Anyone looking for a new saw

[Trka2002]

Received my latest copy of WOOD MAGAZINE today and found this Harbor Frieght beauty in the back. Thought I would share just in case someone was interested. 

[JOE_M]

Here's an old review. Note the price in her picture (from 2014).

http://www.theprojectlady.com/2014/10/dewalt-vs-harbor-freight-scroll-saw.html

 

 

[jerry1939]

The first saw I owned was identical to the Harbor Freight.  It was a $69 Performax from Menards.  I wore it out and bought another just like it.  I would certainly not have come down so hard on a "cheap"  saw as this Lady.  If you look at her close-up of the top blade holder, what I disliked was the fact that the blade clamp would occasionally twist, where you see it attached to the upper arm with an allen screw.

Eventually, I bought a Delta.  Attached is a picture of my first scroll project, with a $69 saw.

I would hate to see anyone buy a mid or high end saw to see if they like the hobby.

jerry

[spirithorse]

I agree with Jerry that the review was extremely harsh from only one person's perspective
My first saw was a 16" variable speed Harbor Freight but, not as the one pictured in this
thread. I still have it and it still works fine but, I did up-grade to a Black and Decker saw and
then a Craftsman. All three are still in working order and each of them have their good points
and their bad points.

I did some intricate Jeff Zaffino patterns with that cheap Harbor Freight saw and would
defy anyone to tell me that the results weren't just as good as if I had cut it on any of the
higher priced saws.

The main down-sides of the Harbor Freight saw that I have are the table size and the
blade clamps have to be changed with allen wrenches. I could weld knobs on the set
Screws but, I don't feel it is worth my time. The blade clamps themselves are actually
wonderful because they are cylindrical and the blade is always perfectly aligned when the
blade is inserted! Just a hassle to use the allen wrenches for fret work.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[hawkeye10]

I would think that in the right hands this fret saw would cut as good as any saw on the market but the better the saw the easier it is to use.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Olson-SF63507-Fret-Flat-Frame/dp/B00MNF36Z6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499224931&sr=8-2&keywords=fret+saws

[amazingkevin]

3 hours ago, Trka2002 said:

Received my latest copy of WOOD MAGAZINE today and found this Harbor Frieght beauty in the back. Thought I would share just in case someone was interested. 

I bought one , was givin  a new one and i would not give One dollar for a new one ,sorry .The worst saw i ever had in my life.

[ike]

I agree with kevin. The one I had only took pined blades.You just can't do any complicated fret work with that saw.

IKE

[heppnerguy]

Ask and the results may not be what you want to hear but they are honest. and honesty is what you should listen to. I understand that it is difficult to justify paying a lot of money for something that you just seems to be a good idea. What if you find it is not for you, then you are out a lot of money. But wait! You can usually find a good used saw on Craigslist and if  you find you do not  wish to persue this hobby, you can  always get your money back on Craigslist. However using a decent saw, I can not imagine that you would not like this wonderful hobby

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[Bill WIlson]

While I have no doubt that folks have used these "budget" saws to do some very impressive work, I take no issue with the review of the HF saw that was posted.  She gave her honest opinion and it didn't sound to me like she was unfair or excessively harsh.  I don't consider myself a tool snob.  I've used tools for many years that other woodworkers would regard as being cheap junk.  However, even I have my limits.  Several years ago I was given a Performax saw, which is similar to many other generic, $100 saws.  I first found the blade clamps to be virtually unusable, so before doing anything else, I sent away for clamp adapter kits from Pozsgai's Designs.  Unfortunately they didn't quite fit this saw, so I had to send them back.  In the meantime, I fiddled with the saw, as it was and I discovered that the table was so badly warped that it was impossible to square the blade to the table.  I set the square against one side of the blade, adjusted the table, made a test cut.  Not square.  Did that a couple times before checking the blade on the other side.  It was square against the left side of the blade, but at least 1/8" out against the right side.  Scratching my head, I put a straight edge across the table and discovered that the center of the table was about a 1/4" lower than the left & right edges.  That was when I packed the saw back up in its box and returned it to the original owner.  There just was no way that this saw was ever going to be worth the work and aggravation required to cut anything on it.  Perhaps if I had gotten one of Performax's saws that didn't have these fatal flaws, I might have a better review and may even have kept the saw as a back-up.  But based on this experience, I could never recommend such a tool to anyone, as the one I used had no redeeming qualities, besides being cheap (or free, in my case).

