Excalibur Bearings = Junk Saw? ( Update It Runs Again )

[scrollingforsanity]

Yes you will probably get much higher quality bearings at a local shop. Ray at Seyco told me it was a crap shoot on the ones he had as they were made in China. You might get a good one and you might not. Good luck, I hope you get some good parts and get it up and running soon.

grizz 

[hotshot]

I had a chance at the big EX with stand from china, returned to Amazon, but still in the box.  Could have walked home with it for $250, but I had already talked to the folks at Woodcraft, and heard horror stories about those saws, so decided not to risk it.  Instead, carried a new in the box Delta home for $99, abeit there was some damage from shipping.  There were a couple of parts needing to be replaced.

So my main fear with Delta has always been support and parts.  Well, after all this time, parts is still an issue.  Delta listed the part an unavailable.  I ordered it from somewhere else, but it's been backordered for going on 6 weeks now.  Some have said that parts were not interchangeable with the new updated design, other have said the opposite.

Anyone have a junk Dewalt they can send me a part to try out on it?

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by hotshot

[OCtoolguy]

30 minutes ago, hotshot said:

I had a chance at the big EX with stand from china, returned to Amazon, but still in the box.  Could have walked home with it for $250, but I had already talked to the folks at Woodcraft, and heard horror stories about those saws, so decided not to risk it.  Instead, carried a new in the box Delta home for $99, abeit there was some damage from shipping.  There were a couple of parts needing to be replaced.

So my main fear with Delta has always been support and parts.  Well, after all this time, parts is still an issue.  Delta listed the part an unavailable.  I ordered it from somewhere else, but it's been backordered for going on 6 weeks now.  Some have said that parts were not interchangeable with the new updated design, other have said the opposite.

Anyone have a junk Dewalt they can send me a part to try out on it?

 

I don't have any parts but it might be helpful to know what you need. I know Amazing Kevin has a ton of Dewalts.

 

[hotshot]

4 hours ago, octoolguy said:

I don't have any parts but it might be helpful to know what you need. I know Amazing Kevin has a ton of Dewalts.

 

Not sure it would fit the new Delta, but here is the part on the Dewalt that is broke on my Delta:

Edited September 18, 2019 by hotshot

[dgman]

Randy, which model Delta is it? If it’s the older model, that part will for sure interchange. If it’s the current model, I don’t know if it will or not. I just junked a DeWALT saw. If you want to try it, I’ll send it to you. But understand that the bearings need to be replaced.

Send me a PM IF SO. 

[hotshot]

38 minutes ago, dgman said:

Randy, which model Delta is it? If it’s the older model, that part will for sure interchange. If it’s the current model, I don’t know if it will or not. I just junked a DeWALT saw. If you want to try it, I’ll send it to you. But understand that the bearings need to be replaced.

Send me a PM IF SO. 

You are right, the older model was different only in Paint, but this is the newer model is a slight departed from the 788 design, but not sure how much.  The bearings in the existing broken part is new and seems untouched from the damaging blow to the main part.. 

Edited September 19, 2019 by hotshot

[kmmcrafts]

What I'd like to know is what parts of the saw are made in China? would they really retool the whole saw and do the whole thing? Bearings are just bought from a bearing manufacture.. most likely in china for ALL saws whether made in Taiwan or China.. I doubt the motor is made from any place else.. I'd guess not a whole lot.. short of just assembling it I'd bet most all the parts are the same.. just assembled.. I don't know.. just seems odd to have the same saw made in two different locations.. Most the parts in the old EX was made in china anyway..

@hotshot I'd have took the deal on the big EX.. after all.. all the parts are still available from Ray... and other sources.. The expensive parts are the motor.. the rest is mostly bearings etc.. 

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, hotshot said:

Not sure it would fit the new Delta, but here is the part on the Dewalt that is broke on my Delta:

Well, the Delta, Dewalt and the EX's are supposed to be clones of one another so I'll bet they'll interchange. Ray at Seyco might know. You might be able to buy a part from him with the option to return it if it doesn't look like it would work. There are a ton of Dewalts around. It shouldn't be tough to find parts. Check with Amazing Kevin.

