Aldi scroll saw

[Geoff S]

My wife and I caught the bus into Derby yesterday and, on the way back, dropped off in Belper for her to do the weekly shop (we don't shop well together) and me to do a bit of browsing. I'd seen that Aldi were selling a scroll saw for £70 and, though my Axminster band saw gets a lot of use and does most of what I want, I occasionally wish for a scroll saw (or as I used to call them a fret saw).

I had a look and decided to take the plunge. My main concern was the weight. Heavy was good as it probably meant strong and substantial, but bad as I had to carry it to the bus stop about 250 metres away. Anyway I struggled with it and got it home OK - unfortunately the bus I caught was the one that passed our road end rather than the one that passes the door, so I had another 200 metre struggle

It certainly seems quite substantial and early checks are satisfactory - ie it cut some 6mm plywood OK. 2 blades are supplied but I've ordered more on-line. So far I'm satisfied with my buy but only time will tell if a) I find it gets used and b) if it does the job.

Geoff

[Don Fry]

What sort of blade does it use?

[Don Fry]

Fool replying to own question, having looked at Aldo's advert, plain or pin. And looking at it I would say this is a generic machine, badged by everyone, been about for years, with a good reputation. And cheap at that price.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

This one ?

[Mike T]

Thanks for the heads-up, Geoff. I may take a trip out to look at that!

[Geoff S]

John, yes, that's the one.

Don, yes it will take plain or pin blades but the pin one are easier to fit and are the ones supplied. There's a couple of adapters that need to be fitted to take plain ended blades and there's a jig to set them up. So it's not a quick conversion. I've ordered some pinned blades and doubt I'll do the conversion for plain unless there's a real need.

Geoff

[Gordon Whitehead 1]

I bought one to replace my 40-odd year old Dremel Moto Shop. I'll miss the Dremel's flexidrive take-off, and the grinding wheel which needed to be permanently mounted as a flywheel to reduce the copious vibration. But the Aldi's variable speed and acceptance of pin-less blades are both advantages.

The pinless mounting system is crude, however, and it's difficult to get the blade exiting each adaptor straight out. The ends of the 4mm clamping screws haven't been dressed flat, and the sharp ends grab on the blade whilst tightening and drag the blade out of true. I chucked the screws in my electric drill and dressed the ends flat with a file, and this made it easier to maintain proper blade alignment whilst tightening the screws, but only after repeated practice. What's needed is a clamp system that doesn't try to rotate the blade.

So I designed and made one.

The holes at right-angles to the clamping screws are threaded 10-32. I took a 10-32 screw and cut an axial slit about 5/16in long using a junior hacksaw. Then I filed flats on each side of the screw parallel to the slit. The 10-32 is screwed into the blade adaptor until its end just passes beyond the blade hole. With the slit aligned with the blade hole, the blade is inserted through the slit. Tightening the 4mm screws against the flats squeezes the 10-32's slit closed onto the blade, clamping it with no twisting out of true. After the first tightening of a blade end, there's only the need to slacken and re-tighten one of the 4mm clamping screws when blade changing, leaving the other fixed.

The only reason I want to be able to use pin-less blades is that I have quite a stock of them bought a while back for use on a very heavy duty Dremel table saw which I bought off the internet and which turned out to be ok for use in the garage, but far too heavy to carry upstairs to my bedroom workshop where I want to be when cutting and building.

The big failing in the Aldi's pin-less blade adaptor is its size. A pinned blade will pass through a 3/16in hole if you want to cut out the centre of a bulkhead. The pin-less adaptor will need a hole about an inch square to achieve that, and even then mounting the bottom adaptor whilst holding the plywood sheet to be cut will be a struggle, and will most likely need the side plate taking off (2 screws hold it) so you can position the bottom adaptor. .

So unless you're happy with cutting through from the outside of a bulkhead as one has to do using a bandsaw, you might as well forget the pin-less blades and just use pinned ones, if such can be obtained with the correct tooth form and pitch for the job in hand.

If anyone is interested to see my clamp I'll try to photograph it and post it here.

Any other better ideas regarding pin=less blade mounting are welcome!

