As I was perusing Craigslist a couple of minutes ago, I saw an ad for an RBI 220 VS scrollsaw for $450. It was described as ‘in new like condition” in the only picture posted it looked quite nice. My question is (and I realize this is opinions only) fair price? Steal? So-so and will show up again in this price range? I have noticed that items tend to cost a bit more out here on the East Coast. I’m asking this because I could probably make it happen, if it stays listed for a couple more days. I’m thinking (from what I’ve read) that it would probably not drop in value any time soon. Opinions, advice, thoughts, wanted. Thanks

Artie, whats wrong with the one you just bought??? Don't tell me you can work two scroll saws at once!!

 

Artie,  I was strolling thru Craigslist today and saw a DeWalt 788 20' scroll saw available. Said to be in excellent condition. Asking price was $250.00. Might be worth a look.

Edited March 25, 20188 yr by It Was Al B

16 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

Artie, whats wrong with the one you just bought??? Don't tell me you can work two scroll saws at once!!

 

He said he was ambidextrous>

Here are new prices

http://www.hawkwoodworkingtools.com/WebsitePages/The-Hawk-Scroll-Saw.html

 

Here is a small discussion of same.  Note that is from back in 2013

https://forum.scrollsawer.com/forum/scroll-saw/beginners-scroll-saw/49000-realistic-price-for-a-rbi-hawk-220vs

 

I have one but don't use it much.  I do like it though.

Edited March 25, 20188 yr by HandyDan

2 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Artie, whats wrong with the one you just bought??? Don't tell me you can work two scroll saws at once!!

 

I just check out craigslist on the weekends. If this saw is a $1200 saw for $450, well I might gotta check it out. I was able to get a Leigh Mortise and tenon jig for less than 1/2 price, and it’s in awesome condition. I like it if I can find good deals. My son is liking the scroll saw, came by today to do some, while I was at work. One of the guys at work, gave me an old Craftsman, 16 inch, single speed scroll saw, when he found out I had gotten into it, said it had been under his workbench for over 20 years, he had never used it. I’m cleaning that one up, gonna give it to Trevor. Any opinion on whether $450 is. Good deal? Or is it hard to say without seeing it? According to the ad, the saw is only about a 15-18 mile trip.  

5 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

Here are new prices

http://www.hawkwoodworkingtools.com/WebsitePages/The-Hawk-Scroll-Saw.html

 

Here is a small discussion of same.  Note that is from back in 2013

https://forum.scrollsawer.com/forum/scroll-saw/beginners-scroll-saw/49000-realistic-price-for-a-rbi-hawk-220vs

 

I have one but don't use it much.  I do like it though.

Thanks for the link, I had found that one and read it. From my reading it seems like the RBI is always listed as up there with the Hegner, Excalibur, Seyco, so It’s certainly not like I need another one, but I never mind trading up. I bought an old Southbend drill press a couple of years ago on CL. A mostly completed restored one. Not much more than a starter bench model, and it’s a full sized stand up one.  

2 hours ago, It Was Al B said:

Artie,  I was strolling thru Craigslist today and saw a DeWalt 788 20' scroll saw available. Said to be in excellent condition. Asking price was $250.00. Might be worth a look.

I saw one from Haverhill, the guy wanted $475. You can buy one from Grizzly, have it shipped to your house for around $530 It’s brand new, with full warranty. As a rule I don’t get interested in buying anything second hand, unless it’s at least 50% less than it can be bought new.

Prices are very much a regional thing (IMHO) and so it may well be fairly priced. But I have that exact saw and I bought it for $200 about 2 years ago. In the following months I saw at least 3 more show up, none higher than $350. Mine is a 1998 model and the guy who owned was quite a skilled scroll sawyer, unlike me. He had passed away, and I got the saw from the estate sale.  I needed a couple of minor parts and was able to get them from  Bushton (that's who told me when the saw was made) so you still have CS on them. Bear in mind I'm not a heavy scroller, but it is a very nice saw, arguably second to the Hegner but still nice.

