DeWalt Scroll Saw Worklight

Good scroll work lives and dies by what you can see at the blade. After a few evenings hunched over the saw chasing faint pencil lines, I bolted on DeWalt’s dedicated worklight for the DW788, and it changed the way I set up and execute delicate cuts. It’s not a perfect accessory, but it’s the most stable, purpose-built illumination I’ve found for a scroll saw table, and that counts for a lot in the middle of a tight inside turn.

Design and build

This is a simple, stout accessory: a compact lamp head on a rigid arm with a short section of flexible neck, finished in a low-key black that doesn’t glare under shop lights. The hybrid arm design is the star. The rigid section gives the lamp a stable backbone; the short gooseneck at the end gives you the fine positioning you want right at the blade. That combination matters on a scroll saw where continuous vibration can slowly walk a full-length gooseneck out of position. Here, once I set the light, it stays put.

The lamp assembly is small and lightweight—about 1.3 pounds by spec—so it doesn’t upset the balance of the saw’s upper arm. The head uses an intermediate (E17) base and ships with a 25W incandescent bulb. The shade is just large enough to shield your eyes from direct glare without blocking your view of the cut line, and the whole unit feels more “machine accessory” than “desk lamp,” which is exactly what I want on a tool that lives with vibration and dust.

Installation and compatibility

On the DW788, installation is refreshingly straightforward. DeWalt already provides mounting points on the saw frame; it’s two screws off, light bracket on, two screws back in. Five minutes, no drama, and no need to unbolt the saw from the bench. The cord is standard plug-in, so you’ll need an outlet handy. I zip-tied the extra cord length along the back of the stand to keep it out of my way.

This is designed specifically for the DW788, but the bracket is simple enough that a shop-made plate could adapt it to other saws. I mocked up a quick steel bracket to try it on a different brand’s scroll saw and had it working in under an hour. If you’re handy with a drill press, this isn’t a hard accessory to repurpose.

Light quality and performance

Let’s talk about the bulb. The included 25W incandescent works, but it’s dim and hot for this application. In a quiet shop, the goal is even, bright light that doesn’t bake your knuckles or your face while you’re hovering over fine work. The stock bulb casts a warm pool of light and gets uncomfortably hot—noticeably so when you bring the lamp head in close for detail cuts.

Swapping to an LED makes a big difference. I switched to a 5W LED reflector bulb with an E17 base (a compact “spot” rather than a general globe), in a cool white around 6000–6500K. The reflector focuses more of the light on the blade and cut line instead of spraying it across the table, and the cooler color temperature makes pencil or scribe lines pop against hardwoods and Baltic birch. Heat drops to essentially nothing, so the head stays comfortable to reposition mid-cut.

Beam quality with a reflector LED is excellent. Positioned slightly forward and off-axis, I can wash the blade, the kerf, and the next inch of my cutting path without casting a harsh blade shadow. The adjustable neck lets you dial out most of the double shadows you’ll get from overhead shop lighting. Because the rigid arm resists sag, the light stays exactly where you leave it—even during sustained ripping for fretwork where vibration is constant.

A small note: the lamp’s shroud is narrow, which is great for keeping it out of your line of sight but makes bulb changes a bit fiddly. There isn’t much room for fingers around the base. Let the lamp fully cool if you’re removing an incandescent, and use a cloth for grip. With the LED installed, you won’t need to touch it again for a long while.

Ergonomics at the saw

The most important ergonomic test for me is mid-cut adjustability. Can I bump the head a half-inch to kill a glare spot without fighting a floppy gooseneck? With this light, yes. The short flexible section moves precisely and holds its angle. The rigid arm means the head doesn’t slowly droop toward the table as the saw hums.

Clearance around the blade and hold-down works well. I can tuck the light in low, just forward of the blade, where it lights the cut line without blocking my hands or fouling the wood as I pivot around tight radii. The black finish cuts reflections, and the shade’s lip keeps direct light out of your eyes when you lean in.

One thing to plan for is cord management. Because the lamp is always moving, give the cord a gentle loop and anchor it well away from the arm’s range of motion. The unit is corded (a plus for consistent brightness and zero battery fuss), but like any corded accessory on a small machine, it pays to route it once and forget it.

Durability and maintenance

The construction inspires confidence. The arm doesn’t rattle, the joints are tight, and the bracket locks down firmly to the saw. Dust is inevitable on any scroll-saw accessory; the lamp head isn’t sealed, but a quick blast of air at the end of the day keeps it clean. With the LED swap, heat is a non-issue, which should extend the life of the socket and wiring.

DeWalt backs the accessory with a 3-year limited warranty, a year of free service, and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. On a simple wired lamp, that’s more coverage than I expected, and it’s reassuring for a part that lives in vibration.

Value and where it fits

You can illuminate a scroll saw with a cheap clamp light or a fancy floor lamp. I’ve tried both. The difference here is stability and integration. The dedicated mount means there’s no shifting clamp footprint or bumping a stand out of position while you maneuver large workpieces. The rigid-plus-flexible arm keeps the light in exactly the right spot with minimal fuss. Those details matter during a long session of fretwork or marquetry when you want the light to disappear and the line to remain.

Could DeWalt have shipped the saw with this as standard? I think so. Illumination is as fundamental as a dust blower on a scroll saw. As an add-on, though, this is a clean, purpose-built solution that beats generic task lights in precision and vibration resistance. My only real gripe is the included bulb. In 2025, a cool-running LED should be the default for any close-quarters worklight—especially one that sits near your face.

Tips to get the most out of it

• Replace the stock bulb with an LED reflector (E17 base), around 5 watts, cool white 6000–6500K. You’ll get brighter, cooler, more focused light.
• Position slightly forward and off to your dominant-hand side to minimize blade shadows on the cut line.
• Zip-tie the cord along the saw’s frame and stand to keep it out of the work envelope.
• Let any incandescent cool completely before removal; the shade is narrow and heat concentrates at the head.

The bottom line

The worklight is a simple accessory that solves a fundamental problem very well. It mounts cleanly, resists vibration-induced sag, and delivers precise, easily adjustable light exactly where a scroll saw needs it. With an LED bulb swap, it becomes a zero-maintenance, cool-running part of the saw that you forget about—which is the highest compliment I can give shop lighting.

Recommendation: I recommend this light for anyone running a DW788 who wants stable, precisely aimed illumination that won’t drift during a cut. The build is robust, the mounting is tidy, and the hybrid arm stays where you put it. Plan on replacing the included bulb with a small reflector-style LED on day one; with that small upgrade, the accessory does its job quietly and effectively, and it feels like a natural, permanent part of the saw. If you already have excellent, shadow-free task lighting on your scroll-saw station, you can live without it. For everyone else, especially those working intricate patterns or darker woods, it’s a worthy, confidence-boosting upgrade.