PROXXON DSH 2 SPEED SCROLL SAW – REVIEW.

[Blue Ensign]

PROXXON DSH 2 SPEED SCROLL SAW – REVIEW.
This is the second of my recent new toy purchases, and this review as with that for the Band Saw is written from the point of view of a user new to these machines. 

Unlike the Band Saw there’s no picking this up with one hand, it is a hefty piece of kit with a solid cast base weighing in at 20 kilos.
Actually screwing it down seems superfluous; in my use thus far on a non slip surface it stays where you put it.

 

I again purchased the machine from:-

http://www.tbs-aachen.de/Proxxon/table_top_tools/scroll_saws/Proxxon_28092_2-speed_scroll_saw_DSH_i2477_42308.htm
Excellent service, ordered on 26 February, delivered on 28 February and again with a significant cost saving over the UK equivalent supplier.

 

Setting up
The machine was pre fitted with a blade and to get it up and running only required tilting the table to horizontal, and fitting the suction nozzle.

A check with the spirit level and square ensures everything is ok.
The machine comes with five spare blades of coarse and fine each.
Changing the blade was simplicity itself, both pinned and pinless blades can be used, but so far I have only used pinned blades.
I found it much easier than the band saw to get the right tension on the blade.  A non flat ‘ping’ when plucked indicates you are there.

 

There is a clear plastic blade guard which clips into place. This way for protecting the blade when the machine is not in use.

 

This way when working the machine. A little more fiddly getting the guard into place in its working mode. It is spring loaded in this position intended to also act as a foot to help hold the work piece to the table.

 

I thought the instruction book somewhat vague on setting up the guard but it gave dire warnings about using the machine without it.
Please note that the saw blade guard is an important safety tool and the saw may not be operated without it  but then goes onto say that:
The following describes activities in which the guard may be disassembled expediently but it must be clearly noted that the guard must be mounted again when this work is complete. Operation without this important safety accessory is not permitted.
In my opinion the guard is a severe impediment to effective working, with very small pieces being too large to allow for the necessary close handling.
I looked at quite a few You tube videos concerning the use of scroll saws, some which were of great help. This one is quite misleading.

Supposingly an educational video, it makes great play of safety but shows the blade guard fitted the wrong way up, resulting in trying to work the piece from the side.
 

Using the machine.
A good sized table, certainly more than adequate for the sort of modelling projects I have in mind.
The machine runs very quietly on low setting and is only slightly more noisy on the high speed setting.
I was keen to see how it would handle cutting out 1:64 scale Pinnace frames for my prototype practice build.

 

I would not be able to cut a frame like this with the guard in place. I am using stiff card for the frames, so not much of a challenge to the blade.

But the idea is to practice the scrolling.

 

This is one of the smallest frames, fits inside a 5p piece. With the guard in place it would be impossible to get close enough to support the cut edges whilst scrolling.
With such small pieces you need to work out how to approach the job as your fingers get perilously close to the blade at times.

 

Frame cutting progressing....

 

There is a blow nozzle to keep the work piece free of dust whilst scrolling, but it didn’t seem to have much blow in it!

 

The vacuum attachment is at the rear of the machine, the quietness of the machine is negated once the vacuum is switched on.

 

The large knob is used for tensioning /releasing the blade, the allan tool for removing the blade is clipped to the side of the machine. There is a narrow tray for holding spare blades.
 

Moving the machine around
Unlike all the other Proxxon modelling machines I have, the weight of this machine really dictates that a designated place for storage/working is the best option.
Whilst I can use the Mill, the wood lathe, and the band saw on my desk, and then store them away, I really don’t fancy lumping this around particularly with my slightly suspect back; the heavy cast base would cause serious damage if dropped, whether to toes or tiled floors.
Verdict.
Costing around £134 this is a lot of machine for your money. Seems well built and is smooth running, maybe not as portable as some other modelling machines, but certainly a useful addition to the modellers workshop.

 

If space and portability are important and light small scale scrolling is the requirement then the much smaller, cheaper, and significantly lighter DS230E model may suit.

 

B.E.

[Keith_W]

Thank you for posting this most excellent and informative review. Your pictures and demonstration really says it all. 

[mtaylor]

B.E.,

Nice saw.... very nice.

 

A couple of hopefully some helpful tips.

 

1) That clear plastic guard is for the lawyers.   I had the same issue and question on my scroll saw and the various people I talked said to take it off, and keep your fingers off the blade. 

 

2)  The hole through the table for the blade... does it have a ledge?  I'm thinking you'll want to make a zero (or at least a very small) clearance insert to go in there. 

