Choosing a scroll-saw. Why pay more? the answer is here.

[loftyhermes]

Morrissey your profile says you are in Portsmouth?

There is a really nice condition two speed Delta on eBay, located in Gosport.

Two days to go currently one bidder £50

I wouldn't be telling you this if I lived closer to it ;-)

Thank you! I searched eBay for delta but somehow missed this one. I believe this is the 40-540 which is the budget end of delta? Any idea which would be better out of this or the Axi 456? The Axi seems much better spec'd.

The Delta every time over the Axi. If the quickset clamps (the best clamping system ever) are complete and it works then it'll be a great saw. I have two 560's one I bought new in the mid 1990's and it's still going, I also have another 560 and a 540 as well. The 540 is variable speed, the 560 is two speed, both are identical apart from the speeds. There's a buy it now one now near you that looks in great condition with all the tools. if I were closer I would have it.

 

[whatknot]

Annoying, for some reason I am not getting alerts to new replies on ukworkshops

As others have said, go for the Delta, its a good sturdy machine with better blade clamps for quick changing

I was going to point it out to you yesterday but wasn't sure where you were

Apart from its a better machine, the Axi AC456SS is £165 and once out of the box worth about £65 at best, if you can sell it for that, whereas the Delta would be worth what you paid for it up to around £70

The variable speed is better IMHO than the two speed but either are likely to be a better buy than the Axi at £165

Yes there might be problems with a used machine, but the variable speed one looks little used

 

[morrissey007]

Lofty, whatknot and Irish, thank you all so much for the advice and quick replies!

I'm going to follow all your advice and have a punt on the Delta, really difficult to know what to bid as I cant find prices for it anywhere, must be quite an old model I reckon so probably max £80? Also a little concerned about parts for something this old and not readily available in the UK, so I think my bid should reflect this. Anything above that and I think I'd go for the Axi.

Edit: Its currently at £94, too much for an old machine I think, for another £60 I'll go for the new Axi (and get a bonus flexible shaft with it!)

 

[loftyhermes]

The Hayling Island one is a buy now at £70.

 

[Irish Rover]

There is a bidding war going on between two people for the one in Gosport.

If I were you I would swoop on the Hayling Island Buy It Now £70 one ASAP.
It's £100 cheaper than the axminster. If you don't like it, which you will ;-) you can resell it for the same price easily.

 

[morrissey007]

Tempted to try a bid on the Delta but the Axi AC456 has 10% off making it £148 and with the Rotary tool this is making it very Attractive!

 

[AES]

I would THINK, (repeat think, NOT know) that if it's in reasonable condition, the Delta would be the better buy of the 2.

Do you actually NEED a flex drive shaft? How is it driven on that Axi machine, and what does it have for a collet (or chuck) on the end?? If you really do need a flex drive, how much would it cost you to buy one separately, WITH all the bits and fits exactly as you want them? (Dremel, as just one example).

As said, I don't know the Delta at all, but they get a consistently very good rep on US sites (where they're mainly to be found) and loftyhermes, member here, has THREE and he says they're very good too.

I'm NOT knocking your preferences, but with all due respect, I suggest you should not allow yourself to be "over-influenced" by "added give-aways" (as I have done in the past - AND generally regretted doing so).

 

[morrissey007]

You make a very good point, Hence my 'tempted to bid on the Delta' thats local to me. What I can't figure is what is or isn't a good 2nd hand price, it looks in excellent condition and is at £94, but I've no idea if that's way over or not, there is one for £70, but looks a lot older, bit more beaten up and well used and is the two speed not variable.

 

[AES]

Yeah, and I can't help you there, sorry, I haven't lived in UK for over 40 years and have NIL idea on pricing these days.

About the only thing I can suggest is that you ask yourself A) "What am I prepared to pay?", and B) "What can I get for that money?". My understanding is that even with cheapo Aldi/Lidl prices you'd pay almost 70% of 94 quid for a new one (WHEN in stock!), AND those machines are only just one of many similar "Chinese Clones" that often sell for more than 94 quid. So you end up comparing new with S/H. So now perhaps the "only" question is "what sort of condition is that Delta in?" And if you go a bit further and tell yourself that Delta has a good rep and that there's not all that much to go wrong with a scroll saw REALLY (he says hopefully!!!), the decision MAY become a little easier for you. That's "a definite maybe"

Can you go and look at it/try it before buying?

Good luck whatever you decide, IMO scrolling is fun. AND these machines can be used in any workshop for a lot more than "just typical scroll saw work".

 

[morrissey007]

Yup, all very good points, and you're right; the 'clones'. are all around the £100 - £120 mark and a 2nd Delta will definately be better than all of those . The Auction ends tomorrow...I'll report back!

 

[AES]

OK mate, good luck.

 

[loftyhermes]

I prefer the two speed over the variable one but that's just me. Anywhere around the £100 mark is good, lower is better. I can't see the point in running the saw to use a flexible drive, just buy a Dremmel type machine. Just because a machine looks older doesn't mean it's not a good buy. Another thing about the Delta is that it has little vibration and it doesn't need fastening down I have used mine just sat on a workmate with no bother at all.

 

[morrissey007]

all good points Gentlemen (sexist assumption there!). I will keep my eyes out for a 2nd hand delta!

 

[Irish Rover]

Aren't you interested in one of the two near you?

Two pieces of rocking horse poo on your doorstep at the same time.

Don't over think it.
£70 2 speed Delta just down the road is a phrase I would love someone to say to me.

 

[morrissey007]

Not over thinking it. I'm going to take all your good folks advice. The 70 quid one looks pretty beaten up and Hayling is harder to get to. I'll see what happens with the other one tomorrow.

 

[Irish Rover]

I would say the £70 one is in fairly good condition. Just cosmetic blemishes.

Mine looks the same and it works brilliantly.

Good luck.

 

[AES]

all good points Gentlemen (sexist assumption there!). I will keep my eyes out for a 2nd hand delta!

Well at least in my case your assumption is correct ("Mr." AES)

I've only ever seen pics of a Delta. WHEN you buy yours (!) 1 or 2 pics are obligatory!

 

[morrissey007]

Rest Assured pics will appear!

 

[Urrgly]

I often read comments from people new to scrolling or fretwork as to which saw to buy, why pay £100's of pounds when you can buy one for less than £100?

In my workshop yesterday I thought why not do a video about the subject and went ahead. I thought there may be people here who may be interested so I hope folks here won't mind me placing the links here.

The video is in two parts .

Part one is
and
Part two is

Hope the video's are of interest to someone.

John.

Brilliant video Scrimper helped me loads as a newbie thanks.
Guess what I'm searching for now
Quick question though what model is yours? The ones I've looked at quickly don't seem to have the quick release tensioner on them.

 

[Awac]

I often read comments from people new to scrolling or fretwork as to which saw to buy, why pay £100's of pounds when you can buy one for less than £100?

In my workshop yesterday I thought why not do a video about the subject and went ahead. I thought there may be people here who may be interested so I hope folks here won't mind me placing the links here.

The video is in two parts .

Part one is
and
Part two is

Hope the video's are of interest to someone.

John.

I didn't quite realise how much I need a scroll saw....lol. Great introduction video.