 

[kmmcrafts]

Well today.. inspecting all the parts etc. after cleaning them up and taking a closer look.. I think maybe the bearings did have grease.. I used a couple cans of brake cleaner and everything looked pretty good.. One sleeve was beat up a little but after cleaning it all up it was barely noticed with my finger nail.. so.. I took and cleaned them all up with some emery cloth and really not too bad of shape.. so I just greased everything up and they all see to feel smooth running so I put most of it back together tonight.. but i got stumped on a couple wires.. I took a picture of the wires from the motor etc at the circuit board.. but the two wires that I assume are grounds as they have a loop style end where a screw goes through.. One is green and the other is green with yellow stripe.. i can't remember where they were screwed too.. LOL Looked at my picture I took but they was already unhooked.... I believe one of them screws to the body of the saw right below the motor.. but not sure what one and where the other one goes.. Was getting tired so maybe when I go out in the morning I'll see here they go and think to myself duh.. LOL

I ended up taking the front rocker arms off and cleaning / greasing those bearings and sleeves etc too.. sure can tell it's smooth rolling just moving them by hand.. can't wait to fire the thing back up and see how it goes...  

Edited September 19, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[OCtoolguy]

15 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

What I'd like to know is what parts of the saw are made in China? would they really retool the whole saw and do the whole thing? Bearings are just bought from a bearing manufacture.. most likely in china for ALL saws whether made in Twain or China.. I doubt the motor is made from any place else.. I'd guess not a whole lot.. short of just assembling it I'd bet most all the parts are the same.. just assembled.. I don't know.. just seems odd to have the same saw made in two different locations.. Most the parts in the old EX was made in china anyway..

@hotshot I'd have took the deal on the big EX.. after all.. all the parts are still available from Ray... and other sources.. The expensive parts are the motor.. the rest is mostly bearings etc.. 

 

Kevin, I'm OCD and you misspelling Taiwan all the time is driving me nuts. It's TAIWAN! Write that on a wall somewhere so you won't forget. LOL.

 

[kmmcrafts]

That's funny, I didn't know how it was spelled and spell check keeps changing it to what I've been spelling it and I thought it looked funny but who's to question the computer.. 

[kmmcrafts]

Finished putting this back together this morning and dialed everything in.. Cut out some ornaments to be sure it still runs as it should.. All seems good.. Runs much quieter and smoother.. Should run a good amount of hours with the fresh cleaned up and a good grease added to it.. Now when running it I don't hear the Harley coming up the rd. like I did before.. Not a good sounding Harley either.. as I like the sounds a real Harley makes, but not so much when it's actually a China made scroll saw Harley  

[jbrowning]

Thanks goodness you got that Chinese made Harley put back together so you can get back to work! Glad it worked out for you.

[OCtoolguy]

It's great to hear that you have resurrected your saw Kevin. I was hoping you'd be able to "feel the love" as I do for mine. I'm still not feeling that way for my Hawk though. Not the saw itself. Just the fact that I can't get comfortable sitting at it. Too darned tall! I have a tall shop stool but I can't seem to get a foot switch/stool configuration that works for me. I really don't want to cut the legs down but if I can't come up with a design for a new stand, I might just sell it. 

[jbrowning]

Can you make a platform for the foot switch to set on?

Jim

[OCtoolguy]

6 hours ago, jbrowning said:

Can you make a platform for the foot switch to set on?

Jim

That is one option. The stool is first. I have to come up with something comfortable. Then a platform for the switch. It would have been so simple if Bushton would have just offered a short leg opton. I could spend $300 for the wheelchair leg set but that's more than I paid for the saw. Right now, it's not at the top of me list of things to work out. I will either come up with something workable or off the saw. In which case I'll start keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a Hegner. I sure wish the one I had would have worked out. But there again, the fix would have cost as much as I paid for the saw. A deal is only a deal if the final price is a deal. Oh well, it's a game just like buying/selling cars.

 

[Rockytime]

Can you just find a taller stool. The Hawk is tall. I even have mine raised with 3" casters. I just use a tall stool.

[kmmcrafts]

Not to put down a Hawk or Hegner but if you love the Excalibur so much and you sell off the Hawk.. why not just look for a second Excalibur if you want two saws.. I like the Excalibur enough that I'd probably buy another before i spend the money on another "New" Hawk.. That said.. a used Hawk is more appealing to me than a New EX Pegas etc saw because of the price points.. Now that I have finally dialed in my Excalibur I find it cuts much like the Hawk does.. but I do like the way Excalibur adjust the blade aggression over Hawks method.. The one place the Hawk shines much more is the durability..and easy rebuilding if one ever needed rebuilt .. The Excalibur rebuild is much easier and quicker than the DeWalt too.. Going to keep my eye out for a Hegner deal.. Should be a lot of them out there right now since i have no extra funds for one..   

