Dream Scroll Saw

[SCROLLERNATION]

Lets talk what everyones dream scroll saw would be.  If you could wiggle your nose and have a saw appear in front of you right now.  What would it look like? What color would it be?  What size? What features would it have?  

[kmmcrafts]

I'm not sure what my "dream saw" would be and I like each of my saws for different reasons, so I doubt you could make the perfect saw for me, LOL Such as.. I like the short arms of the EX and that the blade aggression can be fine tuned.. even on the straightest up down movement it still a little more aggressive than the Hawk is.. so in cutting thicker materials I like using the EX.. I like the larger throat of the Hawk.. and it's a great all around saw.. I think a little more robust than the EX type saws. 

Something to think about in designing a saw in my mind is.. what is already out there.. is there something people look for in particular.. what mods do people do to improve the saws they have.. 

Saw size and weight come to mind.. Lots of options in the 18 - 22 inch size.. not much out there for small compact lightweight "travel" saws.. Hegner makes the small 14" saw but it's single speed.. Hawk used to make 12, 14, 16, inch saws.. which was mostly single speed too.. a few VS not many though. Hawk and EX seem to be the only ones making anything larger than 22". 

A lot of folks are disconnecting the air blower and making a dust collection for both top and bottom of saw collection.. seems to be a smarter way to collect it and control it at the source rather than blowing it into the air and having it land all over the other tools, cars, etc.. But that would be a costly saw to have a onboard vacuum system.. not everyone would want that. 

I like the tilting saw head over the tilting table.. even though I rarely tilt my saws.. having a knob and is geared to make the fine tuned adjustments is a nice feature.. sure beats tapping the table to get it just in the right spot..

I have no experience with the Jet saw but that upper clamp that tensions and clamps the blade in one simple lever is pretty intriguing and the only one of it's kind. I'm sure it could be really nice for a lot of fretwork type cutting. I've tossed the idea of buying one just to see how I'd like it.. I always say my saw of choice if I were to buy a new one is a Pegas.. But that Jet clamp makes me thing hard about going that route too.. Pegas clamps are awesome.. but I'm fascinated by those Jet upper clamps. 

Years ago old equipment used to have little oil ports on them.. not sure you've ever seen them.. Just a little tube like thing above a bearing and it had a spring loaded flapper top on it.. it allowed you to push the cap up to open it and place a couple drops of oil to a bearing.. Hawk and Hegner saws are not enclosed in covers etc but most other saws are.. and not any easy way to lube them.. though having them enclosed helps keep dust and dirt out of the bearings too.

Having an hour meter on a saw is nice for doing scheduled maintenance, and maybe a nice feature for a warranty. But then.. there are not too many folks putting 800 hours on a saw per year either so maybe not a big deal to most.. could be to you though if you're supplying a hefty warranty. Also a dead giveaway on how much value a used saw is if one is shopping used saws.       

 

[Roberta Moreton]

For me, the DW 788 is just about perfect. No adjustments necessary, it just works. Pure and simple. The only thing I wished it had is rack and pinion table tilt. 

[SCROLLERNATION]

6 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I'm not sure what my "dream saw" would be and I like each of my saws for different reasons, so I doubt you could make the perfect saw for me, LOL Such as.. I like the short arms of the EX and that the blade aggression can be fine tuned.. even on the straightest up down movement it still a little more aggressive than the Hawk is.. so in cutting thicker materials I like using the EX.. I like the larger throat of the Hawk.. and it's a great all around saw.. I think a little more robust than the EX type saws. 

Something to think about in designing a saw in my mind is.. what is already out there.. is there something people look for in particular.. what mods do people do to improve the saws they have.. 

Saw size and weight come to mind.. Lots of options in the 18 - 22 inch size.. not much out there for small compact lightweight "travel" saws.. Hegner makes the small 14" saw but it's single speed.. Hawk used to make 12, 14, 16, inch saws.. which was mostly single speed too.. a few VS not many though. Hawk and EX seem to be the only ones making anything larger than 22". 

A lot of folks are disconnecting the air blower and making a dust collection for both top and bottom of saw collection.. seems to be a smarter way to collect it and control it at the source rather than blowing it into the air and having it land all over the other tools, cars, etc.. But that would be a costly saw to have a onboard vacuum system.. not everyone would want that. 

I like the tilting saw head over the tilting table.. even though I rarely tilt my saws.. having a knob and is geared to make the fine tuned adjustments is a nice feature.. sure beats tapping the table to get it just in the right spot..

