New to me RBI Hawk 226VS

[jbrowning]

So yes, I made the drive and got the new to me Hawk 226 Scroll Saw and as promised I made a few videos of it so you all can see and tell me how much I messed up getting this saw.

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Thanks for looking and please give me your feedback on this saw.

Jim

Edited August 5, 2018 by jbrowning

[Rockytime]

Looks like you did very well indeed. I notice on video 2 the V shaped wedge appears 90 degrees out of place. The V should sit in the V notch. The video passed over that portion rather quickly so I may not have seen what I thought I saw. You got a great deal.

[jbrowning]

Yeah, I might have that myself before I started taping. I will remember to put that back like it was. Thanks Rocky.

[kmmcrafts]

I bet when I go to the post office tomorrow to mail my packages.. your picture is going to be on the wanted wall for stealing that saw for only $150 

That is exact same saw as my 226.. newer than mine.. I give $400 for mine.. and I had to put mine together.. ( still new in the box ) but I'd rather had a slightly used one that was already assembled for $150 LOL..   You certainly did good on that I think..

Now once you find the spot where you're going to park it to use.. I would probably bottom out all those adjustable feet.. loosen the stand legs some.. try to kick out the legs to get a good solid footprint to the floor on the legs and then tighten the bolts back up.. then from there you can fine tune those adjustable feet to get the least vibration throughout the speed ranges.. There will most likely be a speed number range that no matter what you do they'll shake.. just how those Hawks are.. 

This below is optional.. but it's what I do to kinda fine tune a saw.. especially a new to me saw..

I'd then take some  WD-40 and clean up the bearing areas and then put a couple drops of oil on them to soak down into the bearings. Clean the wedge and the area it sits in with some cleaner / degreaser..I used brake cleaner for mine but be careful as it will melt the paint on the stand so pile lots of paper towels down.. then once cleaned up good use a dry spray lube on the wedge and the area it sits.. try to keep the top of the wedge from the lube though as you don't want the tension spinning on you while sawing.. and it will if you get lube on that... ( don't ask how I figured that out ).. I'd do the same with the tension lever mechanism at the front part of the upper arm.. break clean it all up in the sides where it moves etc.. then after it's cleaned up good with all the old oils etc gone.. spray it good with dry lube.  Check the adjustment of that set screw under the front tension release lever.. you want it to just get some resistance just slightly  before the lever is all the way back and almost where it will touch the arm.. maybe 1/8"before touching the arm.. is about how I have mine adjusted.. Once you get it all tuned in good you'll be glade you did all of these things.. it'll run and operate so much smoother.. 

Actually what I do with the bearings is I take the arms off the saw and clean / check them.. rather than the wd-40 and stuff I mentioned before.. but I'm not sure how comfortable you might be with doing that.. and the wd-40 and some fresh clean oil would probably do the trick just about as good..

Anyway.. the least friction you get with a saw buy using good oils / grease / lubes etc the smoother your saw will run.... and I've always been able to improve the operation of the saw from what the previous owners had buy doing these things.. and periodically doing them as routine maintenance..    

Good luck with your new toy .. glad you was able to get a nice saw at a good price.   

[jbrowning]

Thanks Kevin and Rocky, I won't have much time for a week or two to work on the Hawk. I have 4 motorcycles I need to have finished next weekends motorcycle races. But afterwards I will be looking at where to put it and start working on it.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Looks like you did well. There is no blade in it so that wedge moves around easily from transporting it. Great price and great saw. Looks just like mine. Will say this those plastic blade clamp holders under the table get stretched out over time and it can cause the holder to jump to a different notch position. They are cheap enough to have plenty of spares. I made one from some spring steel to replace them. Good luck with new toy.

[tgiro]

Looks like you have a Hawk that should work well for a number of years. Any saw that runs with no blade under tension is going to rattle.

Clean it up, get the latest mods and go to work making sawdust.

[OCtoolguy]

Looks like you did GOOD. How far did you have to go to get that saw? Just curious as I used to live near you in Woodland Park. My son also lives in C.S. He just started in the tool business walking in the shoes of his old man. If you see a big shiny new Cornwell Tools truck running around, stop him and say hi. His name is Dan.

Oh, and congrats on your new toy. I did see your Heg in the background there. Now, you have two great saws. Best of luck to you.

