Hawk Owners!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dave Monk]

I currently have a Dewalt but I am shopping to upgrade. I am a top feeder. Been looking at a Hawk. I found this on Ebay. RBI HAWK 220VS Scroll Saw Brand New! It was purchased in 1999. He is wanting $600 for it. Have there been many upgrades since this saw was made? I would appreciate any feedback.

[fredfret]

Dave,

Contact Bushton they can tell you a lot better than I can. I know the Bushton models have updated electronics and motors, The blade clamps may also be different. Otherwise the saw is the same. Bushton's Phone is 6205623557. Hope this helps.

Fredfret

Wichita, Ks

I drive a BM-26 and a Dw788.

[Scrappile]

Not sure but is the tension lever in the back?  The older ones you had to reach to the back to adjust the tension.  Not sure how much of a problem that was/is.  I live in the north west and there are usually several Hawks listed on Craigslist.  They usually run between $400 to $650 or there about.   So $600 may be about right depending on the shape it is in.

[kmmcrafts]

I believe only the 14 - 16 inch saws had the tension lever at the back of the saw... the 20 - 26 inch saws had the lever up front... I would certainly test drive one if you are used to using a DeWalt... I bought a Hawk 220VS last fall for $100 that was said to be barely used.. well it was used more than barely but I don't think it was used a lot.. Got the Hawk foot pedal switch and light with it.. I upgraded the blower hose with the adjustable kind like the DeWalt has.. ( Hawk sells a kit for doing this ).. I love sawing on the Hawk.. but.. I find that after sawing ( production style ) for the last 6-8 years on my DeWalt..I have grown used to the aggressiveness of the DeWalt and I feel the Hawk is way too slow.. also the SPM is only ( I believe ) 1500 on the Hawk while it's 1750 on the DeWalt.. 

I will say the Hawk is a very well made saw and cuts nice.. I just got too used to stack cutting and production type cutting.. I typically cut 1/2" + on a regular basis.. If I am just going to cut 3/8" or less material I absolutely love the Hawk.. it does awesome with the thin wood.. and my DeWalt is too aggressive for the thin cutting..

The newest Hawk saws have an adjustable lower arm that will change how aggressive the saw cuts... Now I would love to try one of these out.. and they also have a faster SPM of 1750 I believe.. The older Hawks ( like mine) and probably all of the VS models have the lower barrel clamps.

I was curious about the blade movement between the DeWalt and Hawk saws the other day so i went out to the shop and put a credit card behind the blade on both saws.. I was amazed to find that the movement is almost the same.... SO... what makes the DeWalt so much more aggressive? I think I figured that out but plan to do another test to see if I am right.. I think it's the lower blade clamps.. On the DeWalt the clamp is fixed to the back of the slot in the clamp and is fairly rigid .. on the Hawk the barrel is allowed to flex.. so I think if you was to push on the blade while cutting the barrel will just spin toward the back.. I believe the DeWalts clamping design makes the blade more ridged than the Hawks clamping..        

I can cut probably 2 times faster on with my DeWalt than I can with my Hawk.. i have done this comparison several times with the exact same blade and while cutting out the same project.. In the middle of a cut I have stopped on one saw and took my blade etc over to the other saw... even if I run the SPM approximately the same speed.. the DeWalt cuts faster..

Really like to try the new BM series Hawks with that adjustable lower arm!

 

Kevin

[woodchux]

Great advice from all previous posts on this subject! Bushton Mfg. did buy out the former RBI HAWK business, but through research & development has improved all models of scrollsaws, including the much older G426 which I have. Their customer service department is very knowledgeable on all the " new changes" and what can/may fit some of the older models. Be safe. 

[Dave Monk]

I appreciate the comments. I think I will be patient and go to the midwest  scroll saw show in Aug. I will be able to compare the Hawk with new Seyco. I like my Dewalt but I don't think it was built for the use I give it. I had my first one for nine months. The bearings went out of it add Dewalt replaced it with a new one. If been using my current one for about five months and it is starting to make some knocking noises just the same as my first one. 

[Rolf]

Dave, good decision to be patient. I am also not sure when the Hawks went to the current style with top and bottom feed capability. And much better clamps.

I bought my Hawk G4 26 in 2005 and I think it was a new design then. It is a bullet proof saw. 

