DeWalt Scroll Saw Blade Distance too far-Bought replacement on Amazon for $399

[Greg B]

I've had a DeWalt DW788 type 2 that I bought on Craigslist 10 years ago. It's knocking badly and breaks blades almost immediately. I replaced it with a new one that I bought from Amazon at the great discounted price of $399. After setting it up, I found that the blade holders were too far apart and they barely held the blade tip to tip. I contacted DeWalt, got someone who was basically a phone clerk, explained the problem, and was told that I had to go back to Amazon since it was withing the first 30 days. Amazon offered me either a discount or return, but required that I put it back in the box. I found no way of adjusting the blade distance that worked.  I had all the packing, but absent of a video of me taking it out of the box showing what packing materials went were, I did the best I could. Since it's quite heavy, a special pickup was necessary. Amazon will replace it once they get the old one back. The whole process is about a week.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the replacement won't have the same problem. I'll let you folks know. I'd hate the think that the sale isn't because DeWalt is getting rid of defective machines with the same problem. I found an article on scroll saws.com  https://www.scrollsaws.com/SawReviews/DewltTuneUp.htm
that described the same issue back in 2006.
I found the videos from Awesomewood https://www.instructables.com/Ultimate-DeWalt-Scroll-Saw-Maintenance-Repair-Guid/ and Bob Brokaw very helpful in trying to figure out what's wrong with the old saw. I suspect a bearing on the front rocker arm to be the suspect and have ordered one from PowerToolReplacementParts $39 instead of the $72.50 on Ereplacement parts. I can get the bearing for $20, but would need a bearing press.
Thanks to all those on this and other sites that have shared their know how and experience to help other scrollers!

[ddockstader]

Have you checked a couple of things, like is the tension all the way up to 5 or above? That tries to raise the upper arm to increase tension and without a blade it can increase the separation. That being said, I have experienced this one other time. I put the blade clamps in upside down. Not upside down on the arms but upside down as in putting the upper clamp on the lower blade and vice versa. This was when I was installing new Pegas blade clamps and I couldn't understand why the Pegas clamps required a 7" blade. When all else fails, I revert back to the primary directive I received in 20 years in the Air Force - RTFM!!! I've worked on lots of DeWalts over the years and I'm betting something isn't set up correctly. Also, Gwinnett Woodworkers have some FANTASTIC YouTube videos on maintaining the 788 from the ground up. Highly recommended.

[Greg B]

The tension was set all the way down and the blade clamps were in the right places. I used a couple of different blades to make sure it wasn't a blade that was too short. I really didn't want to send it back because when I was successful in getting a blade to hold it was wonderful to use a new saw after using a used one for 10 years. I learned a lot from the videos. The first disassembly of the old saw was a lesson in humility, but after having made all possible mistakes, the second time around the videos made much more sense. I was able to run the saw with the bottom cover off so that I could see and hear what was causing the racket. All of the noise and vibration was coming from the area of the lower rocker. I'm having a new one shipped, but there are other things that could be the cause. So, we'll see. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Greg B]

The new discounted DeWalt scroll saw was delivered yesterday. The blades were a bit closer together than the first saw. It was hard to hold the camera phone and the measuring tape at the same time, but it looks like the blade distance is about 4 1/2 to 4 5/8. It's workable, but the blade distance is much greater than my old DeWalt. I'm going to keep it.
Here's the old post on this issues on scrollsaws.com
Problems with the blade distance being too long

Dear Rick:

There is a minor problem with the newest crop of DW788 Scroll Saws. The spread between the blade holders has lengthened slightly due to a manufacturing problem with the wedge. The result is difficulty inserting the blade into the blade holders because there is only about 1/8" above and below the holders.

 Just wanted you to be in the loop so here is a cc of the most recent email.

Ron

From: Ronald G. Brown [mailto:ronbrown@coolhammers.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 1:33 PM
To: 'scrollsawer@att.net'
Subject: RE: DeWalt Scroll Saw Help #2

Tony:

Spoke with Larry today. He is not a direct line manager, but rather a 1-800 phone specialist. He has had conversations with the engineers and discovered that the DeWalt Plant Engineers believe the current crop of wedges were cut out of spec. The engineer actually had one machined to the correct spec and sent it over to the plant in Taiwan. Has no idea when the systemic problem will be solved.

Meanwhile, I guess the fix is to machine the wedge down some to achieve the 4-1/8" on center for the blade holders. I would not be afraid to do that in my own shop, but I can not recommend that you do it.

An alternative might be to ask Larry to have an engineering drawing/diagram of the wedge emailed to you and you could take it to a machine shop for the rework.

 Good Luck and keep me posted.

Ron

From: scrollsawer@att.net [mailto:scrollsawer@att.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 9:20 PM
To: ronbrown@coolhammers.com
Subject: DeWalt Scroll Saw Help #2

Ron,

 Just a follow-up note on our conversation yesterday w/re to the distance between the saw arms that only allow a five inch blade to fit into the blade screw-holders spaced 4 3/4" apart (1/8" protrusions at each end of thumb-screw clamps).

 Larry Wagner, DeWalt Product Manager (1.800.433.9258) called me today to discuss my situation of having received three new #788 saws all with the same problem over the last three months which have had to be replaced under factory warranty.

 He told me that he had been receiving other complaints recently about this situation as well.  And, that he agreed that the top and bottom blade protrusions should be about 1/4" above and below the aluminum cast blade holder and not just the threaded thumb-screw clamp hole.

 So there you have it.  Three 'Type 1' saws (a fellow sawer friend of mine, yours and Mr. Wagners') that DO NOT exhibit this problem and, three, 'Type 2' machines that I have received from DeWalt since November that do have this problem.  At this point I am compelled to believe that ALL 'Type 2' saws have this type of a problem.

 It would be interesting for you to discuss this matter at your monthly scroll saw club meeting this weekend to gather a consensus of other DeWalt #788 scroll saw users w/re to this situation.  Please ask them to call Larry Wagner to voice their concerns and complaints if they too are experiencing this particular problem.

 Thank you again for your help.

 Tony Kolodziej

[Greg B]

The 2nd saw worked fine at first, but after a few days it started making overly aggressive cuts. It was impossible to make tight turns no matter what wood or blade I used. I returned it to Amazon and it took three weeks to get a refund. I've taken my old saw to the DeWalt Service Center in Charlotte to see if they can get it to work properly. The maximum they will charge is $299 which includes shipping it back. I have a 90 day period with DeWalt where I can return it for additional repairs if they don't get it right the first time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!