I'm getting a small tax refund and decided it was time I upgraded from my Wen scroll saw.

I'm not looking to break the bank but I will have several hundred to spend.

Looking for the following features, easy to replace saw blades, arm that rises up to make it easier to insert no pin blades into the project piece, not too heavy as I will have to store it on an upper shelf

above my workbench, good built in LED adjustable work light (not mandatory) and good air flow to help remove sawdust on top of work piece.

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Rikon 16" scrollsaw. There's a 22" one as well

Edited April 8Apr 8 by MrRick

@Wichman3 , @Fred Wilson @DuckSoup , @HandyDan

Thoughts, recommendations. Thanks in advance.

Edited April 8Apr 8 by Grandpadave52

Consider looking for a used one as well, the RBI models show up around here frequently and i really like mine, though I don't do a whole lot of scroll sawing.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by Fred W. Hargis Jr

I was never into the scroll saw but did like the Hawk that I had.

Craigslist, FB Market, local auctions have scroll saws for sale & prices are reasonable. I have 2 older 16" Deltas saws & the Hawk that @HandyDan gifted me. @Smallpatch enjoyed his Dewalt and I think @Wichman3 runs a Pegas & @Fred W. Hargis Jr likes RBI. They are all great saws and each has its own advantages. I like my Deltas but I also like the smoothness of the Hawk plus it has a deeper throat. I think if you shop with your budget, you'll find a good saw that will suit your needs.

I have three Scroll Saws currently; a 22" Hegner, my primary saw I would highly recommend this saw, but it doesn't meet several of the criteria listed (heavy, no light , arm doesn't lift, bottom feed only). I have a 16" two speed Delta, the blade clamp system is the best I've ever used, but the saw is no longer made and the blade clamp system is still under copywrite protection.

My third saw is the HF cheapo and I would not recommend it ( I bought it as a return for $20, I wanted it for some testing, but the parts I wanted dried up or got expensive)

This is my old Delta scroll saw. Works great!

Edited April 9Apr 9 by MrRick

If you’re upgrading from a WEN, I’d look hard at the DEWALT DW788 Scroll Saw. It’s kind of the go-to for a reason: super smooth, easy blade changes, and the lift-up arm makes inside cuts way less frustrating. The Delta 40-694 Scroll Saw is a solid second if you find a better deal, very similar overall. Both will feel like a huge step up in vibration and control, and they’ve got decent dust blowers; the only downside is they’re not super light, but still manageable if you’re careful storing them.

After a couple of days of research I am leaning towards a Grizzly T34400 18" scroll saw. Anyone have any experience with this model?

I liked the looks of an Excalibur 16" (Canadian made) but availability seems to be none existant.

Apparently you can get the Excalibur ex16 on Amazon.ca.

Source: Amazon.ca https://share.google/CaZIsuQVsb8DIkx3u

8 hours ago, MrRick said:

Apparently you can get the Excalibur ex16 on Amazon.ca.

Source: Amazon.ca https://share.google/CaZIsuQVsb8DIkx3u

Thanks for looking MrRick but I get the same message on their WEB site that I get everywhere else.

I think I am going to stick to my decision to go with the Grizzly T4400 18". This is a US based company.

Grizzly's T4400 18" looks exactly like the Excalibur plus you get a free stand. I think it's a good choice for the price range.