• Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

Scroll saw or fret saw recommendations

Desert Sails

Desert Sails

Joined
Feb 25, 2020
Messages
18
Points
48

I’m looking to upgrade some of my tools. I’m currently using a Delta scroll saw but it’s not very accurate. Short of buying a a Hegner what recommendations would you all have for an upgrade to my Delta for wooden ship modeling?
 
If there is not a specific reason to use a scroll saw for your work, I prefer a bandsaw because the blade motion on the work is always downward which helps to keep the work on the cutting table, rather than the up and down motion of the scroll saw. Yes, you can make somewhat tighter curves with the scroll saw, but I've not found that to be an issue. If I really need to make some tight curves in some delicate work, I use a hand jewelers saw. I've even done some pretty fine work with my "big" 14" bandsaw because the blade is held tight close down to the work by the blade guide.
 
Proxxon scroll saw. Here is one at eBay. You will probably have to add $100 (USPS flat rate) or $~30 % for customs duties (Tariffs). Nevertheless, i think is an acceptable price. I remember paying mine, years ago, around $400.


ebay.us

SCROLL SAW CUT WOOD PLASTIC METAL PLASTER PROXXON DHS | eBay

But normal fretsaw blades without pins also can be securely clamped. 2-speed scroll saw Proxxon DSH. Air blower with adjustable air nozzle. Sturdy table of die-cast aluminium (360 x 180mm), can be tilted by 45° for mitre sawing.
ebay.us
 
A scroll saw has its uses, but there are few jobs in model ship building that aren’t better done with a band saw. I recently picked up a Proxxon bandsaw and it is such an improvement over the scroll saw I had been using previously.
 
Desert Sails said:
I’m looking to upgrade some of my tools. I’m currently using a Delta scroll saw but it’s not very accurate. Short of buying a a Hegner what recommendations would you all have for an upgrade to my Delta for wooden ship modeling?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean by "accurate". Accuracy with a scroll saw is determined by the skill of the operator, not the machine.

That said, there are certainly plenty of junk scroll saws available, and I think many people who eschew the use of scroll saws have only been exposed to the bad ones. Stay away from any that use a spring to return the blade. You need a "C" arm or parallel arm. Also look for one with easy access to the blade clamps. Oh yeah, NEVER buy a scroll saw that uses blades with pins in the ends. Pure junk.

Sure, you could spend thousands for a Hegner or similarly elite scroll saw, But there are some available for much less that work quite well. I purchased a DeWalt DW788 20" saw over 25 years ago and it is still going strong and they are still available. I think it was a package deal with the stand and work light, both of which I recommend. I would probably stay away from the cheaper 18" DeWalt saw available at some home centers. The DW788 is the one you want. It has a beefy cast iron table, variable speed and the thing runs so smoothly and with so little vibration that I can balance a nickel on its edge on the saw's table while it's running at full speed and the nickel just sits there. At the time I bought it, I also purchased an aftermarket add-on called an Easy-Lift. I can't find them, or any of their competitors, for sale anymore, but there are plenty of YouTube videos about how to make one yourself. This is an absolute MUST for this saw. The one downside of the saw is that when changing blades, the upper arm will drop down from gravity. The add-on lift arm keeps the arm elevated via a spring to keep it out of the way while threading a new blade through a hole in your workpiece (for inside fretwork).

I own two band saws and a scroll saw - and they each have their place. True, a bandsaw (with a small enough blade) can do many of the same things that a scroll saw can do, except for inside cuts. I can also change the blade in my scroll saw in less than 30 seconds as opposed to 5-10 minutes for my band saw.

Finally, learn how to use the tool and how to select blades. There are LOTS of how-to videos online for scroll sawing. The biggest problem that people have is that they buy a package of cheap blades, start to make a cut and then wonder why their work bounces up and down or why the blade ALWAYS wanders off to one side (perhaps this is the "accuracy" issue). Standard blades (even those from reputable companies like Olson) are stamped out. This inherently makes one side of the blade sharper than the other. The blade will naturally tend to drift toward the sharper side. Once you understand this, you will automatically compensate for it, but it takes practice. This drifting tendency is true for ALL scroll saws, regardless of the price. Of course, you could buy precision ground blades for 3-4 times the price, but you will typically go through blades fast enough, that it's much more cost effective to learn how to cut with the standard blades.