6 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Prices are very much a regional thing (IMHO) and so it may well be fairly priced. But I have that exact saw and I bought it for $200 about 2 years ago. In the following months I saw at least 3 more show up, none higher than $350. Mine is a 1998 model and the guy who owned was quite a skilled scroll sawyer, unlike me. He had passed away, and I got the saw from the estate sale.  I needed a couple of minor parts and was able to get them from  Bushton (that's who told me when the saw was made) so you still have CS on them. Bear in mind I'm not a heavy scroller, but it is a very nice saw, arguably second to the Hegner but still nice.

Thanks Fred, there was one in January for less, so I’ll probably just file it away as coulda, woulda. 

Artie I would suggest you use the saw you have, getting use to all the features then writing down the features you don't like and the good features yo would want on your next saw.

If you wanted the most accurate scroll saw ever built you would have to find and Eclipse. 2" stroke with perfectly straight up and down blade travel. No one else can say that about their saw..Sad but they had too much precision built in to continue making them for a more or less hobby type person.

   I think you can get some very good advise from a guy that has the largest scroll saw collection any where...

The one main thing mentioned about the RBI Hawk is doing fret work using a Hawk.. The writer says using a 16" square board with a 1/16" hole in the middle, un do the blade then try to thread it through the hole of a 20 or 26" Hawk scroll saw then hook the blade back up. Maybe people who own a Hawk only uses it occasionally and hardly ever  for fret work.

  I know guys who never use their hawk for anything but still sware up and down its one of the best saws,, so how do they know if they never use it?????

  I bought a new 226 Hawk at the Fort Worth -Dallas wood working show in about 2002. I had already gotten use to all the good features of my Dewalt 788  I was buying the saw since I wanted more length as mine was a 21" model and the 226 Hawk was a 26" model. I didn't realize the dewalt was so much more of a user friendly machine ,I sent the Hawk it back in less than 90 days..It did cost me 180 dollars to learn a lesson but I guess it was worth it.

A scroller at Ricks site suggest there are only three machines that are user friendly when it comes to doing fret work on a scroll saw. The Dewalt, Excaliber and the Hegner. I realized later after I sent back the Hawk I should have bought the Excaliber for it can be set up exactly like the Dewalt . Both machines operate the same.  Maybe use to be made by the same people in Canada, I think

  The Excaliber has bearings where the Dewalt has bushings...

 

Artie go to Rick Hutcheson scroll saws and read every thing there from one end to the other...Then like I suggested earlier get used to the saw you have first before believing every one else has a better saw..

Edited March 25, 20188 yr by Smallpatch

I’ve bought the book by Patrick Spielman and am reading it now, I won’t say I’ve read every word at Rick Hutchison’s, but I’ve spent a couple of hours on his site (He doesn’t seem to impressed by RBI machines, but that was disputed by the RBI protagonists LOL.) My point WASN’T that I’m a horrible scroller because of the saw, and everyone has a better one (It’s a poor craftsman who blames his tools), I know I’m in the newbie/rookie/beginner/green/apprentice stage. I check CL every weekend, mostly for entertainment, but looking for BARGAINS. (I love me bargains). For the last 12 weeks or so I’ve seen 3 Hegner’s (Only one under $800), and 2 RBI’s (one of which lasted only 2 days). If this was an Eclipse listed as in new condition, and for $450, my post woulda been “LOOK WHAT I BOUGHT!!!, and not is this a great price? I did read the recommendation that Hegners, Excalibur, and the DeWalt were best for fret work. I like the Excalibur, it seems to be a well recommended saw, but honestly, just like my White’s Eagle Spectrum metal detector, it just looks right to me. While hardly a logical thought. It still feels right to me. Also while doing my research, Ray at Seyco seems to have more positive posts/threads online than anyone else I’ve read about. Your review of the RBI is invaluable to me. You are not trying to sell me a competing saw, you have no oar in the water, just an honest review on a saw you’ve used. It’s hard to find that kind of info on the web. I was hoping to find that the RBI was worth about $600 or more, buy/sell and put some money into the woodworking fund.  I am gonna end this now, and go do some cutting on a cat napkin holder for my future daughter-in-law. Also Everett’s mom is over, showed her the set up and we are making plans to have him over for some scroll time after our mini vacation in Maine, next month.   

