DeWalt Arm Lifter

[Fedido]

I normally don’t write reviews for items, however; I made a quarantine buy. Ordered it through Papa’s workshop and it arrived today. Instructions were so easy, a caveman could do it. Finally sat down to try it rather than a block of wood and all I can say is why didn’t I do this sooner. Makes scrolling even easier. Only reason I am writing this is in case someone was on the fence like I was. Best 45 dollars I have spent all lock down! 

[trackman]

Always wounded why DeWalt never improved their saws after seeing how easy EX does it. 

[OCtoolguy]

18 minutes ago, trackman said:

Always wounded why DeWalt never improved their saws after seeing how easy EX does it. 

Or better yet, why no incorporate a similar item on their saws? I myself put the Jim Dandy arm lift on my Dewalt and it worked great. At only $25 it was a very good investment. Now, I have 2 Excaliburs so the subject is moot at my house.

 

[Wilson142]

Yeah, I've decided to bite the bullet and order one myself. If it wasn't for the lock down, I'd just make my own. I don't mind the cost of the lifter, it's $8.00  shipping for a $32.00 item that annoys me. I guess Amazon Prime has spoiled me.

[jollyred]

I've used the lifter for over a year now, and really like it.  Makes using the 788 a lot easier.

Tom

[Fedido]

Thank you all for the comments. Hopefully someone will find this useful in aiding In a decision. 

[Paladin]

Started with the jim dandy on mine, but the slot in the bar started wearing a notch in it after a few years so it stopped sliding correctly.  Got the Lifter from Papa's and it worked great for years before I sold the saw.

[Bill WIlson]

I had the Jim Dandy on my Dewalt for several years.  It was still on it when I sold it a few years ago. I presume it's still on the saw.  Some time ago, a member of my scroll saw club came up with a home made design he offered to club members.  I bought one at the time, thinking mine would eventually wear out.  I sent it along with the Dewalt when I sold it.  Once I had the lift installed and got used to it, it was like a footswitch, I would never want to be without it.  I have an EX-21 now.  The ability to have the upper arm stay raised is an absolute must for me.

[amazingkevin]

I need my head examined. I have something that is spring loaded to keep the arm raised but forgot the name and for years now the radio hanging above it keeps me from using it ,go figure .I just got used to it .

[kmmcrafts]

I wish they all would design them to be spring loaded like the Hawk and ( I think ) Hegner.. So much nicer not to even have to take the time to raise it up.. once blade is unhooked the arm goes up on it's own and out of the way.. Nice when a blade breaks too.. as the upper arm doesn't keep running.. 

[heppnerguy]

4 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I wish they all would design them to be spring loaded like the Hawk and ( I think ) Hegner.. So much nicer not to even have to take the time to raise it up.. once blade is unhooked the arm goes up on it's own and out of the way.. Nice when a blade breaks too.. as the upper arm doesn't keep running.. 

I did not know about this feature on the Hawk. I bought an older Hawk at an estate sale for $65. I was not used much before I found it. I really found that I likes the DeWalt better but I also know the Hawk is a better made saw and will probably last forever. I do not like the tension being at the back of the saw and the blade change on it was way too long to do. I ended up giving the saw to my daughter , who can do really nice work on it. I do not believe that the saw I gave her had the automatic arm raise on it and it probably has a couple of pieces that should be replaced on it, to make it work more efficiently. That said, if  I had allowed myself to do more research on it, I probably could have learned to like it better. It did not have the auto tension knob on the front of it and the blade change was really annoying to me.  Like any saw that is not really working as it should, one could come to not like it much, very quickly. I still believe I was the main cause for not liking it much, for not taking the time to find out what to do to make it work properly, as it was designed to do.

