I Broke It

[sawman101]

My most favorite machine ever, the Dewalt DW 788 scroll saw, more specifically, the one in my shop, died.:gar-Cr I had to make one last cut on a clock I am finishing, and the saw wouldn't work. It blows the fuse as soon as I turn it on. Took it apart and checked all the wiring for a short, and decided it must be the circuit board. Drove to Charlotte this morning and bought a new circuit board and potentiometer (speed control).:BangHead: Installed them and reassembled, and blew the fuse. Dissassembled again and this time disconnected the drive linkage and tried the thing again. This time the motor ran. :icon_cheersReassembled, made sure all was free, and it ran for about 1.5 seconds before blowing the fuse. :BangHead::BangHead::BangHead::BangHead: I am now searching for a good used scroll saw--DeWalt, Hegner, Excaliber, Delta Q3, or even an RBI Hawk. All leads appreciated. Thanks.:help:

 

[Jim M.]

Not mine, I saw it on Myrtle Beach CL and posted this a couple of weeks back. It's was reposted just the other day. Maybe they'll deal and make it worth the drive to Myrtle Beach. Jim


Hegner Multimax 18V Scroll Saw - $400 (Myrtle Beach)
Date: 2011-07-23, 8:40AM EDT
Reply to: sale-fmdsm-2460721930@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


Multimax 18V Scrolls saw with stand.
Cadillac of scroll saws.
Variable speed 2.83 amp motor with a speed range of 400 to 1500 RPM.
Self-contained saw dust blower

$400
Call for more information or to see - 843-294-2609

• Location: Myrtle Beach
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

 

[sawduster]

Do you have an authorized service center near you ? Mine developed a severe knocking a couple of years ago. Took it to them and they could not fix it . back then their policy was a max repair of $250 or they would replace the machine brand new for that amount i never even blinked ! Send it on I said . After I got the new one I realized I left my light on the old one and they sent me a new light fer nuttin' :icon_thum

I , for one, was pretty darned impressed :icon_thum

 

[sawman101]

Saw that Hegner posting. Gotta sell something now so I can buy another saw. Got a Duplicarver I refurbished, but never used--should get rid of it. There is a Dewalt repair center in Charlotte--that's where I got the new circuit board. DW now has a $289.00 flat rebuild it like new fee. Now that I've sat and pondered the thing for awhile, I'll dis-assemble it again, and see if the motor will run for at least 10 mins. unhooked from the linkage. If it does, I'll tear into it further and replace all the bushings, but I'm still gonna buy another saw. Got a line on a Delta Q3 that may be available next week. Q3 is an aggressive cutter, but parts are harder to come by. Never used a Hegner, but I'm told they're about the best. Have to see what happens when the sun comes up again. Thanks guys.:wsmile:

 

[TedAS]

Bruce
It sounds like you may have a tight bearing or bushing.

When I bought mine used, it had been sitting unused for quite some time. The grease started to dry out and the motor bearings started to make noise, so I decided to overhaul it from top to bottom. It was not too hard to do.

Just check all of the pivot points, make sure they are free. They should not bind at all!
all of the bearings and bushings are available from DeWalt.

I would not take the motor apart unless you are sure the bearings are bad. The bearings are pressed on the shaft and without the proper tools you could damage the motor. These bearings are not available from the factory you must buy them someplace like Grainger.

Good luck and if I can help let me know.

 

[ehpoole]

I don't have your scroll saw, but according to DeWalt's parts diagram both the Type1 and Type2 DW788's have motor brushes.

Before investing in a repair, you should first remove the brush inspection caps and pull the brushes (there are two, located opposite one another) for inspection. They may have disintegrated and shorted the motor (they may also have damaged the motor, but brushes are considerably cheaper so worth a try). If they disintegrated you should try to get all the pieces out of the motor (whether by disassembly or any other available means) before replacing with new.

I have a Brush inspection tutorial in the Tutorials section of the Download Library (link near top of the screen in blue tabs).

Good luck!

 

[ScottM]

Bruce, don't give up hope. If machine can break man can fix....well maybe. Check out this web site:

http://www.scrollsaws.com/SawReviews/DewltTuneUp.htm


You could also email him for other suggestions.

 

[CaptnA]

Hate that for you Bruce.
Sending good thoughts your way!

 

[sawman101]

Bruce
It sounds like you may have a tight bearing or bushing.

When I bought mine used, it had been sitting unused for quite some time. The grease started to dry out and the motor bearings started to make noise, so I decided to overhaul it from top to bottom. It was not too hard to do.

Just check all of the pivot points, make sure they are free. They should not bind at all!
all of the bearings and bushings are available from DeWalt.

