This is a great saw - very smooth running - little to no vibration and smooth blade motion. The Hegner is a parallel arm scroll saw - a mechanism that has been time-proven since the foot-powered models in the 1800s. It is built rock-solid. However, it does not have all the latest improvements like double parallel arms links, top feeding capability, quick-release blade tensioner, and 45 degree tilt in both directions like the Hawk, Excalibur, Dewalt and Delta - all of which are less expensive - the Dewalt, Delta and Excalibur are, in fact, a lot less expensive. The Dewalt, for example, is about 1/3 the price of the Hegner and the Excalibur 1/2 the price. So if it's fancy features you want, you would be wise to investigate the other models. I should mention that the Hegner has an optional quick change clamp for the top only. The Hegner was the first modern parallel arm scroll saw imported to the US from Germany in the 1970's and is really a commercial-grade tool. I wanted the reliability and durability that the Hegner is known for, and not the fancy features. However, if I did a lot of fancy or delicate fretwork, I might have a different perspective..

Here are some specific observations:
(1) Before use Hegner recommends lubrication of the upper and lower arm main bearings with light oil, and every 10 hours thereafter
(2) the quick clamp is to be secured by the clamp locking screws, but the Hegner standard clamps are not. For standard clamps, Hegner recommends tightening the clamp locking screw and then backing off 1/4 turn
(3) the knurled knob on the quick clamp is difficult for me to tighten enough by hand to keep the blades from slipping out. Unless you have a very strong grip you may have to tighten with pliers. IMHO it would be better to have a winged knob instead of the knurl.
(4) the 22 ships with an extra zero-clearance plastic table insert for those who do fine fretwork. I don't, but this is a nice touch
(5) it ships with a convenient pack of several dozen misc. blades - also a nice touch
(6) the dust collection system works ok. The nozzle-hose can be used either with the bellows to blow dust off the cut line, or connected to the dust port for additional vacuum via a venturi effect. From my experience, using the nozzle as a vacuum extension isn't very effective as it's seldom positioned for maximum effect. But it's better than nothing - which is what the competitors offer. I have respiratory issues so that last thing I need is a blower putting fine wood dust in the air. The Hegner vacuum nozzle can be easily tweaked by a finger to suck off troublesome dust piles, and that's good enough for me. The vacuum port draws table dust from below via the plastic protective cover that conceals the lower blade clamp holder (aka "insert device"). Dust collection is not Hegner's strong suit, but IMHO it is way better than the competition. Any alternative to blowing dust around in front of your face is to be appreciated. I originally connected the dust port to a Rockler Durst Right chip separator and Shop Vac via a Fein adaptor (available on Amazon) and it worked fine. I also used my Festool CT26 (no adaptor needed) and it works fine as well. However, I got tired of swapping out hoses and adapters, so I now run all hand tools through the chip separator and the CT26, even though the chip separator contributes less to sanding and scrolling than it does with tools that generate larger chips. All of these configurations worked to reduce airborne dust, but the CT26 works the best by far both because the suction is greater than the ShopVac and it is a certified HEPA vacuum.
(7) note that Hegner has three versions of the standard clamp for varying blade widths, only the middle size (7mm) for mid-range blades (blade #s 5-9) comes with the saw, so you have to order the clamps for small (5 mm,; blade #s 9). They are sold in pairs for $25. The Quick Clamp works on a different principle, so one size fits all blades. If you switch blade sizes a lot, it might pay to order several pairs of the sizes you require. When I switch between blades I leave the blade in the bottom clamp and put the clamp&blade assembly in a small magnetic tray that I leave mounted on the stand behind the motor. This works perfectly for me.. Blade R&R with the clamps is accomplished by means of the clamp stop on the front right of the table together with the included Tuff Wrench. The Hegner does not offer "tool-free" blade changes on the bottom control arm. That said, the Hegner system is robust and I don't find it very inconvenient for my work with compound cuts, segmentation and intarsia, puzzles and toys. That said, I don't break or change blades that often.
(8) The table tilt goes from 45degrees left to 10 right - it is asymmetrical due to the placement of the motor on the right side of the saw
(9) f.y.i., My Hegner shipped with the table 1 degree out of perpendicular with the blade - i.e., the angle gauge is 1 degree off. No biggie, but not Festool-level quality. I was disappointed, but not annoyed.
(10) the variable speed works fine. The range is something on the order of 400-1,700 rpm - very serviceable speed settings for all of my work.
(11) there is a 6 year limited warranty - that seems to be well above the norm among the competition
(12) f.y.i. This is not the top of the line Hegner scroll saw. That honor goes to the Polymax which is belt driven and has a longer blade stroke. But it is nearly twice the price of this 22" variable speed.
(13) one final observation. Hegner uses a removable slotted throat insert because the table itself is slotted - just like a bandsaw. That is Hegner's trade-off for the lack of tool-less blade clamps. The blade slides through the table slot and insert slot easily, and the lower blade clamp fits under the clamp receiver and is held in place by a spring. I looked at this geometry when I first got the saw, and from then on did it all by feel. With the Hegner quick clamp on the top, I find it to be a pretty convenient way to swap blades.

