Steve thanks for the review. I am in the market for a new scroll saw. My porter cable saw died after ten years and hundreds of gift projects. I plan on ordering one very soon. I think the Wen ll 2156 will be a great choice. 🙂👍‼ ️ Update, I purchased this saw and have cut several projects. It's an amazing scroll saw! I highly recommend this saw. Quiet, smooth-very little vibration. I Purchased thru my employer, Lowe's during employee appreciation sale, 20% off! So far, I am very satisfied with this product.
FYI the arm release mechanism has a setting so that you do not have to reach the release knob and the arm will still stay up by it’s self. You can raise or lower the arm by simply lifting up or pushing it down. Simple as that. I am very happy with this saw, it’s quality and it is a fantastic bargain.
Hi Rand. I am missing something. There are two settings on the knob. One setting allows the arm to lock in the up position but then has to be unlocked by pulling the knob. The second setting allows you to raise the arm but will not lock in the up position unless the knob is turned. I don't see any setting for the arm to lock up automatically and unlock without using the knob. I also don't see that referenced in the manual. They also don't show that in the WEN demo video. Can you give me more details?
@@stevegood3224 on mine there is a second ring behind the knob. If you turn it a half turn a cross pin slips into a detent and holds the knob in the out position thus leaving the arm to move freely up and down. Friction alone holds the arm up on mine. If your arm does not stay in the up position I suspect you may need to tighten a screw to increase the amount of friction. Until I watched your video I was not even aware of the knob needing to be pulled out to release the arm. The way mine came from the manufacturer I simply lifted the arm and it stayed up. All I needed to do was pull it down when I wanted to use the saw. I did not have to disengage the lock mechanism by pulling the pin out. I will say the way mine works is a heck of a lot easier than fiddling with having to pull out that knob every time you want to refasten the blade. Hope that helps.
@@randsipe224 Thanks Rand. I see what is happening now. If you tighten the bolt on the left side of the saw enough it provides enough tension to hold the arm up. This was similar to how the DeWalt saw worked. When I spoke to the DeWalt engineers they suggested that the bolt not be tightened enough to hold the arm up so there ended up being 3rd party kits to hold the arm up. I will have to find out from WEN engineers if they suggest the bolt be tightened. My WEN contact has sent them a link to the video so hopefully, I can get some clarification. I never saw it cause a problem on the DeWalt and I suspect that is the case with the WEN as well.
@@stevegood3224 hi Steve. I suspected as much but interestingly mine came from the factory with enough tension on the arm to hold it up. I did not make any adjustments. Ignorance is bliss I guess, since I never had to fiddle with the release knob. That said, Tension on the upper arm does not appear to affect the reciprocal action of the blade on mine so i’m leaving it as is. I guess one could stick a block of wood under the arm which is better than having to reach back and pull that pin. Also Better than having to buy a lift arm like on the Dewalt, LOL.
@@stevegood3224 I'm a bit late to the party; But I just purchased one. Made one beginner project from your website (Tree Spirit). Thank you. My arm does not stay up without locking it in place. Did WEN ever clarify the problem?
Thanks Steve. The WEN saw looks to be everything I would have expected from a WEN product. I also have several WEN tools and have been pleased with the value and performance of all of them. I particularly like the hanging WEN air filter system. This mid-level saw will be a great way to get into the scroll saw hobby for many people who simply cannot afford the Dewalt or Delta saws. I have found the entry level saws to be so difficult to use that I cannot recommend any with a good conscience. Don't loose two hundred dollars on an entry level saw you will hate to use. Save up a little more and go mid-level and start a hobby you will love. This WEN looks to be a good place to start.
Steve, Great job with the review. You sold me on the Scroll Saw because of it. I am planning on buying this unit as soon as I get all my Christmas bills paid for. Thank you! Update- I bought this saw through your link on Amazon and it has been Great!! for a first saw I am very happy with it. For everything that I got and the way the saw runs for the money this is a no brainer. Thank you again for doing a great video on it.
Steve, great job on your presentation. Good timing for me, I'm currently shopping for a scroll saw for my grandsons who will be 10 years old soon. Hoping they will be rewarded by quality woodworking as I have enjoyed in my years. The expressions of good workmanship can never be replaced by victories over video games. I will be using your video as the introduction to the machinery. Thanks and God Bless.
I've had several of Wen's tools over the years and they certainly aren't top of line but when you consider what you get for what you pay they are hard to beat.
Thanks. I have the entry-level Wen and I have cut a lot of your patterns with it. The WEN has been trouble-free for the most part. Had trouble with pinless blades staying in and I eliminated the knobs and replaced them with hex screws and use a T-Handle hex wrench to tighten. Problem solved. The knobs I think could be a little larger. That is the ONLY issue I had with the entry-level WEN saw!
Thanks Steve, you did a great job of reviewing the new Wen scroll saw. If I were in the market for a saw, I'd buy one. Great saw, great company, great price.
Thank you for posting this. I was pretty set on getting the 3921until I saw this. It was mainly the blade system that did it for me. Keep up the great work. God bless
Nice review. My first scroll saw was a Toshiba I bought from Lowe's many years ago. It wasn't a bad saw for the $170 I paid, but I wanted more. I ended up buying a really nice model from Craigslist. If this had been available when I upgraded, I probably would have bought this. Granted the saw I ended up with is technically a high end saw, this one has more features and appears to be easier to change the blades.
