Paladin

I love mine. Posted a more in-depth review in an earlier post. Steve

Only time I've broken a blade was after I used it for too long and it broke in the middle. Haven't had the blade slip out of the top holder at all, it works great.

Still loving it. I find it much easier to do highly detailed cutting now versus the Dewalt I had been using. I always cut detailed stuff anyways, but I feel much more in control of everything now. This saw is so much smoother and more enjoyable to use. Very small cut out pieces do get stuck in the holes in the table which is kind of a pain sometimes, but I hear this was a problem with the newer ex's as well as they use what looks like thew same table design. Other than that - very satisfied with my purchase. I feel a little smile come to my face whenever I head out to the garage and turn it on for the first time each day.

For most of my non-framed items that hang on the wall I use something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group-121132-Picture-Penders/dp/B000C140VW The points will protrude slightly through a 1/8" backer, but for those times I trim them a little shorter. I also always apply drop of epoxy over each point. Haven't had one fall off yet. Steve

So, I went and did it - I bought one. I was looking to upgrade from my ailing Dewalt that i've had for almost 10 years and was looking at the EX-21, but the Jet looked so similar but with a few improvements that i went with the Jet instead. First impressions - runs very smooth even at highest speed. Not much setup out of the box, made a small adjustment to the motor position to minimize the front/back motion of the blade (there is still a small amount, but I don't think you can get it to zero with these types of saws). Had to adjust the top arm hold-up because the arm wanted to slip down once in a while. Other than those two things, it was take it out, plug it in, and go. The left/right table angle was right on the money and needed no adjustments. Biggest selling point for me as I do a lot of fretwork is the top blade clamp and i can tell you it works as advertised. I was on the saw for a while yesterday and probably make about 100 cuts, and never had the blade slip even once. I am getting better blade tension now than I ever did with my Dewalt. For those who like to top-feed...look elsewhere. I can't imagine a workable way to top feed on this saw, I never really got the hang of doing it on my Dewalt so this was not a really big deal for me. I know some people were raising concerns about the slot on the table, but I don't think it will be a problem. The way the table is mounted underneath, unless something catastrophic happens I don't foresee the table becoming un-level or anything because of the slot. The way the bottom clamp works with taking it off of the arm in order to load the blade makes the slot necessary in my opinion. It would be very difficult to get the blade in the machine without the slot in the table. The dust collection seems to be improved over the EX series. I have read where many people have said that the membrane on the bottom of the EX causes problems. That membrane has been removed and replaced by a plastic plate instead. I didn't have any problems with any pieces getting stuck in there yet, but we'll see how it goes with some more cutting. I'm not sure looking at pictures of the EX if the table is the same or not, it appears to be very similar except for the slot. One concern I do have about the table is there is only about 4" of table in front of the blade. Maybe this is the same as the EX, I can't be certain as I haven't seen one to be able to check it. I am used to my Dewalt's large teardrop table that has lots of room in the front. I haven't cut anything large yet, so not sure how big a problem this will be. The Top arm lifts up pretty high to allow you to bottom feed the blade pretty easily. With the arm in it's up position, there is about 10" of space between the end of the arm and the table. I was able to look around on the internet and found a place to get the saw and stand for the price that most places were selling just the saw for. It drops ships directly from Jet anyways, so where you buy it doesn't make much difference I don't think - so go for the best price. It comes with a foot switch, which looking at the switch on the saw, I think this is the only realistic way of using it. The power switch is covered to keep the dust out, but is very small so I think it would be hard to use it all the time. I've used a foot switch for years, so this is no big deal to me. One thing I was pleased to see was that all the bearings that I can see on the front of the saw are sealed. Unlike the Dewalt, there are covers over the sides of all the bearings so nothing should be able to get into them. Instructions for assembly of the stand are non-existent. There is only an exploded view to go off of, but it is not difficult to get it together. My conclusion on this new saw is it is a winner in my book. I may be a bit glassy eyed after struggling with my Dewalt, but this Jet machine cuts like a dream. If you guys have any questions, let me know and I will try and get answers for you. Steve

Unfortunately it turned out to be a really old 16" model (216-3) that was not very well taken care of. Was definitely a pass. At least it was only 15 minutes from my house, so I didn't waste a lot of time.

Going to check out a use Hawk scroll saw today after work that was listed on craigslist near me. Anything in particular I should check for on these saws? Steve

That truly is sad news. I had the opportunity to deal with Mike many times over the past years, and every time was a great experience. He was the epitome of great customer service when buying blades. He will be sorely missed. Steve

I'm with Wayne on this one. When using dyes, I prefer to mix with denatured alcohol to avoid grain raising and it dries very quickly. Brand I have used is W.D. Lockwood available online. Steve

I've had this problem for a while and was wondering if anyone has a solution? I was making a trivet out of 1/2" bloodwood last weekend, and when drilling the holes the bit would get clogged about halfway through the board and then start getting really hot. It would eventually make it through the board, but I was wondering if there are bits that might have a different twist pattern that might clear better and avoid this problem. i know there are many types of drill bits in larger sizes like this, but is there anything tiny like 1/16"? Thanks, Steve