The Delta P20:                                                                          

I just bought this saw the first part of December 1999. I cannot say for sure about the longevity of it, but it sure looks great to this point. At least I haven't been able to break it in the first 3 weeks.

It is a very smooth cutting saw. Not as aggressive as the Q3 but more aggressive than the Dewalt. It is belt driven, 6 speeds. ( 400 700 1200 1400 1600 2000 ). The belt is made of rubber, and is just stretched to move to a different pulley set to change speeds. There are no adjustment or pulleys that need to be moved, just roll the belt over, it has enough stretch to it to make the move. I have been using it on the 1600 setting as the 2000 is just too fast to get any blade life from the #2 and #5 size blades. When ran at those speed the 5 and smaller blade will just not take the heat build up. When I use the larger blades I will go to the 2000 speed. The belt drive system is going to be a problem for those who like to change the speed while cutting. But I find that I always set the speed and then cut the project out with that speed. By slowing the feed rate I feed the work into the saw in the tight areas and forcing the work into the blade an the easy areas, it is easy to control the cut. Others seem to like to slow the speed down while in tight areas, and then speed it up for the longer easy cuts.

On all my other saws when I would set the cut out 3D deer on the table and they walk off as I cut the next one. With this saw I have set the deer on the table and cut more with the first ones never moving much. So it has to be pretty low on the vibration .

When a blade breaks the top arm goes up and locks into position, so you or your work piece never get poked with a broken blade again. A simple flip of a lever releases the arm. I suppose it could be used to thread from the top on fretwork like the Dewalt, but I haven't tried it as I never used that feature of the Dewalt either. The blade clamps are the Delta Quick Clamp II with thumb screw nuts, so no more wrenches, the same clamps used on the improved Q3. There is plenty of room under the table, and at the top clamp, to get to the clamps.

The air blower tube is mounted on the side of the top arm. It is long enough with the pop-bead type tube to reach out in front of the blade to be able to blow the sawdust to the back of the saw. Sure is nicer than some setups that blow the sawdust to the front, right into your lap.

The saw comes with the stand, my cost here was $469.

If you are looking for a good saw this is one I would definitely say to look at.

Subject: Delta Scroll Saw  Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2000 01:05:27 -0600   I did a demo at a local tool store here a couple weeks ago. I did a demo on the new Delta and the updated DeWalt. If you have one of the new Deltas you may want to cover you eyes. Don't get you sights set to high. The belts are used to change speeds, of which there are only six. Of course you must stop the saw in order to change speeds. The blade clamps have a good idea but are very hard to use. Because the clamps float when tension has been released, they are hard to get the blades lined up in let along clamping them tight. By float I mean that they swivel around all directions including up and down. The bottom clamp is difficult to do because it floats and is hard to get into place to line the blade up. I found myself having to look through the blade hole or under the table just to see if I was getting the thing close. The arm catch is simply a spring loaded hook that you raise the arm into. To release the arm there is a lever on top of the arm housing. Because of the blade clamps and the position of the blade hole in the table, I found it hard to thread the blade for any interior cuts let alone doing very many of them. The tension is set by a lever on the front end of the arm. It looks something akin to the Hegner tension quick release except that it is a threaded rod with a plastic cover. This rod cover isn't ribbed or anything so it is hard to grip for a very firm tension. The tension lever rod rides metal on metal with the arm end, much use and it will get very sloppy. The table does have a center insert so that you can replace it or make a zero clearance insert to use, only problem is that the insert is not thick enough and leaves a ridge in the table. While I was working on it, my work got stuck on this lip several times. They were asking the same price for this saw as the DeWalt, in fact they said it's normal price was higher than the DeWalt. I do have something positive to say about this saw, it has a dust port build in. Would I buy one, not a chance.  No I'm not trying to beat Tom for length but I though since I was replying to one of his questions I could use up my word count. Oh yea, those who own a Delta can uncover your eyes now.