Gordon

Edited By Gordon Whitehead 1 on 22/11/2017 15:08:31

Edited By Gordon Whitehead 1 on 22/11/2017 15:10:59

[Don Fry]

Give a opinion, Gordon. My Dremel motorshop is on its last legs, motor starting to run hot. I bought a second hand Famous British badge machine (can't remember name) but It was single speed, bigger than the Dremel, and I found it was a bit fast cutting for our use, and got shot of it to a dolls house maker.

I notice, when Lidl offer these, they are the same machine.

[Dai Fledermaus]

Lidl and Aldi tend to sell the same Parkside branded machines.

I bought a Parkside PDS 120 fretsaw/scroll saw from Lidl about 18 months ago, and it's been fine. Interestingly it's manufactured by Scheppach, a German company who make very good woodworking machines

I notice the Aldi one shown in John Stone's the link above is branded as Workzone, but it looks the same machine as I have in every way. 

Edited By Dai Fledermaus on 22/11/2017 15:37:42

Edited By Dai Fledermaus on 22/11/2017 15:38:52

[MaxG]

It looks very similar to one I bought from B&Q some years ago.

I have a stock of pinless blades and that is what I have tried to use and found it horrible. To the extent of thinking of getting rid of it. The stories above strike a chord!

Maybe I will have to look again and perhaps try some pinned blades.

Maxg

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Very similar to mine as well, it's o.k for what it costs, mines done plenty work and still going strong.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Don Fry]

But bottom line does it do an accurate cut on say, a bit of 3mm medium balsa. My last attempt replacement for my current machine was to too big, too fast, and seemed to give a wide cut. Fine on ply.

But I don't fancy stumping up on a top notch machine. Only building toy planes.

[Bob Burton]

"The big failing in the Aldi's pin-less blade adaptor is its size. A pinned blade will pass through a 3/16in hole if you want to cut out the centre of a bulkhead. The pin-less adaptor will need a hole about an inch square to achieve that"

Sorry, but I don't get that. I have a generic scroll saw with similar looking pinless blade holders. The pinless blades that I use will go through a 1mm hole. To use them all I do is to undo one of the bolts on the top blade holder, which has an Allen head on it, pass the blade through the material from the bottom and put the adapter back on. Naturally the blade tension has to be slackened off whilst this is done.

The bottom adapter does not come off the lower holder if you pull the blade upwards whilst doing this. It is not difficult to do. Over the past 2 years I have used the saw to cut out over 250 "Fairy" doors as one of my other hobbies is making craft items.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[kevin b]

Posted by Tom Sharp 2 on 22/11/2017 21:13:17:

See all the trouble you building lads would save yourself if you went ARTF.

Yes, but we don't get bored when the weather is too bad to fly. We know how to mend them and are always too busy finishing a model when there is house work to do.

[Geoff S]

Posted by Dai Fledermaus on 22/11/2017 15:34:03:

Lidl and Aldi tend to sell the same Parkside branded machines.

I bought a Parkside PDS 120 fretsaw/scroll saw from Lidl about 18 months ago, and it's been fine. Interestingly it's manufactured by Scheppach, a German company who make very good woodworking machines

I notice the Aldi one shown in John Stone's the link above is branded as Workzone, but it looks the same machine as I have in every way.

That's interesting as regards the country of manufacture because the Aldi instruction book (which is quite good) says that it's manufactured in China, which didn't surprise me. I wonder if Scheppach imported them from China and then self-branded them. That's not necessarily a bad thing because I'm sure they made sure it was good enough not harm their reputation.

Gordon: I thought the pinless system looked a bit crude but as I don't have a stock of blades pinned will do for me as they're very easy to fit. Having read your book and seen your models it makes me even happier with my somewhat impulsive buy than I was already

Geoff

[Wihtgar]

That reminds me, I was going to get my late Dad's A1 fretsaw going again. It used to be great for cutting the notches in wing ribs for the spars as well as cutting out any ply details. Mind you, I'm going back some 50 years now when I last did that!

[onetenor]

I already have a scroll saw I got for nothing via Freecycle but it is only single speed. I am sorely tempted by this one. Especially as it's free delivery .I can't get out at present so that would save a load of problems.There again it wouldn't be used for a month or two assuming my hips get done. It has a good deep throat and the lamp and dust blower would be very handy.too. However now having written this I think I'll wait till spring and see if any are left in one of the stores . Maybe reduced as is often true. Half price would be very nice..

