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DW 788 and others work hold down


Gene Howe

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I kept the hold down on my first saw, for some time.  I was just learning how to scroll (trial & error) and I had a tendency to do things that caused the blade to grab and lift the wood.  The hold down was actually somewhat useful for this.  After I got a little better at controlling the cut, selecting blades, etc, I found the hold down was far more of a nuisance than a help, so off it came.  I'm on my third saw now and I've never used a hold down since.

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Unless laws have changed over the rest of the world, The USA is the only country that requires that hold down piece to be placed on  the saw before it leaves the manufacturer! It is supposed to be a safety item to hold down the work piece! Your hands do a much better job of holding down what you are working on! Not only that the hold down piece will be in the way and could break the finer cuts as you are moving the project around for the blade to do its thing!  Just my 2 cents worth!

Erv

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6 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

I've bought and sold quite a few saws and always seem to forget to give the new owner the hold-down. I've got a box full of them. I'm thinking of making some sort of artwork out of them. LOL.

 

You and me both.. I could probably take them in to the scrap metal recyclers and get enough out of them to buy another saw,😂

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I have been leaving them on, but set high and turned around backwards. This is because I have frequently taught newbies to woodworking how to use the saws, and made them start with the hold-down guard in place. When they start complaining, they have learned enough for me to allow them to turn it around and set it high. Then use their fingers and downward pressure to hold the work down safely.

Charley

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  • 5 months later...
On 6/14/2023 at 12:26 PM, James E. Welch said:

Years ago I had a craftsman scrollsaw and I flipped the hold down upside down and out of the way, leaving it in case I needed it someday. There is sat until I wore the saw out and in the trash it went with the saw, still in the flipped over position. Now I just remove them before ever turning the saw on. :)

Update -- Now I flipped it over and zip tied my dust collection loc-line to it. :)

 

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