Do some research and watch some videos on beginning scroll sawing. I don't know what model Delta you have, but it could be that it is just fine and all you need is some understanding and practice.
 
Last edited:
Brilliant Russ. Your posting mirrors my experiences. I actually use my scroll saw more often than my bandsaw - I seem to have more control cutting near my line - though that is likely a product of my familiarity rather than a function of the tool itself.
 
I confess my perspective is biased by the need to fit my entire shop into a space approximating the volume of a Timberland boot box. In my shop in RI I had a 1960s era scrollsaw that cut like butter. It also took up half the space of my current workbench…
 
Corsair said:
If there is not a specific reason to use a scroll saw for your work, I prefer a bandsaw because the blade motion on the work is always downward which helps to keep the work on the cutting table, rather than the up and down motion of the scroll saw. Yes, you can make somewhat tighter curves with the scroll saw, but I've not found that to be an issue. If I really need to make some tight curves in some delicate work, I use a hand jewelers saw. I've even done some pretty fine work with my "big" 14" bandsaw because the blade is held tight close down to the work by the blade guide.
Click to expand...

i agree with Corsair i would choose a 10 inch band saw over a scroll saw. i have a jig saw and a scroll saw and a 10 inch band saw and i use the band saw way more often.

​

 
Well I have both a scroll saw and a band saw and I find more use for the band saw rather than the scroll saw. If you ask me, pick one you like and stick with it unless of course that you are doing delicate fretwork. For that sort of application, I think the scroll saw is your only choice.
I purchased the scroll saw first, thinking that I would use it for fretwork(separate hobby), but in the end I abandoned that hobby for model ships instead. At that point my use for the scroll saw stopped and I purchased a miniband saw. I love it.
 
With all due respect, whether one finds more use for one tool over another is irrelevant. If the only tool one has, or knows how to use proficiently, is a hammer, then every job begins to look like a nail.

Every tool has its purpose - its strengths and its weaknesses. If you find yourself doing a lot of resawing (cutting down the length of a board across its width to form thin planks), then naturally you will go to the bandsaw - a scrollsaw just won't do it. At the same time, if you find yourself doing a lot of small, intricate pieces with internal cuts, the scrollsaw (or handheld jewelers saw) is your best option.

I would also add that a scrollsaw is inherently safer. Yes, it will still give you a minor cut if you are not careful, but it will not take the end of your finger off in the blink of an eye like a bandsaw will.

I not promoting one tool over another, simply answering the OP's question about a scrollsaw. :D
 
I should have probably prefaced this request for information with why I’m looking to replace my current Delta scroll saw. I currently have an old 14” Craftsman band saw that has been upgraded with new wheels and guides. I’ve gotten into some fine scroll work for ship ornamentation which a band saw cannot do due to the inside cuts and the closeness of my fat fingers to the blade. Some of these cuts also require a small hole to be drilled and then the scroll saw blade to be inserted through the hole and the blade to be reattached to the saw. These inside cuts are not possible with a band saw. As for cutting planking or decking I have both a Byrnes table saw and thickness sander so I don’t use or need a bandsaw to re-saw wood except from larger stock then what the Byrnes saw can handle. For ornamentation work I use a Foredom SR set up, a Proxxon IBS/E, along with an old Emesco dental drill., and of course a hand held jewelers saw with backing board. My current Delta scroll saw is pain to reattach the blades, makes a lot of noise, and is an overall pain to use.
 
