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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: bluelucky on January 07, 2011, 09:20:29 pm

Title: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: bluelucky on January 07, 2011, 09:20:29 pm
I just wanted to let everyone know that I talked to Dewalt and they told me that the 1/16"-1/8" front to back blade movement is SPEC..Well it's not square to me and if you try to cut a bowl you are actually cutting a compound cut..SO they are sending me a $622 refund for my 788 and I just went and ordered a Excaliber Ex-21...No more Dewalt for me..If you tell a company that their product has a flaw and they tell you that they won't fix it but to either live with it or get your money back. I got mine back and will NEVER have another one..My Dad warned me about Dewalt...
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Michael.....Indy..........

www.luckyscustomscrolling.com
Also on Facebook at " Lucky's Custom Scrolling"
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: termite on January 07, 2011, 10:00:20 pm
my brother-inlaw has been arguing with dewalt for a year about this . they say they have never had any complaints, & dont know what he is talking about. how long have you had your saw? i will show this to him tomorrow. thanks
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: bluelucky on January 07, 2011, 10:43:39 pm
my brother-inlaw has been arguing with dewalt for a year about this . they say they have never had any complaints, & dont know what he is talking about. how long have you had your saw? i will show this to him tomorrow. thanks

I had one for 6 months till it started knocking and they fixed it. The as soon as I started cuting a puzzle it started again. So they sent me a brand new one and it had this problem..I went around and around and even emailed Ricks website to BWD so they could see..
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Judy Hunter on January 07, 2011, 10:48:04 pm
I questioned this some time ago.  And everyone said the front to back angle is "the nature of the beast".
How about the excaliber , is it square both ways??
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Bill P on January 07, 2011, 11:29:28 pm
I had noticed a very small amount of forward/back movement on Ol' Yeller, but not enough to really bother me.  On my EX-30, there was a lot when I first got it, but I learned (from you folks) how to adjust it.  Now there is absolutely no front-to-back movement at all.

Bill
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: paul44224 on January 08, 2011, 06:44:10 am
Sorry to hear of your experience! Thank you for posting it. I was thinking of ordering a Dewalt very soon. I really like doing intricate portrait patterns, and I would think that much front-to-back movement would ruin the cuts. Guess I'll just have to keep saving up.

Paul
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: julief on January 08, 2011, 07:16:32 am
I've had my EX21 for going on 6 years and have zero front to back problems.  To me, There was not enough price difference between the two saws not to go with the excalibur.  I have never regreted it.
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Judy Hunter on January 08, 2011, 10:01:56 am
I don't mean that there is front to back movement, I mean if you put a square on the blade to the table, it is perfectly square on the sides But it is not square front to back.
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: bhenr99 on January 08, 2011, 10:05:50 am
Most saws have front to back movement. On some you can adjust them and some you can't DeWalt you can't. On the excalibur as told to me by Ray Seco their US rep it is impossible to have 0 front to back movement. You can adjust it has very little and so that it doesn't affect any cuts and very little movement.

Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: boxmaker on January 08, 2011, 10:20:03 am
Good luck with your Ex-21, when I was looking at saws I narrowed it down to the Ex-21, the DW788 and the Eclipse. I ended up buying the Eclipse, it is pricey, but I don't regret it. What sold me, were two things, the true up and down vertical blade movement, and the fact that when a blade breaks the saw stops (immediately) . Here is a link if anyone wants to check it out.

http://www.eclipsesaw.com/

                                                                Mark
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: dgman on January 08, 2011, 11:24:40 am
Sorry to hear of your experience! Thank you for posting it. I was thinking of ordering a Dewalt very soon. I really like doing intricate portrait patterns, and I would think that much front-to-back movement would ruin the cuts. Guess I'll just have to keep saving up.

Paul
A good number of members including myself use the DeWalt. For most, the front to back movement is not a problem. I can cut any pattern or project out there on my DeWalt without any restrictions, and most members here will say the same. For some, it is unacceptable, and that is fine, but for most of us, it is not a problem.
As for portrait patterns, Defiantly not a problem!
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Judy Hunter on January 08, 2011, 11:55:39 am
Holy Crap!!! I just checked out the eclipse and for that price I can live with the slanted blade.
I use strictly spiral blades so my work moves in all directions.  When stack cutting 3 or 4 layers of 1/4 material obviously the bottom one will be a just a hair different ....OH Well :D   Good discussion though.
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: GrayBeard on January 08, 2011, 12:35:52 pm
"To each, His own."

There are those who require total precision and then there are those who are willing to work within the limits of their tools AND capabilities.

