about the knocking when i speed up the dw788 past number 7

[spiderman]

I just got the new chucks and thumb screws today from dewalt for my scroll saw dw788 type 2 scroll saw.  


I'm getting a little head of myself.

but this is what's up.  I have took this saw and had it look over and for some reason I can't get the speed past 7 without it chatter.  It cuts lot better when it is cutting at the full speed.  I have not install the new chucks and thumb screws but I read somewhere that the new chucks allow more back to front motion.  And on the new chucks the space between the thumb screw and the set screw there is more space between them then the ones that came with the scroll saw.  

thanks hope to have a reply soon.
I'm getting sick of this scroll saw and i'm about to quit doing scrolling and sell this dewalt scroll saw.  this is crap I thought that dewalt built better tools....  

Ps also breaking blades  I use the olson blades #3 and on the dewalt scroll saw I set the tension to 2 and and half.

[shadowfx97]

Rick Hutcheson at <www.scrollsaws.com> has an extensive section on tuning and troubleshooting the 788. For what it's worth, I never use a tension setting under 3 1/2, and that's only for 2/0 blades. It's possible--even probable--that the chatter is due to insufficient tension. I use mostly Olsen # 2 and # 5 blades, and the only time I get chatter is when I forget to reengage the tension lever after a rethreading. Try a setting of 4 or 4 1/2 for your # 3 blades and see if it helps.

Good luck.

[dgman]

I set my tension as high as it will go! It is important to set the tension high. You don't want to have a deflection of more than 1/8" when pushed from the side.
You want to hear a high "plink" when you pluck the blade. You don't want to hear a thud or a clunk, you want a plink.
There have been a time or two where I have forgotten to set the tension before starting the saw, and it makes a loud sound when running. So I instantly know when the tension is not set.
Increase the tension on the blade and see if this helps.

[spiderman]

I had dewalt send me new 2 new thumbscrew and 2 new chucks.  the ones that came is the cause of the blade slipping.  once I put in the new chucks and thmbscrews it working good so far but it still has a vibration to the saw.  When I 1st started there was none at all and it run smooth as a new born baby butt.  this dewalt dw788 is a type2. I also thought i saw a type 3 dewalt 788 scroll saw.
but on mine it has some back and forth motion.  I seen on rick website. But is there another way to fix it.  I'm also thinking about selling this dwalt scroll saw been a nothing but a pain in the butt.  going to get a ex-21 scoll saw like steve bad opps i mean good got.
I know that scoll saw is slower then the dewalt I think that ex-21 runs 1500 spm and the dewalt runs at around 1700 spm..  

Just a note though when I put then tension up to around 3 or 3 1/2  or 4 on the number 3REV olsen blade. sorry about the miss spell on my 1st post here. but any ways the blade sometimes brakes..  maybe I should just order the FD blades...   Just that I can't find them localy in stores.  
thanks for the help guys.

I'm also going to make some scoll saw videos soon and post them up on youtube so check them out and you can also hear how the scroll saw sound and give  me a little feed back on the scoll saw is still under warranty. until july 20th 2011. or so,, I got it last year. from home depot

[iggygiles]

when I bought my scroll saw, the first thing I did was to throw away the stand through lack of room in my workshop. the net result was that it leapt about all over the bench at the higher speeds, so I bolted it securely to the bench and added another bed by bolting a 1/2" peice of ply to the metal bed, these two actions tamed the machine down and it now behaves perfectly without vibration.

Hope this helps, iggygiles