Excalibur EX21 blade tension

[drigolin]

Hi all... Sorry to flooding the forum but I'm in the process to change my cheap Einhell scroll saw to something better but under 400 Euros...
My first choice was Dewalt 788 but that product seems to be impossible to buy/find in Europe (I live in Italy).
My second choice at the moment is the Axminster AWFS18 Fretsaw  available in UK to all Europe and price is very good...
But looking into the Axminster site I found that they sell Excalibur scroll saws...
EX21 and EX30 are available at about 500-570 Euros...

EX21 has an arm similar to DW788 but I don't understand how blade tension works... My cheap scroll saw need a quite boring process to do blade insertion: releasing the tension rotating a knob on the back of the saw and releasing the blade from the pinless adapter using a small tool... Then inserting the blade into the hole and do the other procedure back...
In EX21 can I use a tensioner close to clamp in the front or do I have to go back to knob I see on pictures? Any videos or better picture?

Thank you.

Dario.

[julief]

I have an EX21.  Mine is an older version so my tensioner is up front by the blade.  The newer ones have a tension knob at the back.  The last time I was at Seyco in Rockwall Texas, I messed around with the newer model with the tensioner in the back.  It is a no brainer.  There are quick release knobs for the blades, a quick twist of the knob and you are ready to saw.  I highly recommend the Ecalibur line of saws.  They have a lifetime warranty and I have found nothing but GREAT service from the distributors.  Practically zero vibration.  You can change and tension a new blade in seconds.

[drigolin]

Looking at HTML code of this web page http://www.seyco.com/watchit2.html
I have found the Video File  http://www.seyco.com/video/ExcDemo.m4v
Where all details about blade tensions secrets are explained!

Rear knob is used only for initial and fine tuning tension. A quick tension system (white part on top of the arm) is used to apply the original tension to the blade. It seems a "plastic" piece and I don't know how many times can be used. Anyway this seems very quick and easy to use.

I don't want "rotate" all the time to adjust the tension...

:-)

[julief]

Although my saw does not have the back tensioner - the front tensioner has never failed.  Five years and counting.  Daily use.