22" Hegner or 30" Pegas?

[ThatsBadassWoodArt]

I've been scrolling daily for a little over 5 and a half years now and have burned through 4 new DeWalt DW788s and have had two of them serviced/replaced the motors and finally just want to upgrade to a saw that will hopefully last longer than a year. Price isn't a concern right now so I just want something that will not be too much of a learning curve going from the DW and that can handle about 1-5 hours of daily use. The Multimax 22 seems to be the saw that will be built for my work but some say its a very different experience going from the DW to that. The Pegas seems to be a smooth transition and the 30" throat would be awesome but I'm concerned with how long those machines last.

[Ber Gueda]

I don't use my Pegas 30" 5 hours a day (heavy load, I must say), but for the moment being it works like a charm. I hope it goes on like this for a long, long time.

[Denny Knappen]

As a Pegas dealer, I think you would have less of a learning curve with the Pegas as it functions similar.  I started with a DeWalt, then an EX21 and now a Pegas.  If interested, send me a message at artcraftersscrollsaw@gmail.com

Denny

[Dave Monk]

I also started with a dewalt. Went through two in two years. Currently I have a Hegner and a Pegas.  I make a lot of inlayed boxes so I leave my Pegas set up at an angle and use it strictly for that purpose. If you are a top feeder the Hegner is not for you. It is a workhorse and you will not wear it out. I would not give up either saw. If money and space isn't an issue I would buy both. 

[Scrappile]

For longevity, little required maintenance, Easy to fix if it was ever necessary, it is Hegner all the way.  But, Dave Monk is correct, bottom feed only and quite a change from a DeWalt.  I went from DeWalt, to Excallibur, to Seyco, then Hegner, then added a Hawk. I take Hegner over all of them.  But it is a change.  A change worth making, in my opinion.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

That is a huge difference in space required so that is something to think about. The difference in type of saws is huge also. As mentioned the Pegas is closest to what you worked with. Cost is a factor and then being able to get repaired and parts. Hegner is a tank and they are an industrial type saw. 

[kmmcrafts]

I went from many cheapy entree level saws to a DeWalt, and then to Hawk, Excalibur, another Hawk and yet another Hawk, and then picked up a free Hegner...

That all said, it sure was a change going from a DeWalt to a Hawk.. and I might have given up and sold the Hawk and gone back to a DeWalt again had I not have kept both saws and used the DeWalt when I needed to get orders made.. but during slower times I would make myself run the Hawk until I finally got used to the different cutting experience.. DeWalts cut quite aggressively and going from a saw that would chew through thick wood in a hurry to a Hawk which was not very aggressive cutting I felt like going 8 hours on the expressway at 70mph to driving in a residential at 30mph.. BUT once you get used to the cutting style and learn to cut sharp turns you can cut just as fast and at times faster on a less aggressive saw. 

SO, If you have the space and can keep both saws for those "I need to make it quick" jobs  to use the DeWalt while taking your time getting used to the Hegner I'd go with the Hegner.. BUT on the flipside if you do a fair amount of angle cutting I like the Pegas style saw way better for that type of stuff. 

Longevity of the two saws.. Hegner will be around for the rest of your life... not so much with the Pegas style saws.. way too many pivot points that can create wear.. the design is very much the same as the DeWalt.. possibly they use better bearings but you still have many bearings and areas of friction to wear out.

Might be in your best interest to search for a used Hegner.. get one new enough that it has the same design as the newest models.. could save you a bundle of money and then you're not spending for a new saw that you'd never get your money investment back out of if you cannot seem to get the hang of the different style cutting,  while these are very nice saws they just don't hold a very good resale type value like a Pegas or other lower priced saw does. 

[Dak0ta52]

I have the Pegas 30" and can say I'm totally satisfied. The extra depth of the throat is seldom used but it is nice knowing it is there. This is a BIG and HEAVY machine! I can't comment on the Hegner other than I've heard from other members in the Village that they are good machines also.

I purchased my Pegas from Denny at Artcraftersonline.com. He gave me a great deal and if Pegas is the way you decide to go, I highly recommend reaching out to him.

[Gonzo]

I also went from DeWalt to Pegas style saw(Excalibur) then to Hegner. I truly don’t think there is that difficult of a learning curve for the Hegner.  It was rather painless for me. 
The table on the Hegner is much smaller than the Pegas. Hasn’t been an issue at all (for me).
I do have to wax the table on the Hegner much, much more often than I do on the Excalibur. The only other maintenance is a few drops of oil on the arm every 10 hours of operation. 
Like Kevin said, if you do a lot of angle cutting, the Pegas wins hands down. That is the only time I use my Excalibur. Other than that, I’m using my Hegner.

 If I had to, would I buy another Excalibur/Pegas type saw? Nope. But I’d buy another Hegner in a heartbeat. 

If you go with Pegas, deal with Denny, he’s a good one to work with. 

 

[Wichman]

If I were cutting that much I would seriously consider the Hegner Poly Max saw. This saw has a 20" throat, but come with a 7 year, commercial/industrial warranty. It is pricey, $3,400 but it looks to be even more of a tank than the standard Hegner.

 

[garryatpa]

I have two 22" Hegners, one purchased new in 1993.  I used the saw almost daily up until about 2012.  Maintenance is minimal in that a few drops of oil on the bushings every 10 hours. The second Hegner is a 1996 model that I got on Kijiji in 2022.  I have not used it very much yet.  I have learned to listen to the saw as you use it and it will tell you when something needs attention.  Example - the pivot pin for the front tension lever sometimes works loose and needs to be reset in its proper position.  The back tension rod may work loose and need to be retensioned . Not enough tension causes the saw to run noisier.   I have replaced the link connecting the lower arm to the flywheel after about 15 years of sawing (twice).  There was a bit of a knock when the link was starting to wear. 

I also have used the Dewalt 788.  I find it more aggressive than the Hegner.  Also when making sharp turns the Hegner is able to turn easier as the stroke is more vertical than the Dewalt; the Dewalt has a much more noticeable back and forth movement as the blade moves up and down and makes sharp turns more difficult.   

I have no experience with the Pegas so cannot really comment on it.  I find the Hegner to be easy to use and quiet. Changing blades from one starting hole to another is quick, just a few seconds is required. The blade holders can be set up with different sized blades if required - I use a small magnet to hold the blade holder with blades installed set on the stand to the side of the saw.  

All in all I have not regretted spending a little more to get the Hegner and I would not hesitate to get another if needed.

 

Garry 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

2 or 3 times I have read how aggressive Dewalt saws cut. This stem way back to when they were first made and I have show how that can be corrected to a more straighter up and down motion. There is also videos out there showing how to correct this. I know Rick mentions this on his site years ago. But it all comes down to raising the back of the table some to even out that motion and yes it works. 

[Hawk]

Go Big!!!!! (LOL)

Chris