A few nits: The user's guide was not proof-read well. Many misspellings. The content is acceptable if not terribly well written. There is a woeful lack of videos on YouTube regarding the set-up and use of Hegner scroll saws, so you're pretty much on your own with the manual. I am a Festoolie, and expected much more from German toolmakers than I got from Hegner. Finally, the $25 dust cover is not included with the $300 value package (see below) - kind of cheap in my view..

I got the complete "value package" from Adv. Machinery including the magnifying lamp, quick clamp, foot pedal and stand on sale for $1895. IMHO the kit is well worth the $300 price increase. The stand is welded and very sturdy and is made specifically for the Hegner scroll saws. The stand is the right height for me to use the saw with a standard office chair. I put a 2x4 under the back leg to change the presentation angle of the table. I have found that spares me considerable back strain. Note that the stand attaches to the saw with three 20mm (3/4") M8 bolts which are *not* provided (again, irritatingly cheap in my view as M8 bolts are not that common in the US, so I didn't have any in the shop). I don't understand the rationale of this $1 omission on on a $2,000 product - go figure. The magnifying light is generic, but works very well. It attaches to the stand frame with a either a screw clamp or a bolted on clamp (I got both, though I no longer remember whether they both came with the lamp. The bolted on clamp is painted the same red color as the stand, so maybe it came with the stand. If this matters to you, consult the Advanced Machinery website). I have found both the magnifier and the light to be invaluable. In fact, at my age I find it indispensible. The foot switch is the "dead man" variety and of high quality. I prefer the "push on- push off" variety, but adapted to the dead man switch easily. (n.b. with the Hegner -as a true parallel-arm scrollsaw- the top arm stops moving if the blade breaks because only the bottom arm is under power, so a push on-push off switch presents no safety risk. Note that the same is not true of the dual parallel arm link saws because both top and bottom arms are under power (they have to be to deliver power to the upper and lower links to maintain blade tension).

I think the Multimax 22-V is a great scroll saw - the quietest and most vibration-free that I've ever used. With proper care, it should last a very long time.

b.t.w., If you're interested in the art and practice of scroll saws, the best book I know of on the subject is John Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook, 3rd ed., by Fox Chapel Publishing. at this writing it is priced around $10 on Amazon. It tells a bit about the history, offers a comparison of current scroll saws, and offers a few dozen basic projects with patterns.

This is a great saw - very smooth running - little to no vibration and smooth blade motion. The Hegner is a parallel arm scroll saw - a mechanism that has been time-proven since the foot-powered models in the 1800s. It is built rock-solid. However, it does not have all the latest improvements like double parallel arms links, top feeding capability, quick-release blade tensioner, and 45 degree tilt in both directions like the Hawk, Excalibur, Dewalt and Delta - all of which are less expensive - the Dewalt, Delta and Excalibur are, in fact, a lot less expensive. The Dewalt, for example, is about 1/3 the price of the Hegner and the Excalibur 1/2 the price. So if it's fancy features you want, you would be wise to investigate the other models. I should mention that the Hegner has an optional quick change clamp for the top only. The Hegner was the first modern parallel arm scroll saw imported to the US from Germany in the 1970's and is really a commercial-grade tool. I wanted the reliability and durability that the Hegner is known for, and not the fancy features. However, if I did a lot of fancy or delicate fretwork, I might have a different perspective..

