I have had a Craftsman 16 inch Scroll Saw for about 10 years. I use it a lot. Good saw for my use. I think I paid about 150 USD back then. About a year ago it was not performing well. Lots of slop, vibration, blade tensioner wouldn't hold, etc. Since it is a Craftsman I received with the saw new, a parts list and diagrams.
Being an adventerous sole I decided to dismantal the saw with the goal of replacing the defective parts, replacing wear parts and lubricating strategic positons. Long story short, I got it all apart, found the defective parts, ordered the new parts online thru Sears Parts Customer dialogue page. I got the parts within three days of ordering them and put it all back together. It now works beautifully. The total cost of all replacement parts ran about 40 USD. A year later the machine is working like a charm.
I've always liked taking things apart and trying to fix them or improve them. Saves much dinero and I get the satisfaction of doing it myself. If I screw up, I still have the knowledge and techniques I learned taking it apart and trying to fix it. I salvage what I think I might be able to use down the road.
OBTW, I'm a 74 year old retiree who drives a 1993 Ford Escort that was my daughter's college and grad school car. I would rather take something apart and fix it for x dollars than spend 10x dollars for a new one. However, I know my limitations after a lifetime of doing this so I am not adverse to hiring Professionals to do something I can't or don't want to do. Money is dear now that my wife and I are retired and the grand children keep being born.
Walt in CT