• ---

  Replacement BT3x00 Miter Fence Holder shop made Rod Kirby original design

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 11-30-2025, 10:08 AM
  • 0 comments

  Replacement BT3x00 Miter Fence Holder shop made Rod Kirby original design

  Somewhere along the past I documented the Rod Kirby Shop Built (DIY) Miter Fence Holder
  After he retired his BT3000, Rod Kirby sent me his original shop made miter fence holder that was famously in all his posts. Typical Rod Kirby craftsmanship. Not that hard to make.
  
  ​
  
  ​​
  
  
  
  
  The above PDF can be downloaded and has the measurements for the holder parts - its rather simple,
  Really takes a top plate, a block and a compound T-slot...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 12-02-2025, 02:34 AM.

• ---

  Lead Shot/Epoxy Infill For Tool Parts

  • Created by: Jim Frye
  • Published: 04-27-2025, 09:07 PM
  • 367 views
  • 1 comment

  Lead Shot/Epoxy Infill For Tool Parts

  I've been using lead shot and epoxy for over two decades to add strength and mass to hollow plastic and die cast metal parts of tools. I use #9 lead shot (steel shot could be substituted) to add mass to lightly molded parts. The epoxy doesn't need to be high strength as it's being used to encapsulate the shot in the cavity, so pourable resin works fine. The epoxy binds and seals the shot into the cavity(s) of the part. The fineness of the shot allows it to fit into odd or irregular shaped cavities...

  Go to post

  Last edited by Jim Frye; 04-29-2025, 03:09 PM.

• ---

  Pin Locked Joinery

  • Created by: Jim Frye
  • Published: 04-18-2025, 01:57 PM
  • 336 views
  • 0 comments

  Pin Locked Joinery

  This method is intended to replace nails, screws, and other metal fasteners in almost any type of wood joinery. The material is inexpensive and readily available in any grocery store. Simple hand tools are all that is needed to lock a wood joint and keep it from separating from use or age. The pins are bamboo kabob skewers and they typically run 1/8" to 5/32" in diameter making them a perfect size for wood joinery. Bamboo has straight, tough grain that is very resistant to shear forces....

  Go to post

• ---

  14x36 Benchtop Lathe Build

  • Created by: Jim Frye
  • Published: 04-10-2025, 03:53 PM
  • 364 views
  • 1 comment

  14x36 Benchtop Lathe Build

  
  This lathe was assembled using parts from a Ryobi ML618 mini lathe. I purchased it as a factory refurbished tool at a truckload sale in a mall parking lot for $215 in 2000, but it did come with a factory warranty. It had some serious design limitations that I thought could use improving on. It started out as a 6" swing, 18" between centers machine and ended up a 14" swing, 36" between centers lathe. I have spent less than $300 assembling this lathe. This is most likely...

  Go to post

  Last edited by Jim Frye; 04-10-2025, 04:33 PM.

• ---

  How to set router bit and blade cut height accurately

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 10-20-2024, 11:50 PM
  • 0 comments

  How to set router bit and blade cut height accurately

  How to set Bit and or blade height using various methods.
  By Loring Chien
  Oct 20, 2024
  
  Someone remarked how they had a hard time setting bit heights. Here is a brief tutorial on several ways and the best way I have found.
  
  The classic way is to use a ruler and measure the tip of the cutting bit, as shown below:
  
  This is some problems, hard to see, parallax, resolution. And that the tip of the bit is not flat but pointed. The cut will be to the depth...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 10-21-2024, 04:30 AM.

• ---

  BT3x00 Fence Micro Adjuster setup.

  • Created by: dbhost
  • Published: 07-15-2024, 02:34 PM
  • 0 comments

  BT3x00 Fence Micro Adjuster setup.

  This article is for the aftermarket BT-Set Micro and BT-Set Max fence Micro Adjusters.
  
  To install...
  Remove end cap from front rail on right side. Slide adjuster into the track insuring the locking screw is backed out enough to allow free movement. you will want to take this opportunity to vacuum out your front track.
  
  
  Slide the adjuster over to where the fence will be, hook the right side of the fence head to the hook on the left side of the adjuster. Set the...

  Go to post

• ---

  How to drill perfectly placed hole into outside corner

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 04-26-2024, 11:41 PM
  • 0 comments

  How to drill perfectly placed hole into outside corner

  Trying to drill into a outside 90 degree corner, 45° to each side, is tough, the drill bit keeps wanting to walk off.
  You can whack a small flat on the corner.
  But here is a way I did it perfectly. Using this corner drill jig
  
  Using the drilling jig, One hand is enough to hold the jig while drilling. The small vertical stick touching the top of the jig is my measurement stick. I use that to set the precise reproducible location of the hole relative to the top of the workpiece....

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 10-18-2024, 02:36 AM.

• ---

  BT3000/3100 Featherboard using SMT

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 04-15-2024, 07:19 PM
  • 0 comments

  BT3000/3100 Featherboard using SMT

  Here's how I do my Featherboard operations. As you know, Featherboards are spring boards meant to hold the workpiece against the fence snugly to ensure accurate rips while freeing both your hands for hand over hand and push stick smooth, even feeding of the workpiece to avoid burning and sawmarks.
  