Last edited:
Desert Sails said:
I should have probably prefaced this request for information with why I’m looking to replace my current Delta scroll saw. I currently have an old 14” Craftsman band saw that has been upgraded with new wheels and guides. I’ve gotten into some fine scroll work for ship ornamentation which a band saw cannot do due to the inside cuts and the closeness of my fat fingers to the blade. Some of these cuts also require a small hole to be drilled and then the scroll saw blade to be inserted through the hole and the blade to be reattached to the saw. These inside cuts are not possible with a band saw. As for cutting planking or decking I have both a Byrnes table saw and thickness sander so I don’t use or need a bandsaw to re-saw wood except from larger stock then what the Byrnes saw can handle. For ornamentation work I use a Foredom SR set up, a Proxxon IBS/E, along with an old Emesco dental drill., and of course a hand held jewelers saw with backing board. My current Delta scroll saw is pain to reattach the blades, makes a lot of noise, and is an overall pain to use.
Click to expand...
I should also point out the initial reason for settling on the Delta was because that’s what was available at the time and my better half wanted Christmas ornaments cut right damn now… So “yes dear I’ll get on it right this minute”
 
I am very satisfied with my Proxxon DS 230/E. With a traditional, fine fretsaw blade it is possible to turn the work round "on the spot" and set off at a different angle. In one kit (can't remember which) the lubbers holes in the fighting tops here not pre-cut; cutting out a square hole with the Proxxon was no problem. Cutting an extra bulkhead and the associated slots in bulkhead and keel is easy. It is quite capable of cutting 9mm plywood to make customised hull cradles - including the square cut-out for the keel.
Perhaps I am biased: I was bought a treadle fretsaw machine at the age of 9 (I still have it) and it served me well during my teenage modelling years.
 
Short John Bronze said:
I am very satisfied with my Proxxon DS 230/E. With a traditional, fine fretsaw blade it is possible to turn the work round "on the spot" and set off at a different angle. In one kit (can't remember which) the lubbers holes in the fighting tops here not pre-cut; cutting out a square hole with the Proxxon was no problem. Cutting an extra bulkhead and the associated slots in bulkhead and keel is easy. It is quite capable of cutting 9mm plywood to make customised hull cradles - including the square cut-out for the keel.
Perhaps I am biased: I was bought a treadle fretsaw machine at the age of 9 (I still have it) and it served me well during my teenage modelling years.
Click to expand...
I was looking at Proxxon but the 230 volts required put me off as I only have 115 volts available in the U.S. without having an electrician come over.
 
My main contenders right now are the Hegner Multimax 18V, the Pegas 21”, and the Seyco ST-21. Anyone have any experience with any of them? I would value your opinions more then any advertising propaganda or YouTube videos.
 
Desert Sails said:
My main contenders right now are the Hegner Multimax 18V, the Pegas 21”, and the Seyco ST-21. Anyone have any experience with any of them? I would value your opinions more then any advertising propaganda or YouTube videos.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, when you said, "Short of buying a a Hegner..." I assumed you really didn't want to spend $1000 or more for a scroll saw. The three you mentioned are that much or more. For that price, I'm sure you'll get a fine machine no matter which one you choose.
 
RussF said:
Hmmm, when you said, "Short of buying a a Hegner..." I assumed you really didn't want to spend $1000 or more for a scroll saw. The three you mentioned are that much or more. For that price, I'm sure you'll get a fine machine no matter which one you choose.
Click to expand...
I go by the adage “Buy once Cry once… if you buy cheap or low quality you’ll have to buy something to replace it with sooner then later so in the long run you’ve just spent twice the amount to suffer from lower quality. It’s why I love Byrnes tools so much. Yes they were expensive but they last a life time.
 
Last edited:
Corsair said:
If you get the Proxxon from here, it is 115 volt!
Proxxon Scroll Saw
Click to expand...
Sorry Corsair I saw that one also but It’s not really what I’m looking for. I certainly appreciate your help. I might be selling the Proxxon short but I personally think their quality of maching has suffered a little. It least that’s case with my MB200 Proxxon Drill Stand. Maybe it was a fluke but mine required a lot of filing and sanding to get it working in spec especially around the dove tail.
 
Desert Sails said:
I go by the adage “Buy once Cry once… if you buy cheap or low quality you’ll have to buy something to replace it with sooner then later so in the long run so you’ve just spent twice the amount to suffer from lower quality. It’s why I love Byrnes tools so much. Yes they were expensive but they last a life time.
Click to expand...
RussF Besides my goal in life is to be a Zero… Come into the world without a penny and leave without a penny. Kids may not like that idea but they can make their own and this way there is less family squabbling when I’ve passed on so I’m actually doing them a favor as I see it…
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top