Scroll saws are the preferred tool for making cuts into laminates, plastics, or wood. Users find that they allow a lot of room for creativity and control of the process. Here’s our guide to the best scroll saw for your needs.
In a scroll saw, the blade’s cutting action is powered by a motor mounted at the back of the machine. Two arms extending towards the front hold the blade.
There are different designs of scroll saws, depending on each manufacturer. However, there are two basic types:
- The C-arm scroll saw
- Parallel arm scroll saw
The C-arm scroll saw got its name from the C-shape it forms with one pivot point. On the other hand, the parallel scroll saw has two arms equidistant from each other.
The difference between the two types of machines lies in their safety features. When the blade breaks in a parallel scroll saw machine, the upper arm will shift automatically, and the machine will pause.
On the other hand, the C-arm scroll saw keeps going with a broken blade until it is manually turned off.
The following review contains a selection of scroll saws with the latest technological components. The saws cater for the modern woodworker to get the best out of the project.
1. BUCKTOOL 16-inch Variable Speed Scroll Saw Pin or Pinless Blade with Pedal Switch Cast Iron Work Table
Product Specifications
- The varied speed adjustment capabilities is powered by a 1.2 Amp DC motor.
- The enclosed motor is quiet and doesn’t cause excess vibrations. This guarantees a smooth operation for users.
- There is a LED work light mounted on the machine. It provides illumination under low lighting conditions.
- Pedal switch design – The scroll saw is hands-free thanks to a pedal switch that can be started or stopped with a foot’s tap. This feature comes in handy during blade changes, drilling a new hole, or during an emergency.
- Quick-swipe blade system. Quickly change blades by opening a side panel and placing the new blade on a blade holder. The holder is user-friendly; you will know how to operate it even as a beginner.
- The holder supports two pinned blades and one pinless blade.
- Cast-iron worktable dimensions – L x W: 16 x 9 inches with a 45-degree bevel to both the left and right.
- The blade cutting capacity is 2 inches with a 16 inches throat depth.
- Compatible blade sizes – 5 inches both pinned and pinless blades.
- Blade spins per minute- 550 to 1600 SPM
- Product weight – 34.4 pounds
- Product Dimensions – L x W x H: 24.6 x 11 x 13.4 inches
Pros
- User-friendly fast blade swipe system. The side panel provides quick and safe access to the blade.
- The LED light at the front provides vibration-free lighting with no backlights. You will get a clear view of the item you are cutting.
- The pedal switch system allows you to operate the machine hands-free.
- The adjustable beveling table provides a high degree of stability.
2. DEWALT Scroll Saw, Variable-Speed, 1.3 Amp, 20-Inch (DW788)
The dust blower’s adjustable arm, power button, saw control buttons are all located conveniently at the front of the higher arm. This way, when you are busy with fretwork, you can conveniently adjust anything.
The worktop is made of a large cast-iron material to provide maximums support. This table can bevel to the left and right.
Product Specifications
- Parallel link arm design provides accurate cuts, low noise, and vibration levels.
- Tool-free blade clamps allow you to swap out different blades in seconds.
- Depth of cuts: 2 -inches
- The front upper arm contains all the important operational buttons such as the power button, the on and off switch, the dust blower, and the blade tension lever.
- The saw’s arm movement is from back to front, shortening the distance that the blade has to travel. It also creates one fluid cutting movement for smooth cuts.
- The saw arms lift and the blade can easily be threaded to make cuts inside the material.
- Power source- Electric 120 Volts
- Product weight – 56 pounds
- Item dimensions- L x W x H – 29.5 x 19.5 x 12.1 inches
Pros
- Dewalt scroll saw is the parallel arm design. The link arm design minimizes vibrations produced by the machine.
- The parallel arms work by swinging from the back of the saw to the front. This smooth movement creates quick, straight, and splinter-free cuts.
- Furthermore, arms standing at parallel means that the saw blade stays perpendicular to the material being cut. This blade positioning eliminates the chances of undercutting.
- The variable speed control options let you work with only the speeds that you can handle. The speed adjustment also allows you to adjust it to the exact speed that you need accurately.
- The saw’s dust blower is located on a flexible arm. You can direct it to any part of the work surface that you need. There is no chance of accumulating annoying debris with this function.
- The saw blade has a cutting capacity of ¾ inch to 2 inches. This can work on a variety of both soft and hard materials with both controlled and accurate results.
- The tool-free clamp means that you can swipe out blades in seconds. The easy blade-swipe makes it easy to switch projects without too much hassle.
- The cast-iron table is one of the strongest materials to construct heavy-duty materials. It will provide support. The surface is also wide enough to accommodate large cutting materials.
- At 56 pounds, the Dewalt scroll saw is both heavy-duty and compact enough to shift or transport easily.
- The manufacturer has enough confidence in the product to provide a three-year limited warranty coupled with a one-year free service contract.
