Please can someone help me purchase a scroll saw please?

[pigeonface]

Hi all, my name is Ian.
I'm not particularly new to the practice of scroll sawing, however i AM new to purchasing a scroll saw.
I was gifted a 'Titan' (i think) saw a number of years back but have found it awkward to use recently due to it being incredibly loud. I'm sure there is something up with it as it doesn't often start (i have it open and need to knock the counterweight inside to get it turning). I would like to buy something newer, quieter and with variable speed but have a relatively low budget of £150. I have found a Scheppach SD1600V that seems to be in my price range, but advice from here suggests i may be able to get a better saw second-hand. My difficulty is that i can't find ANY used saws going at the moment! I'm not on facebook either so am struggling to find anything local. Can anyone advise in purchasing new/locating used saws in this lockdown/brexit age of high demand and low supply?

 

[mynamehere]

there's plenty on the evil bay for sale at the moment, depends how far you want to travel to get one as they're mostly pick-up only....

 

[pigeonface]

Are there any names i need to keep an eye out for? I know the likelihood of finding a Hegner or Axminster in my budget is low but I'm not really sure i know what to look for/stay away from.

 

[Steliz]

I have recently bought a scroll saw and my experience is -
Ebay is the best place to look but very few sellers will offer posting
The majority advertised are identical apart from the paint colour and brand name.
Some makes may have spare part problems
Make sure the blade clamps are included, if not, avoid

I bought a 'like new' Record Power version with adjustable speed and I paid more than the new price as new stock wasn't available. As soon as I took it out of the box I realised it was not going to be any fun using it as access to the lower blade clamp was very difficult. I put it back on Ebay and sold it for less than I paid but I found a 'like new' Axminster which I got for a very good price.

 

[AES]

Hi all, my name is Ian.
I'm not particularly new to the practice of scroll sawing, however i AM new to purchasing a scroll saw.
I was gifted a 'Titan' (i think) saw a number of years back but have found it awkward to use recently due to it being incredibly loud. I'm sure there is something up with it as it doesn't often start (i have it open and need to knock the counterweight inside to get it turning). I would like to buy something newer, quieter and with variable speed but have a relatively low budget of £150. I have found a Scheppach SD1600V that seems to be in my price range, but advice from here suggests i may be able to get a better saw second-hand. My difficulty is that i can't find ANY used saws going at the moment! I'm not on facebook either so am struggling to find anything local. Can anyone advise in purchasing new/locating used saws in this lockdown/brexit age of high demand and low supply?

Sorry Ian, but with that budget, the only chance you have of buying a "decent" machine is to buy S/H, and as someone has already said, that will most probably mean travelling (scroll saws can be fairly heavy for their size, as well as a bit "lumpy", so I guess that's why many don't want to post).

I don't know how long you've been here on UKW, but if you just "wander through" the various posts in the section you'll see probably 3 brand names come up regularly as being "good" and "excellent" - look out for "Hegner" (made in Germany); "Excalibur"/"Pegas" by General International of Canada (but please NOT the versions sold by Axminster Tools under their own "Trade label" numbers - they look the same but are definitely NOT!); or, fairly rare, as they haven't been imported into Europe for some time, the US "Delta" series.

Just as you say, Covid, Brexit, (and I guess "Uncle Tom Cobley and all") have led to many shortages of all sorts of stuff, especially if imported, as all the above 3 brands are.

In addition, all 3 of the above brands are VERY good (assuming in good working condition) and particularly in the case of Hegner, tend to have new prices MANY times above your budget. The S/H prices of these are therefore also likely stretch your 150 budget.

One last word of caution, if you find a used Hegner which needs any spares to get running, be VERY VERY careful as while they don't break down often, if/when they do, the prices of Hegner spares are horrendous. If you find such a saw which needs spares check with the Hegner UK web site first as they list spares available and the prices.

In short mate, you have quite a good chance of finding yourself at least one of the above machines for sale, to - more or less - suit your budget. BUT chances are you'll A) have to wait a LONG time for one to come up, and B) you'll likely have to travel some distance.

Best of luck anyway.

As a P.S. Just about ALL the new saws with names like Scheppach, Record, etc, etc, all come from the same factory in China with the variables extending only to the colour of the machine, the nameplate, and the inclusion/exclusion of various bells and whistles. They are ALL much of a muchness, and while they will all work to an extent to cut wood (if you don't mind things like noise, fiddly blade changing and tensioning, etc, etc) but all are at just about the same level as the cheapo machines you'll see in Aldi, Lidl, B&Q, etc, etc.