  The Feather board is the classic one that they suggest you make.... Mine was made 20+ years ago, apparently a 1x4 piece of pine wood with one end cut at 30 degrees. 15-16 inches long 3 to...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 04-20-2024, 09:41 AM.

• ---

  BT3000/BT3100 Belly pan easy dust collection

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 03-16-2024, 05:37 PM
  • 2 comments

  BT3000/BT3100 Belly pan easy dust collection

  I made a belly pan dust collection for my BT3000, using a commercially available, cheap dust pan from one of the woodworking supply houses with a 4" hose fitting.
  
  It seems to work effectively very simple DC belly pan under BT3000. Not tightly fitting I wanted to allow air in to carry the dust to the DC, pulling on a closed cabinet is not a good idea. So the plywood sits on the stand, not screwed down or anything. So there's air coming in thru the ends and the Shroud dust port arc....

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 05-01-2024, 11:25 AM.

• ---

  BT3000/BT3100 rip fence and miter fence stop block

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 02-17-2024, 01:43 AM
  • 2 comments

  BT3000/BT3100 rip fence and miter fence stop block

  
  With the small t-nut for the front of the rip fence and miter fence, I made a new stop block that can be used on both
  https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...nce-attachment
  
  When used on the rip fence , it can set a stop for cross cutting fixed lengths off a piece against the miter fence without risking a kickback from continuous...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 02-21-2024, 03:06 AM.

• ---

  Small T-Nut for the Left side of Rip Fence and Front of Miter Fence on BT3x saws.

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 12-07-2023, 12:13 PM
  • 0 comments

  Small T-Nut for the Left side of Rip Fence and Front of Miter Fence on BT3x saws.

  Small T-nut for the left side of BT3 rip fence or front of miter fence (Article Version)
  
  11-30-2023, 04:00 PM
  I have found a perfect T-nut for the front of the BT3 miter fence and for the left side of the rip fence (same extrusion used both places)
  
  Its actually a weld nut, but fits the T-slot described above.
  
  Weld Nut: #10-24 Thread, Tab, 1/32 in Base Ht, 3/8 in Base Wd, 5/8 in Base Lg, Steel, 50 PK
  Item 1LAJ3 Mfr. Model 1LAJ3​ (WW Graingers)...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 12-09-2023, 11:02 PM.

• ---

  Special DIY T-bolt for BT3000 Miter Fence, Rip Fence and Rails

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 07-09-2023, 03:37 PM
  • 3 comments

  Special DIY T-bolt for BT3000 Miter Fence, Rip Fence and Rails

  After a bit more thinking, some universal T-bolts for the rip miter fence make more sense than fixture blocks.
  The two big slots in the rip fence and the miter fence and the front and rear rails are sized to take 1.00 inches wide x 1/8th and 1-1/8" wide x 1/8th.
  
  So I took some 1/8th flat Aluminum 1.00 inches wide and cut 1-1/8" long to make a 1" x 1-1/8" rectangular plates; I used a short rip fence Block to space the length but not cause a kickback with the...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 01-25-2024, 01:27 AM.

• ---

  How to make a BT3x00 Rip Fence/Miter Fence fixture block for mounting jigs

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 05-24-2023, 10:55 PM
  • 3 comments

  How to make a BT3x00 Rip Fence/Miter Fence fixture block for mounting jigs

  
  DIY BT3000 FIXTURE BLOCK for Rip/Miter Fence extrusion
  
  Simple shop construction - no machining.
  
  This is intended to fit the top T-track on the Rip and miter fence (uses the same extrusion) on the Ryobi BT3x00 / Craftsman 22811 family of saws
  You must make the Block and Base parts; you can make them 1.5" or 3 inches long or modify to any other length.
  Make the base from 1/8” aluminum bar, you can get 1.5”, 2”, and 3” at Lowes...

  Go to post

• ---

  Another Thin Strip Jig

  • Created by: twistsol
  • Published: 04-16-2023, 11:42 AM
  • 1 comment

  Another Thin Strip Jig

  Ripping thin strips can be accomplished in a number of ways, but this jig is the best I've found so far.
  
  ​

  • There is no need to move the fence so every strip comes out exactly the same.
  • It is incredibly easy to build
  • It keeps your hands well away from the blade the whole time
  • It keeps control of the strip you are ripping all the way through the cut and past the blade
  • It doesn't interfere with the blade guard.
  • You can cut strips from any length of stock

  In the starting position,...

  Go to post

• ---

  How to identify a Ryobi BT3000/BT3100/Craftsman 22811 or 21829 clone saw by sight

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 12-20-2022, 01:53 AM
  • 0 comments

  How to identify a Ryobi BT3000/BT3100/Craftsman 22811 or 21829 clone saw by sight

  So you want to buy a BT3 clone. Been out of production for a while. Shopping on Craigs list or for sale ads is hard
  
  You have to keep an eye out and you have to be used to spotting the appearance giveaway features of the various models... Ryobi BT3000, BT3100, Craftsman 22811 and 21829
  There are certain things that clue you in and there are many ads that don't give model numbers and have crappy photos. Search for keywords RYOBI, Precision, System are often used in ad listings and...

  Go to post

  Last edited by LCHIEN; 03-05-2024, 12:46 AM.