As one who spent several years hanging 'wallpaper' I would say that you can go into any home built, older or brand new, high end or tract home and take a 4' level and check the 'plumb' of every 'corner' in the house and you will find very few that are totally on plumb and in most cases NOT totally 'square'.
Try explaining to a homeowner that the reason the 'stripes' on their wallcovering  don't look right in the corner is because the walls are not 'plumb' and 'square'!

That being said I feel that my DW788 may not be totally 'square' top to bottom of the stroke but it suits my purposes and my budget.
In the 8 months I have owned my DW I have not yet encountered any project that I had to throw out because of its limitations.

Further I would be curious as to the number of DW788's sold since its introduction compared to the number of Ex's during the same time frame.

Again, "To each his own"........

~~~GrayBeard~~~
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Judy Hunter on January 08, 2011, 01:09:30 pm
Kind of a feisty old fart aren't you GB :D ;D ;)
I am as square and plumb as I am every going to be ;D
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: GrayBeard on January 08, 2011, 01:21:35 pm
My usual Saturday morning, 'too damn cold to work in the shop', status.

I get upset when anyone makes flat out 'generalizations'!
Just like the phrase, "Isn't that just like a Man / Woman!"

Diversity is GOOD and if we were all from the same 'mold' LIFE would sure be BORING!

~~~GrayBeard~~~

p.s. also see my post about "Printers"!!!
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: dgman on January 08, 2011, 02:38:58 pm
Kind of a feisty old fart aren't you GB :D ;D ;)
I am as square and plumb as I am every going to be ;D
I think you two would make a good pair! ::)
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Bill P on January 08, 2011, 02:43:05 pm
Here, Dgman, here's a can of worms.  Can you open it for me?

Bill
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: dgman on January 08, 2011, 02:55:39 pm
Hey Bill, I have a special opener just for that!
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: bluelucky on January 08, 2011, 04:16:40 pm
I see some took offense to my opinion which is ok with me..I wasn't trying to say ALL 788 or ALL people owning one will NOT like the thing being off..BUT when you cut bowls and puzzles the little angle does make a huge difference on how the rings or pieces come out..All, I was saying is there is a problem with it and if yours starts Knocking that is the reason why it knocks..Added pressure and tension on the blade messes up the wedge and arms inside..Heck if I could have afforded a Hegner I would have bought one of those but the EX-21 is exactly what I am looking for in a saw..The 788 is good for small stuff but mine couldn't handle cutting all of the 1" wood..And wouldn't cut anything 2" at all..Like GB said " To each his own" Now I own a EX-21.. :P
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: GrayBeard on January 08, 2011, 04:38:23 pm
Mike....No Offense meant and none taken!

My point was to let those less experienced know that not everyone has the same requirements in a saw and that the 788 is not  a 'bad' product just because it does not fulfill everyone's needs.

There are a bunch of them out there and I am reasonably sure they are not all gathering dust.

If I had the where-with-all I too would have the top of the line.

My very first 'portrait' scared the holy hell out of me and when I got a little encouragement from one of those members I really respect it turned me in a whole new direction and i am loving it!

I have no desire nor need to cut such thick wood and if I did I would very likely be dis-satisfied with my 788.

Disagreements are what make this and other 'discussion forums' interesting and fun!

I am anxiously awaiting some 'intelligent reviews' of the new Blue and Gray 788 to see if they made any engineering changes or modifications!

~~~GrayBeard~~~
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: jimbo on January 08, 2011, 08:55:05 pm
My Ex has a slight pendulum motion when cutting but the blade is square all round as I check it occasionally.
You will not regret buying an Ex
Jimbo
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: Russ C on January 09, 2011, 08:11:42 am
"To each, His own." I agree. But there is no substitute for the top of the line. It is just what you can learn to live with. I think the old saying " you get what you pay for " fits perfectly. I tried the DW-788 and did not like it either. For me I will stick with the Excalibur and would recommend it over the DW-788 any day..  8)
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: termite on January 09, 2011, 10:53:04 am
i called my brothernlaw about this. he said Dewalt offered him the same deal. he said he would keep
788 & try to fix problem himself. he has had it 13 months & they just sent him his second set of blade clamps. this time the threads on the clamp wore out. say what you want they are standing behind their product. when this saw wears out or money situation improves, he is going to get another brand.
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: paul44224 on January 09, 2011, 01:14:23 pm
I just measured the frt./rear movement on my Craftsman, and it's just shy of 1/8". Never caused any problem on my cuts. So, to me, the Dewalt will still be my next scrollsaw. 

Paul
Title: Re: Ordered my New Ex-21
Post by: jimbo on January 09, 2011, 09:05:43 pm
I will tell you all something any saw is better than the Ryobi I started with it used to chase me around the work shop it vibrated so  much in the end it shook it self to pieces, it nearly put me off the saw
Jimbo