Happy scrolling, Russ Long

Scrollsawing Messages  Subject: Delta P20 vs. DeWalt  Date: MON OCT 23,2000 21:16:32 Ron in Ontario

This site seems to be oozing with praise for the DeWalt scroll saw. I have owned a DeWalt for more than 2 years now and would like to add my opinion. In those two years I have used the saw on the average of 30 hours a week, and I have raved about how good it is to anyone who would listen. Two weeks ago I purchased the Delta P20 because I got a deal I couldn't refuse and I was developing repetitive strain injury from tightening the blades on the DeWalt. After using the P20 for close to 100 hours, my DeWalt doesn't seem to be such a good saw anymore. I could never get the DeWalt to saw perfectly perpendicular; the P20 can. The orbital movement of the sawing action of the Dewalt makes corners not as accurate as the Delta. I do fretwork full time, therefore blade threading is very important, I have always threaded the DeWalt from the top, but the Delta is faster when threaded from the top and you don't have to hold up the top arm as it stays up on its own (I disabled the little lever which locks the top arm in the up position). The Delta is also more vibration free at higher speeds (I use the same stand as I used on the DeWalt). I don't know how durable the Delta is, but it came with a lifetime warranty. Also my 15 year old son now produces saleable items on the P20, which very seldom happened on the DeWalt. All this without repetitive strain injury!

Subject: Delta belt drive saw!  Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 00:08:19 -0700 From: "Thomas D. Sevy" <sevy99@DESERETONLINE.COM>  1 I had an opportunity to borrow a Delta belt drive scroll saw. Here are a few observations and comparisons with the DeWalt. I especially hope that current owners of this saw will read this carefully and let me know if they disagree with any of my observations.

Sale Price $459, regular price about $550 including a stand very similar to DeWalts. Very heavy with lots of cast iron. This is good because it reduces vibration. Substantially heavier than DeWalt. Vibration is very low, similar to DeWalt. There are six speeds which are selected by moving a neoprene belt. After changing speeds a dozen or so times I could do it without looking in less than 10 seconds. The belt and pulleys have a plastic cover. It seems that the only real function of the cover is to keep little fingers out. I'd leave it off if the saw was mine. The upper arm raises similar to DeWalt, but there is a latch that KEEPS it up. Don't need a block of wood or after-market gizmo to keep it up. Better than DeWalt. Saw arms are made from Graphite. Seems to work well. I don't see any advantage or disadvantage to the graphite. Raising the upper arm to allow lowering the blade through a hole is a great feature. It makes it very easy to find the hole in the wood. But, in the DeWalt the hole in the table is kind of hard to find. Delta is a great improvement over the small DeWalt hole. Simply remove the red insert and you have a hole about 1.5" diameter. Advantage Delta. Replace the insert for small items. It comes with an extra plastic insert to make your own zero-clearance hole. Great for really small items so they aren't pulled through the table hole. Advantage Delta. The Delta has oil cups. Simply fill up the two cups and don't worry about lubrication. The DeWalt isn't difficult to lube, but the Delta is easier. Delta has made a great improvement in blade clamps. After a couple hours on the Delta I was able to release the blade, insert through a new hole, reattach the blade and tension every bit as fast as on the DeWalt. But, I like the DeWalt clamps better, especially with the improved steel clamps. The old Delta required an Allen wrench to adjust for different size blades. The newer Delta clamp has a little knob that you turn with thumb and finger. But, it isn't easy to turn and arthritis would make it almost impossible to turn. On the Delta, all you have to do to tension is move the lever back where it was. On the DeWalt you have to move it back to a specific number. Slightly easier on Delta, but not much. The tension lever is hard brass that slides on steel. I would guess that it will wear down with use, but I don't think it will wear very fast, and it is threaded so you could easily compensate for the wear. I would guess that it's brass on steel because the steel won't be worn at all by the brass, and the brass screw is VERY easy to replace. So far I haven't read any complaints about the DeWalt tension system. It might wear, but no reports of this yet. Without a micrometer it's hard to tell for sure, but front to back blade movement on the Delta might be slightly better than DeWalt. Certainly much less than on the Delta Q-3 which is very aggressive. Blade speed ranges from 2000 spm (faster than any other scroll saw I've seen) to 400 spm. Large cast iron table that tilts ONE direction to 45 degrees. I think it's supposed to tilt both ways, but I couldn't figure out how to do it. Table about the same size and shape as DeWalt. On/Off switch up front, very convenient, but much smaller than the DeWalt. But, considering that the DeWalt switch is a major weak point, anyone with the DeWalt or Delta (or any scroll saw for that matter) would be well advised to use a foot pedal. Good dust blower that can be moved to just about any position, just like the DeWalt's. BIG advantage to Delta. It has a very well designed dust removal system. Best I've seen on any scroll saw. DeWalt has NO dust removal system built in.

