6 Best Scroll Saws for Crafts and Woodworking in 2024

Scroll saws are designed for cutting intricate and complex curves and shapes in wood and other materials. They’re very versatile tools that have many woodworking, hobby and craft making applications.

Some applications for it include, lettering and sign-making, scrollwork, fretwork, intarsia, making of jigsaw puzzles, toy making, jewelry making and other types of craft projects.

There are other types of saws that can be used for curve and shape cutting, such as bandsaws and jigsaws. Scroll saws however, are better suited for the really intricate and delicate ones, especially when cutting small decorative shapes where precision and accuracy is very important.

It can be used to cut delicate patterns and in different materials like wood, acrylic, and thin metals, making it an essential tool for making unique and finely detailed jewelry items.

Choosing the right scroll saw can be challenging, especially for new users who haven’t had much experience with the tool. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you choose the right one for your projects.

Our Top Picks

How We Chose the Best Scroll Saws

We wanted to make sure that the scroll saws we list here on this page are nothing but the best in the market, so that anyone making their choice based on this list will not be disappointed with what they got.

When it comes to power tools like this, choosing the right one requires experience, which is something we relied on heavily while compiling this list. We prioritized features that are most important such as throat depth, blade change, work table size and the overall build quality of the scroll saw.

We also conducted in-depth market research to ensure we keep up with the latest offerings from power tool brands and manufacturers. Finally, we took into account feedback from several buyer’s who have already spent several weeks using and testing these scroll saws, noting what they found very useful about each unit and what they see as a drawback.

What to Consider When Choosing a Scroll Saw

If you want to choose the right scroll saw for your craft work or woodworking projects, you need to consider the following factors.

Table Size

The size of the table will determine how wide a material it can accommodate. A very wide table provides a much larger surface to maneuver a workpiece, thus providing adequate material support. A small table on the other hand have very little surface to work with and can only handle small materials. So, try to determine what you’ll be working with before choosing the scroll saw you’ll use.

Throat Size

The throat of a scroll saw is the distance from the blade to the rear of the frame of the saw. This length also determines the size of wood that can be cut with it, and to what extent it can be cut. If you’re making small hobby projects like birdhouses and small jewelry boxes, a scroll saw with a small throat depth will do just fine.

On the other hand, if you’ll be cutting larger pieces for other furniture projects, then you have to go higher and choose one with a larger throat depth, from 16 inch and above.

Bevel Ability

Some scroll saws have a stationary work table and stationary arms, which implies they can’t be used for making bevel cuts. Just straight 90-degree cuts through materials.

Other on the other hand have either tables or arms that can be pivoted or beveled in either direction, which makes them ideal for making even more complex cuts and designs.

If you’re an artist or craft maker that need to use it for really complex curved cuts and designs, then one with the beveling functionality should obviously be the right choice for you.

Blade Change

Scroll saw blades are tiny and come in different types and sizes. It’s very important that the saw you choose has an easy blade replacement feature. If you need a few tools and the whole machine disassembled before replacing the blade, that’s probably not a good sign.

Vibration Level

If your scroll saw vibrates so much, it will be difficult to carry out smooth, intricate cuts with it without errors. You need to make sure the one you choose operates quietly and vibration free, in order for you to produce the best quality work.

Dust Control

As cuts are made, dust naturally accumulate on top of the workpiece unless it is cleared or blown off. Most scroll saws today come equipped with an adjustable air pump to blow off dust as it’s produced, and a dust extraction port to connect a suitable shop vac.

If the unit you choose does not have these features, the dust created during the cut will accumulate on the workpiece, and it will be difficult to see the cut line, which may lead to errors during the cut.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to choose your first unit, or you’re trying to upgrade to a better one, I’m convinced going through this list should help you pick the best one for your needs.

1. WEN LL2156 Scroll Saw

Specifications

Throat Depth: 21-inch, Speed: 550-1600 SPM, Table Size: 25-5/8 x 16 inch, Motor: 1.6 amps, Cut Depth: 2-inch.

If you plan to cut large workpieces, you need a scroll saw with a long throat depth. One of such saws is the WEN LL2156. With a throat depth of 21 inches, you can handle almost any size of workpiece with it.

The extra-large dual bevel steel table provides ample material surface to maneuver the workpiece easily.

The table is very spacious with a dimension of 25-5/8 inch length by 16 inch width. It can bevel up to 45 degrees to the left and up to 30 degrees to the right for cutting angles in the material.

With a speed that can be varied from 550 strokes per minute to 1600 strokes per minute, the WEN LL2156 allows the user to fine-tune the saw to cut materials at the rate that’s most suitable to bring out the best finish and overall result.

Housed in the machine is a 1.6 amp motor which provides enough power to cut through different materials smoothly without bogging down. It has a stroke speed of ¾ inches and can cut through 2-inch thick materials easily.

Changing the blade is tool-less. You just need to twist a knob in the upper arm to release the blade, and the dual side panels under the work steel table lifts out of the way easily to access the bottom blade holder.

Additional features include an adjustable air pump and a 1-1/2 inch dust extraction pot which helps clear the work area and keeps the material and work surface clean when making cuts. It also comes with two 5 inch pinless blades, a material hold-down clamp and a tension release lever.

2. Dewalt DW788 Scroll Saw

Specifications

Throat Capacity: 20-inch, Speed: 550-1650 SPM, Table Size: 16 x 23-3/4 inch, Motor: 1.3 Amps, Cut Depth: 2 inch.