So have a look at the sticky post by scrimper at the top of this section called "Choosing a Scroll Saw. Why pay more?".

HTH

 

[scrimper]

The only thing I can add here is that what AES says above I agree with 100%.

There are lot's of machines out there that are pretty much the same apart from colour, name and the odd fitment, they do work and can do the job that a small bandsaw does and in some cases are better but for serious fretwork/scrollsaw work they are not really up to the job. If you plan to do any work with internal cuts you will soon be driven mad with blade changing blade refitting on these cheap saws.

 

[pigeonface]

Sorry Ian, but with that budget, the only chance you have of buying a "decent" machine is to buy S/H, and as someone has already said, that will most probably mean travelling (scroll saws can be fairly heavy for their size, as well as a bit "lumpy", so I guess that's why many don't want to post).

I don't know how long you've been here on UKW, but if you just "wander through" the various posts in the section you'll see probably 3 brand names come up regularly as being "good" and "excellent" - look out for "Hegner" (made in Germany); "Excalibur"/"Pegas" by General International of Canada (but please NOT the versions sold by Axminster Tools under their own "Trade label" numbers - they look the same but are definitely NOT!); or, fairly rare, as they haven't been imported into Europe for some time, the US "Delta" series.

Just as you say, Covid, Brexit, (and I guess "Uncle Tom Cobley and all") have led to many shortages of all sorts of stuff, especially if imported, as all the above 3 brands are.

In addition, all 3 of the above brands are VERY good (assuming in good working condition) and particularly in the case of Hegner, tend to have new prices MANY times above your budget. The S/H prices of these are therefore also likely stretch your 150 budget.

One last word of caution, if you find a used Hegner which needs any spares to get running, be VERY VERY careful as while they don't break down often, if/when they do, the prices of Hegner spares are horrendous. If you find such a saw which needs spares check with the Hegner UK web site first as they list spares available and the prices.

In short mate, you have quite a good chance of finding yourself at least one of the above machines for sale, to - more or less - suit your budget. BUT chances are you'll A) have to wait a LONG time for one to come up, and B) you'll likely have to travel some distance.

Best of luck anyway.

As a P.S. Just about ALL the new saws with names like Scheppach, Record, etc, etc, all come from the same factory in China with the variables extending only to the colour of the machine, the nameplate, and the inclusion/exclusion of various bells and whistles. They are ALL much of a muchness, and while they will all work to an extent to cut wood (if you don't mind things like noise, fiddly blade changing and tensioning, etc, etc) but all are at just about the same level as the cheapo machines you'll see in Aldi, Lidl, B&Q, etc, etc.

So have a look at the sticky post by scrimper at the top of this section called "Choosing a Scroll Saw. Why pay more?".

HTH

Thank you very much! That is really helpful! I've just had a read through that thread now.
Yes, I realise my budget is very low for this sort of thing so I'm willing to make up the difference with patience
The important aspects to me are that the machine is relatively quiet, that i will be able to change the blade often without having a meltdown and that it will have some sort of longevity (I am a tight yorkshireman that cant afford to keep replacing things )
Thank you to everyone for your help! I will keep my eyes peeled on ebay.

 

[loftyhermes]

Pigeonface, AES will know what I'm going to recommend, an old Delta with the quickset blade clamps. You just have to make sure that the clamps are complete though. At the moment there are a couple on the bay that I would buy but there are some that have the top clamp missing or broken.

 

[--Tom--]

The old meddings saws are pretty good
Eg
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Meddings...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0
Butmay take time for find one local enough

 

[Stanleymonkey]

Rutlands have an offer today

https://www.rutlands.com/sp+sawing-...urce=Rutlands Ltd&dm_i=6YCG,18H9,593NA,45MH,1
Down from £170 to £100

BUT I don't know about the quality of this scroll saw - maybe someone on here can advise

 

[akirk]

was just going to post that same rutlands deal - it is I suspect the same chinese scroll saw as all the others... I have the record power one and while it might not be the simplest in terms of changing the blade - but it is not really an issue - easy enough... and very good value for money

 

[pigeonface]

Rutlands have an offer today

https://www.rutlands.com/sp+sawing-...urce=Rutlands Ltd&dm_i=6YCG,18H9,593NA,45MH,1
Down from £170 to £100

BUT I don't know about the quality of this scroll saw - maybe someone on here can advise

Everyone loves a bit of rotary shaft!

