I agree with random, a band saw is the way to go. A scroll is too fragile for some of the cuts you will be making. I have a Bench Model Craftsman I bought a long time ago. Just checked Sears Site. Didn't know they went up that much. I did see the one in the link below that was priced about right. Don't know anything about the brand. Never used or seen one. Check around there are some deals out there to be found.
If you're looking for a tool to buy specificly for the purpose of pipe carving, go for a bandsaw. A scroll saw is nice for thin wood, or thin metal, but not for 2" thick chunks of briar. The blade will suffer, and you'll be spending a *lot* on replacements.
No complaints about any of them. A delta band saw may very well be my next purchase... I'm tired of sanding down the excess or putting my life in danger by cutting off excess with my table saw