I have this saw, does have a play In movement on table and unable to get it tight. Wen has offered to work with me so will let you know. Excellent saw I'm a hobby shop weekends and do love it. I put a 2x4 piece for arm high enough so it doesn't lock in and lower without releasing lock
Been waiting for a quality saw like this, Has features of high end machines. Bought mine when they first came out. Home Depot??? LOL! Built a stand that is mobile with lock downs at my height. Like Wen designs in tools , and I wish they'd go up a notch on other tools . This is my step up as my patience level is low for changing blades on cheaper saws. I'd say the only problem is dropping the doors to change blades, but I'm not sure how the DeWalt fares in this. Thanks for the info on the sweet Spot as I'm a newbie in this area.
Thank you for your review! I understand it doesn’t come with a light. Doe have ability to accommodate a light and magnifier combination. Both are a necessity for me. Hoping to get an answer to my question.
I purchased this saw. It lasted about two months before I had a problem. The machine sounded like it was falling apart by the lower control arm. I called customer service and they said to box it up and return it. They sent out a replacement. The second saw is out of alignment, but otherwise works fine. It only uses about 3/4 of the standard blades. I called customer service and was told if it works otherwise, I should be happy! Skip this saw and buy a DeWalt. I wish I had.🤔‼️
Hi Steve, thank you for the great review. I'm a fan of your patterns and have cut a few over the years. I'm currently using the DeWalt saw and I love it. I would certainly consider this saw if I ever needed to make a change. I would enjoy the larger table cutting ability but I'm also interested in the dust collection. I see that you didn't use the dust collection during your video. I would expect that the doors on the sides are there for the dust collection. Have you used the dust collection since the video and how did it do?
Steve, good presentation... congratulations.... I bought one of this good machine... I am using it to do marquetry work with thin saws, often 4/0 or 5/0 and I am having difficulties difficulties to fix them because they are very thin and they have bent because the fixing screw goes straight into the saws. I recently watched a video and liked the chuck heads of Pegas. I would like to know if this would fit the Wen LL2156. Thank you.
GREAT review 🥰I Purchased WEN it first came out. I had soo many Questions that I couldn’t get Answered In a lot of groups. Feels Amazing to know that Wen Is Also Manufactured in Illinois Where I’m from 🥰 I Have One Question: What makes a high end level scroll-saw soo much more different than a med level scroll-saw? Is it all in the type of blade or is it in the setup of how the machine was made. I want to be able to use mines daily. About 8Hours out Of A Day! I pray that WEN Can Create A High end One Really Soon🥰
It is a little difficult to differentiate between a mid-level and a high-end saw. Feature-wise they are very similar. The difference is in the build quality. I know guys who use what I call mid-level saws for full-time cutting. The saws generally last 2 or 3 years and then need some major refurb work done. For instance, the DeWalt DW788 will need bearings replaced about every 2 to 3 years with heavy usage. The WEN LL2156 is still new enough that I have not heard what repairs are needed after some time of heavy usage. This is not a major concern because very few people use a scroll saw 8 hours a day. Those that do are earning an income and just understand that repairs are necessary. The WEN is not manufactured in Illinois. It is manufactured in China. WEN's headquarters is located in Illinois.
Steve....... bought this saw as a new scroller based on your review. It's a great saw and have been bitten by the "scroll saw bug". Looking at scrolling many items for craft fairs and art shows. Question: based on your use of this saw and your major use of the Pegas saw......would you recommend moving to the Pegas if I'm looking at doing some major scrolling for selling. Unfortunately, my local Woodcraft store doesn't have a Pegas to touch ....but can order one. If Wen and Pegas are comparable, I'll stick with the Wen....but if the Pegas is a major upgrade...especially using it for art fairs, is it a good investment for everything down the road and worth the upgrade in the long run?
I would only add the Pegas clamp if the original clamp was worn out. The Paegas clamps are nice but I don't consider them a significant enough upgrade to replace working parts. The WEN clamps work fine.
I did 5 very small projects on the wen and the engine died, cant return it so im stuck with a paper weight, bought the dewalt dw788,, buy nice or buy twice hope the dewault fares better although its now made in china as well, so we will see
I tried ordering this saw from Home Depot a few months ago, it had free 3 day priority shipping. I recieved confirmation emails saying it was on its way, the Only issue was they never sent it. Was lied to multiple times by HD. The only option was to refund me and buy it again. I ended up just getting my money back. Frustrating, They lost a customer. I ended up getting a pegas instead. I have a few wen tools and for the money they are hard to beat.
I agree with you that they have good tools for the money. I ordered direct from WEN. Takes HD out of the equation. And if you need to call WEN for support or just to ask a question, they actually answer the phone. 👍
Steve, nice review and I ordered one! Wonder if anyone could give me the measurements of the base front to back. I want to build a table to fit my sawing needs. Thank you!
The two saw are fairly comparable. The Delta has been on the market longer so we know more about its reliability. The WEN actually has very low vibration. Not sure what the video showed but the vibration is comparable to other mid-level and high-end saws. Either choice is a good one for a mid-level saw.
Thanks, was about to buy the 16 inch WEN but think this would be a better choice. If I decided on a Excalibur EX-21CRB 21 in. Tilting Head Scroll Saw refurbished on Amazon for 499 do you think that is a good upgrade for another 130 dollars?
Hi Ed. At one point the Excalibur saws were excellent. When they moved their manufacturing away from Taiwan to China quality control took a dip. I still think they are a decent saw but I would be careful to buy from a source that has an easy return policy just in case. The 21" Excalibur is selling new for $665 so $499 would be a fair price for a refurbished saw. Just read the fine print of what their refurbished means.
It is a close call but I would rate them in this order. DeWalt DW788, WEN LL2156, Then the Delta 40-694. The DeWalt has been around for years and proved itself as a reliable saw in the mid-level market. The WEN is much newer and works well but we just don't have enough history to know how it will perform over the years. I have no complaints with the Delta but it is just a step behind the other two. All three are much better than any of the entry-level saws.
