The Dewalt Dw788 Scroll Saw is a Simple but Reliable Power Tool That is Perfect for Making Delicate Cuts
What We Like
- Variable speed control
- 20 inches throat depth
- Dual-parallel link arm design for anti-vibration and stability
- Dust blower to keep your workplace clean
- Tool-less blade changing
- Cast-iron table and thin blade
- Workbench affixing
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
- Not every listed item is included
- No manual included
Bottom Line
The DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw is a useful tool in every woodshop. Our DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw review shows that many great features are unique to this scroll saw. The design is simple and using the saw for your delicate cuts will give you the precision you need.
However, the package doesn’t come with a manual and some of the listed items are not included in the package. This is discouraging since you’ll spend almost $500 on the saw.
The least they could have done was add a manual. Spending almost $500 on a scroll saw is a bit much since many others cost as little as half this price.
It also sucks when you buy a product and some of the features in the description are not included in the package.
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One of the most common quotes in woodworking is “a woodworker is only as good as his tools”. So, while skill is an important factor that influences results, having the right tools to complete projects is going to play a more significant role as well.
One of the most essential tools for every woodworker is a cutting power tool. The DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw is a small but powerful piece of equipment that is perfect for making delicate cuts accurately.
The blade is designed with extreme care ensuring its fineness.
This DeWalt DW788 scroll saw is the cutting tool you go for when a jigsaw is too powerful and a fretsaw doesn’t offer enough precision for the project you’re interested in completing.
The fine blade is just one of the many great features of the DeWalt DW788. We will mention other useful features in the DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw review.
Related article: DeWalt DW331K Jigsaw Review
Features of the DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw
Dual-parallel Link Arm
Every power tool that has a motor, vibrates during use. These vibrations can affect the accuracy of your work because they make it impossible for you to maintain stability.
This is why the best cutting tools are designed to buffer vibrations. For the DeWalt DW788 20-Inch Scroll Saw, the dual-parallel link arm provides stability because it has ball bearings that promote precision.
However, this feature only works effectively when you’re using the low to medium speed setting. When you get to the highest setting, you’ll start feeling the vibrations.
The lowest speed on the DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw is 400 SPM and the highest speed is 1,750. This variable speed option isn’t something you’ll see on every scroll saw.
The speed lever is located in front of the saw. So, it is easy to locate and adjust to match the thickness of the material you intend to cut.
20 Inches Throat Depth and Flexible Dust Blower
The throat depth of a saw is what determines how deep the saw will cut into a material. The higher the throat depth, the deeper the saw will cut into the material.
The average throat depth for scroll saws is 16. So, the 20 inches throat depth of the DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw is commendable. It starts from the top of the frame and ends in the teeth of the blade.
With the 20 inches throat depth, you can cut through thick materials with your DeWalt DW788. Whether the material is big or small, you’ll be able to cut through it.
The dust and remnants that are created after cutting are cleaned up with the dust blower. The dust blower can be easily replaced if the unit gets damaged.
Better still, you can request for a replacement directly from DeWalt if the warranty still covers your saw when this happens.
Related reading: DeWalt DC330B 18-V Jigsaw Review
1.3 Amp Motor for Great Cutting Action
The DeWalt DW788 20-Inch Scroll Saw comes with the perfect motor. The 1.3 Amp motor might seem small for other types like band saws and miter saws.
However, this power is perfect for scrolling. It can scroll through anything from thick wood to thin metal sheets. The motor doesn’t vibrate too fast as stated above.
The table is large enough and it is cast iron. It is about 16 x 23-3/4 inches in dimension. The thickness of the table contributes to buffering vibrations. The blade is thin and fine.
This is why it is ideal for delicate cuts. It comes with reciprocating action so it can move forward and backward whenever you want without losing accuracy.
There is a quick change mechanism that makes it easy and convenient for you to change the blade without hurting yourself. You’ll get all the flexibility you need when you’re cutting because of the design of the blade and the device as a whole.
Workbench Affixing
The DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw can be attached to a workbench thanks to the holes that are drilled at the base of the device.
When the scroll saw is secured on the workbench, you’ll feel the vibrations even less because the bench will absorb most of the vibration.
Not every scroll saw has this workbench affixing feature so DeWalt gets a plus for making this feature available.
It is a convenient feature that also happens to be optional. So, if you don’t want to attach the saw to a workbench, it’s up to you.
Related article: DeWalt DW745 Table Saw Review
DeWalt DW788 Scroll Saw Review The Verdict
From our review, we hope that you can decide if it is the right scroll saw for you.
The saw has many great features from the dual-parallel link arm, workbench affixing, variable speed to the cast iron table.
All these features work together to ensure that you always get precise and accurate scroll cuts as long as the material you’re trying to cut isn’t above the specified density.
However, the product is expensive ranging from $450 to $500. This is on the high side especially when you consider the fact that it doesn’t come with a manual and some listed items are missing.
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