Blades slipping out of holder

[gadget1961]

I bought this item and it really works.. keeps the blade holders in place so they don't fall and it's for pinless

[heppnerguy]

On 5/26/2023 at 1:13 PM, Bill WIlson said:

Yes, I get it that the clamp bodies are better, but if the problem addressed in the OP is with the clamp screw and the set screw , then I submit that the Pegas clamps will eventually exhibit the same blade slipping problem.  Thus, based on that narrow criteria alone, are no better than stock clamps on the Dewalt and/or Excalibur.

I know this is splitting hairs.  I'm not trying to demean Pegas clamps at all.  I get that they are machined from solid aluminum (which I believe the EX clamp bodies are as well) and will hold up much better over time.  They are also lighter, which may provide a slight improvement in balance and overall wear on the saw, but this benefit is anecdotal, at best.

Bottom line is, I'm trying to determine of upgrading my EX to Pegas clamps really provides value for me.  If I still had my Dewalt, it would be an easy choice, but I'm not convinced that they are all that much better than the stock EX blade clamps.

Most of the slippage problem is from tightening the thumb screw with too much pressure and and that does spread the clamp body and then the problem only increases as it gets to be no longer square hence not as much surface holding the blade in place. That is usually followed by even more muscle applied to try and stop the slippage, which also increases the problem.  Sanding the tips does help some as it makes the surface of clamps a little rougher so they are a little less slippery. The solution is really an  easy one to fix if one takes the measures to correct it at the very beginning by simply replacing the insert tips on both the set screw and the thumb screws right away. (very small cost to do so). I use about as much pressure on the thumb screw as a 4 year old might use if they were tightening the thumb screw. If one uses their scroll saw quite often then the replacement of the insert tips should be required at about every 6 months. NO ware or speading on the clamps that way and one never needs to reap on the thumb screw using this method.

   Now about the Pegas clamps on the Excalibur saws......I recently decided to give the pegas clamps a try and found I really liked them over the stock ones. To my surprise, the reason I liked them more was not because of the lessor vibration, as I really did not notice a difference there. But the part I enjoy most is the design of the the clamps do are not restricted by the tension lever like the original ones have. I found it a big increase in installing new blades. I never have a problem if the upper part of the blade is a little bit too high in the clamps, as they can tend to bend sometimes. No longer a problem using the Pegas clamps. For me it is well worth the little extra price of a clamp for this reason alone.

  Dick

heppnerguy

[heppnerguy]

On 5/26/2023 at 6:16 PM, OCtoolguy said:

Bill, I've got two Excalibur saws. Both green machines that both came with the crappy mechanisms that Excalibur had. I hated them. The changeover to Pegas clamps solved all my hangups. They are easier to use and stay in adjustment far better. And, the way the Pegas clamp bodies are made, using a high grade aluminum, will keep them from ever spreading like the Dewalt/Delta clamps eventually do. So, with that said, it's just a matter of keeping the clamp screw tips clean and flat. So far, after a couple of years usage, I've only dressed one set of clamp screws using a fine sand paper and a flat surface. The only complaint I have is the price and I figure that the import duty/tariff is responsible for a lot of that. Not sure but thinking so.

A better idea than the sanding of the tips is just to replace the  inserts whenever a blade STARTS slipping. Way better fix and the tips are really inexpensive and you do not need to start sanding the tips to get a better hold. The clamp instantly become as good as new, if they have not been reaped on too much.

Dick

heppnerguy

[Bill WIlson]

1 hour ago, heppnerguy said:

   Now about the Pegas clamps on the Excalibur saws......I recently decided to give the pegas clamps a try and found I really liked them over the stock ones. To my surprise, the reason I liked them more was not because of the lessor vibration, as I really did not notice a difference there. But the part I enjoy most is the design of the the clamps do are not restricted by the tension lever like the original ones have. I found it a big increase in installing new blades. I never have a problem if the upper part of the blade is a little bit too high in the clamps, as they can tend to bend sometimes. No longer a problem using the Pegas clamps. For me it is well worth the little extra price of a clamp for this reason alone.