 

[jbrowning]

Hi Ray, I drove from Colorado Springs to Eaton to pick up this saw. It was about a 3 hour drive each way. But heck for a $150.00 Hawk I think it was a good deal. I mean it wasn't like I was going to be cutting out motorcycles yesterday getting ready for the race weekend coming up .

Oh and yes I love the Hegner, that is my main go to scroll saw at the moment. I also have a DeWalt 788 setting beside the Hegner, but haven't used it since I picked up the Hegner last New Years Eve day.

Edited August 6, 2018 by jbrowning

[OCtoolguy]

23 hours ago, jbrowning said:

Hi Ray, I drove from Colorado Springs to Eaton to pick up this saw. It was about a 3 hour drive each way. But heck for a $150.00 Hawk I think it was a good deal. I mean it wasn't like I was going to be cutting out motorcycles yesterday getting ready for the race weekend coming up .

Oh and yes I love the Hegner, that is my main go to scroll saw at the moment. I also have a DeWalt 788 setting beside the Hegner, but haven't used it since I picked up the Hegner last New Years Eve day.

I started out with a used Dewalt. I tuned it up, built a great stand for it and have learned how to use it. I was reading so much on here regarding the Hegner that I started looking for one. I found it, bought it and am trying to get used to it. Then, up pops a used EX 21 in mint condition for $300. It was close by so I drove up and bought it. Now I have 3 great saws and am out of room. One of them has got to go. I will probably sell the Dewalt just because it has the same basic mechanism as the EX. And, I'm still not totally sold on the Hegner. It may go too. Who knows? Anyway, congrats on your new saw, and maybe I'll start searching for one of them too.

 

[jbrowning]

Heck Ray, what Hegner do you have?

[OCtoolguy]

20 minutes ago, jbrowning said:

Heck Ray, what Hegner do you have?

1996 Multimax 18V. It runs and cuts fine but I'm still not happy with the way the slow start/changing speed is on it. I will not spend the money to buy a new controller or whatever it needs. If it even needs anything. At this point in time, I'm still trying to find someone near me who has a similar saw so I can determine whether it has a problem or if it is all in my mind. As far as selling it goes, probably not. I like the saw, it is like new but just has that one little "tick" that I can't seem to put behind me.

 

[jbrowning]

Dad gum it Ray, I thought I was going to get to snag me another Hegner . Even though mine is the Multimax 18v also. I'm really wanting to find a nice Multimax 22v.

[kmmcrafts]

I'd like to get my hands on a Hegner one day.. Love the Hawk saws.. just always wanted to try a Hegner.. one day a deal will come along when I actually have the funds.. I've seen a few deals here and there.. just not good timing for me to snag one yet..  

[Dave Monk]

Congrats Jim.........looks to me that you got a heck of a deal.

[jbrowning]

Thanks Dave, I think I did to. Just have to wait till next week to really find out.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Jim just a quick note being you mentioned rattle or someone did, That handle on the back tension wedge can sometimes work it way over to the arm and rattle against it. I put a piece of rubber on the arm to prevent this. Maybe something to watch for. Good luck with new saw. Hope many projects come off it.

[jbrowning]

Thanks John, I will start working with it sometime next week. So I'm sure I'm going to have a bunch of questions again. Can't wait to get started with it.

[kmmcrafts]

There is supposed to be a nylon washer between the wedge and the adjuster..that is supposed to suppress the lever from turning.. mine turns anyway but I accidentally got some oil on the washer etc.. which is partly why I wanted to get the dry lube and spray the wedge.. I haven't run the saw much yet to see if it moves still after cleaning it up and lubing the parts separate from the saw.. and then putting it back together... I don't see how that washer would stop it from turning but they say on one of the videos on Hawks web site that f it turns by itself you need to replace that washer.. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

10 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

There is supposed to be a nylon washer between the wedge and the adjuster..that is supposed to suppress the lever from turning.. mine turns anyway but I accidentally got some oil on the washer etc.. which is partly why I wanted to get the dry lube and spray the wedge.. I haven't run the saw much yet to see if it moves still after cleaning it up and lubing the parts separate from the saw.. and then putting it back together... I don't see how that washer would stop it from turning but they say on one of the videos on Hawks web site that f it turns by itself you need to replace that washer.. 

Yea I don't do any of that. Like a said simple piece of thick rubber and it solved that years ago. I do not touch the lever and have not for a long time so I do not oil it lube it or touch it. My control is in the front arm. If a number blade I am using is longer than my usual #5 I just cut the tip off to make fit.