 

[pigeonface]

... while it might not be the simplest in terms of changing the blade - but it is not really an issue - easy enough...

I think after changing the blade on my terrible titan all these years, I'll have a decent tolerance for any other machine

 

[Blister]

Save up , Birhday money, Christmas money , Do yourself a huge favor and buy a Hegner

https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:f5bf013f-0903-4534-8667-2f23faf5200c
This one is in your budget

 

[stuart little]

Rutlands have an offer today

https://www.rutlands.com/sp+sawing-...urce=Rutlands Ltd&dm_i=6YCG,18H9,593NA,45MH,1
Down from £170 to £100

BUT I don't know about the quality of this scroll saw - maybe someone on here can advise

It's £169-99, + 6.99 pp, and it looks virtually the same as my Scheppach, which is advertised online @£125 free pp.. Mine was a Toolzone (Aldi) returned/repaired unit from flea-bay.

 

[OldWood]

Pigeonface - I am going to go in the opposite direction and suggest that the muliple Chinese badged machines are wihin your budget and are really not as bad as so many people make out.

The trouble is defining how much you are going to use the saw and at what level - all the advise you are getting up above is from those with deep pockets and I suspect are committed to scrolling as a main hobby.

I have one badged Woodstar which I got at least a dozen years ago for ~£100. I see very similar machines with different names on them, Now I haven't used any other machine so I don't know how good or bad it is. but I have made quite a lot of items with it and my skill level is probably definable as basic plus.

Pluses - within your budget, variable speed, pinless blades, can be lifted to main workbench (and clamped down) from a storage shelf, adequate throat and table.

Minuses - you can overcome the upper blade clamp poor usability by changing the allen headed screw with a similar threaded wing screw, and taking off the side panel allows better access to the lower clamp. Both clamps just hook on to the operating arms The one thing I would look to avoid is the blade tensioning knob and screw at the back of the machine; this is a real pain and I'm sure there must be versions of this machine that have overcome this with a quick release lever.

I don't find it noisy, and am looking forward to starting my annual Xmas small present making session with it.
Rob

 

[OldWood]

As an afterthought - have a look at Steve Good's website "Scrollsaw Worlshop". He is a professional and would advise all of the expensive machines, but within this last year somewhere on his webpages he did a review of one of the inexpensive Chinese machines. I didn't read it but that might help you.
Rob

 

[scrimper]

Pigeonface - I am going to go in the opposite direction and suggest that the muliple Chinese badged machines are wihin your budget and are really not as bad as so many people make out.

The cheap badged Chinese are Ok for general woodwork and simple fretwork but if you want to do more complex fretwork with lot's of internal cuts they are not suitable unless of course you have unlimited time and patience. I give reasons for my view on this in my video "Choosing a scrollsaw why pay more"

 

[gilljc]

Hi all, my name is Ian.
I'm not particularly new to the practice of scroll sawing, however i AM new to purchasing a scroll saw.
I was gifted a 'Titan' (i think) saw a number of years back but have found it awkward to use recently due to it being incredibly loud. I'm sure there is something up with it as it doesn't often start (i have it open and need to knock the counterweight inside to get it turning). I would like to buy something newer, quieter and with variable speed but have a relatively low budget of £150. I have found a Scheppach SD1600V that seems to be in my price range, but advice from here suggests i may be able to get a better saw second-hand. My difficulty is that i can't find ANY used saws going at the moment! I'm not on facebook either so am struggling to find anything local. Can anyone advise in purchasing new/locating used saws in this lockdown/brexit age of high demand and low supply?

Hi Ian
My advice would be to keep an eye on eBay for a second hand hegner. You should be able to find one within your budget, ask the sellers if they are willing to pack it up for a carrier if necessary, many are, and it should only add around £15 top. Ask yourself if you really need variable speed? It's a luxury I very very rarely use on mine, only really necessary if you are going to be cutting very thin material, and even then you could stack cut to keep things easy.

 

[Blister]

Hi Ian
My advice would be to keep an eye on eBay for a second hand hegner. You should be able to find one within your budget, ask the sellers if they are willing to pack it up for a carrier if necessary, many are, and it should only add around £15 top. Ask yourself if you really need variable speed? It's a luxury I very very rarely use on mine, only really necessary if you are going to be cutting very thin material, and even then you could stack cut to keep things easy.

I already linked to a Hegner at £150 , see post 14 , Not sure why but not a peep from the chap wanting a decent saw