Scroll Saws

[randys_woods]

Ive been scroll sawing for about 4 years now. I started off using a cheap Ryobi. Like they say, you get what you pay for. After only 4 months the motor spun a bearing.
I went and bought a 16" Ridgid. Ive had lots of use out if it. Its a nice saw, not alot of vibration, Its quite. A Great saw. I payed 167 for it at home depot.
The Ryobi was just enough to get me hooked. Im going to replace the motor in it and let my 10 year old use it, under my supervision of course.
Enjoy,,,,
Randy

[Tom Hayes]

I'm just getting started with scroll saws. Is the Rigid brand one that will last me. How hard are the blades to change. Also what patters should I start with and what size blades.

Tom

[Rchestrch]

Tom,
I've been scolling for about 5 years now. I can't speak either way for the Ridgid but, I can impart my experience in starting out. To start with I, like all of us at some point, go cheap. . . .and ultimately pay many times over for it. I started with a Dremel table top. Very affordable (cheap) to start out but, you get what you pay for and it almost cost me the desire to continue at all. Fortunately, while attending a WoodWorkers Show, I was afforded the opportunity to sit and apply myself at the controls of an RBI HAWK, . . . and the moral of the story is -- try it, you'll like it!! . . . that was the first of many quality RBI woodtool investments that now adorn my home shop.
Just getting started? Don't intiallly invest heavily in expensive patterns. Get yourself a couple of elementary coloring books and have a ball practicing the development of your skills, then selectively invest in patterns that allows you to express yourself through the hobby of scrolling. Enjoy.
RED

[OldTimer]

I wasn't familiar with RBI so I just did a search on the web - wow, nice tool but pricey... I guess you do get what you pay for.

The DC motor would definitely be a big advantage as speed control would be much more precise.

[Dachshund]

I have been sawing for about 9 years or so - my first saw was an antique hand-me-down that my mom found at a garage sale in 1978! The whole saw weighed about 4 lbs, was made out of aluminium, and rattled yer fillings out!. Even with all it's shortcomings it did get me hooked. Graduated from there to a Craftsman Pin end, and from there to the DeWalt 20" saw. I still use the Craftsman for thick wood. I found that no matter what saw you get - a good piece of carpet pad under it and a foot controller helps a lot.

[scroll-1]

I started with a cheap Delta, used it for a couple years then bought a DeWalt demonstrator at Home Depot for a good price, have used it almost every day for the last four years, have never had any problemse except occasionally the arm will not raise, I just touch the switch and it releases. I have never broken a blade while sawing except when I don't pay attention and bind it someway, I don't force the wood thru the saw, seems to work cause I dont have to do much sanding or cleanup on finished pieces.

[dwight]

I started on a small Dremel many years ago - - one that only used 3" pin-end blades. When I got some $$ I upgraded (?) to a 16" Ryobi that drove me crazy trying to do blade changes. Finally built up a nestegg and bought my RBI and scrolling finally became real fun.

Did some scrollsaw demos on a Dewalt when working at a tool store couple of years ago. Nice machine, probably the best scrollsaw value around.

[Gentleben]

I enjoy scrolling. Started out with a Delta 16" and after two years of constantly taking it to the repair shop I decided to get another saw. While at a show I saw the Hegner and saw how easy it was to change blades and how smooth it ran I decided, or really My wife let me decide) I deserved the upgrade. I am really glad I did. It is the finest piece of machinery I have. Had it now for 4 years and have had no trouble with it. I love it.:)

[TheWoodWizard]

The RBI saws are a great saw,but as someone mentioned,they are very pricey.I started out scrolling many ,many moons ago with an old Delta 24" scrollsaw,which is still functional,but has been rebuilt 5 times.I leveled on the Dewalt DW 788,after seeing a demonstration of how it cut and how smooth and vibration free it was ,(passed the nickel trick with flying colors)at a woodworking show almost 6 years ago.It has cut everything that I have put to it and done a fabulous job of it.Just remember any saw is only as good as the blades that you use,always use the correct blade for the particular operation you will be doing.And also remember to perform the periodic maintainance of any saw that you decide on,it will definitely pay off in the long run.

[Red]

About 15 years ago I bought a Craftsman for my son and the cub scouts to play with before and after the meetings in the winter, it has been cutting every since, no complaints at all except htat it could be larger.

[crolf]

I have a Dremal that about 5 yrs old.The only problems that I have had are the set screws on the lower arm working loose ( fixed with Loc-tite) and problems getting replacement blade adapters for the plain end blades. I would like to upgrade to a Dewalt, but the boss (wife) said that I have to wear the Dremal out first.

[Dachshund]

Maybe you should try a little creative "sabatoge"! Disconnect a few wires and tell the boss it died and you can't live without the DeWalt 788! You will, of course, eventually "fix" the Dremel to inhance your reputation as a "miracle worker"!:D
Good Luck!

[scroll-1]

About 15 years age, the wife got me a puppy for my birthday, I returned the favor and got her a table saw for hers. She still has the saw the dog died. A new saw would be to big for her to return.:D

[crolf]

Thanks for the idea's, but I don't think I could get away with any of them. My wife is pretty smart .

[DayDr]

Ryobi is the only saw I could afford. It is less than a year old and seems to cut fine....I have nothing to compare it with. I do find it hard attaching the blades on the lower portion. My hands are fairly big and cannot easily fit in the tiny space they provide. Local stores do not seem to carry models discussed in this thread.

[randys_woods]

My first scroll saw was a Ryobi. It cut fine for a while. I had the bigest problem loading pinless blades into the clamp. As you screwed down the clamp the blade would slide right out.
The motor spun a bearing about 4 months after using it. Home Depot wouldnt take it back or exchange it. I ended up buying a Ridgid. It was a little more than the Ryobi, but you get what you pay for. Its much easier to load either pinless blades, or pinned blades. The knerled knob makes it real easy to tighten the clamp. Although I inproved mine by making a larger knob. I made a larger knob out of some scrap oak. The dust blower isnt that sufficient. I ended up using some fish take tubing hooked up to my air compresser. Works great. I secured the fish take tubing to my scroll saw with some coat hanger. Its not pretty but works great. I used a craftsman snake light and modified it with a 100W energy efficient bulb. Lights my work area up fantastic without many shadows. Im real happy with my saw now. Although it looks like a freekish piece of work from some science lab, its not what the saw looks like, Its what you can do with it, (Talking about the saw, lol).
Have fun sawing,
Take Care,
Randy