Good review. I'm looking for a midlevel saw but also compact since none of my pieces are more than 6". I would appreciate any suggestions you can give me. I will be cutting mostly 1/4 plexiglass. Thx
Hi ZOZO. Unfortunately, the most compact mid-level saws are 16" like the King Industrial 16 Inch Scroll Saw or the Excalibur 16" saw. They are considerably more expensive than the WEN in this review. I believe the Excalibur is well over $500 and the King is over $800.
Hope you have a new video coming out soon Paul. I always enjoy seeing what you're working on! I think of you when I'm scrolling because I was able to replace the "puffer hose" on my saw after seeing your video how to do it quite some time ago. Hope you and the family are all doing well. Best wishes from AZ!
Steve my husband bought me the Wen saw, I had been using a really old Delta my mother in law had. I like the Wen, However I have CP and do not have full use of my rt hand. Would it be possible to turn the screws around that hold the blade. I have to stand up and turn the bottom knob with my left hand. I need to make the knobs that you have talked about thanks Sandra
Hi Sandra. You can reverse the set screw and thumb screw to have the thumb screw on the left. Just make sure that you center them when you reinstall them. The blade needed to be centered in both clamps. I am working with a company that is about to release a set of comfort knobs soon. They will fit over the thumb screws. The problem is that they will not fit on the WEN thumb screw. The good news is that the DeWalt thumb screw will fit on the WEN which is compatible with the comfort knobs. As soon as they make the knobs available I will post them on the blog.
The DeWalt has been around for many years so all the failure points are known. We don't yet know what the failure points will be on the WEN. It is still too new for that. My best guess is that the DeWalt will still hold the title as the best mid-level scroll saw but that comes at a considerably higher price. I believe both saws are built well enough for most use cases.
Great Review Steve. Would the Pégas Blade Chucks fit on this saw? It would appear that the upper arms are very similar to the ones on the Delta/Dewalt saws, but I was not able to see the lower chuck in the video. This was among the first upgrades I did to my Delta saw. I scroll saw photos mounted on 1/4" ply and due to the accuracy that I need to obtain around the ears and fingers of the photo, I use magnifiers and sit very close to the blade while cutting. Since I don't want to be breathing in all that dust and need to keep the photo in perfect condition, I've set up an elaborate vacuum system. I'm using two 1/2" Loc-Line tubes to collect the dust off the top surface of the photo just behind the blade attached to a Festool CT15 dust extractor. It wasn't cheap and took a bit of engineering to design, but it works great.
@@lawrencep5427 No, I added the Pégas Blade Chucks to my Delta Saw. I love them. If I were to purchase this Wen Scroll Saw, I would want to do the same if I could.
Price of replacement materials, (ALL...including the finishing products and sanding supplies and tape, glue ect., that you will use. Usually pro rated per project. (Usually close estimate.) Plus: A 20% shop charge, (for tools, power bill ect.) (of final cost). And a profit of a reasonable profit 20 to 25% depending on the skill and finish quality. Don't forget shipping charges when applicable, and taxes. Once you decide a price, it is a simple matter to price similar and like projects. Stack cutting is a very helpful tool, for bonus profits! Best of luck! Also it depends if this is a side hobby, or if this is your income, will effect the end price.All that being said, what are similar projects selling for? Don't sell without profit unless you are gifting or donating.
Hi Bruce. I would not consider the Grizzly in the same category as the WEN but it would certainly be one of the better entry-level scroll saws. The problem with the Grizzly is that it is priced too close to the WEN and the WEN is a considerably nicer saw.
I have to content with this cheap European Scroll Saw from Powerplus brand because I'm so broke. The saw is so basic I have to use an adaptor for the blades and they keep breaking every 1.5 projects I make. Anyways at least it gets me going :))
I got one. What I found is the plastic plate is sunk down so it catches the wood. It may not be same model but is same brand. Ok looking at yours mine is definitely different than your model
You have the 16” model, this saw is the 20”, there is no plastic insert. I had the 16” and made several mods to it. I converted it to pin less blades and to tool less blade changes. I made my own zero clearance inserts. I hated that one that came with the saw. I added a switch to enable the light when the saw was not running so I could see to change blades. I got rid of the stupid side cover. It was a good little saw but when the 20” came out I sold it and bought the 20”. It’s way better.
@@randsipe224 I did say Entry-Level. I know the 20" model is a big update with no insert. The Entry-Level saw I have has served me very well. When it dies I'll update. Until then it does the job and it does use pin or pinless blades out of the box. I would like to see/hear about how you made it tool-less blade changes.
Wen is made in China. If you buy it, part of the price is going to support the hyper-aggressive Chinese military (and Russia). So take that into account.
I understand your point. Unfortunately, if you do not buy Chinese products you limit yourself greatly. They are easily our largest importer at over 40 percent. Estimates say that 70 to 80% of products sold in Walmart are Chinese-made. I would be greatly surprised if everyone in America had not bought a Chinese product in the last week.
Boght this been so happy till i realized my cuts are Fd up!! The table cannot be tightend!! The tightnner is a series of plastic pieces and metal washers and the squeeze point on the tightning knob flexis the washers and thighten for a minute only the losens! This is not on mine only!! Im gonna call WEN this is a really super poor desighn for any tightning knob ,im amazed. Ill add pics if i can.
I bought the wen ll2156 I would not buy it again,the blade wanders from side to side I tried everything to get the blade to travel straight up and down, very disappointed 😞 I put it on the shelf and brought my Ryobi back out and use it instead,it has a lot nicer cut then the wen ll 2156
Yes I did they said that the blade clamps are bad, so they sent me new clamps and it fixed the problem,I also ordered the pegas blade clamps and I will see if they improve the performance even more, will let you know how it turns out
Steve, why do you feed from the bottom? Is there an advantage to it or is it personal preference? Why have such a large area in front of the blade? Doesn't it cause you to lean over more to see your work?
