Scroll saws have proven to be very effective when it comes to carving images and making intricate cuts on word surfaces. They make very good designs that are hot on demand, machines that can be used by virtually anyone, including kids.
Since their growing popularity, a lot of folks have found it difficult to choose among the thousands of scroll saws in the market today. In this article, we’ll help you make a better-informed buying decision through our review of the 11 best scroll saws you can find.
The Best Scroll Saw On The Market of 2022
1. DeWalt 20-Inch Scroll Saw
You wouldn’t be wrong if you called DeWalt, one of the best power tools manufacturers. They top the list in almost every criteria, and the reason is not far fetched. Once again, they have combined durability, functionality, and strength in this masterpiece.
The DeWalt DW788 scroll saw produces cuts with close to perfect detailing. One very good thing about this brand is that its double parallel link arm design helps to greatly decrease vibration, thereby giving room for a more steady and accurate cut.
It features a tool-free blade change technique allowing you to easily replace the blades without stress whenever you feel the need to. You can adjust the cutting thickness to a range of 0.75 to 2 inches.
Thanks to its arm lifts, you can easily thread the blades right through the material to enable you to get to inside cuts. This saw also provides you with bevel cuts, as it can tilt 45 degrees, both to the left and right side
The Dewalt saw also features a 20 inches throat length. This allows you the opportunity to work on a wide range of differently sized project. With a throat length of 20 inches, you should have plenty of room for cutting a wide variety of different sized materials.
It boasts of a 1.3 Amp motor, making it possible to have a blade speed of about 400 – 1750 strokes per minute.
The only possible problem you might encounter is the fact that the blade isn’t really centered in its cutout. But if you really think about it, it isn’t much of a bother.
2. Delta Power Tools 20-Inch Scroll Saw
With many years of expertise up their sleeve, Delta Power Tools once again introduces another game changer to the market. The Delta Power Tools 40-694 20” Scroll Saw features an electronic variable speed motor which ranges between 400 – 1750 strokes per minute. This allows for a diversified choice in your cutting applications.
The dual parallel link arm design helps to greatly reduce vibration, thereby giving room for a more accurate and precise cut. It also offers a tool-free blade clamp. This is actually a very important convenience feature that saves you stress during blade replacements.
With this scroll saw, you can easily adjust the tilt to the desired angle of your choice. Also, whenever the blade is being adjusted or changed, the upper arm lifts and becomes locked in that position.
This saw bevels both to the left and right at an angle of 0°- 45°°. It is powered by a 1.3 Amp motor making it possible for the scroll saw to work around woods of different types. Also, the area for blade storage provides you with an organized option for protecting your saw blades
Its dust blower features allow you to maintain a neat environment while working, as it comes fitted with an adjustable dust hose that can redirect debris and wood particles from your work table to any direction of your choice.
However, it is more suited for use with pinless blades. If you want to use pinned blades, you might consider getting an adaptor to go with it. Overall, this is a good option and a wonderful choice for larger projects.
3. Wen 16-Inch Scroll Saw
Intricate cuts and perfect detailing are probably Wen’s strong points, as reflected in this Wen 3921 16-Inch Scroll Saw.
It’s fabricated in such a manner that it accepts blades in either the standard manner or at 90 degrees, so you’ll enjoy an unending ripping capacity.
The motor of the Wen 3921 16-Inch Scroll Saw boasts of a fair speed ranging between 400 – 1600 strokes per minute, depending on the nature of the material being cut.
The table is not much different from the other products we’ve reviewed this far. It has a maximum width of 16″. It can also tilt to the left to a maximum of 45 degrees.
This guarantees you clean bevel cuts with high precision. It can only cut woods that are 2″ thick or less. It also has a maximum throat depth of 16″.
If you hate the noise that comes with scroll saws, then you may as well opt for this product. This is because it has a cast iron base, which is fairly noiseless.
