Ferm Scroll Saw: A review

Item: Ferm Scroll Saw SSM 1005

My experience with it: I have bought four saws as of today

Cost: Approx Rs 8000

Pros:

1. The best scroll saw available in the Indian market today in my opinion
2. Wide availability online
3. Simple construction: Easy to dismantle
4. Powerful motor
5. Tiltable table

Cons:

1. Pinless blade changes are very difficult
2. The lower half of the pinless adapter falls into the machine when the blade breaks and the sides have to be opened out to fish it out.
3. Brittle cast iron. Two of the four scroll saws that I bought were damaged in shipping and the cast iron was broken. This can be easily welded as it is iron though.

Essential tweaks.

1. When you face the machine, remove the left housing. This can be done from above with a screwdriver.
2. Make a simple pin-less adapter to facilitate pin-less blade changes
3. Fix the machine on the table with long bolts, going through the rubber. The rubber cushions the machine and the long bolts through the table you use prevent the machine from wandering.
4. Remove the safety plastic and the arms of the safety plastic. Wear specs instead and leave room for a custom made pin-less adapter
5. If for any chance you are removing the motor, get rid of the right housing also. This is possible only after removing the motor.

Possible problems if your machine is noisy

1. Check to see if the allen head bolts near the motor shaft are loose. If they are tighten them.
2. Check to see if the upper arm of the scroll saw is touching the protective housing.

Final conclusions 

I feel the ferm scroll saw is worth the money in the Indian market. It does suffer from some serious design flaws, but nothing that you cannot circumvent with a little workshop help. If you have a woodworking workshop and are comfortable with opening it up, it can be converted into a lean and mean machine.