Hi Kay. I have taught myself to feed from the top and bottom. When I am cutting larger boards feed from the top. I find bottom feeding easier with smaller boards. It is just personal preference. Some people like the larger area in front of the blade because it is just more stable. I don't really have a preference because I tilt the saw forward by raising the back of the saw. This almost eliminates the need to bend over.
It fits between all the under $200 entry level saws and the high end Hegner, Pegas, Seyco, Hawk, and Jet. It is actually at the low end of mid-level because WEN is still working out a few early quality issues.
@@stevegood3224 if you ask me wen is one of the quality brand’s, their scroll saws are built like tanks. that Dewalt scroll saw has lots of issues with it, their motors give out all the time, there are lots of videos on UA-cam of people showing how there Dewalt scroll saw is broken I can’t find one video of someone complaining about the wen scroll saw, those Dewalt scroll saws are way over priced for all the problems they bring, they have way to many moving parts it’s the reason they always break down. on top of it all if the fuse blows that it comes with you are out of luck until you can buy another one, in order to use that 21 inch wen scroll saw you don’t need a fuse to get it to start so no hassle there, Dewalt must be paying you.
Everyone has favorites. I understand that. I speak with a couple hundred scrollers every day through email. I have online conference calls with scroll saw groups often. I have contacts in almost every company that sells scroll saws. My blog sends out over half a million email newsletters a month. It is my business to know as much as possible about scroll saws. None of those facts mean I am always correct. I get emails from owners of every scroll saw on the market. There are folks who love and hate all of the options. The only advantage I have is that I see and hear about dozens of scroll saws with problems every month. Because of that, my database is often larger than a user who has purchased a saw and has a database of one. The WEN is a nice machine. I like it and have a review unit that works well. I have had a few emails from people who have purchased the WEN and had issues. In every case, WEN stood behind the product. Those are good reviews even though they had an issue. None of this put the WEN in the same category as the Seyco, Pegas, Hegner, Jet, or Hawk. The quality of the WEN is just not as good. I own all of these high-end saws and see the difference every day. The difference between the WEN and DeWalt is still too early to know. The DeWalt has been on the market for 20-plus years. The WEN is new. We don't yet know what the problem set will be for the WEN. I guarantee it will have a problem set because all machines do. I would not hesitate to buy either of these two saws. I apologize for the long reply. This was not actually meant for you but for others who read these comments.@@HighTone45
This scroll saw is garbage. I bought 2 they both stopped working within 3 months. I bought a $100 scroll saw from Sears that lasted 10 years for so this $400 scroll saw to be such garbage is sad. It looks the part but please don't waste your money on this!
Hi Mark My Wood. Out of curiosity could you let me know what went wrong with both saws. I try to keep up with issues so I can give good recommendations to my blog readers. I can also provide feedback to WEN.
I would not buy this saw again. The blade chucks were misaligned by more than 1/4" and there is no way to adjust or repair them. It appears to be a high quality machine but the quality control is lacking and Wen offers no support. They don't stock most of the parts needed to maintain it and no parts are available to repair it. What looks like a life-time machine is actually a throw away just because WEN does not support it. I'll never buy another product from WEN. Lesson learned.
Well what is the effing price, the Amazon link shows: "Temporarily out of stock." as with nearly all of these reviews, just NAME the EFFING price at the recording !!!
It does not always make sense to name the price in the video because Amazon pricing changes often. I just clicked the link and it shows the price of $370 with 7 left in stock. If you are in a country other than the US you will get different results.
I purchased this scroll saw based on your review, and I am very glad I did. I am very impressed with this saw. A huge thanks to you.
Steve thanks for the review. I am in the market for a new scroll saw. My porter cable saw died after ten years and hundreds of gift projects. I plan on ordering one very soon. I think the Wen ll 2156 will be a great choice.
🙂👍‼
️ Update, I purchased this saw and have cut several projects. It's an amazing scroll saw! I highly recommend this saw. Quiet, smooth-very little vibration. I Purchased thru my employer, Lowe's during employee appreciation sale, 20% off! So far, I am very satisfied with this product.
FYI the arm release mechanism has a setting so that you do not have to reach the release knob and the arm will still stay up by it’s self. You can raise or lower the arm by simply lifting up or pushing it down. Simple as that. I am very happy with this saw, it’s quality and it is a fantastic bargain.
Hi Rand. I am missing something. There are two settings on the knob. One setting allows the arm to lock in the up position but then has to be unlocked by pulling the knob. The second setting allows you to raise the arm but will not lock in the up position unless the knob is turned. I don't see any setting for the arm to lock up automatically and unlock without using the knob. I also don't see that referenced in the manual. They also don't show that in the WEN demo video. Can you give me more details?
@@stevegood3224 on mine there is a second ring behind the knob. If you turn it a half turn a cross pin slips into a detent and holds the knob in the out position thus leaving the arm to move freely up and down. Friction alone holds the arm up on mine. If your arm does not stay in the up position I suspect you may need to tighten a screw to increase the amount of friction. Until I watched your video I was not even aware of the knob needing to be pulled out to release the arm. The way mine came from the manufacturer I simply lifted the arm and it stayed up. All I needed to do was pull it down when I wanted to use the saw. I did not have to disengage the lock mechanism by pulling the pin out. I will say the way mine works is a heck of a lot easier than fiddling with having to pull out that knob every time you want to refasten the blade. Hope that helps.