Dick

heppnerguy

 

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, heppnerguy said:

I did not know about this feature on the Hawk. I bought an older Hawk at an estate sale for $65. I was not used much before I found it. I really found that I likes the DeWalt better but I also know the Hawk is a better made saw and will probably last forever. I do not like the tension being at the back of the saw and the blade change on it was way too long to do. I ended up giving the saw to my daughter , who can do really nice work on it. I do not believe that the saw I gave her had the automatic arm raise on it and it probably has a couple of pieces that should be replaced on it, to make it work more efficiently. That said, if  I had allowed myself to do more research on it, I probably could have learned to like it better. It did not have the auto tension knob on the front of it and the blade change was really annoying to me.  Like any saw that is not really working as it should, one could come to not like it much, very quickly. I still believe I was the main cause for not liking it much, for not taking the time to find out what to do to make it work properly, as it was designed to do.

Dick

heppnerguy

 

Dick, all the Hawks have a spring loaded upper arm that will raise by itself when you either break a blade or undo the upper blade clamp. The arm has a spring at the rear of it and once you load the blade and adjust the tension, you should not have to mess with that adjustment again unless you change blade types/sizes. It is pretty much a constant. 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, heppnerguy said:

I did not know about this feature on the Hawk. I bought an older Hawk at an estate sale for $65. I was not used much before I found it. I really found that I likes the DeWalt better but I also know the Hawk is a better made saw and will probably last forever. I do not like the tension being at the back of the saw and the blade change on it was way too long to do. I ended up giving the saw to my daughter , who can do really nice work on it. I do not believe that the saw I gave her had the automatic arm raise on it and it probably has a couple of pieces that should be replaced on it, to make it work more efficiently. That said, if  I had allowed myself to do more research on it, I probably could have learned to like it better. It did not have the auto tension knob on the front of it and the blade change was really annoying to me.  Like any saw that is not really working as it should, one could come to not like it much, very quickly. I still believe I was the main cause for not liking it much, for not taking the time to find out what to do to make it work properly, as it was designed to do.

Dick

heppnerguy

 

Well you either had a very old saw or the smaller version.. because all the others have the tension release at the front of the saw.. this tells me you had a Hawk that used the round barrel type clamps.. and a lot of people disliked those.. It was either people loved them or hated them, LOL.. and it was mostly about the round clamps..the tension is really finicky on those.. so that is probably why you didn't like it..

As for the arm not coming up automatically.. may have been it was missing or had a weak spring at the back of the saw.. My older one much like you describe now has a weak spring and sometimes it doesn't come up like it should.. So I need to pick one up at the hardware or order one from Hawk.. I wanted to get one from the hardware store, but this virus stuff prevents me from going out except for groceries and that's only every 3-4 weeks.. 

[OCtoolguy]

Kevin, we go shopping at will. Some places demand a face covering but we have not been turned away anywhere. BUT we still have not been able to find good paper towels. Cheap ones are available at Walmart but those don't last long.

[Rockytime]

Out Home Depot is open. Have not tried Lowes. ACE Hardware is open.

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

Kevin, we go shopping at will. Some places demand a face covering but we have not been turned away anywhere. BUT we still have not been able to find good paper towels. Cheap ones are available at Walmart but those don't last long.

Yeah same here Ray.. supplies are short and what is available is the junk that nobody else wants either, LOL,.. As for the spring.. the governor here has us on a strict lock-down.. she shut down garden stores, can't buy paints etc etc.. I'm sure you've seen something on the news.. as there have been protest etc.. I guess I better stop on that topic before I take this post to a political level.. SO.. I'll just say this..  My wife is immune compromised due to immune suppressing meds for her crohn's disease.. and my mother inlaw has nearly end stage COPD and her guy friend was just diagnosed with lung cancer last year and they just found it's now in his brain too.. so these people we take care of are compromised.. so I'm not going out unless I have too anyway.. I'm not afraid of getting it.. but am afraid to pass it onto someone else so.. 

We live in the boonies.. as you know... and in the winter ( really all the year long but more so in winter ) we bulk buy most everything anyway.. do a lot of shopping at Sams club to bulk buy.. have big chest freezer to keep foods for a long time.. so just going shopping every 3-4 weeks.. We almost always have 2 weeks worth of things still when we go shopping to restock.. Just the way we was raised living out here as kids.. and we still do this ourselves today..LOL

I'm not even sure the hardware stores are open the way they locked down our state.. I know that Walmart is not allowed to sell anything non essential.. But who decides whether a spring is essential.. I guess our governor knows what is and isn't and only thing we can buy basically is food.. LOL  Anyway, I better quit, probably already too political of a reply..