  Dick

heppnerguy

Thanks Dick, that's the kind of info I was looking for.

[kmmcrafts]

Just to expand on what Dick said with some maintenance tips. 

Make sure the little O-ring on the tip inserts are clean and lubed with a non petroleum grease ( I use electrical grease ) so they spin in the end of the screw easily. Also take a brush and clean off the threads of the thumb screw and put a drop of oil on them so they spin nicely in the blade chuck. Be careful not to get the oil on the tips. I sometimes just take the tips out of the end and will spray the threads with a dry lube and thread it in and out a couple times while still wet. Let the dry lube set for a while to make sure it dries and then replace the inserts.   Being mechanically inclined I learned early on that those screw threads get fine dust on them and start working harder because of the dirt grit in the threads which also forces you to use more pressure to tighten them down to get the same clamping power as the new set did.  

Blades are covered in a light oil film to prevent rusting.. many people will sand each blade as they put them in the saw to remove that oil film.. seemed time consuming to me to take that time everytime you change a blade you pick up a piece of sand paper and sand each end. Before I unwind the wire wrap on a bundle of blades I spray the whole bundle with brake parts cleaner. Since I'm a shade tree mechanic so to speak these items I always have on hand anyway.. maybe you have some sort of other cleaners / degreasers that'd work too.. No real need to use the specific products I mentioned.. I will say my dry lube stuff is real nice stuff and I use that stuff on many things.. even the wheels on my lawn mower rolls real easy because of the dry lube. ( link to that below ) 

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Chemical-Company-Garage-Lubricants/dp/B0002JM8G8/ref=asc_df_B0002JM8G8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309807921328&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5268469846224814805&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017285&hvtargid=pla-762199117192&psc=1

Maintaining a saw will help it run smoother and last a long time.. most people don't do the little things.. When I bought my DeWalt back in 2006 everyone said to buy extra blade chucks and those thumb screws etc.. I sold that saw in 2018 and never did use the extra parts. 

Electrical grease link: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Permatex-Dielectric-Tune-Up-Grease-Protects-electrical-connections-from-salt-dirt-corrosion-33-oz-tube-sold-by-tube/441032868?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101002903&adid=22222222227441032868_101002903_154681487172_18800123971&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=659723182006&wl4=aud-1651068663986:pla-1959962190206&wl5=9017285&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=136582778&wl11=online&wl12=441032868_101002903&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjw-IWkBhBTEiwA2exyO6X3p3Y_HG1rU2P0AQDC_0CqEcpFW5e0TdA_NU41NenKkoKqilod6xoCPD0QAvD_BwE

 

[OCtoolguy]

I just had a brain fart. Not sure if this is something that has been mentioned before. The none wing screw side of the clamp is usually just a set screw without a swivel tip. How about if a person were to take it out and replace it with another wing tipped screw but with a lock nut on it so it can be adjusted and then set to stay in one place. That would provide a swivel tip on both sides of the blade. Am I on to something? I have a couple of extra wing screws so I think I'll give it a try.

 

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

I just had a brain fart. Not sure if this is something that has been mentioned before. The none wing screw side of the clamp is usually just a set screw without a swivel tip. How about if a person were to take it out and replace it with another wing tipped screw but with a lock nut on it so it can be adjusted and then set to stay in one place. That would provide a swivel tip on both sides of the blade. Am I on to something? I have a couple of extra wing screws so I think I'll give it a try.

 

Never know I suppose it could work better. My thinking is that it's probably not going to make much if any difference because the set screw is just stationary while the thumb screw is the one you spin / turn to clamp the blade down. I think this spinning insert is to help prevent blade bending when getting clamped.. Though I have had saws that don't have the swivel end inserts and not had any issues with bent blades etc. Though to be a fair comparison those saws have what I would call floating blade chucks where the chuck pivots on a roll pin or similar where the EX and DW saws have a pretty ridged blade chuck holder to the arm, if that makes any sense.