# Dewalt Dw788



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

I just got a new Dewalt DW788 and have used it for about two weeks off and on.

Review Below ▼ 

Just one user Review of the Dewalt DW788 Scroll Saw.

I give it 4 Stars out of 5 Stars.... 

It has one error that I had to fix, the hold down foot part is junk, if you need to cut small parts like I do it will not do it, anything that's smaller than 1" x 1 1/2" in size, I took a part off the old Craftsman scroll saw I have and drilled a hole in the Dewalt hold down foot/guard bracket and put it on .

One 10-32 x 1/2" Allen flat head screw took care of the error and with the old Craftsman hold down foot bracket, it now works great. 

Now I can cut parts that are 5/16" wide x 5/8" long and I don't need to use a stick to hold it down to the table top.



All in all it's a great saw 

Stock hold down foot below, 1st. picture below, 4th,5th,6th is the fix.
picture #7 is a tip I got from wihtewolft710 to hold the saw head up when I change the blade,it works great for that job, thanks whitewolft710. 

Bj


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Hi Bob, congrats on the new saw! Do you do alot of scroll work? 

Corey


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Corey

Thanks
Well yes and no, I had/have a old Craftsman and it was a pain to change the blades so most of the time it just sit on the bench and when I wanted to get real ticked off I would fire it up and then say OK that's it, got so bad I would walk by and flip it off as if it would give a dam. 
But I enjoy doing Intarsia ,so now I look forward to do more now that I have put 325 bucks into a Dewalt scroll saw... 

Bj


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

20 years ago I did alot of scrolling of country cut outs that were painted and sold at craft shows. I had a Delta 2 speed 16 inch then. Today I have it's replacement, a Delta 16 inch SS350 with Variable speed. Not as nice as the Delta but it's a pretty nice saw. It won't hold up to 8 hours a day of a production scroller but it will work for me. I want to do more scrolling of box lids. I like that look. 

I made these boxes entirely onthe scroll saw but I found them to be a huge wast of wood! Will try Intarsia one of these days!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Looks Great 

Have you tried a bowl on the scroll saw, I did one last week and used some 3/4" scrap Pine, It was about 10" x 12" to start out with and cut one line all the way around the board and about 1/2" wide for about 25 times around the board,in a cir. and ended up with a bowl that was about 6" high I think, I set the saw at a 5 1/2deg. cut.
I should have used some hardwood but I was just fooling around, so when I got it done and I wanted to pull up the center of the bowl it snap in about 6 spots and became fire wood at that point.   LOL

Bj


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## Mark (Aug 4, 2004)

Wow, nice new tool bj!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks Mark

Bj


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## whitewolf710 (Aug 23, 2006)

Glad you like the saw and im glad too see that a tip or two actually helps someone
One question is the back of your saw raised up as high as it will go and then some


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Whitewolf

"your saw raised up as high as it will go " yep, that's the 1st tip I got from you and used it on the new saw when I screwed it down to the work bench. 
It's about 6" higher in the back than the front, works great and saves my back plus the dust just slides off the front of the table top. 

Thanks again for the tips..

Bj


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## Mort_Stevens (May 17, 2006)

Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc. 

Mort


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mort

The key word for professional is " 3 Phase " most have 3 Phase motors 
and can't be used in a home shop, the norm.
Some of the smaller ones have a 220 volt 1 (single) phase motor.
Most schools did this to keep the tool in the school and to use less power.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7631611076&category=57124

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140007145644&category=57124

Mort,,just a note**,It's no big deal to switch out the motor with a (single) phase motor 120 volt, 1HP or a 2HP one,that you can get new for about 50.oo bucks or a good used one from the flea market for about 20.oo bucks.

Bj


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## whitewolf710 (Aug 23, 2006)

Check out the excalibur saws


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## New Mission (Jul 4, 2008)

What Craftsman Scroll Saw model did you use to add the hold down to the Dewalt 788?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi New Mission

Here the model number plus a parts break down

Model number 113-236180

Part #53===#820303 AT $6.49 ea.
Part #56===#819238 AT $3.49 ea. 



http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...*.shcapp3205?modelNumber=113-236180&pop=flush

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action


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New Mission said:


> What Craftsman Scroll Saw model did you use to add the hold down to the Dewalt 788?


