what is the best scroll saw money can buy?

[Matt@]

Lol, with saw I have costing £60, it's a wonder I got anywhere with it. The saw worked"ok" it was the blade changing that was an utter pain to the point of desperation every time I had to saw a fresh section.

So will a secondhand Hefner have worn components at all? I guess an obviousy little used example is a no brainer.god knows how much they are new as dearer axminsters go up to £500 odd

 

[Blister]

Lol, with saw I have costing £60, it's a wonder I got anywhere with it. The saw worked"ok" it was the blade changing that was an utter pain to the point of desperation every time I had to saw a fresh section.

So will a secondhand Hefner have worn components at all? I guess an obviousy little used example is a no brainer.god knows how much they are new as dearer axminsters go up to £500 odd

Hegners are offering 20% off at the moment if you buy new http://www.hegner.co.uk/Scrollsaws

 

[Matt@]

The hm1 is 395, is that then less the 20percent?

 

[Blister]

The hm1 is 395, is that then less the 20percent?

I think £395 is the retail so take 20% off

Best to phone or email just to make sure :wink:

 

[Matt@]

Will when I get back as on Hols in Italy now with no email access

Ta for all your advice....very helpful

 

[Matt@]

ok I am narrowing this down a bit and need to buy an actual machine. Just come off the phone to Hegner to get some info re. their range and would really appreciate if I could get some opinion here...

Firstly I dont want to go mad with spending so am erring toward the basic Hegner HM1. It seems a no brainer to buy the blade clamp at £15 odd?

The guy was telling me about the improved blade tension mechanism but that costs another £200.00 - how much value is there in spending that money for this? I do mostly interior fretting so need to constantly reclamp the blade.

Also, re. variable speed v single speed. I will be doing mostly cutting of 1mm to 6mm hardwoods. I cannot rule out cutting thin brass though in the future. Would I need the varaibale speed for brass? It seems a single speed is ok for the wood?

Table size is almost irrelevant as I dont do big panels.

Any other reasons why I shoul;d be spending out on a better Hegner model than the HM1?!

The HM1 list price is £395 and from that you take off the 20% re. their offer so that seems like a good deal really..

many thanks

 

[hawkinob]

Hi,
For fretwork the quick release clamp is a boon.
The lack of the tensioning lever is a pain - forever checking and adjusting the tension after each blade clamping.
Adjustable speed handy.
Good luck with your choice.
Bob H.

 

[Blister]

If you intend to cut metals its best to buy a saw with a cast iron table or the metal will scratch / mark the alloy table models , More money again

 

[Matt@]

cheers for replies. My existiing cheapo machine I have to manually adjust the tension before and after blade changes and I can cope with that. Metal cutting would be once a year if that. So still veering toward basic model!

 

[mac1012]

Hi i have the hegner base model i brought two years ago and i am really pleased with it , through the craft work i make and sell it has paid for itself many times over

The new type of hegners which i own have a superior dust blower that is more adjustable than the old clear fixed ones the new type is a plastic flexi hose that is really good for aiming the blower on the cut line and pushes easily out the way

The base model never used to have quick release tensioning but the new one does although it is at the rear of machine it works pretty well , the more expensive models have a lever at the front.

I not sure what you mean about the 200 pound for the better quick release tension is this a new add on or did he mean the base model multicut 2 which will have the slighty better quicvk release tension at front ?

i cut mainly soft woods and some harder pitch pine and the machine copes with this fine , it sounds like you may benefit from the adjustable speed if you can run to that.

you can get some decent second hand ones on ebay but you have to be carefull and make sure your not buying a heap of junk look for some history to the advert like this was my dads etc who didnt use much , you can usually tell the genuine ones.

Hope this helps i would buy a hegner you wont be dissapointed

 

[Matt@]

well I am now the proud owner of a base model hegner which arrived thiss morning. I didnt know what to expect - I think I was expecting the table to vibrate less in use but I'm sure thats me being picky. Blade changing is still a fiddle but so much better than my existing one with barrels and alen keys! Got the blade clamp gizmo as well. Straight way I'm feeling I should have go tthe variable speed but it always seems to be you have to buy something before you know what you really want Not impressed with tech advice from the supplying firm who plainly advised blades that were too coarse so have re orderd those...

seems well made though...

 

[mac1012]

That's great news !! you wont be disappointed

 

[mac1012]

Sorry phone crashed on.my last post daughters nicked my laptop i bolted my hegnerdown and put a cut down thin door
Matt underdeath have you got the quick release blade clamp ? you will find a lot quicker when doing.pierced work and you will soon.get used to changing the complete blade i know the.bottom one can be fiddly but in.few weeks you wonder what the fuss was about ! keep me updated how you get on any advice don't hesitate to ask
mark

 

[mac1012]

Niqua blades from.higher are really good i use them.all the time reverse tooth ones are best that means a couple of teeth facing upwards at bottom of blade so you don't get breakthrough on.bottom of work piece as for coarse well defends what you cutting but as a rule they say.go for.the biggest blade that you can get away with i usually use a 7 and sometimes a five or a 9 they are the 3 i mostly use if i cutting my 4mm ply then a 3 works well

 

[Matt@]

I've ordered some grade 1 blades as have some very fine work to cut. tbh though, scrolling isnt something I have alot of experience in so it a case of seeing how it goes I think. Breakthrough will be ok on this job as reverse side finish is irrelevant..

 

[Matt@]

Sorry phone crashed on.my last post daughters nicked my laptop i bolted my hegnerdown and put a cut down thin door
Matt underdeath have you got the quick release blade clamp ? you will find a lot quicker when doing.pierced work and you will soon.get used to changing the complete blade i know the.bottom one can be fiddly but in.few weeks you wonder what the fuss was about ! keep me updated how you get on any advice don't hesitate to ask
mark

I got the quick release blade clamp on the top!

 

[hawkinob]

Hi,
Re. putting a quick release blade at the bottom?????
I've noticed previously that people mention putting a quick release blade at the bottom clamp - WHY???
Maybe, probably, I don't understand why anyone needs a quick release clamp at the bottom - unless of course they top feed and I can't see that the Hegner, or a Hegner clone, can do that comfortsbly!
Perhaps someone will enlighten me.
Bob H.

p.s. I did also note in another post that someone mentioned that the use of the quick release clamp was - "a no brainer" - no idea what this meant unless it refers to putting it at the bottom!

 

[mac1012]

Hi bob sorry to disappoint you it was the way my post reads as was set from phone it reads" Matt underneath "
if you read it again you will see what i mean and i think "no brainer " means it'd a good idea to have a quick release clamp

 

[Matt@]

was me that mentioned no brainer re. the clamp. For £15 odd I cannot see any reason not to get it but and happy to be put right on that...

 

[mac1012]

i agree it really is a no brainer :wink: