New Hegner Advice

[smoggy49]

Hi Everybody,

First can I say thanks to all the contributors on here I've gained such a lot of info from reading this forum, although I'm a posting newbie I have been reading the advice on here for a few months. I'm going to replace my Rexon saw shortly, and the advice from similar threads on here seems to be that nothing compares to the Hegner. My dilemma is I cant really justify the Hegner Multicut 2SV financially and was thinking of the Multicut 1V the only difference I ca see seems to be the throat capacity and £240. I've spoken to Technology supplies who say its a completely different machine but the guy couldn't be more specific. I've been watching E bay for while and the prices seem high for what are sometimes very tired looking 2S machines,and are usually 'collect only' from a very long way off. So if anyone has any advice/experience of the 1V I'd be really grateful.

Many Thanks
Chas

 

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Chas. You will see a huge difference between your Rexon saw and a Hegner and when you use the Hegner you will see why they are so much more expensive than other scroll saws. My personal view is that the Hegners are vastly over priced and I would not be surprised if the UK dealership is making double the buying in cost. It may pay you to look at thr cost in different countries taking into account shipping cost and the possible cost of customs imposing VAT.

For many scrollers variable speed is not important. The multicut 1 is a very basic machine with a 14inch throat and no variable speed. You would be limited to what you could cut with this machine. The multicut 2 has an 18inch throat and this is the machine most people go for, it is also available with variable speed. The multicut QK is more or less the same as the 2S but has a cast iron table and variable speed, which is what I have but I use my machine to earn a living and it has paid for itself many times over.

It may pay you to keep an eye on E-bay. The reason most say collect only is that they are a heavy lump and cost quite a bit to ship out and most people selling don't have the means to pack them correctly. On top of that packages such as a saw come in for a lot of abuse from the couries as they travel from depot to depot. I saw a video of one such firm and parcels travel on conveyor belts at the depots and some are dropped from quite a height into containers.

 

[martinka]

The 2SV is actually - gulp - £400 more and has variable speed. The single speed Multicut 2S is £240 more. For your £240 you get the bigger throat, quick blade tension at the front, and, errrm, oh, the quick clamp and two extra bottom clamps, which you can add to the Multicut 1 anyway. Personally, I'd hold out for a second hand 2S with the quick blade tensioner. I think everyone on here who has bought a Hegner from ebay has been happy with it, even if it needed new parts. They tend to last a very long time, so unless an owner has been extra abusive, even 'tired looking' ones are likely to be OK.

Martin.

 

[scrimper]

Chas, I have to agree with the others, Hegners are massively overpriced (at least in the UK) but in terms of quality, ease of use and pleasure to use nothing compares.

I have to be honest that I bought mine when Roger Buse was handling the sales of Hegner in the UK, the prices were fair and service second to none, when another company took Hegners on the prices went up ridiculously and many of the spares prices are out of this world ( I still can't get over that they charge £24 for a tiny on/off rocker switch that you can buy from Rapid or CPC for under 99pence!) I must admit that I too would find it very difficult to persuade myself to buy a new Hegner at the prices charged today.

I would keep looking on ebay or such like to try to buy one a more sensible price. (Lol unless you have pots of money to use up!)

 

[stevebuk]

i have just paid £800 for my new one, the good thing is it will pay for itself in a few weeks time (at present orders) so its not so bad..

 

[Bryan Bennett]

Welcome Smoggy to the BEST website for scroll sawing.I have the Multicut 1 single speed,the V must mean variable speed,I have been very happy with the single speed and it has done every thing that's been asked of it and more.I have been the proud owner for well over 30 years.The only part I have had to replace is a tension spring less than £10.

Bryan

 

[ChrisR]

Hi Chas, and welcome.

A further vote for Hegner, they are expensive, but I dint think you will ever regret purchasing one.
I to purchased mine when Roger Buse was the UK agent/dealership, that was many years ago, he was a true gentleman and customer service and satisfaction was his number one priority, a great shame he gave up/retired.

Now the UK dealership is held by a large company the prices do seem to be higher, I would not like to say if the profit margin has gone up, or it is just inflation. :?:

The only thing I can gauge the price by is, approximately eighteen months ago or it may be nearer to two years, I friend of my brother-in-law, came and used my Hegner, to see if scroll sawing was for him, he is a (GP) so not hard up like many of us, and also has a house in France. When he went to France, he checked out the Hegner prices there, and found that they were comparable with the UK price. He purchased an Excalibur, which is not inexpensive, but first time using the blade clamps failed on him.

Take care.

Chris R.

 

[smoggy49]

Wow where else could you get this much informed advice and all in a day, its much appreciated. I've looked on the net and can't find a better deal than the UK Hegner dealer, I did find a supplier for the Dewalt 788 at about £600 duties paid but I feel the Hegner has the edge over it from what I've seen on here. I'm going to persevere with E bay and if nothing turns up in a week or two I'll see if I can strike a deal on a Multicut 1V at the Harrogate woodworking show in a couple of weeks. I could probably stretch to the Multicut 2S but I've tried the full speed on my 2 speed Rexon and found I was a bit "panic ridden" I persevered for a couple of hours and turned out a couple of things but didn't feel in full control. And in the back of my mind a voice say's "you'll get used to one speed" but then another ones saying" that's what your credit card's for get the 2SV she'll never know!". I'm waffling now but any way thanks for all that help gents.