Changing blades are pretty easy because of the tool-less blade change system. It also has a flex light for ease of use at night. Also, with the dust port, you’ll always have a clear table devoid of dust particles.
This tool stands out in that there are no major cons to hold unto.
4. ShopSeries 16-Inch Scroll Saw
The ShopSeries RK7315 Scroll Saw is renowned for many reasons, including its lightweight feature. Weighing only 27.1 pounds, it’s certainly lighter than its contemporaries.
It’s got a 1.2-amp motor that delivers sufficient power to make all sorts of incredible cuts on woodworks.
The table is made of die-cast aluminum, and it has a maximum beveling angle of 45 degrees. It boasts of a 5” tungsten carbide blades.
I find the variable speed control quite useful, especially when you have to cut materials of varying thickness. It has a ⅘” stroke length that ensures you get high precision cuts.
What’s more? It’s got a throat depth of 16″ and a complementing cutting depth of 2-½”. This device also helps you eliminate the stress of clearing your work area. The built-in blower gives you a line of sight by removing particles and dust from the materials you’ve cut.
Unlike some scroll saws, the ShopSeries RK7315 Scroll Saw has a blade guard that protects you against hazards and eventualities. It also ensures that the dust particles go through the dust port.
Just like a few of the other products we’ve reviewed, this one also has vibration issues, which can be a bit discouraging. If you’ve had past experiences with a scroll saw, you won’t consider this to be a problem.
5. Shop Fox 16-Inch Scroll Saw
It’s pretty uncommon to come across highly efficient machines such as the Shop Fox W1314 16-Inch Scroll Saw. Without hypes, this machine has all the features that position it as one of the best in the market.
With a commendable power of ⅛ HP, these scroll saws deliver as much speed as required to tidy up your intricate woodcuts. Precisely, its no-load speed ranges between 550 – 1700 strokes per minute at a blade stroke length of ¾ inch.
This speed is backed up is further justified in its 1.2 Amps motor rating with 110V and 60Hz frequency. The machine can tilt between an angle of 0 – 45 degrees to give more specialized cuts.
It has a 1-¼” dust port to ensure that the machine doesn’t get choked up with particles of the materials. More so, it has a dust blower to ensure further that your immediate working environment is neat enough for you to make your cuts.
It uses both pin and plain blades. Whichever one you choose, the maximum cutting width remains 16-inch. Additionally, it has a gooseneck work light to ensure you don’t miss a detail.
One of the downsides of this equipment is that it vibrates and makes noise in the process. If you can live with it, then you may find this to be very resourceful.
6. General International 16-Inch Scroll Saw
The General International BT8007 16-Inch Scroll Saw is one of the few products on this list, and in the market as well that have flex-neck LED work light.
What this means is that you can literally use this equipment at night and still achieve accurate cuts.
It’s a corded-electric tool with a power rating of 144 Watts, 1.2 Amps, 120 V, and a frequency of 60 Hz. It has a no-load speed of 400 – 1600 strokes per meter, which varies with the nature and thickness of the material it cuts. Its stroke length is ⅝”.
With a sawdust blower, your working space will remain tidy as you cut further. Very importantly, this device can only cut wood that is not more than 2″ thick.
Any effort to cut a thicker material will meet a stalemate. It also has a maximum throat depth of 16″.
However, you can set the exact speed you need before you start cutting exercise, using the up-front dial.
You can tilt the table from 0° – 45° to the left to achieve some neat bevel cutting designs. It also weighs just 24 pounds.
7. Skil 6-Inch Scroll Saw
The Skil 3335-07 16-Inch Scroll Saw is another sophisticated masterpiece that delivers intricate cuts and curves.
It has a large work table with dimensions of 16″ x 10″. The table tilts at angles between 0 – 45° to enable you to have clean and beveled cuts.
The saw accepts both plain and pinned blades. It has a maximum throat depth of 16″. You may also love the fact that it has a bright LED work light that will keep the working space lit up, even at night.
