opinions please guys n gals

[Zanda]

I have enough money in hand to but a half way decent scroll saw, and I have read and re read all manner of opinions on scroll saws, if you will just humour me please ? I have read about the proxxon, which can be slowed right down to 150, and sped up to 2500, but its a belt drive, any opinons on this saw please ? also the fox f40-561, opinions please. The thing is I can get the big axminster if I want to, I just have to be sure that it is a good one hundred pounds worth (better)of saw than the two mentioned here by me. your help and opinions are appreciated. thanks

 

[stevebuk]

you are asking for opinions on saws the folks on here have probably never used, so how can they offer a valid opinion on it. They can only read the same as you have already on line and in mags and come to a decision via that route, YOU have to choose what YOU deem best for YOUR intensions.
Sorry to seem negative, but you must already have at least one saw in mind and you are looking for approval of that choice. :lol:

 

[user 5053]

I have a Diamond scroll saw which is made in Hinckley Leicestershire and you can speak to the chap that makes it. Its not the cheapest but has variable speed and is a superb product.

 

[Zanda]

SteveBUK well your entitled to your opinion, on saw choice, even if that opinion is actually wrong. What I want is NOT any mans or womans approval, I thought I made it quite clear, I do not want to waste money on buying a saw that in the end turns out to be not fit for purpose.
I thought that this forum was a resource of experience, and abilities, and that within the forum there may well have been people who had opinions on the respective saws, (even if that opinion was by word of mouth, from other scrollers) not for their approval.
I have obviously hacked you off, but I am as entitled to ask questions in this forum as any one else, and I will continue so to do, til the moderators in here suggest otherwise, end of.

 

[Zanda]

I have a Diamond scroll saw which is made in Hinckley Leicestershire and you can speak to the chap that makes it. Its not the cheapest but has variable speed and is a superb product.

Thank you for your help and suggestion, I will check on the Diamond.

 

[Gill]

I have a Diamond scroll saw which is made in Hinckley Leicestershire and you can speak to the chap that makes it. Its not the cheapest but has variable speed and is a superb product.

Thank you for your help and suggestion, I will check on the Diamond.

I wouldn't bother. He's dead.

 

[Zanda]

I have a Diamond scroll saw which is made in Hinckley Leicestershire and you can speak to the chap that makes it. Its not the cheapest but has variable speed and is a superb product.

Thank you for your help and suggestion, I will check on the Diamond.

I wouldn't bother. He's dead.

Well Gill I guess that puts an end to that one then. thanks for letting me know .

 

[big soft moose]

I have a Diamond scroll saw which is made in Hinckley Leicestershire and you can speak to the chap that makes it. Its not the cheapest but has variable speed and is a superb product.

Thank you for your help and suggestion, I will check on the Diamond.

I wouldn't bother. He's dead.

and has been for quite some time :roll:

 

[big soft moose]

I have enough money in hand to but a half way decent scroll saw, and I have read and re read all manner of opinions on scroll saws, if you will just humour me please ? I have read about the proxxon, which can be slowed right down to 150, and sped up to 2500, but its a belt drive, any opinons on this saw please ? also the fox f40-561, opinions please. The thing is I can get the big axminster if I want to, I just have to be sure that it is a good one hundred pounds worth (better)of saw than the two mentioned here by me. your help and opinions are appreciated. thanks

I dont know much about the two saws you have mentioned - the proxon tools are largely for model makers though so you may find that the table is a bit small for normal work.

Ive never used the fox so i cant comment on that

My generally feeling is that if you are buying your first saw (apart from the abortive clarke) you probably dont need to spend loadsamoney - as i said on the other thread i'd suggest something like the axminster variable speed ( 80 odd notes) or the scheppach decoflex (£90ish)

the joy of scrollsaws is that compared to other kit they are quite simple so even a relatively cheap one will do you well for starting out.

 

[Gill]

As has been said, it's so difficult to know what to advise when you haven't experienced the saw yourself.

It's worth checking out eBay - Hegners and suchlike often appear in the listings and can be a bargain if the vendor insists on collection only.