[Tom Thomas]

Posted by Don Fry on 22/11/2017 17:29:40:

But bottom line does it do an accurate cut on say, a bit of 3mm medium balsa. My last attempt replacement for my current machine was to too big, too fast, and seemed to give a wide cut. Fine on ply.

But I don't fancy stumping up on a top notch machine. Only building toy planes.

Toy planes? I slap you with my gauntlet and will see you on the lower lawn sir!,,,,

[Geoff Parkes]

looking at the photos it looks similar to my saw I purchased from Machine Mart several years ago, It has had quite a hard life, all my builds are from plans and I cut all items , but the saw has a variable speed option and will cut from thin balsa to 6 mm. ply , if you are looking for blades the pin types are available from any local Machine Mart in many teeth options and even metal cutting blades, but I have not tried this option, if you are looking for any small electrical items for the workshop, just check to see if your local branch has any refurbed items, I purchased both my scroll saw and pedistal drill this way, they are either returns or display items and were half price, they both looked brand new , had a gaurantee, and are working faltlesly after many years of use Regards Geoff.

[Don Fry]

Posted by Tom Thomas on 23/11/2017 02:33:45:

Posted by Don Fry on 22/11/2017 17:29:40:

But bottom line does it do an accurate cut on say, a bit of 3mm medium balsa. My last attempt replacement for my current machine was to too big, too fast, and seemed to give a wide cut. Fine on ply.

But I don't fancy stumping up on a top notch machine. Only building toy planes.

Toy planes? I slap you with my gauntlet and will see you on the lower lawn sir!,,,,

Unluckily I am the one across the valley, overlooking the lawn, with the medium caliber machine gun. Enjoy.

Think I might have a punt when these come up in la belle France.

[Gordon Whitehead 1]

Posted by Bob Burton on 22/11/2017 20:15:06:

"The big failing in the Aldi's pin-less blade adaptor is its size. A pinned blade will pass through a 3/16in hole if you want to cut out the centre of a bulkhead. The pin-less adaptor will need a hole about an inch square to achieve that"

Sorry, but I don't get that. I have a generic scroll saw with similar looking pinless blade holders. The pinless blades that I use will go through a 1mm hole. To use them all I do is to undo one of the bolts on the top blade holder, which has an Allen head on it, pass the blade through the material from the bottom and put the adapter back on. Naturally the blade tension has to be slackened off whilst this is done.

The bottom adapter does not come off the lower holder if you pull the blade upwards whilst doing this. It is not difficult to do. Over the past 2 years I have used the saw to cut out over 250 "Fairy" doors as one of my other hobbies is making craft items.

Hi Bob, thanks for your advice and I'll have a go at setting up a blade through a hole in the way you describe. Clearly with the number of items you've made the technique can be mastered. On my brief experiment at mounting pinless blades in the adaptors I found it to be a fiddly process using the gauge provided Also, hooking the lower adaptor onto the lower arm took a few attempts initially and i couldn't imagine doing it successfully through a sheet of wood. Just ignoring the gauge as you apparently do must be the way to go.

My heavy-duty Dremel in the garage just has wing-ended screws for simply finger-tightening the blades and the blades never come loose in use. Maybe I was tightening the Aldi adaptor screws too tight with the allen key.

I'll get some practice on the thing! I want to use pinless blades as they are more slender than the pinned ones and do cleaner cuts.

@ Don Fry, the machine looks like being a good one and certainly well worth the Aldi price. There are enough positive comments on this thread for me to have dashed out and bought one if I hadn't done so already anyway.

Gordon

[Eagle 899]

BARGAIN ALERT

I've just got back from shopping and picked up one of these for £28 (reduced from £69.99).

I wasn't looking for one, but at that price I couldn't resist!

Suggest you phone your local Aldi first as the one I bought was the last at their Castle Bromwich store.

Happy New Year

Shep

[Geoff S]

I really wish you hadn't posted that! I'm very satisfied with mine after using it a few times but I'd rather have bought it for £28 than £69.99. Still I'm a happy buyer - you can't win 'em all.

Geoff