Chas

 

[scrimper]

Chas, if you can run to it I would say defiantly get the variable speed model, I find it very reassuring to be able to reduce the speed when cutting very thin or delicate material fine work or cutting metal, it is a proper speed control too so that you can reduce it down to as slow as using a hand saw.

You will only buy the saw once and soon forget about the cost yet every-time you change the speed you will be so glad you bought that model, on the other hand if you buy single speed you will always think "I wish I had gone for variable" .

It's a lot of money but you are buying the best.

 

[smoggy49]

Thanks Scrimper,

Those are all the reasons I was thinking of the Multicut 1V as appose to the 2S fxd speed it being the max I would be financially comfortable with. In a perfect world it would be the £800 2SV and master card could afford it, I suppose I should think about how long the guilt would last mmmmmm!

Chas

 

[Chippygeoff]

Me again Chas. I think what you need to do is sit down and have a think of what things you want to make on the scroll saw, there are many aspects of scroll sawing. Full speed on the Hegner is not all that fast, for me that is, everything I make is made from 3/4 inch hardwood and with a top speed of 1450 its like watching paint dry with certain hardwoods. I had the speed increased to 1650 and its made a huge difference. If you are going to cut thin plywood then variable speed will be a must, especially with small internal cuts. If you were to cut your 6mm MDF on a Hegner at full speed you would struggle to keep up with it as it would be that fast.

 

[mac1012]

there was a multicut 2sv on ebay last week and was a bargain , a lot of second hand hegners on ebay are overpriced and if they are in a central location attract more bids

this one was only two years old and totally mint , you probably seen it , it had the new dust blower flexi pipe (blue) was the variable speed and had a solid table and it went for just over 400 !! new price with a stand would have been near a grand !

It was right at the bottom of the country saying pick up only but he said he would consider a courier I priced a courier and it was 100 but at 500 it was still a great buy , there is a 2s single speed that is getting a lot of bids purely because it got delivery at 14.99 it an older model 2007 and no table and it is nearly up tp the price of the other variable now at 360 my guess it will go for around 4-450 still it is 180 less than a new one and looks good nick even at 6 years old but it hasn't got clamps and the photo shows the blade held in the top arm slit ! a definite no no

I almost brought it the first one but for the cutting I do the single speed hegner suits me fine as Geoff says its all about what you use it for I don't do portraits or a lot of internal cutting so paying 500 for my needs didn't stack up but if I was buying for first time I would have got it

if you do see a decent machine don't be put of by distance as you can sort a courier for say 40 50 pound if the machine is worth it and dosent go for silly money the ones further away are better to bid on as people are put off by that but if you are savvy and arrange your own courier you be fine

I go on one where you put your item on and couriers bid you a price its linked to ebay

if that one I looked at hadn't had a table I would have got a smaller courier for about 40 and would have made it the bargain of the century

be carefull though there is a buy it now one for 300 and it is really old you can see the white electric coil thing or whatever it is at side of motor and that has changed completely now it looks a bit nackered I wouldn't touch it for that money about half that price would be fair

so it not always straight forward location plays a big part of ebay prices hence the one going for 400 muliticut 2s 2 years old and mint and the other one that single speed and older going for same price but the first one was further away

mark

 

[bugbear]

i have just paid £800 for my new one, the good thing is it will pay for itself in a few weeks time (at present orders) so its not so bad..

NICE ROI.

BugBear

 

[boysie39]

Chas. your dilemma ! buy a hegnar and get a little hot air from you know who :roll: .Buy a bigger Hegner and get tosted from the same source , OR buy the Hegner you would really like to have and be cremated for a couple of years :mrgreen: Which is the best option ,

 

[stevebuk]

i have just paid £800 for my new one, the good thing is it will pay for itself in a few weeks time (at present orders) so its not so bad..

NICE ROI.

BugBear

not sure what that means???

 

[scrimper]

i have just paid £800 for my new one, the good thing is it will pay for itself in a few weeks time (at present orders) so its not so bad..

NICE ROI.

BugBear

not sure what that means???

Probably "Nice Return on investment".

 

[stevebuk]

thanks scrimper, i do think the scroll saw is a good investment if you buy the right one and put the time in..

 

[scrimper]

I am very envious of those here who make money with their scroll saws, I run my own electrical business for over 30 years but would not know how to start making and selling stuff made in my workshop, plus I would be scared that what I made would not be good enough.

Care to give a bit of info on what you do and how you started etc? I would be most interested.

 

[smoggy49]

Thank Mark lots of good E bay advice there never thought about it like that before, I did look at the 2sv you mentioned last week but the guy was adamant he would "leave it out for the carrier but wouldn't be there when they picked it up" anyway lots of things to think about thank you for the advice.
Eugene I'm thinking if I take the two year option will I get time off for good behavior! "do the crime do the time"
And Stevebuk wow that's a great return you must be really busy, ill have to try selling some stuff some time. But thanks to all I'm really overwhelmed at the interest and support this must be the Hegners owners club equivalent.

Chas

 

[hawkinob]

Hi,
Now I have read on this site various comments on Hegner "lookalikes" and maybe the UK sold ones are different from those sold here in Oz, but in Oz the "lookalikes" have very good reports. Mine is a WMS (really only the name of the vendor firm) others here are known as Trupro and Carbetec (painted in different colours but all made in Taiwan, not China). Had mine some seven years or so and still OK. I've used a Hegner and, whilst no expert, I could not tell the difference. The Excaliber saw seems to be not very well liked here in Oz.
Again I can only report on the Oz experience but if you are going to a woodwork show why not try both the Hegner and a "lookalike"?
Good luck.
Bob H.