[NC Scroller]

If all you will be happy with is a top feed then pass on this.  If you want to top feed only you need find a G4 or newer model. 

[kmmcrafts]

15 hours ago, Dave Monk said:

I appreciate the comments. I think I will be patient and go to the midwest  scroll saw show in Aug. I will be able to compare the Hawk with new Seyco. I like my Dewalt but I don't think it was built for the use I give it. I had my first one for nine months. The bearings went out of it add Dewalt replaced it with a new one. If been using my current one for about five months and it is starting to make some knocking noises just the same as my first one. 

That is why I said the Hawk is very well made saw... it is built for commercial use.. unlike the DeWalt... I got tired of replacing the DeWalts under warranty and took one apart myself and replaced the bearings / sleeves and added my own high quality grease.. I can get about 2 years out of it now before needing the front exposed section rebuilt again.. I've thought about looking into modifying it on this next rebuilt that it desperately needs again.. and looking into replacing those lousy open bearings with some sort of sealed bearings.. that would help a lot especially on the front portion of the saw where the sawdust falls right down onto the top of the needle bearings in the lower rocker assembly... guess you do get what you pay for.. certainly not designed to run 8 hours a day..

I'd like to take a excalibur saw apart or even the new Seyco saw ( basically a modified excalibur ) and see what they use for bearings...as they are the same basic design as a DeWalt as far as the arms and internal parts are very similar.. Probably why excalibur built that little dust collection deal on the bottom of the table.. to help keep dust out of those bearings.. suppose I could build something similar on my DeWalt. I intend to purchase another high end saw.. and intend to take a serious look into the newer Hawks.. with the adjustable lower arm..

      

[amazingkevin]

On 4/27/2017 at 11:01 AM, kmmcrafts said:

I believe only the 14 - 16 inch saws had the tension lever at the back of the saw... the 20 - 26 inch saws had the lever up front... I would certainly test drive one if you are used to using a DeWalt... I bought a Hawk 220VS last fall for $100 that was said to be barely used.. well it was used more than barely but I don't think it was used a lot.. Got the Hawk foot pedal switch and light with it.. I upgraded the blower hose with the adjustable kind like the DeWalt has.. ( Hawk sells a kit for doing this ).. I love sawing on the Hawk.. but.. I find that after sawing ( production style ) for the last 6-8 years on my DeWalt..I have grown used to the aggressiveness of the DeWalt and I feel the Hawk is way too slow.. also the SPM is only ( I believe ) 1500 on the Hawk while it's 1750 on the DeWalt.. 

I will say the Hawk is a very well made saw and cuts nice.. I just got too used to stack cutting and production type cutting.. I typically cut 1/2" + on a regular basis.. If I am just going to cut 3/8" or less material I absolutely love the Hawk.. it does awesome with the thin wood.. and my DeWalt is too aggressive for the thin cutting..

The newest Hawk saws have an adjustable lower arm that will change how aggressive the saw cuts... Now I would love to try one of these out.. and they also have a faster SPM of 1750 I believe.. The older Hawks ( like mine) and probably all of the VS models have the lower barrel clamps.

I was curious about the blade movement between the DeWalt and Hawk saws the other day so i went out to the shop and put a credit card behind the blade on both saws.. I was amazed to find that the movement is almost the same.... SO... what makes the DeWalt so much more aggressive? I think I figured that out but plan to do another test to see if I am right.. I think it's the lower blade clamps.. On the DeWalt the clamp is fixed to the back of the slot in the clamp and is fairly rigid .. on the Hawk the barrel is allowed to flex.. so I think if you was to push on the blade while cutting the barrel will just spin toward the back.. I believe the DeWalts clamping design makes the blade more ridged than the Hawks clamping..        

I can cut probably 2 times faster on with my DeWalt than I can with my Hawk.. i have done this comparison several times with the exact same blade and while cutting out the same project.. In the middle of a cut I have stopped on one saw and took my blade etc over to the other saw... even if I run the SPM approximately the same speed.. the DeWalt cuts faster..

Really like to try the new BM series Hawks with that adjustable lower arm!

 

Kevin

well said Kevin ,very informative

[woodchux]

Thanks for sharing your great comparison info.