Recommendations on scroll saws?

[timsparents]

Hi -
For physical reasons, from now on I'll be doing far fewer large commissions, and am going to concentrate on doing a lot more marquetry. Currently I have a DeWalt DW788 (20", 13Amp) which I've used for five or six years for the marquetry that I have incorporated into pieces of furniture. I have been very pleased with the DeWalt but wanted to know from those of you who have done a good bit of marquetry if there are better scroll saws out there. I am vaguely vamiliar with the Hegner, tho I have never used one, but they seem awfully expensive and I have no idea if the additional cost is providing that much more than I already have. If any of you have opinions/experience with good scroll saws (I intend to do only marquetry - cutting veneers) I would very much appreciate your feedback. Thanks -
Roger

timsparents@earthlink.net

 

[michaelgarner]

Hey friend,
Don't know crap about scroll saws, but let me know when you get your new one. Pete and I will come up to your place to help you break it in and have you show us the ropes. Shoot lets throw a class together if you feel like it. Be blessed friend.

 

[WoodWrangler]

Hey Roger

I'm sure Cathy will want to jump in and give you her two cents as she just picked up a Hegner off Craigslist (I think).

Let me know what you are going to do with your "old" one should you get a new one ... you know I might be interested!

Jeremy

 

[cskipper]

The main differences in price ranges between scroll saws is the motion of the arm, which directly influences the vibration when cutting.

Low end saws, priced anywhere from $75 to $500 have a pivot motion. This works fine for many uses, but does have more vibration (sometimes a LOT more vibration) which can make accuracy more difficult and makes it virtually impossible to get consistent results in stack cutting.

The DeWalt is the only mid-range saw that I am aware of. They modified the pivot arm to a linked arm which more closely mimics a parallel arm. You have less vibration and more the ability of more accuracy.

The high end saws - Hegner, Hawk, Excaliber and I think the Eclipse have true parallel arms. These arms literally move up and down at the same time. This virtually eliminates the mechanical causes of vibration when cutting which decreases your fatigue, increases the accuracy of cutting (depending on your ability), increases blade life and also gives you great consistency when stack cutting (provided that you don't force the blade and cause blade deflection).

I did luck into a Hegner on the craiglist, but looked for a long time before I found one within driving distance. They seem to cost about $100 to ship but most folks selling on the craiglist will find a local person to buy them so they don't have to ship them. You don't often find them used (usually the previous owner has to die before giving them up.) The difference in cutting with it is like day and night from using my Delta and even the few occasions I have cut with a DeWalt (though that difference is less dramatic).

The jump in price is rather breath-taking, but if you are really going to use it much at all, I really have to recommend taking the leap. I did a review of the Hegner and it's in the forum for tool reviews. If I can tell you any more about the differences, let me know.