I have also logged many hours on the DeWalt. So, which do I like better. I don't own either, but if I had to choose I'd definitely take the DeWalt. Reason: Although the Delta has a fairly large choice of speeds, it isn't variable speed. I want a variable speed saw. I know that some scrollers keep their saw at one speed all the time. For them, the Delta is every bit as good as the DeWalt. For those, like me, who do very intricate cutting, and are frequently changing the speed, the DeWalt would be much better. The low speeds on the Delta are 400 & 800. I'm not sure what speed I usually cut at, but I can tell you that 400 was too slow, and 800 was too fast for my intricate cutting. I want and need variable speed. Delta makes a lot of the fact that a belt drive saw will give you the same power (torque) at 400 spm as at 2000 spm. This is true, but I don't think it makes any difference. I have NEVER had a problem of insufficient power at low speeds on a variable speed saw.  If Delta would make this saw with a variable speed motor, it would give a lot of competition to DeWalt. In fact, if you look at the casting on the base of the Delta, there is a groove that appears to be there to allow just such a modification.

If Delta monitors this List, I hope they'll read this. A VARIABLE SPEED MOTOR WOULD MAKE THE DELTA SAW A GREAT SAW -- EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS DEWALT. Oops! One other fairly big, but easily resolved, criticism. The table on the Delta is VERY rough. It has the circular marks from grinding. I carefully removed the stuff they put on to prevent rust during shipping. I put on a couple good coats of paste wax. Even with wax, the wood wouldn't move across the table easily. If anyone reading this has a Delta, I strongly recommend that you remove the hold down, raise the upper arm, and use about 180 grit paper on a random orbit sander to smooth the table. It will work much better if you do.

Tom Sevy

Addition to my comments on the Delta belt drive scroll saw and some comparisons to the DeWalt saw. I forgot to include a couple of items.

Regarding the blade clamps. I mentioned that the little knurled knobs to adjust the clamp on the Delta for various THICKNESSES of blades. It would be difficult for weak or arthritic fingers to turn this knob. But, a pair of pliers would do it. A slight weakness for the Delta. The mechanism for releasing the blade clamp on the Delta is a lever which would be VERY easy to use even with weak arthritic fingers. Much better in for this reason than the small winged screw on the DeWalt. But, there is a way to make an auxiliary knob for the DeWalt that is easy to make and easy to use. If anyone wants a description of how to make this, let me know. Another feature of the blade clamp. In the Delta, a lever squeezes the two sides of the clamp together. This action DOESN'T bend the blade at all. In the DeWalt, when you tighten the blade clamp screw, the tip of the screw typically bends the last quarter inch of the blade just a little. Repeated clamping of the same blade will bend it a little more each time. This action also makes the blade "bow" just a tiny bit. It's unfortunate that the DeWalt (at least the ones I've looked at) doesn't use the same screw that is used on the Excalibur. On the Ex, the tip of the screw turns freely to avoid this bending problem. However, in my experience with DeWalt, this is only a minor problem and doesn't change my preference for DeWalt over the belt drive Delta.

The Delta saw comes fully assembled. You have to attach the table to the DeWalt, but this is a very easy procedure. Both come with stands that have to be assembled, and the stands are essentially identical. Both have back legs that can be extended to make the table slant down -- a feature that many really like. Note that the sale price on DeWalt is typically $400 plus $70 for a stand. The Delta sale price is $459 including the stand. Essentially the same price. I strongly recommend purchase of the DeWalt stand. Use of this steel stand will do more to minimize vibration than anything else you can do. Both saws, when mounted on their steel stands have minimal vibration. This last Saturday I did a Delta demo and had a DeWalt a couple of feet away. I felt the vibration on both saws running at the same time, and it was essentially equal, as was the noise level.