Also, you shouldn’t worry about cleaning the table of dust particles. This is because the 1.5 inches dust port is pretty efficient.
If you don’t have any problem with its 33.8 pounds weight, then this may just be the ideal tool for you.
One beautiful thing about this piece is that it uses both AC and DC power supply. That’s to say it is both corded-electric powered and cordless.
This makes it the first battery-powered scroll saw on our list, and arguably one of the best in the market. But then, the device doesn’t come with the batteries.
One downside is that the table is made of aluminum, which makes it pretty noisy, not to mention the ensuing vibrations.
8. Dremel Moto-Saw Scroll Saw
This beautiful piece of equipment is formidable, to say the least. I consider it one of the most portable scroll saws in the market.
The Dremel MS20-01 Moto-Saw Scroll Saw is a rare model with a detachable table. Yes, you can remove detach the main scroll saw from its table and use it as a handheld cutting tool.
When you seek to use it the traditional way, you can clamp the table or base to any surface you deem fit so as to mitigate vibrations and maximize precision. This is a lightweight tool, weighing just 5.29 pounds.
Nonetheless, it’s more powerful than it looks, being able to cut through various materials like metals, laminates, wood, and pipe. It’s electric powered and has a power rating of 120W, 120V.
It’s got variable-speed control functions that ensure that the right speed is used for the right material.
To ensure that your workspace remains neat, it’s got a dust port adapter that expels dust particles from the top of the table to the floor.
This scroll saw also has an auto tensioning mechanism that allows you to change accessories, like blades pretty fast.
If you’re opting for this too, you’ve got to read the manual properly, especially because the blade tends to be difficult to install, manage and use.
9. HF Tools 16-Inch Scroll Saw
The HF Tools HFT93012 16-Inch Scroll Saw is also another great piece for the most exquisite cuts. It has a tilting table that allows you to make bevels between a range of angles from 0 – 45 degrees.
The blade can comfortably cut wood that is 2-inch thick or less. But then, it has an outstanding throat depth of 16 inches. To ease the challenges of vibrations that are recurrent in most of the other products we’ve reviewed, the base of this product is made of cast iron.
The motor offers a range of speed between 400 – 1600 strokes per minute with a stroke length of 1”. More so, it has a variable speed that adapts to the nature of the material. The blade length is 5”, and the entire tool weighs 23 pounds.
If you want to mount it on a bench, you can easily leverage the predrilled holes specially designed for that cause.
It runs on a corded-electric power source, and it also has a dust nozzle that expels dust particles.
10. Rockwell BladeRunner X2 Portable Tabletop Scroll Saw
As the name suggests, the Rockwell BladeRunner X2 Portable Tabletop Scroll Saw is one of the most scroll saws I’ve seen. It’s made with a sturdy black plastic that guarantees its lightweight of 17 pounds.
Well, 17 pounds may look a little extra, but if you make a comparison with some of the other saws we have on our list, you’d agree with me that this tool is worth every pound.
It has a no-load speed of 3000 strokes per minute with varying stroke lengths for different materials. The stroke length for wood is 1-½”, ceramic tiles is ⅜”, aluminum is ⅜”, PVC pipe 1-¼”, while Steel is ⅛”.
That is another way of saying that the harder the material, the more time it takes to cut. The saw boasts of an ultra-fast too-less blade change system that allows you to replace and install a blade in three seconds literally.
It’s a corded-electric machine that runs on 120V power supply. It comes installed with a vacuum port that serves as a dust port for expelling debris from cut materials. Each pack comes with a 5-piece blade set.
The holding compartment will keep your material in place as the blade runs through it. One thing you’ve got to know is that this tabletop scroll saw is not for long straight cuts. You can easily make designs and specialized cuts. But long straight cuts for about a meter is definitely not going to work.