Here are some specific observations:
(1) Before use Hegner recommends lubrication of the upper and lower arm main bearings with light oil, and every 10 hours thereafter
(2) the quick clamp is to be secured by the clamp locking screws, but the Hegner standard clamps are not. For standard clamps, Hegner recommends tightening the clamp locking screw and then backing off 1/4 turn
(3) the knurled knob on the quick clamp is difficult for me to tighten enough by hand to keep the blades from slipping out. Unless you have a very strong grip you may have to tighten with pliers. IMHO it would be better to have a winged knob instead of the knurl.
(4) the 22 ships with an extra zero-clearance plastic table insert for those who do fine fretwork. I don't, but this is a nice touch
(5) it ships with a convenient pack of several dozen misc. blades - also a nice touch
(6) the dust collection system works ok. The nozzle-hose can be used either with the bellows to blow dust off the cut line, or connected to the dust port for additional vacuum via a venturi effect. From my experience, using the nozzle as a vacuum extension isn't very effective as it's seldom positioned for maximum effect. But it's better than nothing - which is what the competitors offer. I have respiratory issues so that last thing I need is a blower putting fine wood dust in the air. The Hegner vacuum nozzle can be easily tweaked by a finger to suck off troublesome dust piles, and that's good enough for me. The vacuum port draws table dust from below via the plastic protective cover that conceals the lower blade clamp holder (aka "insert device"). Dust collection is not Hegner's strong suit, but IMHO it is way better than the competition. Any alternative to blowing dust around in front of your face is to be appreciated. I originally connected the dust port to a Rockler Durst Right chip separator and Shop Vac via a Fein adaptor (available on Amazon) and it worked fine. I also used my Festool CT26 (no adaptor needed) and it works fine as well. However, I got tired of swapping out hoses and adapters, so I now run all hand tools through the chip separator and the CT26, even though the chip separator contributes less to sanding and scrolling than it does with tools that generate larger chips. All of these configurations worked to reduce airborne dust, but the CT26 works the best by far both because the suction is greater than the ShopVac and it is a certified HEPA vacuum.
(7) note that Hegner has three versions of the standard clamp for varying blade widths, only the middle size (7mm) for mid-range blades (blade #s 5-9) comes with the saw, so you have to order the clamps for small (5 mm,; blade #s 9). They are sold in pairs for $25. The Quick Clamp works on a different principle, so one size fits all blades. If you switch blade sizes a lot, it might pay to order several pairs of the sizes you require. When I switch between blades I leave the blade in the bottom clamp and put the clamp&blade assembly in a small magnetic tray that I leave mounted on the stand behind the motor. This works perfectly for me.. Blade R&R with the clamps is accomplished by means of the clamp stop on the front right of the table together with the included Tuff Wrench. The Hegner does not offer "tool-free" blade changes on the bottom control arm. That said, the Hegner system is robust and I don't find it very inconvenient for my work with compound cuts, segmentation and intarsia, puzzles and toys. That said, I don't break or change blades that often.
(8) The table tilt goes from 45degrees left to 10 right - it is asymmetrical due to the placement of the motor on the right side of the saw
(9) f.y.i., My Hegner shipped with the table 1 degree out of perpendicular with the blade - i.e., the angle gauge is 1 degree off. No biggie, but not Festool-level quality. I was disappointed, but not annoyed.
(10) the variable speed works fine. The range is something on the order of 400-1,700 rpm - very serviceable speed settings for all of my work.
(11) there is a 6 year limited warranty - that seems to be well above the norm among the competition
(12) f.y.i. This is not the top of the line Hegner scroll saw. That honor goes to the Polymax which is belt driven and has a longer blade stroke. But it is nearly twice the price of this 22" variable speed.
(13) one final observation. Hegner uses a removable slotted throat insert because the table itself is slotted - just like a bandsaw. That is Hegner's trade-off for the lack of tool-less blade clamps. The blade slides through the table slot and insert slot easily, and the lower blade clamp fits under the clamp receiver and is held in place by a spring. I looked at this geometry when I first got the saw, and from then on did it all by feel. With the Hegner quick clamp on the top, I find it to be a pretty convenient way to swap blades.