[OCtoolguy]

16 hours ago, Rockytime said:

Can you just find a taller stool. The Hawk is tall. I even have mine raised with 3" casters. I just use a tall stool.

Les, I really want to have a shorter saw. But, if I could find a tall chair that is as comfortable as the office chair that I use at my EX, then I might be happy. I know it's just me being me but if it's not comfortable and easy to get in and out of, then it's not good. 

[OCtoolguy]

15 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Not to put down a Hawk or Hegner but if you love the Excalibur so much and you sell off the Hawk.. why not just look for a second Excalibur if you want two saws.. I like the Excalibur enough that I'd probably buy another before i spend the money on another "New" Hawk.. That said.. a used Hawk is more appealing to me than a New EX Pegas etc saw because of the price points.. Now that I have finally dialed in my Excalibur I find it cuts much like the Hawk does.. but I do like the way Excalibur adjust the blade aggression over Hawks method.. The one place the Hawk shines much more is the durability..and easy rebuilding if one ever needed rebuilt .. The Excalibur rebuild is much easier and quicker than the DeWalt too.. Going to keep my eye out for a Hegner deal.. Should be a lot of them out there right now since i have no extra funds for one..   

I primarily bought the Hawk because many of the Villagers praised them so highly and a deal came along that I couldn't pass up. If the Hegner had worked out, there would not have been a Hawk in my shop. I really wanted to experience the different type of mechanisms. I like how the Hawk cuts and it is fairly smooth. Time will tell. I have also thought about watching for a really good deal on an older Hegner. If I could pick one up cheap, I wouldn't mind paying to add all the latest upgrades. I passed one up recently for $150. I should have bought and just set it aside until I figure out what to do about the Hawk. And....the idea of 2 Ex's is enticing too.

[Rockytime]

I would like a saw low enough to use an office chair. That can only happen by building a low stand which I won't and can't do. I think saw stands are tall to accommodate scrollers that saw standing. The Hawk can only be purchased with legs because of the way they are constructed. However,  they should make them available with adjustable legs. The legs could be two piece with a series of holes for adjusting. The Hegner is sold with the legs optional. 

[hotshot]

11 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

I would like a saw low enough to use an office chair. That can only happen by building a low stand which I won't and can't do. I think saw stands are tall to accommodate scrollers that saw standing. The Hawk can only be purchased with legs because of the way they are constructed. However,  they should make them available with adjustable legs. The legs could be two piece with a series of holes for adjusting. The Hegner is sold with the legs optional. 

The Hawk has an interesting configuration built for folks in wheelchairs.  If someone had the space, that might be an interesting option.  (edit:  Crap, just saw OCToolGuy mentioned that above)

 

-----Randy

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by hotshot

[Rockytime]

There is a wheelchair Hawk on craigslist for $800. Space is a big problem as is the price. 

[kmmcrafts]

28 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

There is a wheelchair Hawk on craigslist for $800. Space is a big problem as is the price. 

 

33 minutes ago, hotshot said:

The Hawk has an interesting configuration built for folks in wheelchairs.  If someone had the space, that might be an interesting option.  (edit:  Crap, just saw OCToolGuy mentioned that above)

 

-----Randy

 

Hawk also has a "table top" leg set.. or at least the use to have it.. just real short legs.. maybe 8" high? with rubber feet pads mounted on the bottom of them.. 

Of all the saws I've had.. the DeWalt stand was the best of them with the adjustable tilt etc.. and narrow enough to sort of straddle the stand..  The stand that came with my Delta SS350 and my Dremel 1800 wasn't too bad either.. The height of Hawk stand and figuring out what how to set up my foot switch etc.. took a long time to get used to it.. By far the worst stand for me has been the Excalibur.. The stand is quite a lot wider than the rest of the stands and no way to really straddle it.. figuring out where to put you're legs etc was troublesome for me.. That said.. The Excalibur runs smooth enough I doubt you'd really need it on the stand like you would with some of the other saws.. I ran my EX on the bench with the rubber feet things it came with for a while ...just i had to keep moving the saw off the bench to do anything else so i bought a stand made for it.. 

Edited September 20, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[OCtoolguy]

I passed up a deal a while back on a Hawk that had the wheelchair set up. The seller only wanted $250 for the whole thing. What stopped me is that he lived up in the high desert in an area that is known for high crime. I didn't want to have to drive the 100 miles each way to see it and also to take the chance on getting robbed. So, I passed on it. I really should have just loaded up my pistola and gone for it. Oh well...............