I have no experience with the Jet saw but that upper clamp that tensions and clamps the blade in one simple lever is pretty intriguing and the only one of it's kind. I'm sure it could be really nice for a lot of fretwork type cutting. I've tossed the idea of buying one just to see how I'd like it.. I always say my saw of choice if I were to buy a new one is a Pegas.. But that Jet clamp makes me thing hard about going that route too.. Pegas clamps are awesome.. but I'm fascinated by those Jet upper clamps. 

Years ago old equipment used to have little oil ports on them.. not sure you've ever seen them.. Just a little tube like thing above a bearing and it had a spring loaded flapper top on it.. it allowed you to push the cap up to open it and place a couple drops of oil to a bearing.. Hawk and Hegner saws are not enclosed in covers etc but most other saws are.. and not any easy way to lube them.. though having them enclosed helps keep dust and dirt out of the bearings too.

Having an hour meter on a saw is nice for doing scheduled maintenance, and maybe a nice feature for a warranty. But then.. there are not too many folks putting 800 hours on a saw per year either so maybe not a big deal to most.. could be to you though if you're supplying a hefty warranty. Also a dead giveaway on how much value a used saw is if one is shopping used saws.       

 

But what about the color?  

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, SCROLLERNATION said:

But what about the color?  

I'm not worried about colors.. functionality is where its at for me, LOL. That said.. Pegas saws look pretty sharp with the two tone paint.. Excalibur made a black and gold anniversary edition a few years ago that looked pretty cool. That new WEN looks pretty sharp with the orange and black so maybe a two tone paint scheme...  

[SCROLLERNATION]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

I'm not worried about colors.. functionality is where its at for me, LOL. That said.. Pegas saws look pretty sharp with the two tone paint.. Excalibur made a black and gold anniversary edition a few years ago that looked pretty cool. That new WEN looks pretty sharp with the orange and black so maybe a two tone paint scheme...  

sea foam green or teal, turquoise or lime green?  It has to look cool too!  Gotta get your cake and eat it too lol anodized with a candy paint color?   Aluminum with a see through candy apple red?   Or a saw that comes in available colors? I may buy the wen just for fun. I wanna see what its like.  Put it on my tool box.  Put some leds in it for hangar parties haha

[danny]

Plain and Simple....  Brand New 22" Hegner....  :+}

 

[crupiea]

It would have some sort of balance wheel like a sewing machine so I could go one stroke at a time in tight areas by turning the wheel by hand. 

Also it would use most of the blade.  It has to be able to go super slow as well. Again, like an industrial sewing machine can if you finesse it right. 

[lawson56]

I would like a 30 inch Original Hegner, super quite, With all the bells and whistles a scroll saw could have. Red White and Blue.

[TAIrving]

Mine would need to be vibration free and support top feeding.  

[SCROLLERNATION]

Love the responses

[kmmcrafts]

Interesting to see what is important to others.. and how many are just happy with the saw they have etc. I think something else that would be interesting is if everyone could "try" each brand of saw just to hear their comparisons on them.. Many folks have only had one saw or maybe two.. and have not had the luxury to try other saws.. I see lots of folks on the FB groups that love their Harbor Freight or other very low end entry level saw.. I'm not knocking those saws as they do serve some folks very well for their expectations. 

After using the Hawks for several years now, I'd have a hard time going back to a DeWalt, not that the DW is a bad saw it's the luxuries of the Hawk that make one realize how nice it is to have a saws upper arm just go up on it's own.. Even the Excalibur is a bit of a pain in the behind to have to "lift" the upper arm up to change to different holes etc.. The small luxuries you get used to and then go back to a saw where the arm has to be lifted up OR like the DW where you have to lift it and either hold it or prop it up or buy a lifter / jim dandy easy lift etc.. Guess I'm spoiled but I'd have a hard time going back to one of the old saws I've had in the past.. and to think now about how the DW was such an upgrade to the saw before it, LOL They're all good saws.. just some are the difference from a Ford Pinto vrs a Crown Victoria LOL                                   

[SCROLLERNATION]

49 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Interesting to see what is important to others.. and how many are just happy with the saw they have etc. I think something else that would be interesting is if everyone could "try" each brand of saw just to hear their comparisons on them.. Many folks have only had one saw or maybe two.. and have not had the luxury to try other saws.. I see lots of folks on the FB groups that love their Harbor Freight or other very low end entry level saw.. I'm not knocking those saws as they do serve some folks very well for their expectations. 

