I have a problem.

[Gking]

i got a used dewalt scrollsaw and have a problem getting the blade square.


the top of the blase meets the material first, if the blase is mounted securely. i can get the blade square but the blade is barely held by the screw in the bottom.

A am checking the web to see is this is an issue others have seen.

[dunk]

This is typical of the dewalt 788.  There is no easy fix, just get used to the saw and it will be fine in time...

[tas2181]

There is a correction (read the post at http://stevedgood.com/community/index.php?topic=12502.0) .
The hole in the bracket itself can be filed out (elongated) if the correction needed isn't too drastic. I filed mine down a little bigger then shimmed the bracket up slightly until I got the blade where I wanted it in relation to the table then tightened the bolt. This was a few years ago and haven't had it slip yet.

PS: A little changed at the rear table bracket goes along ways at the blade. A 1/32 inch change at the bracket probably translates to a 1/8 inch or more to the angle of the blade.

[EIEIO]

Can you measure the difference in blade position between the upper and lower parts of the swing or is it just that the top touches first? Can you measure the amount the blade is out of perpendicular with the table?

You might shim the table so it is at a slight downward angle so it matches the angle of the blade (is perpendicular to the blade) at mid-swing.

[Dan26]

On a lot of saws, my Delta included, the design is to have the top of the blade cut into the wood first. This makes the saw more aggressive. I tried tilting the back of the table but that doesn't change the geometry of the blade movement. On my Delta, the bottom of the blade is about 1/32" to the rear of the top of the blade. For most of my cuts, this makes no difference in the finished work because when cutting thin material (1/2" or less) the difference is very insignificant. When cutting 3/4" and above, it is more noticeable on sharp corners.

[Gking]

thanks for the tips.

I am working on the 3/4 in dog Puzzles and once they are cut out the only fit together one way some peaces fi in from the back and others from the front. I figure that is a result of the blase not being square front to back.

[EIEIO]

That actually sounds like the blade is not square side-to-side. A table tilted as little as 1 or 2 degrees will make the piece fall out in one direction only.

[dunk]

sounds right, either the blade is not square to the table, not enough tension, forcing the work piece (not allowing the blade to do the cutting), or wrong sized blade.  All of these can affect a square cut.

[tas2181]

EIEIO is right. If the piece will only come out in one direction it is probably the blade is not square to the table in a left/right direction. If the blade is not square to the table front to back the problem would be that your cut would not be finished on the top or bottom (depending upon which direction it is off) when cutting into a corner from two directions. You would have to cut further into the wood to free the piece. You would not notice the problem except on thicker wood. You can check the front to back by just cutting slowly through a thicker piece of wood and watch to see if the top or bottom of the blade exits first or pretty much exits the wood at the same time.
Check the side to side angle by taking a thicker piece of wood and cutting into it a little. Then turn the piece over and see if the cut you just made aligns with the blade. If not an adjustment of the table side to side must be made.

[spiderman]

have you set your set screws. They are on the otherside of the thumbscrews.