New Excalibur

[OCtoolguy]

19 hours ago, NC Scroller said:

Congrats.  Love mine.  With the money you saved but the Pagas clamps.  You will love it even more.

Scott, I have recently acquired a used EX21 and am too new with it to have found anything to dislike. What exactly do you like about the Pegas clamps and what didn't you like about the originals? I'm just trying to put all the info together before I buy the Pegas. The one thing that I have found so far that I'm not sure I like is the upper blade mounting. It is difficult to get the blade inserted in the exact spot it needs to go. Nothing to keep it from going all the way up into the spring. On my Dewalt, it is an easy shot to just push the blade all the way into the clamp and tighten the clamp screw. Does the Pegas solve that problem?

 

[Oldmansbike]

Congratulations on the new saw let us know how you get along with it.

[NC Scroller]

4 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Scott, I have recently acquired a used EX21 and am too new with it to have found anything to dislike. What exactly do you like about the Pegas clamps and what didn't you like about the originals? I'm just trying to put all the info together before I buy the Pegas. The one thing that I have found so far that I'm not sure I like is the upper blade mounting. It is difficult to get the blade inserted in the exact spot it needs to go. Nothing to keep it from going all the way up into the spring. On my Dewalt, it is an easy shot to just push the blade all the way into the clamp and tighten the clamp screw. Does the Pegas solve that problem?

 

For openers on the Pegas clamps you can see the top of the blade.  This is a great plus.  On my original clamps I could never align thin blades to keep them from bending.  On my Pegas clamps I have been using 2/0 blades with out a single issue.

[kmmcrafts]

Congrats on the new saw Travis.. I'd second the motion on getting the Pegas chuck upgrade... very much worth it and in my case.. kept me from selling the saw..  

[kmmcrafts]

14 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Scott, I have recently acquired a used EX21 and am too new with it to have found anything to dislike. What exactly do you like about the Pegas clamps and what didn't you like about the originals? I'm just trying to put all the info together before I buy the Pegas. The one thing that I have found so far that I'm not sure I like is the upper blade mounting. It is difficult to get the blade inserted in the exact spot it needs to go. Nothing to keep it from going all the way up into the spring. On my Dewalt, it is an easy shot to just push the blade all the way into the clamp and tighten the clamp screw. Does the Pegas solve that problem?

 

As Scott said.. you can see the top of the blade as the upper clamp is really designed similar to the DW788 in than aspect..  I have to be honest.. before buying the pegas clamp I was really not impressed with the Excalibur.. and was going to sell it.. Now I've been using it instead of the Hawk.. I like the more aggressive cutting ( faster ) than the Hawk.. yet I can tune the blade movement to be able to do those tight inside corners with ease.. and have a faster cutting saw. the original clamps was a pain for me to put blades in.. and might not have been so bad had I been a top feeder.. but dealing with the upper clamp on every fret... made me want to throw the darn saw in the trash can, LOL Now the blade changes are much like I'm used to with the DeWalt..  

[Woodmaster1]

I second all the comments made on the pegas blade chuck it is a great addition.

[Scrappile]

15 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Scott, I have recently acquired a used EX21 and am too new with it to have found anything to dislike. What exactly do you like about the Pegas clamps and what didn't you like about the originals? I'm just trying to put all the info together before I buy the Pegas. The one thing that I have found so far that I'm not sure I like is the upper blade mounting. It is difficult to get the blade inserted in the exact spot it needs to go. Nothing to keep it from going all the way up into the spring. On my Dewalt, it is an easy shot to just push the blade all the way into the clamp and tighten the clamp screw. Does the Pegas solve that problem?

 

Hummm, don't know if I can explain this in type but I will try.  When I put the blade in the top clamp, and I put it into the top clamp first (Were talking new blade or changing a blade), I hold the blade in my left hand between my index finger and thumb.  I slip it in at the correct height so only that amount is sticking above my index/thumb.  That is how I hold it at the correct height, my index finger is at the bottom of the clamp while I tighten the thumb screw... I them put the blade into the bottom clamp.  That make any sense? 

