Scroll saw advice

Greetings,

I've made a number of wooden clocks using a Draper single speed scroll saw with a pin blade conversion kit. It works fine but would prefer to slow the speed down for more accurate tooth cutting and to stop burning in hard wood. I'd also like to cross out brass gears (~ 1.5mm thick).

Now I've read good things about Hegner Multicut 1 Scrollsaw / Fretsaw Variable Speed ~ £480 and also the Axminster AWFS18 ~ £450

I just missed out on a Hegner on ebay and I was about to pull the trigger on an Axminster AWFS18 auction when Axminster hiked the price from £392 to £449 mid auction!! I did have a moan to them but to no avail

So now the Hegner is a similar price, which one should I go for?? OR are they both effectively the same model??

All the best

John

John,

I have no knowledge of the Axminster saw, but I have used [but don't own] a Hegner ... It was superb

You should find a useful thread, from a year or two ago, on this forum.

MichaelG.

John

can't tell you if they are the same model but I'm delighted with my Hegner. Build quality is superb. Good wood working reviewed all the scroll saws on the market years ago and said Hegner were " the rolls Royce of scroll saws". They re-did the review a couple of years back and (even though the price had significantly risen still said Hegner were clearly the best.

I can only agree having used it to cut 1.5 inch thick mild steel on one occasion( slow but it did it with lots of lubricant!). It was a complicated shape and I couldn't face cutting it by hand.

Speed control is fantastic on it, but an awful lot depends upon the blade quality. Again I use Hegner bladesand they're great but not cheap.

I have non regrets about going with Hegner.

Ian

I have used a lot of Hegners, some older fixed speed models and some newer variable speed ones. All were superb, smooth and stable cuts and very reliable. No problem,cutting 25mm hardwood, and while I can't claim to have cut 1.5" steel (!) I have used one for 2mm brass sheet and 4mm aluminium with no problem at all. Quality blades are worth paying for. They are used a lot in schools so are capable of taking some rough usage. I know their service and spares supply is good as well - I think they're based in Sussex edit I thought they were but having just looked at the website I see they are in Shropshire, maybe they've moved.

Edited By Steve Pavey on 30/09/2016 21:41:20

John

Hegner every time! Superb machines.

John,

This is the earler thread that I mentioned: **LINK**

MichaelG.

John

+1 for Hegner!

Brick-built outhouse quality and deserve best quality blades (from very fallible memory) mine are Windjammer. I have both single and vari-speed but selling the single speed due lack of use.

rgds

Bill

Thanks for the replies chaps - Hegner it is then .I was a bit p*ssed that Axminster wouldn't honour their auction starting price, saying it was bit off hiking the price mid-auction but this fell on death ears - another reason not to go there!!

I wondering now what the main difference between the Multicut 1 Variable Speed Scrollsaw 230V and the Hegner Multicut 2S Scrollsaw Variable Speed 230V 100w??

I think though the basic variable Multicut 1 looks ideal. I bought a whole lot of flying Dutchmen blades recently but haven't had a chance to use them ??

All the best

John

John

I'm afraid I cannot comment on the Hegner but from the replies here it seems to be the business ! I advise you to look carefully at what is available.

Some years ago I thought a scroll saw might be useful - I had some clock wheels to cross out. The one I bought was NOT a Hegner and it was rubbish - Very rough and vibrating. I solved my clock issue in the way I should have approached it in the first place - with a piercing saw - and all went well.

The scroll saw sat in a cupboard in my workshop for some years until my No 1 son needed to cut out some shapes in thick cardboard for a handicrafts class he was teaching. It died partway through the job! - and may well, by this time, have been recycled into something useful.

Norman

Edited By NJH on 01/10/2016 16:38:39