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## noveltyman (Feb 19, 2007)

Mort_Stevens said:


> Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.
> 
> Mort


Check the Eclipse Scroll Saw out


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## harveri (Jun 16, 2009)

Mort_Stevens said:


> Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.
> 
> Mort


Hi I have craftsman version of saw u describe without motor. u can have it for $65 plus shipping. Why do u seem to prefer straight up and down movement? [email protected]


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## cseymour (Sep 18, 2009)

I know some folks who swear by their RBI Hawk machines.

I know RBI went out of business but I believe a company in Kansas is taking over their production.

Chris


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

Mort_Stevens said:


> Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.
> 
> Mort


here is the one i have Hegner 18" I bought it for $150.00 shipped to my door Here is what it look's like Also the blades to use are flying dutchman here is the link for those Mike's Workshop selling Flying Dutchman brand fret and scrollsaw blades

Hegner 18" Variable Speed Scroll Saw | Advanced Machinery


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## jrprottas (Mar 31, 2010)

Does the excaliber saw allow for really close, zero-clearance work any better than the dewalt?


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## WoodHaven (May 10, 2010)

del schisler said:


> here is the one i have Hegner 18" I bought it for $150.00 shipped to my door Here is what it look's like [/url]



Hi Del: I am curious as to how you got that saw for $150 when the listing on Amazon has it priced at $1,200.00? How does it work for you? Sounds like you really got a good deal.

Steve


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## Vector01 (May 24, 2010)

Dewalt makes a great saw.


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## Sweeneyastray (Dec 24, 2010)

*Dewalt 788*



Vector01 said:


> Dewalt makes a great saw.


We are using Delta 788 scroll saws in our high school Construction Technologies class. Easy to change blades, sturdy and forgiving, easy to get parts, and compared to high end models with similar features, priced right. The saws are going strong after a semester's use, and students are hard on tools, especially saws.


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## SawTooth1953 (Dec 23, 2010)

I started my scrolling w/an $89 Black & Decker...it had a light and dust vac port. After 3 yrs I moved up to the DeWalt 788 because everyone online loves theirs. I was very disappointed. The saw was about $500 without light or stand. There were issues with cutting squarely, no dust vac port, blade jumps forward/backward, and the darned blade holder doesn't hold blades... I rarely get to wear out a blade because in spite of all kinds of tips I've tried, the blade slips out while I'm cutting and it bends and after 2-3 times it breaks.
But the real lessons in scroll saws came when I jumped at an opportunity to get a used Hegner 18" scroll saw. Hegner is a big name in scrolling... retails for 3 times the cost of the DeWalt. I hated it! I have no idea why they make a lower blade holder that isn't fixed into the machine... and there is no way I could develop a work flow when cutting dozens and dozens of frets... so project cutting takes longer. The knobs hurt my fingers... poorly engineered. The table is so small I have to worry about tipping the workpiece which distracts me from concentrating on the cutting line. Removing the lower blade holder to change blades makes no sense... and having the lower blade holder sit loosely in a blade holder holder makes no sense. And the cutting action is not distinctly smoother than the DeWalt. The dust blower aims the dust at the user and is not adjustable without an add-on from elsewhere. No provision for dust vac.
So I jumped at the chance to buy a used 26" RBI Hawk scroll saw. The saw has a good reputation. Again, it retails for several times the cost of the DeWalt. Again, I find a saw that uses a blade holder that sits loosely in a lower blade holder holder. Again I find cutting action that is not distinctly smoother. No provision for dust vac. Adjustable dust blower but it's in the way each and every time I have to attach the blade.
I will soon go back to the old DeWalt... and if I feel like spending a bunch for a new saw, I'll probably invest in an Excalibur... they are verrrrry similar to the DeWalt, but I think they're made better.

Spence
Skokie, IL


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## Sweeneyastray (Dec 24, 2010)

Spence, after 3 months of using the Dewalt 788 under heavy use, The problem with the blade holder is obvious. As I said earlier, the students are hard on machinery and the most frequent problem is broken blades or blades that have bent and popped out of the holders. Part of the problem would be solved if the students weren't so impatient. to get decent looking work from a scroll saw, you must be patient on tight cuts and not force the work into the blade. Kids have a hard time with that aspect, but that's why we invested in the machinery, to teach them to become mindful of what they are doing.
The blade tensioner on the 788 is one of the best features, and a blade saving feature if one remembers to use it after changing a blade and after prolonged cutting.
I wonder if the blade holders could be improved on the 788, and I am observing ways to shop modify them.