After using the Hawks for several years now, I'd have a hard time going back to a DeWalt, not that the DW is a bad saw it's the luxuries of the Hawk that make one realize how nice it is to have a saws upper arm just go up on it's own.. Even the Excalibur is a bit of a pain in the behind to have to "lift" the upper arm up to change to different holes etc.. The small luxuries you get used to and then go back to a saw where the arm has to be lifted up OR like the DW where you have to lift it and either hold it or prop it up or buy a lifter / jim dandy easy lift etc.. Guess I'm spoiled but I'd have a hard time going back to one of the old saws I've had in the past.. and to think now about how the DW was such an upgrade to the saw before it, LOL They're all good saws.. just some are the difference from a Ford Pinto vrs a Crown Victoria LOL                                   

Push start fiat lol. I got a dewalt for my dad and out everything on it.  He didn’t like it.  It has a real aggression problem this one. The only saw I hve not tried is the new Hawk but that about to change.  I still want a G4 too because thats been a dream for a while now.  On my 30” KXL i adjusted that arm holder so it barely catches.  I really love that saw but hate pushing that arm up.  10 hours later your done for sure.  I wish the King I have had a bigger front part of the table and the old tension system the first purple excaliburs had.  Those were cool and I liked the purple.  I gotta show you this saw....

[OCtoolguy]

17 minutes ago, SCROLLERNATION said:

Push start fiat lol. I got a dewalt for my dad and out everything on it.  He didn’t like it.  It has a real aggression problem this one. The only saw I hve not tried is the new Hawk but that about to change.  I still want a G4 too because thats been a dream for a while now.  On my 30” KXL i adjusted that arm holder so it barely catches.  I really love that saw but hate pushing that arm up.  10 hours later your done for sure.  I wish the King I have had a bigger front part of the table and the old tension system the first purple excaliburs had.  Those were cool and I liked the purple.  I gotta show you this saw....

What brand is that?

 

[SCROLLERNATION]

I was searching the globe for a hawk G4 (cause its like sitting on Santas lap) and this popped up as a Harbor Freight model #65406 but can’t find it on the website.  I thought it was kinda neat.  Combines my hawk with my ps wood table with the controls of a hegner in front and I kinda like the machinery Gray on it. I wonder what the little knob deal on the left is.  

[kmmcrafts]

12 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

What brand is that?

 

Here is a little more info on it.. https://www.woodmagazine.com/review/saws/scrollsaws/harbor-freight-26-scrollsaw-65406

 

[SCROLLERNATION]

2 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Here is a little more info on it.. https://www.woodmagazine.com/review/saws/scrollsaws/harbor-freight-26-scrollsaw-65406

 

Oooh its only $300 doll hairs! Wonder if you can actually get it or not.  Im gonna play with the website see what happens! 

[kmmcrafts]

11 minutes ago, SCROLLERNATION said:

I was searching the globe for a hawk G4 (cause its like sitting on Santas lap) and this popped up as a Harbor Freight model #65406 but can’t find it on the website.  I thought it was kinda neat.  Combines my hawk with my ps wood table with the controls of a hegner in front and I kinda like the machinery Gray on it. I wonder what the little knob deal on the left is.  

Think that knob is for the storage drawer

[SCROLLERNATION]

The little knob on the left is for a storage drawer!  

[Scrappile]

I like simple, easy to repair, durability, precision, good customer support......   Hegner!

[SCROLLERNATION]

1 minute ago, Scrappile said:

I like simple, easy to repair, durability, precision, good customer support......   Hegner!

Thats how those scroll mate saws from ps wood are.  Simple, built likr a tank, effective, low low maintenance, powerful, reliable, backed with customer service and affordable parts on hand. And a 1 inch stroke that also provides full control at any speed.  But you must have the stand as the motor is mounted below.  I am gonna stop by advanced machinery next week and look at some Hegner saws.  Its on my way.  Its gonna be my giant ball of yarn stop.  Im very excited about it. 

[kmmcrafts]

1 minute ago, Scrappile said:

I like simple, easy to repair, durability, precision, good customer support......   Hegner!

I like easy to repair, durability, precision, large table, adjustable blade aggression, and poor customer support... Hawk!  Who needs parts when they're so simple you could make them with a hunk of aluminum and a belt sander ( redneck style ).. 

[SCROLLERNATION]

Just now, kmmcrafts said:

I like easy to repair, durability, precision, large table, adjustable blade aggression, and poor customer support... Hawk!  Who needs parts when they're so simple you could make them with a hunk of aluminum and a belt sander ( redneck style ).. 

your awesome!

[SCROLLERNATION]

15 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I like easy to repair, durability, precision, large table, adjustable blade aggression, and poor customer support... Hawk!  Who needs parts when they're so simple you could make them with a hunk of aluminum and a belt sander ( redneck style ).. 

can’t figure out how to buy that saw.  Sometimes you just gotta say screw it and take one for the team. Lol

[preprius]

so no one mentioned dust control.