Scroll Saw???

Al Launier

Member
Messages
1,683
Location
Bedford, NH
Now that I am able to cut contours on my new band saw, I'm deliberating which scroll saw would best allow me to cut "inside" contours. I've looked at the Rockwell Blade Runner that Lowes sells for $150, but have my doubts that this would be able to cut really tight inside radii, or inside contours in general. It has a wide open slot in the insert which would require a backup board to prevent splintering. I'm thinking a drilled hole combined with a manual coping saw could serve as well.

What do you folks use for inside work?

Al
 
...I'm thinking a drilled hole combined with a manual coping saw could serve as well...Al

That'll work just fine, but if you want to go with a powered saw, take a look at the DeWalt 788. For the money, I think it's about the best saw out there.

BTW, my opinion of that Rockwell thingie can't be printed here...
 
Bosch is worth a look as well. Stay far away from anything cheap, as they tend to be more of a hand massager than anything else.

A good jigsaw is balanced correctly and runs like a sewing machine. Smooth and comfortable.
 
Thanks guys, I think I'm going to try the manual approach to start of with. I wasn't planning on spending much & you've convinced me not to go cheap on equipment.
 
If you get to where you want an scroll saw, I agree, cheap is not good. I fought with a cheap craftsman for years and hated it. Upgraded to a Dewalt 788 and love it. However I've since seen several Hawk's locally, lightly used, for cheaper than my Dewalt. If you get serious, watch Craigslist, you might pick up a real good deal.
 
Bosch is worth a look as well. Stay far away from anything cheap, as they tend to be more of a hand massager than anything else.

A good jigsaw is balanced correctly and runs like a sewing machine. Smooth and comfortable.

Your points are spot on in regards to jigsaws. When I got my Bosch, I couldn't believe how much smoother better it cut than my old Black and Decker. That said, Al is talking about scroll saws, not jigsaws. :)
 
If you get to where you want an scroll saw, I agree, cheap is not good. I fought with a cheap craftsman for years and hated it.

I think I have that same craftsman with similar feelings about it (mine is 12? 15? years old). I don't use it a whole lot so haven't gotten that motivated on the replacement (although I did miss getting a really nice RBI Hawk at an estate auction 2? years ago went to more than I was willing to pay but very close).

One thing to consider is that scroll saws aren't all that good at thicker work. I gnawed out a chunk of 1" oak on mine the other day and that was about near its limits, a bigger/better saw might have better luck but they are still for relatively thin work for the most part.
 
Your points are spot on in regards to jigsaws. When I got my Bosch, I couldn't believe how much smoother better it cut than my old Black and Decker. That said, Al is talking about scroll saws, not jigsaws. :)

Doh! My bad...

I guess I was thinking 'Band Saw' and how to do inside curves on something you would use a bandsaw on the outside curves.

That capability screams, 'Jig Saw'.

I see a scroll saw as a much more delicate tool, for doing small work.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it!
 
Last edited:
I think I have that same craftsman with similar feelings about it (mine is 12? 15? years old). I don't use it a whole lot so haven't gotten that motivated on the replacement (although I did miss getting a really nice RBI Hawk at an estate auction 2? years ago went to more than I was willing to pay but very close).

One thing to consider is that scroll saws aren't all that good at thicker work. I gnawed out a chunk of 1" oak on mine the other day and that was about near its limits, a bigger/better saw might have better luck but they are still for relatively thin work for the most part.

Mine was around 30 years old. The thing I hated most was the blade changing. It took little allen wrenches I had to get down on my knees to get the bottom one loosened or tightened in place. I finally made a little platform to mount it on and the top piece of the platform was hinged so I cold raise it on it's side to get to the bottom attachments. That helped a lot.
 
Mine was around 30 years old. The thing I hated most was the blade changing. It took little allen wrenches I had to get down on my knees to get the bottom one loosened or tightened in place. I finally made a little platform to mount it on and the top piece of the platform was hinged so I cold raise it on it's side to get to the bottom attachments. That helped a lot.

Ah, yeah that would drive me bonkers as well :bonkers:! Mine at least has quick change blades so its much better in that regard, I'd definitely get a saw with quick change blades. The vibration level in mine is .. not overwhelming but fairly noticeable so that and that its pretty small (can deal with that part, makes it easier to store) are probably my biggest complaints. Getting some better-than-big-box-store blades (or maybe just sharp ones :rolleyes:) helped a lot as well (I have a few years supply of blades from various garage sale finds).
 
Great idea Paul! I should have thought of that myself, but...............................?

I don't doubt that the Dewalt DW788 is a fine piece of equipment, but it is morre $$$ than I can spend at this time. Craigslist in the New Hampshire listings have a few scroll saws listed. There are a few Sears Craftsman listed, but that, along with your comments, make me leary as to why more of them are listed than others. Must be a reason for that.
 
Last edited:
http://nh.craigslist.org/tls/3476807611.html is about the spitting image of my saw (right down to the little blower thing being broken off at the top :rofl:). Like I said, its "ok" at best (a bit vibraty and no variable speed), I see about 5 other models of craftsman saws there though so have no input on the other designs.

Man people are even more proud of the RBI Hawks out there than they are over here. I seen them semi-frequently locally in the $600-700 range (I'm waiting for a better deal myself cause I don't need it that bad), the only only one I see out there is $1300 :eek:

A decent overview of what you'd want is here: http://www.scrollsawer.com/reviews/choosing-a-scroll-saw.html
 
OK different view.....I don't use a scroll saw very often. Maybe I've used it three times in the past five years. I bought a real cheap Skil 5 years ago and it did the job I wanted it to at the time wit no problems. Now it sits under a workbench collecting dust. It would be a unnecessary waste of money to spend hundreds of dollars on a tool that you may not use again. However, if I found that I really enjoyed scroll work (I don't have time for it) I would have no problem upgrading to a better more expensive tool.
My advice would be to buy an inexpensive tool, use it on your 1 job. If you think that you will use it again and like scrolling, then sell it on CL and buy a better one.
 
I just can't find any argument with that advice. I do not use my scroll saw as much as I thought I would, but it is only because the things I have been building don't call for it. Although, I am considering it on my organ build. That being said, I find scroll sawing very relaxing and I keep planing on doing more.
 
Bob, there is a lot of merit in your recommendation. As you know I have a little project (birdhouse) that requires some inside scroll work & I intend to do that with a coping saw & perhaps finish it off with a router bit. I tend to vascillate when it comes to new toys. ;) I'm kinda researching at this time so that if I do decide to get more serious about scroll cutting detail work, I'll have a good idea of what features to get, and this could hit me any time as sometimes I buy impulsively. ;) Who knows, I might even convince my better half of a project that "she" really wants.....if she behaves herself.
 
Bob, what you say is true. I've probably cut more curves with this old fellow than any of my newer tools (well except the bandsaw, can't compare that :D).

It was made out of a few pieces of kindling with a pocket knife and a hacksaw to cut the notches in the bolts. I don't know why I had a blade with no saw, but I did for some reason (I made this 24 or 25 years ago so the exact details are a bit fuzzy, maybe there was one in grandpas shop for some reason but the saw was long gone.. just can't remember).
IMG_1462.jpg

Having said that I don't really use it much anymore (although it actually tensions better than my coping saw the extra bits get in the way more..) and it mostly just hangs on the wall as a reminder that a) its nice to be able to afford nice tools and b) if you can't, well you can still get things done pretty well it just might take a bit longer.
 
Top