Artie when I went to the wood working show I told the guy sitting there using the 226 giving demo's I would buy this saw he was using and take it when the show ends Sunday night. This way he could pick up another new saw before the next show. I told him I had heard of too many Hawks that had too much viberation and since I am watching this one run I would not take the chance of another one coming and it might not be this good...And he said send it back if you are not happy with it... also by taking this saw I would not have to pay the freight which they will add to one from the factory. Nope, can't take this one.. I took it out of the box when it came and set it on the floor without mounting it on the stand and plugged it in. It shook all over the floor.. I contacted them and they said the would send another motor. They did try to help by sending lots of parts for almost the 90 days. I told them no hard feelings from them I hoped for I tried to buy the one at the show and they said no...And every since then I always had this thought not all the larger models ran this smooth was the reason they would not let me have the one at the show...Kinda stupid thinking on my part but hey...

The RBI just seemed like it could be a good deal, seller had it listed as a scroll saw, not as an RBI scroll saw, so I thought it might have gotten overlooked because of that. In my head, I have moved on, next weekend I will probably see if it sold, or had a price drop. I do have an important scroll saw question for you, and anyone else that cares to reply. I got a small square, and checked blade at 90 degrees to table, it was. When I use the saw there is a movement of the blade, sideways, left to right. I’m thinking this should not be. On one of the scroll saw for dummies references I’ve been reading lately, it said when the saw is running the blade should look like it is clear, not blurry, mine looks very blurry. after dinner I’m gonna go to the cave and see what adjustments I can make. The manual just offers a small fix for blade runout, which I’m only sorta understanding right now. Hopefully when I’m looking at the saw with the manual in my hand, a light bulb will go on. Thank you for the help. Artie  

3 hours ago, Artie said:

you have no oar in the water,

Never heard that term before in this context...like it! "Course I'm not even close to a seaboard state either.

Now if only I can remember it.

19 hours ago, Artie said:

I saw one from Haverhill, the guy wanted $475. You can buy one from Grizzly, have it shipped to your house for around $530 It’s brand new, with full warranty. As a rule I don’t get interested in buying anything second hand, unless it’s at least 50% less than it can be bought new.

Guess the DeWalt for $250 is gone Artie. Wasn't there very long. Saw the one in Haverhill still advertised. Sure hope you find what you want.

34 minutes ago, It Was Al B said:

Guess the DeWalt for $250 is gone Artie. Wasn't there very long. Saw the one in Haverhill still advertised. Sure hope you find what you want.

Al, I’m only looking to see what is for sale, at what price. If I se something that looks like an extreme bargain, then I get serious. A month ago the Hegner Unimax for $75 was one that I replied to. It looked like new, in the picture. Pretty sure if I used it, didn’tlike It, a profit coulda been made off of it (thus supporting more WW purchases). I usually surf CL on Friday and Saturday nights while sitting in front of the idiot box with the Missus, before going to bed.

2 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Never heard that term before in this context...like it! "Course I'm not even close to a seaboard state either.

Now if only I can remember it.

I’m hoping no one thought it was an insult. Wherever I picked it up from, it means a neutral party who will not gain, or lose, from their advice to you. I value the advice from people in that position over all others.

1 minute ago, Artie said:

I’m hoping no one thought it was an insult. Wherever I picked it up from, it means a neutral party who will not gain, or lose, from their advice to you.

Oh I understood it perfectly, just never heard it used like that before..."no skin in the game, no vested interest" etc., yep heard those.

Can't see why anyone would be insulted over it Artie, but in this day and age probably "oar activists" might or ????...not me, I liked it and plan to use it...well again, only if I can remember I heard it.

Artie,

   Blade blurriness, This is ,most likely, one of the blade bearings being loose. My bottom bearing does this, but, when I start cutting the blurriness goes away and I can track quite nicely. I have to guess where to start the cut though.

    Does the blurriness go away when you are cutting?

    Either way I would probably take the saw back and replace it. (either warrenty for a new saw or refund and buy (or upgrade) a different saw.)