DEWALT DW788 1.3 Amp 20-Inch Variable-Speed Scroll Saw with Scroll-Saw Stand and Work Light

removing the blade from its sheath in order to pass it through a hole and then reattaching it It's always taken a long time to attach it. That is, until I purchased the DW788. I only need to loosen the tension lever and turn a thumb screw to get the job done. When I pass the blade through a small hole in my workpiece, it stays attached at the bottom and slides right back into place. I'm back to cutting after turning the thumb screw and sliding the tension lever back to the number I had it set on! Love it! I also like how the area beneath the table is open rather than enclosed, making cleaning a breeze. I connected a hose from my shop vac to a 1" hose with a "Tee" and ran one side to the top and the other to the bottom. My saw is nearly 100% dust free thanks to a few pvc insert fittings, hose clamps, and zip ties! And that's crucial to me, especially since I cut a lot of hardboard and MDF, which produces a powdery dust that settles on everything. It is also hazardous to inhale! I've included some photos of my dust collection system.

Noa Baldwin

| May 23, 2021

I have a few good Dewalt tools, but this isn't one of them. I paid a premium price of $480 and expected a premium product, but what I received was mostly garbage. The tabletop is a solid piece of cast iron, but the blade isn't centered in the hole after it's been installed. The blade will cut into the table with just a small bend. There doesn't seem to be any way to adjust it. Not only that, but the cuts aren't even straight. Because the blade is a few degrees off parallel with the work surface, the puzzle pieces I cut out can only go one way. (The table can be adjusted side to side but not front to back. ) The material hold down arm is ineffective. It wobbles regardless of how tight you tighten it. Also, if you increase the speed above 4, the unit vibrates a lot. And there's a lot of information missing from the manual. There are no troubleshooting steps or instructions for making any adjustments (likely because none of the parts are adjustable). br>br>I don't have much experience with scroll saws, but I do own a lot of tools, and this one appears to be poorly designed. The table doesn't come with a zero clearance insert, and making one isn't easy. The arm raises, but it does not lock in place, and it does not raise high enough to provide a clear view of the blade when inserting it into small pilot holes. If you want to make a lot of inside cuts, you'll need three or four hands, because the blades are held in place by screws that twist the blade as they tighten. A parallel clamping force appears to be a more effective design. br>br>Having said that, I've returned the tool and will replace it with a $120 Wen scroll saw, which I don't expect to be any worse than the product I had in my shop before. Update: =================================================== My new Wen scroll saw, which cost $120, arrived today. It arrived fully assembled and calibrated, as opposed to the Dewalt. The material hold down arm is strong and simple to adjust. The user guide was thorough and easy to understand. With some 1/4 plywood, creating a zero clearance insert should take no more than 5 minutes. It may be smaller and lighter, but it maintains its position even when not bolted to the table. The only disadvantage is that it is louder than the Dewalt; however, even if the Dewalt were not four times the price, I would argue that the Wen saw is a far superior tool.

Nora Ruiz

| Jun 24, 2021

I've only been using it for a few weeks, but I'm really enjoying it so far. I made a sturdy wooden stand for it that works great. It's made out of scraps from around the shop, including 4x4s, 2x4s, and 3/4 plywood on top and 1/2 plywood on the bottom. To absorb vibrations from the saw, the stand is quite heavy. I used 12 inch drawer slides from a previous project and purchased good lockable wheels from Lowes. It's probably big enough for a helicopter to land on, but I'm a retired engineer, so I overbuild everything. The DeWalt stand did not appeal to me; it appears to be top-heavy and unwieldy, as well as being too tall and narrow. I'm a senior citizen who prefers to sit whenever possible. br>br>I place it in front of a big gulp dust collection hood next to it, with the blower blowing dust into the big gulp, capturing the majority of the dust except for what is underneath, which I vacuum up. The dust that I would inhale is my primary concern. When my air quality meter is turned on, it usually reads in the single digits. My dust collector is a big Oneida 3hp. br>br>It only comes with two cheap blades, so go out and get some more. I'm a beginner scroller, but I'm getting better with this machine quickly. When I change blades or do internals, I use a 4x4 block to hold up the arm, as you can see in the photos. Perhaps a more expensive saw, such as Henger, would be better, but for the time being, this will suffice. I could justify a Henger machine if I did a lot of scrolling, but I don't because I work for pleasure rather than profit. br>br>My best advice to beginners is to get this saw and use spiral blades when learning. Go slowly and stop when you start to go off line; I find that if I do a little and stop, relax, then do more and repeat, I get better results. I hope this information is useful to you. br>br>I'll update this in about six months if I'm not as pleased or if I discover any other issues. These reviews benefit everyone, including myself, so I'd like to pay it forward. Cheers.

Berkley Livingston

| Feb 11, 2021