11. Excalibur 16-Inch Tilting Head Scroll Saw
The Excalibur EX-16 16-Inch Scroll Saw is as epic as its name sounds. It’s a breath of magnificence, having great features that qualify it as one of the best products in the market.
First, it tilts in two different directions: 30° to the left and 45° to the right. What tilts are the head and not the table, which means your workpiece remains level while it deals with high precision cuts on your wood.
As a way of preventing an accident during the use of this equipment, it’s equipped with an upper and lower blade guard. More so, the device is designed with some safety standards that ensure it doesn’t start up unintentionally.
It uses a permanent magnet motor that boasts of speed that ranges between 400 to 1400 strokes per minute, depending on the material you’re cutting.
The table has a pretty fair dimension of 12″ x 18.5″ that can easily accommodate most works. Changing the blade is not a problem at all. With its’s tool-less blade change system, you don’t need to hire a technician to do it for you.
Just like the other products we’ve reviewed, it is also equipped with a dust blower. So far, there are no major cons that are worth considering in this product. It’s quite splendid.
Buying Guide-What To Consider Before Deciding On A Scroll Saw
Speed
Speed is something you’ll want to consider when buying a scroll saw. Generally, the speed of scroll saws is measured in SPM, i.e., strokes per minute.
Getting a scroll saw whose speed can be adjusted is of utmost importance. Different saws operate at different SPM’s, indicating the maximum strokes that the saw is capable of per minute.
Most saws come fitted with variable speed motors/ controls. The variable speed control will allow you to easily adjust the speed to match the type of cut you want, thereby giving you more control.
From experience, faster speed levels are more suited for harder materials such as hardwoods, metal or stones, while slower speed range is used on softer woods, plastics, and paper. For better and more precise cuts, it is advisable to get a saw with a larger variability speed range.
Luxury Features
Luxury features refer to additional features that make a scroll saw more efficient. Some of such features include; the dust collector features, this add-on helps you to keep your working environment clean and free from dust.
With this feature, you can adjust the blow tubes to send wood particles in the direction of your choice.
The LED lighting system is another plus you should look out for. This feature improves illumination while at work, thereby giving you cleaner and more precise cuts.
Don’t just jump at the idea of getting that Scroll Saw just because you saw the LED light feature written in bold letters make sure the lights are firmly fixed and will hold in place irrespective of the vibration from the saw.
Another less emphasized feature is the footswitch. This feature allows you to continue working with your foot whenever you take your hands off the saw.
Depth Of Cut
This refers to the maximum thickness of the wood piece that your saw allows you to work with. Generally, it is measured in inches, and the standard measurement is about 2 inches. Most times, scroll saws are used for finishing touches, and so you most likely might not need more than the standard 2” measurement.
Type Of Blade
Basically, we have two main types of blades in the market. The pin end and the plain end. The plain end is also called a pinless blade. This type is usually fixed in between two clamps on the scroll saw. While the pin end blades are fixed through a small pin at both the top and bottom of the holder.
Depending on what you’re aiming for, while you might want to go for pin end blades because of its speed and ease of replacement, they are also not ideal for more detailed cuts as they are thicker and wider than their plain end counterpart.
Throat Length
The throat length is described as the distance between the blade and the back of the saw. Most scroll saws in the market have a minimum throat length of about 16 inches, but a stretch of about 20 inches is a preferable option.
Most of what we’ve reviewed so far do not go below the 16 inches standard throat length. This feature prescribes the project size that your machine can accommodate.
Conclusion
While scanning through the market, It is most advisable to place emphasis on quality, durability, and comfort. The thrill of quality purchase would always remain throughout the useful life of your scroll saw, and that is why we have presented you with the best of the best out there.
Of all the saws we’ve reviewed so far, though, our top pick will be DeWalt 20-Inch Scroll Saw. As it has just about everything, you might need to produce stress-less and a beautiful masterpiece. Nonetheless, each of the remaining ten products are worth your consideration.