Scroll saws are a quite complicated piece of machinery, thus making them right can be quite tricky. Ease of use is very important, because the projects you intend to carry out with them are quite intricate, obviously.

As to that regards, this Dewalt DW788 scroll saw is well made and easy very easy to use.

The saw features a double parallel link arm which pivots from the back of the saw to the front, shortening the distance it needs to move, and as a results reduces the vibration of the saw allowing you to work more accurately.

This feature also allows you to easily thread the blade through materials when making inside cuts as the arm is very easy to lift.

Changing the blades does not require the use of any tools. It instead features a blade clamp you can simply use to change the blade in just seconds.

No matter how delicate your work is, the variable speed feature allows you to adjust the speed of the blade to match the application.

The Dewalt DW788 features an oversized cast iron table with a 20 inch throat depth that provides excellent material support for your workpiece. It also bevels up to 45 degrees both left and right allowing you to create beveled edges with ease.

3. Delta Power Tools 40-694

Specifications

Throat Depth: 20 inch, Speed: 400-1750 SPM, Table Size: 24 x16 inch, Motor: 1.3 Amp Cut Depth: 2-1/8 inch.

The Delta Power Tools 40-694 scroll saw comes equipped with every feature you need to make even the most intricate of cuts and designs.

With blade speed that can be varied between 400 and 1750 SPM, the saw can be used for a wide range of projects and applications.

It features a dual parallel link arm which is designed to help reduce vibration, improve accuracy and reduce over and under cutting.

Replacing the blade can be done easily by simply raising the upper arm and locking it in place in the raised position. This gives you free access to remove and replace the scroll saw blade which you simply need to unclamp.

The saw table bevels to 45 degrees both left and right allowing you to make bevel cuts easily.

With a throat size of 20 inches and a thickness capacity of 2-1/8 inches, you can handle large pieces of materials with it.

Overall, the Delta Power Tool 40-694 comes equipped with all the features you need to cut even the most complex of curves.

4. Jet JWSS-18B Scroll Saw

Specifications

Throat Depth: 18 inch, Speed: 400 – 1550 SPM, Table Size: 11-5/8 x 21 inch, Motor: 1.3 Amps, Cut Depth: 2 inch.

This scroll saw by JET is an 18 inch benchtop scroll saw that comes with every necessary feature you need to cut smooth, intricate curves and shapes with ease.

The 18 inch throat capacity coupled with a large 11-5/8 inch by 21 inches allows you to handle large materials pretty easily with it.

Changing blades on it is pretty easy as the saw is designed to make the process as simple as possible without the use of any tools.

The upper arm clamps and tensions the blade automatically, while a removable lower blade holder snaps quickly and securely to hold the blade in place.

It has a variable speed range between 400 and 1550 SPM which allows you to match speed with the material or application.

Bevel cuts are quite easy to make with the ability to tilt the saw head 45 degrees to the right and 40 degrees to the left.

This simple but smart feature keeps the work table flat and steady, allowing you to carry out more accurate works with it without changing the orientation of the table.

5. BUCKTOOL

Specifications

Throat Depth: 16 inch, Speed: 550 – 1600 SPM, Table Size: 18.2 x 11.5, Motor: , Cut Depth: 2 inch.

If you need a very good moderately priced variable speed scroll saw with all the features you need to carry out your projects, this 16-inch unit from BUCKTOOL is one of the first ones I’d recommend.

If you’ve had a few years back, you’ll notice it has now been recently redesigned in 2022 to feature a much larger steel work table to provide a much better and spacious work space for the user.

Other parts updated in this new model is the changing knob, the blade holder and a cast aluminum tension knob.

Instead of using an external tool to change the blade, the new design enables you to change the blade easily by just twisting a knob, with the help of a spring holder keeping the blade steady while you tighten it.

The cat iron table is 18.2 inch long and 11.5 inch wide, with a through depth of 16 inch and a cutting depth of 2 inches.

Enclosed in the tool is a 1.2 Amp DC motor producing a no-load speed of 1600 RPM, powering the blade to cuts through even hardwood materials.

The foot pedal control provides maximum control of the machine, ensuring the operator’s hands remain free to guide the material being cut through the blade.

It helps you start and stop the machine whenever you want to without using your hands, by simply stepping on the foot pedal.

6. Dremel MS20-01 Moto-Saw

Specifications

Throat Capacity: 14.57 inch, Speed: 1500 – 2250 SPM, Table Size: 15.75 x 8.27 inch, Motor: 0.6 Amps.

The Dremel Motor Saw. It’s the first of its kind. It looks like a scroll saw. It’s a scroll saw, but it’s kind of more compact and more mobile.

It’s more compact and mobile in the sense that instead of taking the workpiece or material to the saw, you can take the saw to the material you want to cut.

You can easily detach the saw assembly from the table or base and use it to cut the material wherever it is, affording you more freedom in a sense.

It has variable speed control. You can vary the speed of the blade to match the material you’re cutting, and you can cut different types of materials with it, including wood, plastic, engineered lumber and even metal.

In fact, it comes with 1 metal cutting blade, 1 siding blade, 4 wood and plastic blade and 4 fine wood blade, so you can cut a wide range of materials with it.

Equipped with a fast-clamp base, you can attach it wherever seems suitable to you. You can attach it to any table, workbench or surface.

You don’t need a tool to change blades. It features an auto tensioning quick-change mechanism that makes blade changing tool-free.

All in all, although the Dremel Moto-Saw looks slightly different from an ideal scroll saw, it functions exactly like one.

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