DW 788 and others work hold down

[Gene Howe]

Do you folks use the hold down or is it just in the way?

[NC Scroller]

When I first started scrolling it was on my saw for a day.  After that it is trash. Now if I get a new saw, it is gone before I even setup the saw.

[Gene Howe]

 

 

Thanks, Scott. It's as I surmised. Off it comes!

[dgman]

31 minutes ago, NC Scroller said:

When I first started scrolling it was on my saw for a day.  After that it is trash. Now if I get a new saw, it is gone before I even setup the saw.

Ditto

[Bill WIlson]

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.

[Denny Knappen]

I, too, removed it as I set up the saw.

[redwine]

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

[OCtoolguy]

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.

 

[new2woodwrk]

I asked the same question here when I first started and got the exact same answers!

So, off it came and when I get a new saw that is the first thing I do... Remove the thing!

[kmmcrafts]

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,

[John B]

Gene,
I have about 1/2 dozen in cupboard down the shed, Why I keep them.............................. "They may come in handy one day "  I left mine on, on the 1st machine for a couple of days (I New no different) but it came of and the others are off almost before the saw is out of the box.

[OCtoolguy]

We should all send them to one person and they can put them all together and make a "hold-down" tree.

 

[Dan]

Hold down? Oh, yeah, where did I put that thing? Haven't used one in over 20 years. 

[TAIrving]

I attached my vacuum hose to the hold-down on my saw.  I can lift it up and down as needed and I can rotate it out of the way.  

[Roberta Moreton]

10 hours ago, TAIrving said:

I attached my vacuum hose to the hold-down on my saw.  I can lift it up and down as needed and I can rotate it out of the way.  

Now, that’s interesting!

[CharleyL]

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

[crupiea]

Used to use it religiously but one day took it off and never looked back.

Funny that I was cleaning out some stuff the other day and found it and it took me a few minutes to figure out what it was.

[old sarge]

I do use my hold down but infrequently.  Most of the time it is up and out of the way but ready when necessary.

[James E. Welch]

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.

[John M]

Never even put it on.

[OCtoolguy]

I've bought and sold many used saws. I have all the hold downs in a box. I always forget to re-install them on the saws that I sell. Oh well, they aren't needed anyway. I guess I'm doing the buyer a favor in a way. Now they never have to ask what to do with them.

[James E. Welch]

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.