 

3)  The blow tube... move it as close to the junction of the wood and blade as you can.  The closer it is, the better it will work.  Seems most of these saws use a bellows attached to the blade arms to pump the air.

 

4) Wax the saw table with a good grade of paste wax.  The will slide easier.

[Intasiabox]

Nice review, I do a lot of scrolling myself just never for model ships. My saw is getting close to 10 years old now and I have yet to use the guard. I even let my 11 year old daughter, who is a little clumsy, use it when she wants. I've hit the blade with my fingers a number of times and it doesn't even leave a scratch. The hole on your table is a little large for small pieces. My table has a pretty small hole but for really tiny piece I took a piece of plexi glass and drilled the smallest hole I could that let the blade through and then clamped it to my table with c-clamps. Plex or acrylic sheet is pretty cheap and the wood glides over it smoothly. Enjoy your new toy!

 

I guess I should also mention that I only use pinless blades so the hole can be very small.

Edited March 3, 2014 by intarsiabox

[Yambo]

 

2)  The hole through the table for the blade... does it have a ledge?  I'm thinking you'll want to make a zero (or at least a very small) clearance insert to go in there. 

 

 

 

My first thoughts . . .

 

Good review, thank you.

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks guys I'm glad you like the review, and I hope other novice users who may be contemplating buying a scroll saw will find it useful.

 

and Mark and Intarsiabox, thanks for your insights; great tips about waxing or covering the table to assist free movement of the work, I did find particularly with the very thin sheet I was using there was  some resistance to free movement around the table.

 

@Yambo  - there isn't a ledge to fit an insert in the blade hole which measures 25mm long x 10mm wide. It wasn't too much of a problem except with the very small bulkhead frames. I like the idea of acrylic sheet taped or clamped to the work table top. Will give that a go I think.

 

Cheers Guys, thanks for responding.

 

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Following the above, I found a sheet of acrylic and taped it to the table, what a difference in smoothly moving the work around the blade. The much reduced access hole for the blade was also of great benefit  in relation to the small pieces I'm cutting out.

 

Thanks again Intarsiabox, for the tip.

 

B.E.

[derekuk]

Hi B.E. 

 

A very nice review. Many thanks for taking the time to write it.

 

I'm looking to buy this model and the cheapest deal I could find was from SATBERLIN at around £185 inc postage and vat.

 

In your review you said "Costing around £134"........... I'm wondering where you found it at that price.

 

Cheers

Derek

[gjdale]

Derek,

 

B.E. mentioned this in the original post:

 

http://www.tbs-aachen.de/Proxxon/table_top_tools/scroll_saws/Proxxon_28092_2-speed_scroll_saw_DSH_i2477_42308.htm

 

A lot of UK members have commented that buying from this site provides significant savings over UK distributors, and with excellent service and delivery times.

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Derek,

 

I bought it from Germany - here's the link.

 

http://www.tbs-aachen.de/Proxxon/table_top_tools/scroll_saws/Proxxon_28092_2-speed_scroll_saw_DSH_i2477_42308.htm

 

The price was what I paid two years ago, but looking at their site today  it looks like the converted rate is around £154.00.(excl delivery) Satberlin looks a little cheaper at around £138.00  plus shipping of around £12.50.

 

I read somewhere earlier that currently satberlin are cheaper than tbs-aachen.

 

Either way cheaper than from UK suppliers.

 

B.E.

 

 

 

 

 

[derekuk]

Many thanks B.E. for the info........ and to Grant.

My apologies for asking the question when you gave the link in your original post.......... don't know how I missed it as I read all the review!

 

I have bought from Satberlin before and received a good service so I might just go with them again.

 

Thanks again

 

Derek

[Moxis]

Thanks B.E. I am in the process of buying a better saw than I own now, so this review is most welcome for me. However I would like to hear comments of you guys who have used the scrollsaws longer than only a few days after purchase.

 

For instance intarsiabox, what saw have you, and are you satisfied with your machine? I understand that you have used it already years, to have gained enough experience about the benefits and drawbacks of the machine. And if you would be in the situation to buy a new saw, would you still buy the one you have?

[Mr. Pett]

Especially for Proxxon machines to buy in Germany it is a great advantage to look here:

 

www.idealo.de

 

Simply type Proxxon and the identifikation of the machine (like MP 400 for the profiling mill) in the search box and you will find the best offers available in Germany. But look carefully for international shipment, before you buy.

 

It always depends on the type of machine you are looking for who is the cheapest provider.

 

For example I have bought the profiling machine 400 MP at SatBerlin (http://www.satberlin.de/) and the surface planing machine AH 80 at SMDV (http://www.smdv.de/).

Edited May 1, 2016 by Mr. Pett