This document discusses the steps a BT3000 user could use to perform periodic maintenance in an effort to extend the life of the saw. The question of how often to perform this type of maintenance is dependent on the amount of usage. As a general rule of thumb, any time something on the saw does not perform in a normal fashion would be a good time to perform this entire maintenance process. Even if you are using the saw with an operating dust collection device of some type attached, you might as well perform the entire process, rather than just checking what you think may be wrong. If you haven’t been using a dust collection device with this saw, you will have to
perform this maintenance and cleaning a lot more often. Running this saw with some form of dust collection attached is one of the best things you can do to prevent premature failure of the components of this machine. If your machine requires any repair or maintenance that you do not feel you can do, contact Ryobi Technical Support for assistance in locating a repair center closest to you.

PREPARATION:

1. Unplug the saw.
2. Remove the throat plate.
3. Elevate the saw blade and remove the blade nut, blade, blade washers, and spacers from the arbor.
4. Remove the accessory table or any attachments affixed to the saw rails on the saw.
5. Procedure A
   • Remove the screws holding the saw cabinet panels on the right and left sides and remove the panels.
   • Remove the four screws holding the top of the motor in place and remove the motor cap.
6. Procedure B
   • An alternative to 5 would be to unbolt the saw from the stand by removing the four bolts and nuts that attach it to the stand. This would allow you to place the saw on a work bench or table and perform the rest of this procedure there
   • Tilt the saw to 45 degrees to make access to the motor end easier. Remove the four screws holding the top of the motor in place and remove the motor cap.

CLEANING:

1. If the saw blade has resin build up on the area around the saw teeth, clean the blade with a commercial blade cleaner, Simple Green, or oven cleaner. Be very careful with oven cleaner as it is caustic. It can remove lettering on the blade and if left on the blade too long, could damage the surface of the blade and the carbide teeth. After cleaning the blade, thoroughly you have other saw blades, now would be an excellent time to clean them also.
2. If an air compressor is available, use it to blow out the interior of the saw cabinet and the motor. Don’t forget to clean the motor cap. If you don’t have an air compressor, use a soft bristled paint brush and a shop vac to clean the saw and motor. Clean the locker bracket and all moving parts inside the cabinet. Pay special attention to the locker bracket slides and the tilt/elevation mechanism.
3. Clean the right and left side panels while they are off of the machine.
4. Wipe all table surfaces and rails with mineral spirits to remove all wax buildup and any other possible contaminants.
5. Make sure the blade shroud area is free of any debris.

MAINTENANCE:

1. Inspect the motor brushes to make sure they are not worn excessively or are cracked. Replace if necessary.
2. Inspect all wiring on the saw. Look for loose connections and worn or cracked insulation. Repair all bad wiring and tighten loose connections.
3. Inspect the arbor for any sloppiness or looseness. If there is any abnormal movement in the arbor, contact Ryobi Technical Support for assistance.
4. Inspect the arbor threads for any abnormal wear. If there is any excessive wear, contact Ryobi Technical Support for assistance.
5. Inspect the blade elevation shaft and threaded boss that it runs in for wear. If there is excessive wear to the threaded boss that the elevation screw runs through, contact Ryobi Technical Support for assistance or investigate rethreading the boss with a helicoil insert.
6. Inspect the stainless steel shims in the locker bracket slide for looseness or excessive wear. If they are worn, contact Ryobi to obtain replacements. If they are loose, contact Ryobi Technical Support for instructions on adjusting them, or reference the belt replacement document on the user’s jig site.
7. Inspect the drive belts for aging, cracking, or wear. If any of these conditions exist, replace the belts following the belt replacement instruction document on the jig site or contact Ryobi Technical Support for instructions.
8. Check all fasteners inside the cabinet to ensure they are tight.

LUBRICATION:

1. Use some form of lubrication that leaves a dry film on the locker bracket slides, the tilt/elevation mechanism, and the locker bracket pivot points. It is not advisable to use any form of lubrication that remains wet, oily, or greasy as this will attract dust and other contaminants and could cause premature wear of moving parts.
2. Tilt and elevate the saw arbor to ensure that all of the mechanical functions are working properly.
3. Wax the tables, rails, and aluminum fences of the saw with a good quality paste wax. Avoid any waxes that might contain silicones as they can contaminate wooden work pieces and cause problems with some finishing products later on.
4. Lubricate the bearing that the tilt/elevation wheel runs in.
5. Lubricate the bearings of any casters on the saw stand.
6. Lubricate the threaded shafts of the adjustable legs on the stand.
7. If the saw has a folding outfeed table, lubricate its pivot points also.

COMPLETION:

1. Replace the motor end cap and replace the four screws that hold it on.
2. Replace the side panels if they were removed in step 5a in the preparation phase above. A thin film of silicone sealer on all mating surfaces where the panels join the cabinet will help reduce noise associated with vibration. A small bit of silicone sealer in the screw holes will help keep them tight and reduce the need to over tighten the screws. If step 5b was used in the preparation phase, rebolt the saw back on the stand
3. Remount the saw blade with all of the spacers and washers that were removed in the preparation stage. Lower the blade fully to ensure that there are no binds anywhere in it’s travel. Give the blade a spin to ensure it moves freely.
4. Replace the throat plate. Raise and lower the blade to make sure it doesn’t interfere with the plate.
5. Replace any tables and accessories that were removed in the preparation phase.
6. Plug the saw back into the electrical outlet and turn the saw on. Listen for any abnormal noises.

Original PDF Document:
bt3kcln.pdf