[OCtoolguy]

4 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah same here Ray.. supplies are short and what is available is the junk that nobody else wants either, LOL,.. As for the spring.. the governor here has us on a strict lock-down.. she shut down garden stores, can't buy paints etc etc.. I'm sure you've seen something on the news.. as there have been protest etc.. I guess I better stop on that topic before I take this post to a political level.. SO.. I'll just say this..  My wife is immune compromised due to immune suppressing meds for her crohn's disease.. and my mother inlaw has nearly end stage COPD and her guy friend was just diagnosed with lung cancer last year and they just found it's now in his brain too.. so these people we take care of are compromised.. so I'm not going out unless I have too anyway.. I'm not afraid of getting it.. but am afraid to pass it onto someone else so.. 

We live in the boonies.. as you know... and in the winter ( really all the year long but more so in winter ) we bulk buy most everything anyway.. do a lot of shopping at Sams club to bulk buy.. have big chest freezer to keep foods for a long time.. so just going shopping every 3-4 weeks.. We almost always have 2 weeks worth of things still when we go shopping to restock.. Just the way we was raised living out here as kids.. and we still do this ourselves today..LOL

I'm not even sure the hardware stores are open the way they locked down our state.. I know that Walmart is not allowed to sell anything non essential.. But who decides whether a spring is essential.. I guess our governor knows what is and isn't and only thing we can buy basically is food.. LOL  Anyway, I better quit, probably already too political of a reply..

I understand your situation completely. Everybody has a different situation. That's why it's so ludicrous for them to keep saying we are all in this together. We may all be in the same storm but we are most all in different boats and some will make it far better than others.

 

[Heli_av8tor]

I posted the arm lifter I made for my DeWalt. Now that I've used it over a year I can say that I can't imagine anything simpler or more efficient. The only thing that didn't come from my scrap box was the Genuine DeWalt screws I ordered to attach it. I wouldn't had had that expense if I wasn't so anal.

Here's a link the the topic:

 

[heppnerguy]

5 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Well you either had a very old saw or the smaller version.. because all the others have the tension release at the front of the saw.. this tells me you had a Hawk that used the round barrel type clamps.. and a lot of people disliked those.. It was either people loved them or hated them, LOL.. and it was mostly about the round clamps..the tension is really finicky on those.. so that is probably why you didn't like it..

As for the arm not coming up automatically.. may have been it was missing or had a weak spring at the back of the saw.. My older one much like you describe now has a weak spring and sometimes it doesn't come up like it should.. So I need to pick one up at the hardware or order one from Hawk.. I wanted to get one from the hardware store, but this virus stuff prevents me from going out except for groceries and that's only every 3-4 weeks.. 

your  are right about the round barrel type clamps. It may have had the auto arm lifter, I really am not sure. I never used it much. I know it is an extremely well made saw. It was just a hassle to use and when I got my  DeWalt, I found it so much easier and nicer to use. You are very correct about the saw. It  was still a great buy at $65

Dick

heppnerguy

[kmmcrafts]

9 minutes ago, Heli_av8tor said:

 Now that I've used it over a year I can say that I can't imagine anything simpler or more efficient.

 

I thought the same thing when I had the Jim Dandy easy lift on my DeWalt.. But then when I got the Hawk.. I realized how much simpler yet that they are.. The EX is better than the DeWalt as you don't have to buy / make things to make it stay up.. But after having used the Hawk with the spring loaded arm.. I just don't think it gets any better than that.. well also the Hegner too I think 

[Heli_av8tor]

The woodshop at the Arizona RV resort I winter at has a DeWalt that someone has added a spring contraption to lift the arm. 

I've found it annoying for it to pop up when releasing a blade and tough to hold it down to reinstall. Maybe it's sprung too heavily or I didn't give it enough time before moving to another saw.

On a related note, they have a couple new Delta saws. They have a button to push in the hold the arm up. However, the button is at the back and is a stretch to reach. Additionally, it allows the arm to come back down far enough to be useless.

