I know this forum is bias for Ryobi but Ill ask anyway. Im looking for a new and first tablesaw. All of my tools(power,air,hand) are Craftsman. Only tool not is a bench grinder which is Ryobi. I have read reviews on the BT3100 and it seems to be a very well made tool. Question is what brand and model ts do you recommend under $200. I would like to keep all tools Craftsman. Is there a comparable Craftsman ts to the 3100? Shop is small 9x16 so size does matter. Thanks
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There is, but it's $450 unless you find it on sale.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
As far as under $200. keep your eye on craigslist for a decent used saw. Nothing new in that range will do much.Mike
Lakota's Dad
If at first you don't succeed, deny you were trying in the first place. -
I'd definitely look for used at that price point....should be lots of older Craftsman saws in good shape for that price.
As much as I like "some" of the newer Craftsman tools, some of them aren't worth having. No one makes the best of everything...especially Craftsman...some of their stuff is excellent for home use and is priced right on sale, some is junk, and you really need to research them to know which is which. IMHO, you'll be severely limiting the caliber of tools you can get by restricting yourself to Craftsman. What's so special about that name that it's the only one you want in your shop?Last edited by Knottscott; 12-13-2006, 04:42 AM.Happiness is sort of like wetting your pants....everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.
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I have the Ridgid TS2400 and it cost me $315 new. The promotions I took advantage of are currently not in circulation.
As Dustmight said, why exclusively buy Craftsman? You may exclude yourself from a good value.
You should seriously consider the Ryobi BT3100 (one of the reasons this site exists) as it is one of the best ts values. You may find one hiding in a Home Depot or selling for $200 or less on craigslist, etc.PeteComment
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Never said the name was special. Another hobbies of mine is working on my car therefor I have alot of hand tools that are used for mechanical, which are Craftsman. I cant work on the car during the winter therefor Im picking up woodworking. I dont know alot about woodworking tools, thats why I posted. What are some of the features of the bt3100? Where do they sell them other than Home depot which the one in my area doesnt seem to carry. What is the difference between the 3100 and the BTS15? Thanks.Comment
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craftsman makes good mechanics tools, average woodworking tools.
The ryobi is only sold at HD, but has been discontinued so the supply is running out. The Craftsman I linked to earlier is a exact clone of the BT3100 with a different stand.
The BTS15 is not a good woodworking saw. I don't think anyone here would recommend any new saw under $200 as they just aren't that good and you would quickly outgrow it.Mike
Lakota's Dad
If at first you don't succeed, deny you were trying in the first place.Comment
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BT3000 and BT3100 are well-built, little to no vibration, blade runs true, etc. Things you need to make a quality, straight cut. Ryobi called them "Precision Woodcutting System" or something like that. The BTS-series saws are nowhere near as precise or well built. You'll have a hard time making "fine furniture" with them. Kinda like using vise-grips to take your car engine apart rather than properly sized 6-point sockets.
Home Depot has an exclusive distribution deal with Ryobi... so you won't see Ryobi branded products anywhere else unfortunately. And now that HD seems to be trying to "position" the various brands, Ridgid is the "quality" end while Ryobi is supposed to handle the occasional weekend-warrior with less expensive/less precise stuff. So the BT3100 is no longer available. Nobody knows for sure but general speculation is that it was "too good" given the new positioning - it compared too well to the much more expensive Ridgid saws. Sears Craftsman tools are tools built by all sorts of companies with some minor changes - color changes, tweaking handles, tweaking router base plate designs, etc. - and then Sears sticks their name on them. Ryobi built many Craftsman products through the years and you could buy the BT3000/BT3100 saw as a Craftsman. Now there is a new Craftsman saw that people think of as the BT3200. It's very much like the BT3100 but it does have some changes: the top surface is smooth, not ribbed like the BTs3x00, the accessory table has miter slots in it now (for the acc. table only; they may not line up with the saw blade), and the whole thing is mounted to a folding wheeled cart. That cart is probably the weakest link; the saw wiggles/wobbles a little now.
A smooth running saw is SO much easier and safer to use. That's where the BT3x00 saws earned their reputations. The BTS saws just don't compare; save your money and find a used BT3000/BT3100 before buying a new BTS saw. Things to look for when buying any saw:
* With the saw off, wiggle the blade side to side, up and down. It should be solid - no play in the shaft bearings.
* Test the miter slot setup - ideally there would be zero slop/lash. The BT3x00 sliding table (replaces miter slot stuff) can be easily adjusted and, given its fairly large size, is easier to use than a dinky miter bar.
* Fence: how easy is it to move - a "sticky" fence will be hard to make fine adjustments to; does the back end grab the back of the saw or not? If not, the fence can flex leading to non-straight cuts and kickback.
* Safety feature: a riving knife. This is a metal "divider" behind the blade. It's not common on saws in the US; the BT3x000 has a good one. When a board is cut, sometimes the internal stress makes the cut want to close up and pinch the back of the saw blade... leads to dangerous kickback. The riving knife keeps the wood from pinching.
mpcComment
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just looked on craigslist here in DC. There is a 3 month old, lightly used BT3100 for $200.Mike
Lakota's Dad
If at first you don't succeed, deny you were trying in the first place.Comment
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The woodworking is just a hobbie for me, something to do for the winter. How does craigslist work, is US wide or does it have for sale locally?Comment
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ofna,
check this out:http://maine.craigslist.org/
scroll down under the blue "for sale" section and click on tools.
i don't know if you travel much, but it wouldn't hurt to check-out boston (states like mass. with large population have more than one market ie. boston, central mass, etc.) or new hampshire too.Last edited by Cheeky; 12-12-2006, 08:59 PM.PeteComment
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Went to craigslist but nothing in my area. I was wondering why I couldnt bring up the 3100 on home depot web site, now I know why.Comment
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