I just don't get it.  I do detailed fret work mostly, some pieces with several hundred cuts, and I have done it with Excalibur and Seyco (same clamps) and the only thing I have had to do with champs is, on the Ex, I wore out the tension lever on the clamp.  I replace it.  I just do not see the problem with the OEM clamps.  Maybe if I could try some Pegas clamps I would see it.  Maybe I need to get a set just to see what all the fuss is about....

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Hummm, don't know if I can explain this in type but I will try.  When I put the blade in the top clamp, and I put it into the top clamp first (Were talking new blade or changing a blade), I hold the blade in my left hand between my index finger and thumb.  I slip it in at the correct height so only that amount is sticking above my index/thumb.  That is how I hold it at the correct height, my index finger is at the bottom of the clamp while I tighten the thumb screw... I them put the blade into the bottom clamp.  That make any sense? 

I just don't get it.  I do detailed fret work mostly, some pieces with several hundred cuts, and I have done it with Excalibur and Seyco (same clamps) and the only thing I have had to do with champs is, on the Ex, I wore out the tension lever on the clamp.  I replace it.  I just do not see the problem with the OEM clamps.  Maybe if I could try some Pegas clamps I would see it.  Maybe I need to get a set just to see what all the fuss is about....

Well one thing in my experience with the stock clamp is the sliding part never worked very smooth.. so.. it never really un released the tension to the same spot every time.. so each time I did a fret cutout and went to the next hole.. the tension for the next hole was different than what I have previously set it at in my first install of the blade. and each time I change to a new fret to cut... I never had consistent tension every time all the time like I do with my Hawk saws..

One thing to note too.. the two pieces of the stock clamp that the one slides on the stationary one was a very sloppy fit together.. and was always getting cockeyed and jammed up and sticking.. probably some slick dry lube or something could have done wonders maybe for that stock clamp.. I just feel this design is very sloppy on the stock clamp for a...  what most would say is a higher end saw.. certainly not high end in my book with the poor clamping design.. otherwise the saw seems to be made very well.. Hawk / Hegner quality? No way!.. nice saw to use? Yes once I replace that clamp to the Pegas upgraded clamp..

So with that all said.. I too had trouble with mounting the blade in the clamp.. because my upper clamp didn't always release in the same position every time.. and you cannot see the blade way back there in the clamp to know where it's positioned at.. which your method sounds like it would work well.. and I think it could have been just a learning curve for many that are new to the saw.. In my case.. many have mentioned that I may have had a defective clamp.. could be I don't know.. I do know the design itself was very poor in my book.. the way it fit together to the fixed piece.. defective? Maybe.. and I hope so really.. if all of them are just made this sloppy I would think there would be many more complaints about this.. Most I've read is stripped out threads.. and I see that for the DeWalts as well.... though I've run my DeWalt for 10 years every day and 2 years on and off after that.. and it still has the same clamps and thumb screws etc...  

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Hummm, don't know if I can explain this in type but I will try.  When I put the blade in the top clamp, and I put it into the top clamp first (Were talking new blade or changing a blade), I hold the blade in my left hand between my index finger and thumb.  I slip it in at the correct height so only that amount is sticking above my index/thumb.  That is how I hold it at the correct height, my index finger is at the bottom of the clamp while I tighten the thumb screw... I them put the blade into the bottom clamp.  That make any sense? 

I just don't get it.  I do detailed fret work mostly, some pieces with several hundred cuts, and I have done it with Excalibur and Seyco (same clamps) and the only thing I have had to do with champs is, on the Ex, I wore out the tension lever on the clamp.  I replace it.  I just do not see the problem with the OEM clamps.  Maybe if I could try some Pegas clamps I would see it.  Maybe I need to get a set just to see what all the fuss is about....

Paul, I'll give your method a try. Another question.....I know this has probably been asked and answered a thousand times but here goes. Each clamp, both top and bottom has a thumb screw and the mating "anvil" on the opposite side. I have read both ways to adjust this anvil. I like it so it is set flush with the inside wall of the slot where the blade goes. But, from what I have read and heard, you are supposed to adjust it so it is partially into the slot and centered so the blade is centered in the slot. I find that makes it more difficult to install the blade. What is your take on this? Anybody else want to chime in?

