To upgrade or not

[malc]

I am still new to scrolling and am slowly getting better. The saw I have is a Scheppach Deco 402, which I think is an entry level saw. I may be in a position to get another in a few months and have been looking at the Hegner Multicut 1. The question is will this saw be better or should I continue with the Deco until I feel I am a competent scroller?

Malc

[grampa]

Hi Malc, If the Deco is holding you back and you feel you could cut better projects with a better saw then go for it, but if the Deco saw doese everything you want then why spend your money............Paul

[Travis]

I'm not familiar with either of those brands, so I couldn't comment on the quality of the machine. However, if the saw works the way you want it and doesn't cause any problems, I'd invest in some other tools instead. I'm using a Craftsman 16" scroll saw that I picked up for $120. I think most would consider this an entry-level saw. But my saw performs very well and I can cut whatever I need. While I'd like to upgrade to a nicer saw, that to me would be more of a luxury. I'd rather buy additional tools so I can expand what projects I can do. Things like a table saw, drill press, sanders, planers, air compressors, brad nailers, chisels, etc.

 

However, if your saw isn't accomplishing what you want, you should probably upgrade. Problems like too much vibration, blade alignment, throat capacity or some other limitation.

 

With that said, when people upgrade to a higher quality saw, they're rarely disappointed.

[malc]

Hi Malc, If the Deco is holding you back and you feel you could cut better projects with a better saw then go for it, but if the Deco saw doese everything you want then why spend your money............Paul

Hi Paul, I think the Deco has more to offer yet, I think the limiting factor is the squidgy organic bit, i.e. me! Think I will see how my finances go and look again in six months.

Malc

[greasemonkeyredneck]

The debate between entry level and top of the line saws is like the old Ford versus Chevy debate. You'll get a million different veiws. Let me tell you this. Do what makes you happy. A lot of people make beautiful projects for years on entry level saws. Some people would die by their faith in a saw that cost a grand. Some of us stick with the entry level because that's all we can afford. Scrolling is a hobby. If you're happy, then the saw is doing its job.

As for me, the Delta that is my saw of choice (I have five different saws) is what is considered an entry level saw that was bought on sale for $59, and you are welcome to go to my blog and see some of the projects I build.

I'm not familiar with either saw you mentioned. I learned to scroll on a Ryobi. That saw was a piece of crap. Of course, I didn't know that until I got my hands on a better saw. The odd thing is, the better saw cost less than the Ryobi. Anyway, I'm glad I learned on the piece of crap though. After spending that time sawing while trying to chase the saw because it vibrated so bad, then I felt I could cut anything after I got a saw that actually stayed in one spot.

By the way, I didn't give up the Ryobi because I felt I could do better on a different saw. I gave it up because everything was loose on it. I'd just about wore it out. After I gave it too my sons, in less than three months, it gave up the ghost completely.