Hold Down Foot

[WayneMahler]

First thing I did when I got my EX-21 was to eliminate it. Never seen any thing good about it. It provides no useful purpose the way I see it. JMO everyone is different  

[NC Scroller]

The only saw I use that still has the hold down is the one my club owns.  We use it for demos and teaching.  The only real purpose to keeping them is to keep the lawyers and insurance company happy.  

 

There is an old scrollers joke I once heard.  I will spare you most of it but the punch line goes something like this: " Yes, I cut did cut my finger off with my scroll saw and I only had to change blades 3 times."

[meflick]

All are off the saws and in a drawer too - because we don't throw "tool" things away around here either. 

[heppnerguy]

GONE.  THEY ARE JUST IN THE WAY.

Dick

heppnerguy

[MrsN]

The one for my saw at home is gone. I moved a few times and I think it didn't make the cut in one of them, although it might still be in the bottom of one of the drawers.

At school I leave them on. I explain to the kids what they are and how to adjust them. I also tell them why I don't use the hold down. About half of the kids use it.

[davidg]

I believe that when I purchased my Hegner, the hold-down was an optional extra (and a very expensive one at that). Thankfully I didn't take up the offer of purchase, but have found the holes for the hold-down to attach to be useful for mounting the air blower loc-line and a guitar tuner (for blade tensioning).

[crupiea]

I used mine probably longer than most did. Once i finally got sick of it I realized that I did not need it.

[Sycamore67]

I have never used the hold down foot.

[jerry1939]

What is this strange "Hold Down Foot" of which you folks speak?  Mine goes out with the box the saw was shipped in.  

jerry

[Woodmaster1]

Took mine off as soon as I could. It's in a drawer with the original blade chucks and parts from other machines changed out to improve the machines.

[Woodrush]

I've never used it. Even when I first started I tried it once then threw it in the garbage

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

You all realize you paid for that piece when you bought your saw

[Bill WIlson]

20 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

You all realize you paid for that piece when you bought your saw

Which is why I didn't throw it away.  I might not ever use it.  I might not even know where it is.  But, I know I still have it. 

[dennis123]

Yeh, I'm sure mine's around here someplace.  Just haven't seen it for several years.

 

Dennis

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

2 hours ago, Bill WIlson said:

Which is why I didn't throw it away.  I might not ever use it.  I might not even know where it is.  But, I know I still have it. 

Same here Bill. Have 4 saws so have 4 of them somewhere taking up valuable real estate. 

[kmmcrafts]

3 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

You all realize you paid for that piece when you bought your saw

You also paid for the packaging and box it came in.. which is why I still have the box for my DeWalt, EX, Hawk ultra, and the new Hawk, LOL  Good thing I have two large shops both with attics.. and lofts.. Wonder if I could sell the DeWalt as new since I still have the box etc..  Actually I may have threw them out now that I think about it.. I do know I have the EX box and the new Hawk box.. but I did do some cleaning out early in the year last year.. so I may have tossed those other boxes..  

[OCtoolguy]

Step 1....Remove from saw.
Step 2...Lay side with rod touching floor.
Step 3...Slide rod under bottom edge of door.
Step 4...Gently tap hold down foot with tip of shoe so as to wedge rod under door."
Step 5...Leave in this position until ready to close door.

 

[stoney]

Wow, I am kind of surprised some of the older members here don't seem to use the holddown.   It is probably true that they are provided mostly for liability reasons but I do find them useful for some projects especially with thicker materials.   I have arthritis in my hands and find the hold down really helps with pain and fatigue.   I don't use it often but it is right there when I need it.   At least on my Hegner the hold down can be positioned up out of the way so it doesn't interfere when not in use.    

[CharleyL]

They are still on my saws, but I don't use them myself. I have them there for my students, as some seem to need the hold downs when first learning to scroll saw. It's a safety device for them, until they get used  to holding their work down. After that, even they want it out of the way. I just turn them backwards, set them as high as possible, and leave them there, until the next newbie begins using the saw.

Charley

[kmmcrafts]

3 hours ago, stoney said:

Wow, I am kind of surprised some of the older members here don't seem to use the holddown.   It is probably true that they are provided mostly for liability reasons but I do find them useful for some projects especially with thicker materials.   I have arthritis in my hands and find the hold down really helps with pain and fatigue.   I don't use it often but it is right there when I need it.   At least on my Hegner the hold down can be positioned up out of the way so it doesn't interfere when not in use.    

I was actually thinking about trying it on my new Hawk for the bigger things I make.. since I have to take the arm off if I want to remove it completely.. I've never even tried to use the thing.. so maybe I'm missing out..Since you brought this up.. I'm going to try it on purpose to see if it's something I really want to take the saw apart just to remove it..

[Rob]

On 4/2/2019 at 3:53 PM, kmmcrafts said:

I'm guessing but, I bet they are required to have it on there when sold new.. Probably some idiot scratched their finger or the wood started bouncing and pinched their finger.. and thus.. a safety device was invented and required to be on any new machine.. Now.. to me it's more of a safety hazard on there than off.. but that's just me... gotta remember.. they have some real dumb people in this world.. since they now have to mark coffee cups with  Caution Hot now days..  warning labels and caution signs all over the place these days.. Surprised they don't have a warning to not change the tire on a car while it's in motion, LOL

We do things slightly differently here in NZ..... 

[Scrappile]

@Rob, I do love that sign!  Almost tempted to scroll it!

[Fran L]

Was  a pain on my Craftsman. After a few projects I even figured out it was more in the way and made it harder to turn the wood. It’s still on there, just raised it up out of the way. The one with my new Delta came unattached. Never even tried to figure out how it goes on.

[Ran]

I don't use it. I started out using it but vary fast I took it right off of my saw. I feel it was the problem why my blades were breaking. I have no trouble now.