[zimmerstutzen]

Reviews are what they are.  A person writing the review comes from a wide  range of perspectives.  If you are used to using "Rolls Royce" quality equipment, then anything else is a waste of money, particularly a bargain saw.   A person accustomed to using a coping saw mind find it a God send.    I considered getting one when I was looking for a scroll saw.  I first happened upon a Skil scroll saw at a yard sale for $20.00..   Certainly not the best, but far better then I had.  It does the jobs that I do.  I came across an older model RBI at a yard sale a few months later.  The RBI is certainly leagues above, but not in ways that alter the end result.   It is sort of like the trip in disregard to the destination.  My in laws live 4 states away.  Driving the trip in Mrs's little sub compact is tolerable and cheap on gas.  But driving my f-250 is more roomy, more comfortable, more room to haul things back and forth and makes the trip less tiresome.  The destination is the same regardless.   The  cheap saws and expensive saws are about the same as the transportation for the trip.  Now, a saw that only takes pinned blades certainly limits the ability to cut fine holes and lines.  If you scroll more than a couple hours a week, it probably makes a difference is operator fatigue.  

[hotshot]

If I was trying to encourage someone to become interested in the hobby, I would not send them down the HF path because I love this hobby and I would want to give them the best chance at enjoying the hobby as I do.  I will not recommend a tool I would refuse to use myself.  Isn't that the golden rule?  Maybe I should call it the Gloden rule.

I understand that great things have been made with the HF scroll saw, and for those of you that started there, you have my utmost respect, but I have used that style saw, and I can say without a doubt, I would not have continued with this hobby had I started there.  Others have gone this path, and succeeded, but I would not have.  I would rather buy a used $100 saw on craigslist and give it away than see someone excited about our Hobby get deflated by the experience of the HF saw.

Not meaning to offend anyone that has a special place in their heart of the HF saw, this is just one man's opinion. 

 

-------Randy Gloden

Edited July 6, 2017 by hotshot

[hotshot]

On 7/4/2017 at 8:06 PM, JOE_M said:

Here's an old review. Note the price in her picture (from 2014).

http://www.theprojectlady.com/2014/10/dewalt-vs-harbor-freight-scroll-saw.html

Many DW788s on Craigslist will have the surface rust.  The lady who wrote the article finished cleaning it up with the orbital sander.  She should have skipped all the other steps and started there.  My 788 was found with surface rust as well, and after a few minutes with the oribital, the table looked awesome.

Edited July 6, 2017 by hotshot

[Rolf]

Have to agree with you Randy. I did not think that her review was harsh at all. She knew what she wanted and expected certain things that the HF saw could not provide.

There is no doubt that many magnificent projects have been created with the HF saws and they have their place just not in my shop. 

My first project that had several interior cuts was done on an old Craftsman that I inherited from my father. It took pinless blades but required a couple of tools to release the blade.

1. Unscrew tension knob, 2. Release blade using tools 3. feed blade through the hole. 4. clamp blade 5 retension. This took a couple of minutes for a 15 second cut then repeat. I can't imagine that the HF saw is much better. I started doing lots of fret work so I immediately realized that this was not going to work for me. My wife bought me a Delta SS350 for my BD $180 with stand. It literally took seconds for a blade change. A year later I bought the Hawk G4 26 and never looked back. I want to spend my time scrolling not fiddling with poor clamps etc.

[Woodmaster1]

I started with a delta 15" vibrated like crazy and blade changes were a pain. I got a delta 40-540  used for $60 a lot smoother and blade changes were better. Hopefully my last scroll saw is a new delta 40-694 20" runs great smooth, quiet and blade changes are a breeze.

[Sparkey]

I also would hate to see somebody go broke on their saw not knowing if they will like it. I would also hate to see somebody hate scrolling because of a cheap bad saw.