I would not take the motor apart unless you are sure the bearings are bad. The bearings are pressed on the shaft and without the proper tools you could damage the motor. These bearings are not available from the factory you must buy them someplace like Grainger.

Good luck and if I can help let me know.

Thanks for the advice. I had thought it was electrical, and by eliminating each wire and connection, decided it was the circuit board. I was wrong. It has to be a bearing or bushing binding, so that is what I'll tackle next. There is a Dewalt Repair Center on Wilkinson Blvd. in Charlotte, as well as various on-line suppliers for the parts, so that is very good. Thanks again, and I'll let y'all know when the Yellow Machine rises from the ashes.:rolf:

 

[sawman101]

I don't have your scroll saw, but according to DeWalt's parts diagram both the Type1 and Type2 DW788's have motor brushes.

Before investing in a repair, you should first remove the brush inspection caps and pull the brushes (there are two, located opposite one another) for inspection. They may have disintegrated and shorted the motor (they may also have damaged the motor, but brushes are considerably cheaper so worth a try). If they disintegrated you should try to get all the pieces out of the motor (whether by disassembly or any other available means) before replacing with new.

I have a Brush inspection tutorial in the Tutorials section of the Download Library (link near top of the screen in blue tabs).

Good luck!

Thanks for the help. The brushes were the first thing I checked, and they were good. I believe the recommendation is to replace if they are less tha 3/16", and these are over 1/2" yet. After everything I've tried, I'm thinking a bearing or bushing is binding.:icon_scra

 

[sawman101]

Bruce, don't give up hope. If machine can break man can fix....well maybe. Check out this web site:

http://www.scrollsaws.com/SawReviews/DewltTuneUp.htm


You could also email him for other suggestions.

Thanks Scott. I've read and re-read Rick's tutorials, and they are super helpful. I've been in his shop, and his line-up of scroll saws that he uses is unbelievable, not to mention the hundred plus scroll saws upstairs that are part of his collection. He went over the edge a couple of years ago, and became immersed in "THE DARK SIDE." He's done very little since then with the scroll saws, instead making turnings on his lathes in massive quantities. I read that he's currently doing scroll sawing lessons for the scroller's club in Des Moines, but mostly its lathe work now.:eusa_hand

 

[Joe Scharle]

Bruce, I'm late to the thread but I just went to the shop and found that I can operate both of my scroll saws by hand by turning the motor pulley. They both have 4 to 7 oiling points. Hope that helps some.

 

[cskipper]

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!! That's really awful. I sent you a pm with the info from the one posted in Myrtle Beach.

 

[Mike Wilkins]

Sorry to hear about your saw troubles. Very frustrating. Just a thought here. I know you checked everything on the saw itself. But try plugging it into another circuit/outlet just to see if the circuit breaker could be at fault. Rare but it does happen.

 

[sawman101]

Here's the latest update from the surgical suite--the great "Yellow Fellow," the once proud Dewalt DW788 scroll saw, has been thoroughly dismembered and absolutely no faults were found in any of its components, except, the motor. The motor, run by itself and not attached to the linkage, will only run for 1 second and then blow the fuse.:tongue2: Mutimeter, and visual inspections find nothing out of sorts with the wiring and electronics.:eusa_thin The electronic part is all new and I just replaced it. :5sigh:Taking the motor to a motor repair shop today to see if it can be repaired, because at this point, I ain't gonna spend another $209.00 on this machine.:no: Made a deal on the Hegner Scroll Saw way over in Myrtle Beach, so all future repair monies are heading for thr Grand Strand.:tool::rolf::saw:

 

[cskipper]

I'm glad you got the Hegner. Even if you got the other running, it would always be a frustration!

 

[sawman101]

A real big thank you to everybody for your help and encouragement, especially Jim M. for posting the CL listing for the Hegner Scroll Saw, and a really BIG THANK YOU to Cathy for your help. I drove to Myrtle Beach (nearly 500 miles round trip) yesterday, and picked up the Hegner. I did not try to haggle the lady on the price, but paid what she asked; its worth the sale price, :tool:and I could sense her relief when I handed her the money. Got home just before dark last evening and placed the saw in the "REVERED" scroll saw spot, plugged it in, installed a new blade, and attacked a 1/2" chunk of white oak. NICE saw!:eusa_danc I'll be adding some updated parts, and tweeking it a little, and start making saw dust.

A bit of advice--don't ever try to go to Myrtle Beach about noon on a Friday in the summer. :eusa_naug Took 45 minutes to travel the final 10 miles. :kamahlituNo problem heading back home, obody else wanted to go west.:gar-La;

 

[cskipper]

Thanks for the warning re: MB on Fridays afternoon. Glad you got the saw!

 

[Jim M.]

Glad I could be of assistance. I picked one up from Dino a few years back and love mine. Happy scrolling. Jim