@@randsipe224 Thanks Rand. I see what is happening now. If you tighten the bolt on the left side of the saw enough it provides enough tension to hold the arm up. This was similar to how the DeWalt saw worked. When I spoke to the DeWalt engineers they suggested that the bolt not be tightened enough to hold the arm up so there ended up being 3rd party kits to hold the arm up. I will have to find out from WEN engineers if they suggest the bolt be tightened. My WEN contact has sent them a link to the video so hopefully, I can get some clarification. I never saw it cause a problem on the DeWalt and I suspect that is the case with the WEN as well.
@@stevegood3224 hi Steve. I suspected as much but interestingly mine came from the factory with enough tension on the arm to hold it up. I did not make any adjustments. Ignorance is bliss I guess, since I never had to fiddle with the release knob. That said, Tension on the upper arm does not appear to affect the reciprocal action of the blade on mine so i’m leaving it as is. I guess one could stick a block of wood under the arm which is better than having to reach back and pull that pin. Also Better than having to buy a lift arm like on the Dewalt, LOL.
@@stevegood3224 I'm a bit late to the party; But I just purchased one. Made one beginner project from your website (Tree Spirit). Thank you. My arm does not stay up without locking it in place. Did WEN ever clarify the problem?
Thanks Steve. The WEN saw looks to be everything I would have expected from a WEN product. I also have several WEN tools and have been pleased with the value and performance of all of them. I particularly like the hanging WEN air filter system.
This mid-level saw will be a great way to get into the scroll saw hobby for many people who simply cannot afford the Dewalt or Delta saws. I have found the entry level saws to be so difficult to use that I cannot recommend any with a good conscience. Don't loose two hundred dollars on an entry level saw you will hate to use. Save up a little more and go mid-level and start a hobby you will love. This WEN looks to be a good place to start.
Steve, Great job with the review. You sold me on the Scroll Saw because of it. I am planning on buying this unit as soon as I get all my Christmas bills paid for. Thank you!
Update- I bought this saw through your link on Amazon and it has been Great!! for a first saw I am very happy with it. For everything that I got and the way the saw runs for the money this is a no brainer. Thank you again for doing a great video on it.
Steve, great job on your presentation. Good timing for me, I'm currently shopping for a scroll saw for my grandsons who will be 10 years old soon. Hoping they will be rewarded by quality woodworking as I have enjoyed in my years. The expressions of good workmanship can never be replaced by victories over video games. I will be using your video as the introduction to the machinery. Thanks and God Bless.
I'm in the learning stages, but this is the saw I bought. Love it!
I've had several of Wen's tools over the years and they certainly aren't top of line but when you consider what you get for what you pay they are hard to beat.
Thanks. I have the entry-level Wen and I have cut a lot of your patterns with it. The WEN has been trouble-free for the most part. Had trouble with pinless blades staying in and I eliminated the knobs and replaced them with hex screws and use a T-Handle hex wrench to tighten. Problem solved. The knobs I think could be a little larger. That is the ONLY issue I had with the entry-level WEN saw!
Thanks Steve, you did a great job of reviewing the new Wen scroll saw. If I were in the market for a saw, I'd buy one. Great saw, great company, great price.
Thanks Steve. This is a needed price range for a saw. Always value your reviews
Also. Good to know the simple things like how to center the blade.
Steve thanks for the review on the Wen scroll saw. I needed and upgrade so I ordered mine yesterday.
Thank you for posting this. I was pretty set on getting the 3921until I saw this. It was mainly the blade system that did it for me. Keep up the great work. God bless
Thanks for the review, Steve! I really like the look of this saw. I wasn't really in the market, but now I'm kinda interested :)
Nice review. My first scroll saw was a Toshiba I bought from Lowe's many years ago. It wasn't a bad saw for the $170 I paid, but I wanted more. I ended up buying a really nice model from Craigslist. If this had been available when I upgraded, I probably would have bought this. Granted the saw I ended up with is technically a high end saw, this one has more features and appears to be easier to change the blades.
Great to the point review. Years ago Wen use to be junk. Now they appear to be one of the best products for the price.
I have this saw, does have a play In movement on table and unable to get it tight. Wen has offered to work with me so will let you know. Excellent saw I'm a hobby shop weekends and do love it. I put a 2x4 piece for arm high enough so it doesn't lock in and lower without releasing lock
Thank you Steve 😊 it will take some time to be available and affordable in my part of the globe..
Been waiting for a quality saw like this, Has features of high end machines. Bought mine when they first came out. Home Depot??? LOL! Built a stand that is mobile with lock downs at my height. Like Wen designs in tools , and I wish they'd go up a notch on other tools . This is my step up as my patience level is low for changing blades on cheaper saws.
I'd say the only problem is dropping the doors to change blades, but I'm not sure how the DeWalt fares in this. Thanks for the info on the sweet Spot as I'm a newbie in this area.
Mine just arrived today!
Great review, Steve. This will replace my very old Protech 16".
Thank you.
Thank you for your review! I understand it doesn’t come with a light. Doe have ability to accommodate a light and magnifier combination. Both are a necessity for me. Hoping to get an answer to my question.
I purchased this saw. It lasted about two months before I had a problem. The machine sounded like it was falling apart by the lower control arm. I called customer service and they said to box it up and return it. They sent out a replacement. The second saw is out of alignment, but otherwise works fine. It only uses about 3/4 of the standard blades. I called customer service and was told if it works otherwise, I should be happy!
