An extra-smooth finish provides effortless workpiece manipulation
Reviews (17)
The good, the bad, but nothing ugly
After looking at the various scroll saws available, I chose this one because of the 90 degrees of table angles available (only the Craftsman also has that feature) and the fast angle settings which lock into the metal positioning plate which make returning to various settings very quick. I also had excellent experiences with Dremel products in the past.
The only problem experienced so far was the similar "clanking" sound another reviewer mentioned, but I was able to fix that by removing the two screws which hold the motor cover in place, adjusting the holes and re-installing it so the weight on the motor shaft no longer hit the inside of the cover.
I also agree with one of the other reviewers that the switches are tiresome after a while because they are so small and somewhat difficult to operate under the rubberized dust covers.
The "free" stand went together easily, and by not fully tightening all the bolts on the stand I was able to align all the holes before fully tightening down the saw. I did have to add two washers to two of the mounting holes on the top because the metal wanted to bent when tightening the saw to the stand.
The light is bright enough for me as it is not the only light I use near the saw, and it doesn't get too hot to work around. It does however get in the way at times when working with larger pieces if the table is at an extreme angle, but this is normally not an issue.
All in all the saw works fine, and has been reliable. Next time I would spend the few extra dollars and buy the new Delta which is much heavier for less vibration, and has even easier blade changing and tension setting adjustments, both of which I feel are more important features.
Very nice saw
I use my Dremel scroll saw to create decorative scroll work for a furniture making shop that does most of it business in grandfather clocks and high-end dining room furniture. I like the speed control and power switch located up front where they are easy to use. Blade changes are far simpler that my old saw that required special tools in order to change a blade. The blade tension system is superior to anything else I've tried. Blade tensioning tip: When installing a new blade, tighten the tension knob until the blade first feels taught. Then rotate the tensioning lever 1 1/2 turns and that will provide the perfect tension for most blade types.
When I bought the tool two years ago, I had one problem with the saw. It just quit working one day. One call to the Dremel toll-free number solved the issue. It seems they did have an issue with dust getting into the switch and making the saw not work. They sent me a new switch (for free) with dust boots on it and the problem was solved. I now see that this saw has dust boots on its switches as standard equipment.
Other that that, I get pro-quality results for a hobby price.
Great tool ... when it works
My first Dremel scroll saw lasted about a month - I touched the scroll saw while vacuuming my shop, a spark jumped, and it immediately stopped working. Lowes was great - they replaced it right away. However, about a year and a half after that, the saw simply quit working. Everything looked ok - nothing jammed, bearings ok, power ok, it didn't overheat and reset, etc. It looked like, in a bone dry Arizona shop, that static was the culprit the second time as well. I concluded that Dremel didn't add adequate protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD), and that ESD fried the electronic motor control. This makes Dremel far too high a risk for me to ever buy another one - even if I lived elsewhere, as winters can still be very dry. Too bad, because the tool is otherwise great.
Very Average
For the hobbiest who has a lot of time on his/her hands,this machine is probably ok. As a professional woodworker, I found the blade changing to be excessively difficult, hit and miss with the top rear tensioner. Also, it's foot doesn't fit right to the wood surface; causing strain when moving the piece around for precise cuts. Mine developed a loud clanking sound after only a few hours of use, and eventually blew fuses, and finally shut down completely. It has some nice features, like the controls up front, large base, and variable speed control; but, unfortunately, not very reliable for the serious scroll saw enthusiast.
Breakin and Enterin
I just broke into the scrolling field about 3 months ago. I did little researching on the various saws but could see real quick that the Dremel, with all of its comparable features to the more expensive models, was a very good value for the money. I find it very user friendly. But after a few projects I could quickly discern its minor drawbacks. The light is dim. The plastic spare blade storage door is flimsy and tends to misalign, making it hard to close. Just recently, the upper arm is starting to knock on the upper housing if the blade isn't fairly tense. I've got to call Dremel about this one yet. The stand included was ok to put together but I couldn't get some of the holes to line up with the base of the saw. The vibration is somewhat dissapointing but not major with this price range. Not recommended for fretwork. Bottom blade holder is hard to get to with large hands. The on and off switch gets a little tiring after several pushes during a project. Get a foot switch! The blade holders are a snap with changing. In short, a very good buy for the hobbyist.
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