Just dreaming, maybe

[Scrappile]

I have a Hegner scroll saw which I am 100% satisfied with.  But I cannot help looking at Hawk saws.   I have never used one but it I could get a great deal I would be greatly tempted to buy one.  I would prefer a 26" but would not rule out a 20".   My problem is I do not know enough about them.  I am concerned about what to look out for.  there are different clamps, some good some not so good. I want the some good ones, There are motor some good some can not be fixed.. I want the some good ones.  The are other thing that one should know about them.  In my area say within 200 miles of me there a quit a few Hawks listed on Facebook market.  They are ranging from $100 to $1200.  There are some that have been listed for a long time.  They look good but I do not want to pay the price.  Some have been listed for quite a while.  The look good ones that have been list for many week I am thinking of making a low ball offer on.  But I am very hesitant to make an offer I may be stuck with and find out it was not a good saw to begin with. I will give an example and you hawk people tell me how good it is.

This one has been listed for several weeks.  Looks good but I want to low ball offer of like $200 -$250.  Would it be a great deal at that price. And I read good things about Ultra ones how do I know when I am looking at one of those.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1024624172155898/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A24bf04ec-aff3-4df6-8a9f-2231760df095

[OCtoolguy]

That looks like a nice saw Paul. I'll wager that it's an Ultra. You might contact the seller and ask for some pics of the blade holders and also back where the wedge is in the rear. If it's still nice and sharp that means it's not had a lot of use. That saw looks alot like the one that I bought a few  years back. I gave $250 for it with about 20 hours on it. I figured that I stole it. After realizing how big it was, I sold it for $500. Actually after going back and taking a second look at that saw, I see that it has the holes in the hold-down support. That means it has the good blade holders. I'd throw $300 at him and see what he says. It looks very clean.

[Millwab]

Paul, I’m not sure when they made the change over but this saw has the old barrel style bottom clamps (you can see them in the first picture in the holder on the left side of the saw).  Some love them and some hate them. I’ve got an old Hawk with those clamps and a motor that can’t be replaced. I don’t have an issue with the blade clamps (I love the fact that I can have six different blades loaded and ready) but if the motor goes so goes the saw. If I remember correctly the old motors were DC and the new ones are AC. I’d find out what year it was made and check to see whether it has the newer motor before committing to it.

[kmmcrafts]

That saw is not worth $500 in my area anyway.. Keep looking for an Ultra, G4 or BM series.. This has the problem motor on it too.. One way to tell if a saw is a round clamp or Ultra type is looking at the motor.. That motor looks huge and you can see it.. On the ones with the better motor I believe the motor is smaller and unseen unless you peek under the saw.  I used to believe that the holes in the accessory arm indicated that it was a Ultra but some of the later model round clamp saws had those holes too for some reason. The surefire way is getting a picture of the lower clamps.

Coming from someone that has both Hawk and Hegner.. my opinion is they both cut very much like each other and the most noticeable difference for me is the larger table of the Hawk and in my case my saws are 26" and they are huge.. The stand is better on the Hegner. I just have the MultiMax 18.. I feel like the Hegner runs a bit smoother than the Hawk..

All of the G4 and BM series saws I've seen have a black plastic material angle mechanism and its right up even with the edge of the front part of the stand.. Ultra and earlier saws have a machined aluminum angle mechanism and it sets back from the edge of the stand about maybe a inch. Hard to find a G4 or BM series for sale and especially for a good deal.. Most you'll likely see is probably the round clamp saws with a few Ultras mixed in.. The G4 and BM series is probably the best bet to get as they are a bit more user friendly than the older Ultra and round clamp saws.. and the G4 and BM series has a few more features to mess with, LOL   

[Sycamore67]

My advice, if you want one then get one.  Fir me, the time is here where waiting a few years is not a good idea.   I just want to make me happy.

[Scrappile]

That one id gone anyway..  I do not know why they do not remove the ad

[Denny Knappen]

I also heard that Bushton had a hard time responding to service.  Now the service is great.  You may want to contact them.

[kmmcrafts]

There is a Facebook Hawk Scroll saw group that you might find / learn more from.. I'm not on FB much and rarely follow any of the groups very closely but I have seen that Bushton seems like are on the group somewhat regularly answering questions etc.. so maybe helpful to some of you folks. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1270226317017076

[OCtoolguy]

Sorry, Paul. After reading the following posts I went back and looked again. I don't know how I missed those 2 important things. Be glad you missed it. 

[Scrappile]

Well there is this one https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1204750027178386/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A05cfc681-c045-4db3-9b4c-10b858bce7bd/

way out of my price range.. I found one of these listed on craigslist a few years ago. Can't remember the asking price around $750/.   I offered  maybe a trade for a 03A3 I have that is in pretty  pristine  condition.. He got all excited and I had to pause..Did research and those rifles were selling for $1000.  I paid $20 for it back in the late '60s through the NRA.  I also purchased an M-1 carbine at the same time same price that I still have. Maybe I looked at it wrong...Maybe I should have looked at as I was getting a nice e G-4 for $20!  No matter in todays "free" world I can not sell or give that rifle to someone with out going through a dealer and back ground checks.. Ha! HA! watch me.

[kmmcrafts]

The G4 is the saw to have but like I said earlier, they don’t pop up very often. There is one local to me for around $400 which is probably a good price for one of those. 

[OCtoolguy]

15 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Well there is this one https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1204750027178386/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A05cfc681-c045-4db3-9b4c-10b858bce7bd/

way out of my price range.. I found one of these listed on craigslist a few years ago. Can't remember the asking price around $750/.   I offered  maybe a trade for a 03A3 I have that is in pretty  pristine  condition.. He got all excited and I had to pause..Did research and those rifles were selling for $1000.  I paid $20 for it back in the late '60s through the NRA.  I also purchased an M-1 carbine at the same time same price that I still have. Maybe I looked at it wrong...Maybe I should have looked at as I was getting a nice e G-4 for $20!  No matter in todays "free" world I can not sell or give that rifle to someone with out going through a dealer and back ground checks.. Ha! HA! watch me.

Exactly why unregistered is all I own. All bought used with just a written receipt.

[Scrappile]

I don't see the tension adjuster on this G-4. Does it not show once set?  Or is it missing on this saw?

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I don't see the tension adjuster on this G-4. Does it not show once set?  Or is it missing on this saw?

It's there Paul. You just can't see it from that pic. It's probably folded down and toward the front of the saw. If you look at the second pic it shows how to set it.

[MarieC]

Paul, Wow, that G4 is really pricey compared to what I paid.  There was one in MT a while back but I don't see it there anymore.  I will start looking over here as well and let you know if I find one.  

[Rolf]

I have a Hawk G4 26. Purchased in 2005. Hawk made some significant changes to the design in that time frame.  I personally would not buy a Hawk prior to these changes.  But that is just my opinion.

They made blade changes simple and very accessible, by moving the table tilt assembly back behind the bottom clamp. NO reaching around anything to get at the clamp. Also the clamps are removable and snap right in. 

If I am doing a big fretwork I several clamps loaded with my blade of choice, so when one wears I just pop in another, clamp and tension from the top and go. Literally seconds.

[Scrappile]

On 5/10/2024 at 1:28 PM, MarieC said:

Paul, Wow, that G4 is really pricey compared to what I paid.  There was one in MT a while back but I don't see it there anymore.  I will start looking over here as well and let you know if I find one.  

May I ask what price range you got yours at?   I have been communicating with the seller on this one... has come down $100.  but I offered in the range of  $400.  Is that fair?  I will probably get rejected now. but who knows?  Depends on other offers. I can not nor will not pay more.