 

[stevebuk]

SteveBUK well your entitled to your opinion, on saw choice, even if that opinion is actually wrong. What I want is NOT any mans or womans approval, I thought I made it quite clear, I do not want to waste money on buying a saw that in the end turns out to be not fit for purpose.
I thought that this forum was a resource of experience, and abilities, and that within the forum there may well have been people who had opinions on the respective saws, (even if that opinion was by word of mouth, from other scrollers) not for their approval.
I have obviously hacked you off, but I am as entitled to ask questions in this forum as any one else, and I will continue so to do, til the moderators in here suggest otherwise, end of.

you have mis-read what i intended, in your opening post you say you have read and re-read opinions from lots of others, how many opinions do you need, go to a shop and see if you can try out a few different one's and see if they are FIT for Your intensions.
You have not hacked me off at all, we were all beginers once and i have indeed got many answers through this website in the past, so please be my guest and ask away, but dont always expect the answers to be favourable with your own.

 

[Brucio]

I think the difficulty in buying a scrollsaw is that you can't just walk into a shop and ask to try out any scrollsaw that they may have on display.
At least, that's been my experience...
So you HAVE to rely on other people's advice and opinions.
Then do a search on the web to try and find out more about the recommendations you get.
After that, it's just a matter of choosing what you can afford.
I picked a SIP 16" scrollsaw, and I've been more than happy with it.
Bruce

 

[Zanda]

I think the difficulty in buying a scrollsaw is that you can't just walk into a shop and ask to try out any scrollsaw that they may have on display.
At least, that's been my experience...
So you HAVE to rely on other people's advice and opinions.
Then do a search on the web to try and find out more about the recommendations you get.
After that, it's just a matter of choosing what you can afford.
I picked a SIP 16" scrollsaw, and I've been more than happy with it.
Bruce

Cheers Bruce

 

[chrispuzzle]

Zanda, it's difficult to make comparisons. Brucio is very happy with his SIP and I am very happy with my Axminster AWSF18, but we don't have experience of a wide range of other saws.

So how to measure if a saw is worth the extra £100?

I will add two pennies to the mix -

Firstly, nearly everybody who buys the rock-bottom priced saws and then upgrades seems to feel they did the right thing.

Secondly, I think some of the difference in quality comes out not in performance but in reliability. One of the things I value about my AWSF18 is that it's a heavy, rugged saw with very little vibration and a "trade" rating from Axminster. I expect it to perform every day without complaining and it certainly does for the periods that I use it intensively.

 

[gasmansteve]

Pete - I have the variable speed Scheppach decoflex which I gather you can get for about 90 quid and speaking very much as a beginner I`m plodding through my first ever scrolling project which is a wooden pendulum clock including wooden gears (photo`s to come ;-)) and I`m finding it a joy to use and would happily buy it again there may be better for the price but I have only used this one.One thing I have found is that there is a vast difference when using different blades, the ones I am using at present are the Olsen PGT blades.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Zanda]

Pete - I have the variable speed Scheppach decoflex which I gather you can get for about 90 quid and speaking very much as a beginner I`m plodding through my first ever scrolling project which is a wooden pendulum clock including wooden gears (photo`s to come ;-)) and I`m finding it a joy to use and would happily buy it again there may be better for the price but I have only used this one.One thing I have found is that there is a vast difference when using different blades, the ones I am using at present are the Olsen PGT blades.
Cheers
Steve

Cheers for that Steve

 

[Zanda]

Zanda, it's difficult to make comparisons. Brucio is very happy with his SIP and I am very happy with my Axminster AWSF18, but we don't have experience of a wide range of other saws.

So how to measure if a saw is worth the extra £100?

I will add two pennies to the mix -

Firstly, nearly everybody who buys the rock-bottom priced saws and then upgrades seems to feel they did the right thing.

Secondly, I think some of the difference in quality comes out not in performance but in reliability. One of the things I value about my AWSF18 is that it's a heavy, rugged saw with very little vibration and a "trade" rating from Axminster. I expect it to perform every day without complaining and it certainly does for the periods that I use it intensively.

Thank you for your help Chris