Tom Sevy

Subject: Delta P20 vs DeWalt Date: 10/23/00 Posted By: Ron in Ontario, solarwood@webhart.net #S947909

This site seems to be oozing with praise for the DeWalt scroll saw. I have owned a DeWalt for more than 2 years now and would like to add my opinion. In those two years I have used the saw on the average of 30 hours a week, and I have raved about how good it is to anyone who would listen. Two weeks ago I purchased the Delta P20 because I got a deal I couldn't refuse and I was developing repetitive strain injury from tightening the blades on the DeWalt. After using the P20 for close to 100 hours, my DeWalt doesn't seem to be such a good saw anymore. I could never get the DeWalt to saw perfectly perpendicular; the P20 can. The orbital movement of the sawing action of the Dewalt makes corners not as accurate as the Delta. I do fretwork full time, therefore blade threading is very important, I have always threaded the DeWalt from the top, but the Delta is faster when threaded from the top and you don't have to hold up the top arm as it stays up on its own (I disabled the little lever which locks the top arm in the up position). The Delta is also more vibration free at higher speeds (I use the same stand as I used on the DeWalt). I don't know how durable the Delta is, but it came with a lifetime warranty. Also my 15 year old son now produces saleable items on the P20, which very seldom happened on the DeWalt. All this without repetitive strain injury! Subject: Re: Selecting a 20" Saw Date: 01/24/01 Posted By: CDT/Texas, cdantrue@aol.com #M974170 I have a Delta P20 and I have been very pleased with it. The P20 is a heavy machine. It is quiet and exhibits very little vibration. I don't care to thread the blade from the top, but this is certainly possible with the Delta. The upper arm will lock in the up position and does so automatically when a blade breaks. This is a nice feature as it protects you project and fingers from possible harm. I like Delta's blade change system better than any I have tried. You must adjust the holder each time you change blade thickness with a little thumb screw. No tools required. Very quick. The table is large and heavy and has a throat plate that can be removed or replaced with a zero clearance plate for cutting very small pieces. I don't do fretwork and I seldom have the need to adjust the speed of my scroll saw. I did question the pulley system in my own mind before purchasing the P20, but after evaluating my needs went ahead. The belt is similar to a large O-ring and slips from one pulley to the next with ease. The advantage to this system is you have full power at all speeds. The P20 has one of the most powerful motors available. The parallel arms have oil cups at pivot points. This is a nice feature. As you can tell, I like my saw. I admit to a Delta bias, myself, but that is because I have had good look with my Delta tools, and they are readily available in my area. Most folks on this board seem to have a "bias" toward their pet tools. I would not purchase a 20" scrollsaw without giving the P20 a hard look. Good luck.

Scrollsawing Messages
   Subject: Delta P20 vs DeWalt
   Date: MON OCT 23,2000 21:16:32
Ron in Ontario

This site seems to be oozing with praise for the DeWalt scroll saw. I have owned a DeWalt for more than 2 years now and would like to add my opinion. In those two years I  have used the saw on the average of 30 hours a week, and I have raved about how good it is to anyone who would listen. Two weeks ago I purchased the Delta P20 because I got a deal I couldn't refuse and I was developing repetitive strain injury from tightening the blades on the DeWalt. After using the P20 for close to 100 hours, my DeWalt doesn't seem to be such a good saw anymore. I could never get the DeWalt to saw perfectly perpendicular; the P20 can. The orbital movement of the sawing action of the Dewalt makes corners not as accurate as the Delta. I do fretwork full time, therefore blade threading is very important, I have always threaded the DeWalt from the top, but the  Delta is faster when threaded from the top and you don't have to hold up the top arm as it stays up on its own (I disabled the little lever which locks the top arm in the up  position). The Delta is also more vibration free at higher speeds (I use the same stand as I used on the DeWalt). I don't know how durable the Delta is, but it came with a  lifetime warranty. Also my 15 year old son now produces saleable items on th P20, which very seldom happened on the DeWalt. All this without repetitive strain injury