Skip this saw and buy a DeWalt. I wish I had.🤔‼️
Hi Bob. Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you mind me asking what you mean by "It only uses about 3/4 of the standard blades"
Hi Steve, thank you for the great review. I'm a fan of your patterns and have cut a few over the years. I'm currently using the DeWalt saw and I love it. I would certainly consider this saw if I ever needed to make a change. I would enjoy the larger table cutting ability but I'm also interested in the dust collection. I see that you didn't use the dust collection during your video. I would expect that the doors on the sides are there for the dust collection. Have you used the dust collection since the video and how did it do?
good review steve looks like a good saw for the money thank you
Steve, good presentation... congratulations.... I bought one of this good machine... I am using it to do marquetry work with thin saws, often 4/0 or 5/0 and I am having difficulties difficulties to fix them because they are very thin and they have bent because the fixing screw goes straight into the saws. I recently watched a video and liked the chuck heads of Pegas. I would like to know if this would fit the Wen LL2156. Thank you.
On the tensioning lever, is it a full flip? Or are there number settings. And is there another tensions knob in case the lever is not tight enough.
Steve what blade are you using. It seems that you are cutting 12 ml material ?
Steve, good review.... Will this pegas chuck head is compatible with Wen LL2156?
Could you please tell me why my saw cuts circle at a slant. The top the bottom of it is small then top??
Thank you for the review Steve. Would this saw fit on a Dewalt stand or does Wen have it's own stand?
Thank you
I made my own stand based on the Dewalt design but pretty sure this saw can be made to fit the Dewalt.
GREAT review 🥰I Purchased WEN it first came out.
I had soo many Questions that I couldn’t get Answered In a lot of groups.
Feels Amazing to know that Wen Is Also Manufactured in Illinois Where I’m from
🥰
I Have One Question: What makes a high end level scroll-saw soo much more different than a med level scroll-saw?
Is it all in the type of blade or is it in the setup of how the machine was made.
I want to be able to use mines daily.
About 8Hours out Of A Day!
I pray that WEN Can Create A High end One Really Soon🥰
It is a little difficult to differentiate between a mid-level and a high-end saw. Feature-wise they are very similar. The difference is in the build quality. I know guys who use what I call mid-level saws for full-time cutting. The saws generally last 2 or 3 years and then need some major refurb work done. For instance, the DeWalt DW788 will need bearings replaced about every 2 to 3 years with heavy usage. The WEN LL2156 is still new enough that I have not heard what repairs are needed after some time of heavy usage. This is not a major concern because very few people use a scroll saw 8 hours a day. Those that do are earning an income and just understand that repairs are necessary. The WEN is not manufactured in Illinois. It is manufactured in China. WEN's headquarters is located in Illinois.
Steve....... bought this saw as a new scroller based on your review. It's a great saw and have been bitten by the "scroll saw bug". Looking at scrolling many items for craft fairs and art shows. Question: based on your use of this saw and your major use of the Pegas saw......would you recommend moving to the Pegas if I'm looking at doing some major scrolling for selling. Unfortunately, my local Woodcraft store doesn't have a Pegas to touch ....but can order one. If Wen and Pegas are comparable, I'll stick with the Wen....but if the Pegas is a major upgrade...especially using it for art fairs, is it a good investment for everything down the road and worth the upgrade in the long run?
One more thought.....performance for me is more important than cost.......finally following that "buy once, cry once" axiom is very true
Steve ....would adding a Pegas chuck upgrade to this saw be worth it.....or not? thanks!
I would only add the Pegas clamp if the original clamp was worn out. The Paegas clamps are nice but I don't consider them a significant enough upgrade to replace working parts. The WEN clamps work fine.
@@stevegood3224 Thank you for your honest and thoughtful assessment!
Can this be used in the U K 240v 13am plug
What is that blue tape on the wood? How do you hold he paper to the wood? thanks
Will this fit onto the Dewalt Scroll Saw Stand? Or what stand would you recommend?
Thanks for the review!
I did 5 very small projects on the wen and the engine died, cant return it so im stuck with a paper weight, bought the dewalt dw788,, buy nice or buy twice hope the dewault fares better although its now made in china as well, so we will see
I tried ordering this saw from Home Depot a few months ago, it had free 3 day priority shipping. I recieved confirmation emails saying it was on its way, the Only issue was they never sent it. Was lied to multiple times by HD. The only option was to refund me and buy it again. I ended up just getting my money back. Frustrating, They lost a customer. I ended up getting a pegas instead. I have a few wen tools and for the money they are hard to beat.
I agree with you that they have good tools for the money. I ordered direct from WEN. Takes HD out of the equation. And if you need to call WEN for support or just to ask a question, they actually answer the phone. 👍
Steve, nice review and I ordered one! Wonder if anyone could give me the measurements of the base front to back. I want to build a table to fit my sawing needs. Thank you!
trying to see which saw is better, this wen or a delta, i saw alot of vibration while you were cutting.
The two saw are fairly comparable. The Delta has been on the market longer so we know more about its reliability. The WEN actually has very low vibration. Not sure what the video showed but the vibration is comparable to other mid-level and high-end saws. Either choice is a good one for a mid-level saw.
@@stevegood3224 thanks steve
Thanks, was about to buy the 16 inch WEN but think this would be a better choice. If I decided on a Excalibur EX-21CRB 21 in. Tilting Head Scroll Saw refurbished on Amazon for 499 do you think that is a good upgrade for another 130 dollars?
Hi Ed. At one point the Excalibur saws were excellent. When they moved their manufacturing away from Taiwan to China quality control took a dip. I still think they are a decent saw but I would be careful to buy from a source that has an easy return policy just in case. The 21" Excalibur is selling new for $665 so $499 would be a fair price for a refurbished saw. Just read the fine print of what their refurbished means.
@@stevegood3224 Thanks Steve, I own a couple of other WEN tools so think I will just go with their 21.
Wich is best. 2156 wen or delta or dewalt 788. I’m new at this and hoping you could help with some advise.