 

[OCtoolguy]

7 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Well one thing in my experience with the stock clamp is the sliding part never worked very smooth.. so.. it never really un released the tension to the same spot every time.. so each time I did a fret cutout and went to the next hole.. the tension for the next hole was different than what I have previously set it at in my first install of the blade. and each time I change to a new fret to cut... I never had consistent tension every time all the time like I do with my Hawk saws..

One thing to note too.. the two pieces of the stock clamp that the one slides on the stationary one was a very sloppy fit together.. and was always getting cockeyed and jammed up and sticking.. probably some slick dry lube or something could have done wonders maybe for that stock clamp.. I just feel this design is very sloppy on the stock clamp for a...  what most would say is a higher end saw.. certainly not high end in my book with the poor clamping design.. otherwise the saw seems to be made very well.. Hawk / Hegner quality? No way!.. nice saw to use? Yes once I replace that clamp to the Pegas upgraded clamp..

So with that all said.. I too had trouble with mounting the blade in the clamp.. because my upper clamp didn't always release in the same position every time.. and you cannot see the blade way back there in the clamp to know where it's positioned at.. which your method sounds like it would work well.. and I think it could have been just a learning curve for many that are new to the saw.. In my case.. many have mentioned that I may have had a defective clamp.. could be I don't know.. I do know the design itself was very poor in my book.. the way it fit together to the fixed piece.. defective? Maybe.. and I hope so really.. if all of them are just made this sloppy I would think there would be many more complaints about this.. Most I've read is stripped out threads.. and I see that for the DeWalts as well.... though I've run my DeWalt for 10 years every day and 2 years on and off after that.. and it still has the same clamps and thumb screws etc...  

Kevin, I think you must have had a defective clamp as I find mine doesn't have that problem. My biggest gripe is in trying to get the blade in at the correct height but maybe Paul has the fix for that. I'm going to put a set of Pegas clamps into my budget in the near future and see if that fixes everything.

Oh, and my apology for seemingly hijacking this thread. I said I wasn't going to do that anymore but here I am doing it again.

 

[kmmcrafts]

8 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Paul, I'll give your method a try. Another question.....I know this has probably been asked and answered a thousand times but here goes. Each clamp, both top and bottom has a thumb screw and the mating "anvil" on the opposite side. I have read both ways to adjust this anvil. I like it so it is set flush with the inside wall of the slot where the blade goes. But, from what I have read and heard, you are supposed to adjust it so it is partially into the slot and centered so the blade is centered in the slot. I find that makes it more difficult to install the blade. What is your take on this? Anybody else want to chime in?

 

I center the blade as best I can on both top and bottom clamps.. then I use a small square to set the table to the blade.. then I use that square and manually raise and lower the saw through a cutting stroke with the square next to the blade to see that the blade is square to the table throughout the blade stroke.. I then adjust the anvil ( set screw ) either top or bottom so the blade it plumb to the table in both top and bottom clamps..

If you don't have a small square that will fit under the arm through the blade stroke a credit card or something comes in handy as a straight edge LOL

[Scrappile]

Oh ya, this is Travis' thread,,,, sorry I aided and abetted the hijacking!!  To be honest, though Ray I have never adjusted that screw on the left side.  I slipped a credit card up there once to check it and mine is and has always been just barely a fraction of an inch proud of the side of the clamp.  I could feel were it was with the card, but it didn't hinder the card at all. 

The only reason I would like to try a set of Pegas clamps is to see if I notice any difference in vibration.  Both my Ex and Seyco have a vibration that I can feel.  I have always attributed it to the stand I have used with both.  It is  home made and sitting on wheels.  The vibration is nothing I would give up my stand for.  I do not question that the Pegas clamp is better, in that it is made of better material.  And if I needed to change clamps because mine were bad, I would replace them with Pegas, but I can't afford the luxury of changing just because...