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## scrollwolf (Sep 12, 2004)

*DeWalt DW788 Zero Clearance*



jrprottas said:


> Does the excaliber saw allow for really close, zero-clearance work any better than the dewalt?


Jeff,
What do you mean by zero clearance? Are you talking about sharp corners or preventing chip out on cuts?

If you are talking about making sharp corners, that is more a function technique, rather than a zero clearance issue.

If you are talking about chip out because the opening in the table is too large, you can add a sub top to the table to create a zero clearance table.

I make scroll wood portraits on my DeWalt DW788 and they are full of sharp cuts and delicate pieces and I rarely have problems with these issues. When I have these issues, it is usually caused by the opening in the zero clearance top becoming too enlarged. 

I have my table set up with a zero clearance top that allows me to change a 1 1/2" disc, with a small hole drilled in it that acts as the opening for the blade. I have cut additional discs and swap them as needed.
If you have any questions, send me a PM and maybe I can help.

Jack


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## SawTooth1953 (Dec 23, 2010)

Wayne,
It's been a while since I've been on this forum, but I see that you replied to my comments. My problems w/the DeWalt blade holders is the same as with your students, and I don't believe the problem is the students' impatience... it is the blade holder. I do believe they could be designed better... take a look at how little metal of the blade holding screw head is actually holding onto the blade... it is miniscule. Just about any modification that increases the amount of blade surface being held will be superior. Right now it is a joke.

Spence


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## woodman7570 (Apr 18, 2012)

*straight up and down*



Mort_Stevens said:


> Does anyone still make a professional scroll saw? All the ones I see look like they are more geared towards hobbyists than for use in a professional shop environment. I remember the Delta/Rockwell model we has in shop class in school, it must have been made during the 60’s it was a substantial piece of equipment 24" throat with a 1/2 hp motor and stepped pulley to change speeds. Also the top of the blade was on a plunger so that the saw cut was straight up and down. The ones I see in the stores today move the blade on an arc.
> 
> Mort


mort, the dewalt dw788 is made to cut straight up and down but only has an 18 inch throat.


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## woodman7570 (Apr 18, 2012)

*tensioning*



Sweeneyastray said:


> Spence, after 3 months of using the Dewalt 788 under heavy use, The problem with the blade holder is obvious. As I said earlier, the students are hard on machinery and the most frequent problem is broken blades or blades that have bent and popped out of the holders. Part of the problem would be solved if the students weren't so impatient. to get decent looking work from a scroll saw, you must be patient on tight cuts and not force the work into the blade. Kids have a hard time with that aspect, but that's why we invested in the machinery, to teach them to become mindful of what they are doing.
> The blade tensioner on the 788 is one of the best features, and a blade saving feature if one remembers to use it after changing a blade and after prolonged cutting.
> I wonder if the blade holders could be improved on the 788, and I am observing ways to shop modify them.


this might help, it did for me, take out the tightening knob from the saw and set on a small piece of oak 3/4 inch thick and about 2 to 2 1/2 inches square, trace the knob pattern onto the wood, cut it out and round the corners on a sander. using this homemade tool i have been able to tighten blades so they don't slip out.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Hi Bob, right now I'm trying to decide between the saw that you have and the Delta which I understand is almost a duplicate to the 788 and so far I don't know which one to buy for sure. Have you had any problems with changing the blade? From what I have been reading on the forum is that this issue is the weak point on the 788 and at least one person said that the Delta seems to not have the same problem. I am not in a hurry with my purchase so I have time to do my research and you sound like you are in a position to give me some feed back if you have time to do so.

Jerry Bowen
Colorado City, TX


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## SawTooth1953 (Dec 23, 2010)

*wood 'overknob' is a workaround for a poorly designed blade holder*



woodman7570 said:


> this might help, it did for me, take out the tightening knob from the saw and set on a small piece of oak 3/4 inch thick and about 2 to 2 1/2 inches square, trace the knob pattern onto the wood, cut it out and round the corners on a sander. using this homemade tool i have been able to tighten blades so they don't slip out.


Yes, I've done this and it helps. But I've also had to replace the blade holder assemblies after stripping the threads by overtightening with the wood 'overknob'. This is as good a workaround as there is for a poorly designed blade holder.

Spence


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