- 90-day money-back guarantee in case of customer dissatisfaction,
3. Jet 727200K Scroll Saw With Stand
Product Dimensions
- Patent-pending feature – The upper blade clamps and tensions the blade at the same time.
- The lower blade holder is removable and fastens quickly into place once it is fixed
- The cast iron table dimensions: 12-⅞ inches x 23 inches provides a spacious working surface.
- There is limited vibration of the working surface thanks to a cast-iron construction.
- The slotted table allows for easy access to the blade attachments for easy changing.
- Throat capacity – 22 inches
- The table arms tilt at 45 degrees right and 40 degrees left while the working table stays flat. This tilt enhances the accuracy of the cuts.
- The adjustable blade storage system can be positioned to either the left or the right of the machine.
- Speed per minute – 400-1550 strokes per minute
- The top arm of the scroll saw lifts 10 inches and stays up there until it is pulled back down.
- The scroll saw stand can be adjusted to different heights. The preset measurements include the following: 31-¾, 28-¾, 26-¾, 24-¾ inches.
Pros
- The working table is made out of cast iron material to provide a stable working environment.
- The scroll saw stand is adjustable to different heights. This is gentle on your back and spine.
- The speed and tension control buttons are located in the same place for easy access.
- The dust port is adjustable and located on the working table’s underside, strategically positioned to catch the falling dust from the source.
4. EXCALIBUR 16″ Scroll Saw – 1.3A Variable Speed Woodworking Saw with Tilting head & Easy Blade Change – EX-16
Product Specifications
- The head of the scroll saw tilts 30 degrees to the left and 45 degrees to the right. While the head tilts, the workpieces stay intact. This way, you have more control of the blade and the kind of cuts you make on the material.
- The saw has incorporated blade guards on both the upper and lower arms as a safety precaution.
- The device further comes with a switch-on protection feature, which prevents the saw from unintentionally powering on.
- You can raise or lower the blade mounting position. This way, you can make the exact right cut that you want.
- No tool is required when changing blades at the clamp.
- Product weight – 54 pounds
- Product dimensions: L x W x H – 27 x 15 x 17 inches
- Voltage – 120 Volts
Pros
- The Excalibur scroll saw has designed every one of its entire features to make the exact scroll cut you have in mind. It provides the user with complete control.
5. Delta Power Tools 40-694 20 In. Variable Speed Scroll Saw
Product Specifications
- The speed of this saw can be adjusted to suit the type of cutting you need. Speed ranges from 400-1750 SPM.
- The scroll saw has a parallel arm design. Parallel link arms produce less vibration leading to better quality and more accurate cuts.
- When changing blades, the upper arm lifts and stays locked while raised up. It does the same when you adjust blade positions for your project.
- The blade clamp bevels from 0 to 45 degrees
- The bade clamp doesn’t need tools for a blade change. It is a clamp-and-use system that ensures the blade is ready in seconds.
- The power switch, electronic variable speed control, dust blower, and the blade tensioning lever are all located on the arm. It is easy to access any button you need.
- A blade storage area is attached to the saw, and it comes with two straight blades. This storage provides a neat and protected area for scroll saw blades.
- The scroll saw is corded electric with a 1.3 Amp motor.
- Product weight- 60 pounds
- Product dimensions: L x W x H – 30 x 20 x 13 inches
Pros
- Low vibration construction of the scroll saw enhances the process of making precision cuts. Little vibration enhances sensitivity and control.
- Heavy-duty construction for durability
- Dual parallel arms construction reduces both under and over-cutting. This feature enhances both the accuracy and quality of the cuts.
- The scroll saw has an enormous capacity to accommodate large projects. The capacity of the worktable is 24 inches by 16 inches.
- A ¾ inch cutting capacity means that this blade will make quick and silky-smooth cuts
6. WEN 3921 16-inch Two-Direction Variable Speed Scroll Saw & 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press
Product Specifications For the Two-Direction Variable Scroll Saw
- The WEN has a unique design that accepts two blades in different directions. The first blade is a standard angle while the second blade is at a right angle.
- The blade positioning ensures that the saw has an unlimited cutting capacity.
- The variable speed control ranges from 400- 1,600 strokes per minute.
- The cutting table measures 16 by 11 inches. It bevels 45 degrees to the left to make angled cuts.
- This scroll cuts wood to a thickness of 2 inches.
- Throat depth- 16 inches in the standard position
- Thumbscrew blade adapter which enhances a tool-free changing experience
- Cast iron base for absorbing vibrations
- An air pump
- Flex light for working under low light
- Foot lock clamp
- An onboard storage system for blades
- Three blades come upon purchase of this scroll saw.
Product Specifications for WEN 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press
- ½ – inch keyed chuck and incorporated key storage
- Runs on five different speeds from the lowest 740 to the highest 3140 RPM
Conclusion
There are times in your woodwork when you need to make uncompromising intricate cuts. A scroll saw is the best bet to do this. It creates the exact lines and cuts that you want.
We hope this guide helps get the exact scroll saw machine that is most suitable for your project.