Couldn't wait to get back to my saw.

[kmmcrafts]

Probably was too heavy of a spring.. Someday I'm going to have a Hegner to try out.. but the Hawk spring has just enough tension to raise it but not enough that I even notice to bring it back down.. Maybe it's getting worn some.. My older Hawk needs help sometimes for it to go up on its own.. so that shows how weak it is.. The newest Hawk I have not run in 4 months or so.. I do remember it having more tension on it to bring it back down.. but not a lot.. Much easier that the EX as you raise and lower it every time and that upper arm for a weak person could get quite tiring.. Especially someone that had some sort of health issues..   

[Roberta Moreton]

21 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah same here Ray.. supplies are short and what is available is the junk that nobody else wants either, LOL,.. As for the spring.. the governor here has us on a strict lock-down.. she shut down garden stores, can't buy paints etc etc.. I'm sure you've seen something on the news.. as there have been protest etc.. I guess I better stop on that topic before I take this post to a political level.. SO.. I'll just say this..  My wife is immune compromised due to immune suppressing meds for her crohn's disease.. and my mother inlaw has nearly end stage COPD and her guy friend was just diagnosed with lung cancer last year and they just found it's now in his brain too.. so these people we take care of are compromised.. so I'm not going out unless I have too anyway.. I'm not afraid of getting it.. but am afraid to pass it onto someone else so.. 

We live in the boonies.. as you know... and in the winter ( really all the year long but more so in winter ) we bulk buy most everything anyway.. do a lot of shopping at Sams club to bulk buy.. have big chest freezer to keep foods for a long time.. so just going shopping every 3-4 weeks.. We almost always have 2 weeks worth of things still when we go shopping to restock.. Just the way we was raised living out here as kids.. and we still do this ourselves today..LOL

I'm not even sure the hardware stores are open the way they locked down our state.. I know that Walmart is not allowed to sell anything non essential.. But who decides whether a spring is essential.. I guess our governor knows what is and isn't and only thing we can buy basically is food.. LOL  Anyway, I better quit, probably already too political of a reply..

We are of the age that we are on the endangered species list. I found Instacart. I order my groceries, someone shops for me, while texting so I can approve what ever replacement might be necessary, I pay through the app. Groceries are delivered to my porch. NO CONTACT, NO GOING OUT. 
I may never go into another grocery store, they also do CVS. Now, if I could just find toilet paper. 

[kmmcrafts]

2 minutes ago, Roberta Moreton said:

We are of the age that we are on the endangered species list. I found Instacart. I order my groceries, someone shops for me, while texting so I can approve what ever replacement might be necessary, I pay through the app. Groceries are delivered to my porch. NO CONTACT, NO GOING OUT. 
I may never go into another grocery store, they also do CVS. Now, if I could just find toilet paper. 

We looked into the online shopping thing.. I'm not sure there is a insta-cart here, maybe look into it.. We have a shipt shoppers program that we thought about looking into.. My wife got a app for sams club because she seen where you can shop online and they'll bring your order out to the pick-up area.. But after shopping realized they don't do anything refrigerated or frozen, LOL.. so we kinda gave up on the programs and just go out..

[Roberta Moreton]

1 minute ago, kmmcrafts said:

We looked into the online shopping thing.. I'm not sure there is a insta-cart here, maybe look into it.. We have a shipt shoppers program that we thought about looking into.. My wife got a app for sams club because she seen where you can shop online and they'll bring your order out to the pick-up area.. But after shopping realized they don't do anything refrigerated or frozen, LOL.. so we kinda gave up on the programs and just go out..

 

1 minute ago, kmmcrafts said:

We looked into the online shopping thing.. I'm not sure there is a insta-cart here, maybe look into it.. We have a shipt shoppers program that we thought about looking into.. My wife got a app for sams club because she seen where you can shop online and they'll bring your order out to the pick-up area.. But after shopping realized they don't do anything refrigerated or frozen, LOL.. so we kinda gave up on the programs and just go out..

After you download the app you will put in your zip code. They tell you what stores you can use. We were not real comfortable with the pick up thing. My car is very small and a hatchback. I don’t want people that close.