A few nits: The user's guide was not proof-read well. Many misspellings. The content is acceptable if not terribly well written. There is a woeful lack of videos on YouTube regarding the set-up and use of Hegner scroll saws, so you're pretty much on your own with the manual. I am a Festoolie, and expected much more from German toolmakers than I got from Hegner. Finally, the $25 dust cover is not included with the $300 value package (see below) - kind of cheap in my view..

I got the complete "value package" from Adv. Machinery including the magnifying lamp, quick clamp, foot pedal and stand on sale for $1895. IMHO the kit is well worth the $300 price increase. The stand is welded and very sturdy and is made specifically for the Hegner scroll saws. The stand is the right height for me to use the saw with a standard office chair. I put a 2x4 under the back leg to change the presentation angle of the table. I have found that spares me considerable back strain. Note that the stand attaches to the saw with three 20mm (3/4") M8 bolts which are *not* provided (again, irritatingly cheap in my view as M8 bolts are not that common in the US, so I didn't have any in the shop). I don't understand the rationale of this $1 omission on on a $2,000 product - go figure. The magnifying light is generic, but works very well. It attaches to the stand frame with a either a screw clamp or a bolted on clamp (I got both, though I no longer remember whether they both came with the lamp. The bolted on clamp is painted the same red color as the stand, so maybe it came with the stand. If this matters to you, consult the Advanced Machinery website). I have found both the magnifier and the light to be invaluable. In fact, at my age I find it indispensible. The foot switch is the "dead man" variety and of high quality. I prefer the "push on- push off" variety, but adapted to the dead man switch easily. (n.b. with the Hegner -as a true parallel-arm scrollsaw- the top arm stops moving if the blade breaks because only the bottom arm is under power, so a push on-push off switch presents no safety risk. Note that the same is not true of the dual parallel arm link saws because both top and bottom arms are under power (they have to be to deliver power to the upper and lower links to maintain blade tension).

I think the Multimax 22-V is a great scroll saw - the quietest and most vibration-free that I've ever used. With proper care, it should last a very long time.

b.t.w., If you're interested in the art and practice of scroll saws, the best book I know of on the subject is John Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook, 3rd ed., by Fox Chapel Publishing. at this writing it is priced around $10 on Amazon. It tells a bit about the history, offers a comparison of current scroll saws, and offers a few dozen basic projects with patterns.

Great saw and very smooth running, but the table is pretty small. If the table was bigger I would give it 5 stars. I bought this saw at an estate sale for a fraction of the new price, or I could have never afforded such a saw. I give the stand 2.5 stars. It is well made, but the base is too small. It was very easy to tip over. I screwed a piece of plywood to the bottom to prevent it from tipping over. I would give the stand 5 stars if it wasn't so easy to tip over.

Great saw and very smooth running, but the table is pretty small. If the table was bigger I would give it 5 stars. I bought this saw at an estate sale for a fraction of the new price, or I could have never afforded such a saw. I give the stand 2.5 stars. It is well made, but the base is too small. It was very easy to tip over. I screwed a piece of plywood to the bottom to prevent it from tipping over. I would give the stand 5 stars if it wasn't so easy to tip over.

A great machine. I had tried the Dewalt 788 (two of them, as a matter of fact!), and this one is far superior in every respect. It is important to have a good solid base in order to reduce vibration. Also, if one intends to do fret work, the QuickClamp is highly recommended. The parallel arms reduces the forward and backward movement of the saw blade to a minimum, a solid base reduces vibration and noise to a non-factor, and changing blades is every bit as easy as was it was with the Dewalt. What I really like about this machine is the simplicity of the engineering. Machines with less complicated designs are always better. This is truly a five-star machine.