It is a close call but I would rate them in this order. DeWalt DW788, WEN LL2156, Then the Delta 40-694. The DeWalt has been around for years and proved itself as a reliable saw in the mid-level market. The WEN is much newer and works well but we just don't have enough history to know how it will perform over the years. I have no complaints with the Delta but it is just a step behind the other two. All three are much better than any of the entry-level saws.
Is there a stand on the market that fits this saw?
Good review. I'm looking for a midlevel saw but also compact since none of my pieces are more than 6". I would appreciate any suggestions you can give me. I will be cutting mostly 1/4 plexiglass. Thx
Hi ZOZO. Unfortunately, the most compact mid-level saws are 16" like the King Industrial 16 Inch Scroll Saw or the Excalibur 16" saw. They are considerably more expensive than the WEN in this review. I believe the Excalibur is well over $500 and the King is over $800.
Great video, thank you!!
Steve, good review. Seems like a good bargain. Thanks.
Hope you have a new video coming out soon Paul. I always enjoy seeing what you're working on! I think of you when I'm scrolling because I was able to replace the "puffer hose" on my saw after seeing your video how to do it quite some time ago. Hope you and the family are all doing well. Best wishes from AZ!
Steve my husband bought me the Wen saw, I had been using a really old Delta my mother in law had. I like the Wen, However I have CP and do not have full use of my rt hand. Would it be possible to turn the screws around that hold the blade. I have to stand up and turn the bottom knob with my left hand. I need to make the knobs that you have talked about thanks Sandra
Hi Sandra. You can reverse the set screw and thumb screw to have the thumb screw on the left. Just make sure that you center them when you reinstall them. The blade needed to be centered in both clamps. I am working with a company that is about to release a set of comfort knobs soon. They will fit over the thumb screws. The problem is that they will not fit on the WEN thumb screw. The good news is that the DeWalt thumb screw will fit on the WEN which is compatible with the comfort knobs. As soon as they make the knobs available I will post them on the blog.
Hi Steve, how does the Dewalt scroll saw stacks up against this Wen scroll saw? Cheers from México 🇲🇽!
The DeWalt has been around for many years so all the failure points are known. We don't yet know what the failure points will be on the WEN. It is still too new for that. My best guess is that the DeWalt will still hold the title as the best mid-level scroll saw but that comes at a considerably higher price. I believe both saws are built well enough for most use cases.
@@stevegood3224 Thanks!
Great Review Steve. Would the Pégas Blade Chucks fit on this saw? It would appear that the upper arms are very similar to the ones on the Delta/Dewalt saws, but I was not able to see the lower chuck in the video. This was among the first upgrades I did to my Delta saw.
I scroll saw photos mounted on 1/4" ply and due to the accuracy that I need to obtain around the ears and fingers of the photo, I use magnifiers and sit very close to the blade while cutting. Since I don't want to be breathing in all that dust and need to keep the photo in perfect condition, I've set up an elaborate vacuum system. I'm using two 1/2" Loc-Line tubes to collect the dust off the top surface of the photo just behind the blade attached to a Festool CT15 dust extractor. It wasn't cheap and took a bit of engineering to design, but it works great.
Did you add the Pegas blade chucks to your Wen saw? Looking at the possibility of doing the same to mine.
@@lawrencep5427 No, I added the Pégas Blade Chucks to my Delta Saw. I love them. If I were to purchase this Wen Scroll Saw, I would want to do the same if I could.
what the best way to price scroll saw work
Price of replacement materials, (ALL...including the finishing products and sanding supplies and tape, glue ect., that you will use. Usually pro rated per project. (Usually close estimate.) Plus:
A 20% shop charge, (for tools, power bill ect.) (of final cost). And a profit of a reasonable profit 20 to 25% depending on the skill and finish quality.
Don't forget shipping charges when applicable, and taxes.
Once you decide a price, it is a simple matter to price similar and like projects. Stack cutting is a very helpful tool, for bonus profits!
Best of luck!
Also it depends if this is a side hobby, or if this is your income, will effect the end price.All that being said, what are similar projects selling for?
Don't sell without profit unless you are gifting or donating.
Instead Of Removing & Reinstalling
The Blade while Cuting The Hole For
The Letter P O Or B.
I Use A Dremel With A Spiral Bit.
Great review nice saw can you get this in Europe
Does this saw take both pin blades and pin less blades?
The WEN LL2156 takes pinless blades only. I don't believe there are any mid-level or high-end scroll saws that use pin-end blades.
@@stevegood3224 ok thanks
Steve, great review. I just saw a new Grizzly saw at about the same price. Can you do a review on that one?
Hi Bruce. I would not consider the Grizzly in the same category as the WEN but it would certainly be one of the better entry-level scroll saws. The problem with the Grizzly is that it is priced too close to the WEN and the WEN is a considerably nicer saw.
Thanks
I have to content with this cheap European Scroll Saw from Powerplus brand because I'm so broke. The saw is so basic I have to use an adaptor for the blades and they keep breaking every 1.5 projects I make. Anyways at least it gets me going :))
Hang in there, you are not alone. I hope things have improved for you. may God bless!
I got one. What I found is the plastic plate is sunk down so it catches the wood. It may not be same model but is same brand. Ok looking at yours mine is definitely different than your model
That happens to me also on my Entry-Level WEN Not a big deal.
You have the 16” model, this saw is the 20”, there is no plastic insert. I had the 16” and made several mods to it. I converted it to pin less blades and to tool less blade changes. I made my own zero clearance inserts. I hated that one that came with the saw. I added a switch to enable the light when the saw was not running so I could see to change blades. I got rid of the stupid side cover. It was a good little saw but when the 20” came out I sold it and bought the 20”. It’s way better.
