Customer Reviews

Makita SJ401 16-Inch Variable Speed Scroll Saw

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On the positive side, it's fairly quiet with minimum vibration. Negatively I wasn't impressed with the overall quality of the product. To be specific, the spring arm that presses down against the board isn't level causing it to bind as I go into the work. Who knows maybe I got one that slipped past quality assurance. It's out of the ordinary for a Makita and in retrospect I'd go with the Delta.

I bought a Delta for a high school wood shop that I run, and I have not been impressed. It vibrates, and the quick release for the blade is tricky, and not user friendly. I bought the Makita for myself, and it's not quick release, so it takes a few minutes to change the blade, but there is much less vibration, and it's easy to do very precise work with this saw. I have not experienced the binding that an earlier review mentioned. My only complaint is that the opening in the arbor is too big, so the cut is not as clean as it could be. I made a plywood bed that fits over the aluminum bed, with a very narrow slit for the blade, and now I get a really clean cut, on both sides of my wood.

I have a Delta scollsaw now which I have useded for 5 years. I have trouble with the vibration I am looking to buy another saw in the near future and am wondering if the Makita would be a better buy. I am concerned with the weight. 38 lbs is not very heavy to hold it steady. Please let me know if someone else has compared the 2 saws Thank you