LessPaul

All, Thanks for your input. I neglected to say that I do not have what I would consider excessive vibration. I really need to stop using my phone in forums. I hate typing on it and I end up with overly abbreviated postings. I have read that a popular modification to saws is the Pegas blade clamps. The Pegas weighs less than stock, and some report lower vibration after the upgrade. For example the Scroll Saw Village post linked below. Removing the functionally unnecessary mass from my saw would be the weight/balance equivalent of installing Pegas clamps on a modern saw. But the issue is this: -- The modern scroll saw has evolved to using shorter, low-mass articulating arms where the blade clamps mount. Upgrading to lower weight clamps has a significant impact on the mass of these arms. A side effect is, reportedly, less vibration. -- My 20" scroll saw has long cast aluminum arms -- the twenty inches that are exposed, about another inch inside the machine to the attachment/pivot point, and another 4 or 5 inches as cantilever and parallel linkage. I would not expect to notice detectable or measurable change in saw performance removing a few ounces of that mass. I wondered if those with tool design or modification experience concurred. Short answer, this is my version of fun. Taking an old machine, bringing it back to life, and making it like new -- followed by putting it back to work. I am a retired engineer and have a fully equipped woodshop in which most of my major power tools are restorations. As far as the scroll saw -- it was not a conscious purchase. When I bought my 12" planer, the seller "threw in" the scroll saw. I've made little use of it -- basically using it as a handy "cut this in half quick" tool and something for kids to use. I recently decided to bring it back to life and see how I feel about "real" scroll sawing. It is now -- IMHO -- better than the day it shipped new from the factory. This is in part due to 3d printed nylon bushings that help stabilize the arms, thus overcoming a minor design flaw. Does it have the elegance and butter-smooth operation of a modern saw or features like tilting head, lift-up arm , or up-front tension controls? No. But I am certain it is a capable tool, more limited by my lack of skill than its lack of refinement. I have a sampler of quality blades on order from Bear Woods, and I intend on seeing what I can do with this fellow. If it kindles an deeper interest in scroll sawing, I'll buy a better saw. If not, no worry, as I enjoy the process of tool restoration and other than my time, have less invested in this machine than the cost of dinner out with my wife.

I am rebuilding a 1989 Shopsmith scroll saw, including, but not limited to all new new bearings, bushings, and general tweaking to make it the best it can be. When this saw was new it had blade clamps that had to be removed and a jig for alignment, thus it has a quick-release pin and spring mechanism. This saw has been upgraded to toolless clamps. So the long pin, the spring, and even the circled portion of the arm casting are no longer needed and could be removed and replaced with a simple roll pin. (As was done by Shopsmith in later versions of this saw.) I've read how lighter clamps can reduce vibration and it got me wondering if there would be any advantage to lightening the arms on this saw. I suspect not, since the arms are over 25" long (counting internal pivot mechanism) and the % change would be trivial, unlike on mor modern saws with short articulating arms where a few ounces would be a bigger deal. But I thought it worth asking anyhow. Anyone have experience in this sort of thing?