i am trying for

i think the delta 40-694 and dewalt 788 share some heritage

They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

i watched a video on the 788 and the design of the saw action makes a
lot of sense

the guy talked about the needle bearings drying out
he used valvoline synthetic grease with a specially rigged grease gun
it has 32 needle bearings

I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

i saw another video of a guy assembling the 40-694 and they must be
literally from the same mold and the delta $100 cheaper
Electric Comet

Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

Good luck!

On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
Casper wrote:

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
makes it hard to use for delicate work

They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

i read that everywhere

i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

you may have the right year
like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
down
i read this in many places

Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

there isn't a lot of info on the delta
i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
earned

As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

i have no problem at all buying used
my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area

J. Clarke wrote:
In article ,
says...
Electric Comet wrote:
On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
woodchucker wrote:

The delta is not the same imho.
they look very similar but will have to look into it some more

the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same

and the base also looks the same

i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past


I would choose the Dewalt because I feel more confident that it would be
better supported
when I need replacement parts.
Googling "delta vs dewalt scroll saw" found this
http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/articles/scroll-saw-selection.

That was interesting. Does Delta consider your local Dewalt service
center their customers point of contact, like mine? Maybe give them a
call and find out how it works in your locale? Ask them whether they
stock any Delta parts. Actually, the service center might possibly be a
place to check for a deal on a refurbished machine... Good luck! -Bill

On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
Casper wrote:

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
makes it hard to use for delicate work

IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.



They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
manufactured for them.





i read that everywhere

i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

There are probably several OEM places to get parts.



I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

you may have the right year
like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
down
i read this in many places

Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
away.


Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

there isn't a lot of info on the delta
i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
earned

That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
Rockwell riding on the name.




As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

i have no problem at all buying used
my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area

Electric Comet wrote in news:muma2l$7gb$1
@dont-email.me:

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

Which is sad. Years ago I had to take my tablesaw apart to
move it, and when I put it back together I found one of the
odd shape spacer/bolt things that hold the fence rails had
wandered off. I sent Delta a letter asking for the part
number so I could order a replacement, and they sent me the
part, gratis, just to keep me a happy customer.

John

"John McCoy" wrote in message
. ..
Electric Comet wrote in news:muma2l$7gb$1
@dont-email.me:

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

Which is sad. Years ago I had to take my tablesaw apart to
move it, and when I put it back together I found one of the
odd shape spacer/bolt things that hold the fence rails had
wandered off. I sent Delta a letter asking for the part
number so I could order a replacement, and they sent me the
part, gratis, just to keep me a happy customer.

John

I have an old Delta scroll saw that I bought out of the paper in about 1995
for $35. The table was rusty so I had it milled smooth again. Lost a couple
thou in thickness. The spring head was missing so I called Delta, then in
Tennessee, for parts. I didn't know the model as the only decal was
unreadable. The woman in customer service asked for the large casting number
on the overarm. When I gave it her she said, "oh yeah. That's a 40-205. Is
the decal outline about 2 1/2" square?" Yep I said. She said, "it was made
in '75. Is it sitting on a big sawhorse? They were sold with plans for the
sawhorse." Mine is on the sawhorse.
I ordered the parts I needed, all in stock. Paid about $200. The old Sears
motor worked. It just needed a new cord and power switch. Cleaned it.
Repainted Delta gray. It looks new except for the old timey looking
sawhorse.
Everything works great.
Couple years ago I called to see if I could get the mechanical speed
control - a spring loaded sheave that opens and closes to change the ratio
with the driver. They didn't know what the hell I was talking about even
though I had the part number. Customer service has changed.

Steve

On Fri, 2 Oct 2015 13:19:25 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
Casper wrote:

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
makes it hard to use for delicate work

IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.



They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
manufactured for them.





i read that everywhere

i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

There are probably several OEM places to get parts.

I did find someone who sold arbor wrenches for my '09 Unisaw. Delta
sure doesn't. I bought two. ;-)


I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

you may have the right year
like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
down
i read this in many places

Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
away.

I really like mine but it's the old style. I'd not pay what Delta
wants for the new one.

Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

there isn't a lot of info on the delta
i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
earned

That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
Rockwell riding on the name.

They're not alone. PC is going down the same tube.


As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

i have no problem at all buying used
my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area

On 02/10/2015 9:47 PM, krw wrote:


Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
away.

General, a byword for quality, closed its foundry in Quebec and now
manufactures in the Orient.
Graham

On 10/2/2015 11:47 PM, krw wrote:
On Fri, 2 Oct 2015 13:19:25 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
Casper wrote:

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
makes it hard to use for delicate work

IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.



They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
manufactured for them.





i read that everywhere

i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

There are probably several OEM places to get parts.

I did find someone who sold arbor wrenches for my '09 Unisaw. Delta
sure doesn't. I bought two. ;-)


I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

you may have the right year
like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
down
i read this in many places

Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
away.

I really like mine but it's the old style. I'd not pay what Delta
wants for the new one.

Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

there isn't a lot of info on the delta
i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
earned

That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
Rockwell riding on the name.

They're not alone. PC is going down the same tube.

