DeWalt 788 Scrollsaw - Best Upgrades

I upgraded my scrollsaw from the Wen 3921 to the Dewalt 788. First of all, no comparison. The improvements between the two saws is less about how well they cut, and more about everything else.

The size of the saw gives you more room to work with. The Wen had 16 inches between the blade and the back joint of the saw. The DeWalt has 20 inches, and the saw is much heavier and smoother. But perhaps the biggest and most important difference, is in the ease of changing the blades. If you're familiar with scrolling, you know that releasing the blade to place it within a drilled hole is such a common task in virtually every project that you do. The DeWalt keeps the process simple, where performing this task on the Wen is a real pain, and slows the project down considerably as your wrestle with doing this.

When I bought the saw, I decided to go ahead and customize my saw with what are probably the three most popular upgrades one can make with the DeWalt 788. First, I outfitted the saw with The Lifter, which holds the arm up during blade changes and adjustments. 

Second, I added two knobs upon the recommendation of Steve Carmichael's website. Although these knobs were a little pricey, I really like them, and they make working with the saw more enjoyable. Maybe I shouldn't say they're pricy, because they really are well-made, and work perfect.. So, if I had it to do again, I would still purchase these.. The guy that makes these is named Marcus, and although I don't think he has a website, he was a pleasure to work with. He made getting these as easy as possible. What a great guy. If you're interested in a set of these, email him at scrollsawcomfortknob@gmail.com.

Third, I picked up a $12 foot switch from Harbor Freight to run my saw, like Steve Carmichael and others do. And speaking of Steve at the Carmichael Workshop, I also purchased his plans for this scroll saw stand. I like the stand, but I regret that I used MDF that I already had on hand. If I were to build another, I would make a trip to the store and get a 3/4" sheet of plywood...just sayin'.