@@randsipe224 I did say Entry-Level. I know the 20" model is a big update with no insert. The Entry-Level saw I have has served me very well. When it dies I'll update. Until then it does the job and it does use pin or pinless blades out of the box. I would like to see/hear about how you made it tool-less blade changes.
Wen is made in China. If you buy it, part of the price is going to support the hyper-aggressive Chinese military (and Russia). So take that into account.
I understand your point. Unfortunately, if you do not buy Chinese products you limit yourself greatly. They are easily our largest importer at over 40 percent. Estimates say that 70 to 80% of products sold in Walmart are Chinese-made. I would be greatly surprised if everyone in America had not bought a Chinese product in the last week.
Does anyone know how to center the blade on this saw? Mine is set off to the left
Loosen the nuts that are on the four bolts that go through the table. You should have enough wiggle room to get the blade centered.
@@stevegood3224that worked thank you so much!!
What is the foot print on this saw?
~ 37" deep, 16" wide, and 18" tall
@@stevegood3224 Thank you for the quick reply,
Those are a WEN!
Boght this been so happy till i realized my cuts are Fd up!! The table cannot be tightend!! The tightnner is a series of plastic pieces and metal washers and the squeeze point on the tightning knob flexis the washers and thighten for a minute only the losens! This is not on mine only!! Im gonna call WEN this is a really super poor desighn for any tightning knob ,im amazed. Ill add pics if i can.
I bought the wen ll2156 I would not buy it again,the blade wanders from side to side I tried everything to get the blade to travel straight up and down, very disappointed 😞 I put it on the shelf and brought my Ryobi back out and use it instead,it has a lot nicer cut then the wen ll 2156
Hi William. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with the saw. Did you contact WEN technical support? Just curious about what they said.
Yes I did they said that the blade clamps are bad, so they sent me new clamps and it fixed the problem,I also ordered the pegas blade clamps and I will see if they improve the performance even more, will let you know how it turns out
Steve, why do you feed from the bottom? Is there an advantage to it or is it personal preference? Why have such a large area in front of the blade? Doesn't it cause you to lean over more to see your work?
Hi Kay. I have taught myself to feed from the top and bottom. When I am cutting larger boards feed from the top. I find bottom feeding easier with smaller boards. It is just personal preference. Some people like the larger area in front of the blade because it is just more stable. I don't really have a preference because I tilt the saw forward by raising the back of the saw. This almost eliminates the need to bend over.
What’s mid level about it?
It fits between all the under $200 entry level saws and the high end Hegner, Pegas, Seyco, Hawk, and Jet. It is actually at the low end of mid-level because WEN is still working out a few early quality issues.
@@stevegood3224 if you ask me wen is one of the quality brand’s, their scroll saws are built like tanks. that Dewalt scroll saw has lots of issues with it, their motors give out all the time, there are lots of videos on UA-cam of people showing how there Dewalt scroll saw is broken I can’t find one video of someone complaining about the wen scroll saw, those Dewalt scroll saws are way over priced for all the problems they bring, they have way to many moving parts it’s the reason they always break down. on top of it all if the fuse blows that it comes with you are out of luck until you can buy another one, in order to use that 21 inch wen scroll saw you don’t need a fuse to get it to start so no hassle there, Dewalt must be paying you.
Everyone has favorites. I understand that. I speak with a couple hundred scrollers every day through email. I have online conference calls with scroll saw groups often. I have contacts in almost every company that sells scroll saws. My blog sends out over half a million email newsletters a month. It is my business to know as much as possible about scroll saws. None of those facts mean I am always correct. I get emails from owners of every scroll saw on the market. There are folks who love and hate all of the options. The only advantage I have is that I see and hear about dozens of scroll saws with problems every month. Because of that, my database is often larger than a user who has purchased a saw and has a database of one. The WEN is a nice machine. I like it and have a review unit that works well. I have had a few emails from people who have purchased the WEN and had issues. In every case, WEN stood behind the product. Those are good reviews even though they had an issue. None of this put the WEN in the same category as the Seyco, Pegas, Hegner, Jet, or Hawk. The quality of the WEN is just not as good. I own all of these high-end saws and see the difference every day. The difference between the WEN and DeWalt is still too early to know. The DeWalt has been on the market for 20-plus years. The WEN is new. We don't yet know what the problem set will be for the WEN. I guarantee it will have a problem set because all machines do. I would not hesitate to buy either of these two saws. I apologize for the long reply. This was not actually meant for you but for others who read these comments.@@HighTone45
@@stevegood3224 thank you sir
This scroll saw is garbage. I bought 2 they both stopped working within 3 months. I bought a $100 scroll saw from Sears that lasted 10 years for so this $400 scroll saw to be such garbage is sad. It looks the part but please don't waste your money on this!
Hi Mark My Wood. Out of curiosity could you let me know what went wrong with both saws. I try to keep up with issues so I can give good recommendations to my blog readers. I can also provide feedback to WEN.
This brand does not exist in Indonesia. on things I like.
I would not buy this saw again. The blade chucks were misaligned by more than 1/4" and there is no way to adjust or repair them. It appears to be a high quality machine but the quality control is lacking and Wen offers no support. They don't stock most of the parts needed to maintain it and no parts are available to repair it. What looks like a life-time machine is actually a throw away just because WEN does not support it. I'll never buy another product from WEN. Lesson learned.
Well what is the effing price, the Amazon link shows: "Temporarily out of stock." as with nearly all of these reviews, just NAME the EFFING price at the recording !!!
It does not always make sense to name the price in the video because Amazon pricing changes often. I just clicked the link and it shows the price of $370 with 7 left in stock. If you are in a country other than the US you will get different results.
@@stevegood3224 okay thanks
I live in Europe so thats the problem I think