GOING??? they were one of the first to go. B&D put them into the low end
category years ago. They used to be very good pro tools.
Now dewalt is considered the higher end and PC is home use.




As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

i have no problem at all buying used
my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area




--
Jeff

I have an old Delta scroll saw that I bought out of the paper in about 1995
for $35. The table was rusty so I had it milled smooth again. Lost a couple
thou in thickness. The spring head was missing so I called Delta, then in
Tennessee, for parts. I didn't know the model as the only decal was
unreadable. The woman in customer service asked for the large casting number
on the overarm. When I gave it her she said, "oh yeah. That's a 40-205. Is
the decal outline about 2 1/2" square?" Yep I said. She said, "it was made
in '75. Is it sitting on a big sawhorse? They were sold with plans for the
sawhorse." Mine is on the sawhorse.
I ordered the parts I needed, all in stock. Paid about $200. The old Sears
motor worked. It just needed a new cord and power switch. Cleaned it.
Repainted Delta gray. It looks new except for the old timey looking
sawhorse.
Everything works great.
Couple years ago I called to see if I could get the mechanical speed
control - a spring loaded sheave that opens and closes to change the ratio
with the driver. They didn't know what the hell I was talking about even
though I had the part number. Customer service has changed.
Steve

My FiL had an old industrial shop Delta that I wanted to get and
restore. Only thing missing was the stand which I see pop up on
Craigslist every so often. Unfortunately my FiL passed away and his
then wife slammed the door on family. Sold everything off. It would
have been a great project to restore. His Delta bandsaw was old and
beat up but still working solid. Old Delta was good Delta.

On 10/2/2015 2:19 PM, Leon wrote:

Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
manufactured for them.

I have an old Rockwell Delta Scroll Saw and it is a tank.

http://jbstein.com/Flick/JigSaw.jpg

If you can find one like this, buy it. Been working perfect since
around 1954. It has a 2 foot radius, can cut 2x stuff like butter, has
a blower that amazingly still works after all these years (knock on
wood), The blower is a must to keep the cutting area clean.

I personally don't use it all that often, but when you need one, it's
great to have. There is no vibration either, of course I have it
bolted to a cabinet, and itself is heavy cast iron.
--
Jack
Add Life to your Days not Days to your Life.
http://jbstein.com

On 10/3/2015 10:51 AM, Casper wrote:

My FiL had an old industrial shop Delta that I wanted to get and
restore. Only thing missing was the stand which I see pop up on
Craigslist every so often. Unfortunately my FiL passed away and his
then wife slammed the door on family. Sold everything off. It would
have been a great project to restore. His Delta bandsaw was old and
beat up but still working solid. Old Delta was good Delta.


Old Delta was quality and, as others have mentioned, their customer
service was truly that... SERVICE

My Delta/Milwaukee 14" bandsaw was acquired from a friend - it belonged
to his late father - for $125 ca 1980.

It suffered from minor neglect - table rusted and tires crumbling.
Other than that, it was in great shape. Called Delta down in Tennessee
and told them what I had and what I thought I needed. Lady there asked
me if I had a manual (nope!) and copied one from their archives and sent
it to me along with the tires I'd ordered and a note telling me that the
saw was manufactured in August 1945, 5 months before I was born.

Great saw that still hums along merrily and is as solid as a rock.

On Sat, 3 Oct 2015 11:23:54 -0400, woodchucker
wrote:

On 10/2/2015 11:47 PM, krw wrote:
On Fri, 2 Oct 2015 13:19:25 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
Casper wrote:

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
makes it hard to use for delicate work

IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.



They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
manufactured for them.





i read that everywhere

i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

There are probably several OEM places to get parts.

I did find someone who sold arbor wrenches for my '09 Unisaw. Delta
sure doesn't. I bought two. ;-)


I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

you may have the right year
like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
down
i read this in many places

Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
away.

I really like mine but it's the old style. I'd not pay what Delta
wants for the new one.

Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

there isn't a lot of info on the delta
i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
earned

That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
Rockwell riding on the name.

They're not alone. PC is going down the same tube.

GOING??? they were one of the first to go. B&D put them into the low end
category years ago. They used to be very good pro tools.
Now dewalt is considered the higher end and PC is home use.

I was thinking about the PC690 and the "aircraft carrier" dovetail
jigs. You're right about the drills, saws, and stuff, though. Junk.

I have an old Rockwell Delta Scroll Saw and it is a tank.
http://jbstein.com/Flick/JigSaw.jpg

That's like the industrial one my FiL had gotten from a closing shop.
Wish I had been able to get it. I've seen a couple of those around the
SS groups. Great for heavier or multiple cutting. Sadly I don't have
the room for it.

If you can find one like this, buy it. Been working perfect since
around 1954. It has a 2 foot radius, can cut 2x stuff like butter, has
a blower that amazingly still works after all these years (knock on
wood). The blower is a must to keep the cutting area clean.

I personally don't use it all that often, but when you need one, it's
great to have. There is no vibration either, of course I have it
bolted to a cabinet, and itself is heavy cast iron.
Jack