New owner, real newbie question on warranty

[Salty]

Hey all. I really kinda feel silly asking this but I need to know for sure.
I did not find a registration card in the box and it appears that the serial number is the only thing needed should I ever need to use the warranty on the BT3100 saw.
Is that correct, I just need the serial number?

Thanks for helping me clear this up!

[Ken Weaver]

Not sure - but save the UPC code from the box at least. Also, keep the box intact for a month just in case you need to exercise the 90 day return/swap. Welcome aboard, make sawdust, have fun and be safe!

[gmack5]

Welcvome aboard, Salty!

Welcome Salty,

Congratulations on the acquisition of your BT3100 and welcome to the "family".

One of the first things you need to do, after you get your BT3100 Saw assembled is, following your Owner's Manual, go thru the entire set-up proceedure, step by step, in the sequence laid out in the Manual. Each set up proceedure builds on the one before it, so you MUST keep them in sequence.
Usually the Saw is set up properly, right out of the box, but you should still check it as this gets you familiar with all the adjustments on the saw and assures you that everything is as it should be.

Here's some free plans that'll keep you busy for a while. http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/r...ex.php?cat=102

And here's some additional information about your Saw that you may find useful.

Regardless of what you've read or others have told you, NEVER NEVER use any wax or lubricant on your saw that contains Silicone, this includes all automobile waxes and polishes and most spray-on furniture polishes. The reason is simple, most of them contain Silicones and they will make your projects difficult to finish.
Silicones repell liquid, making "fish eyes" in your finishes, this will force you to remove the Silicones from your project and start over. That stuff (Silicone) migrates all over every where, don't ask me how, it just does.
If you put it in one place, eventually it will be all over the
entire saw.

Your best bet is to use a "dry" lubricant, such as Teflon (PTFE), Powdered Graphite, or Candle Wax for the Raising/Lowering and Tilt mechanisms below the table top.

Then use either Johnson's Paste Wax, Minwax's "Finishing Wax" or Butcher's Wax on the working surfaces, table tops (All three of them) and the Rip Fence.

Do NOT Wax the Front and Rear rails or the Miter Fence. As a mater of fact, you may want to glue 220 grit sand-paper to the front face of the Miter Fence, cause you don't WANT things to slide on there.

Something you might think about is the use of a set of Draftsman's Triangles instead of the Carpenter's Square that they show in the Owner's Manual for setting up your saw.
An accurate Carpenter's Square is almost a myth!
A good one will cost you quite a bit of money, $40 - $75, or more. I would recommend that you consider using a pair of Draftsman's 30 -60 and 45 degree triangles instead. You'll find they're not near as expensive and are far more accurate than a run-of-the-mill Carpenter's Square. The 30 -60 triangle should have one 12" leg and the other leg would be 9" long. The 45 degree triangle should have at least 8" legs on either side of the 90 degree corner. That way either one can be put up against the side of the Saw Blade without touching the saw teeth.

Just remember, regardless of which measuring instrument you choose to use, check it(them) to be sure they're accurate. When checking the Miter Fence for Square to the Blade with a triangle, use the 12" 30-60, if possible.

One of the other "tricks" that I've discovered is to take a piece of "Wax" paper, fold it several times and rub it in the grooves that the "T" nuts that lock your Rails in place ride in. Makes the Rails move smooth as Butter.

Last, but not least, don't forget to paint the RED line!
It's a line that extends the line-of-sight from the saw blade to the front edge of the table to remind you NOT to let your Miter Fence or your FINGERS get in the way of the saw blade. Just put red paint, nail polish, or what ever, in the grove that extends towards the operator from the front edge of the saw blade.

[cwsmith]

I noted in one of the responses, something that I think needs correction. There is only 30 days for return/swap, not 90 days as stated. Home Depot's 90-day return is for purchases that can be returned in "like-new" condition. That is, completely repackaged and able to be put back on the shelf, so to speak. Some store managers may handle that differently, but the "like-new" is HD's policy.

For warranty work, you'll need the receipt or a copy of it. You should know that Home Depot receipts are notorious for "fading" and in a matter of weeks and/or months you'll have barely more than a blank piece of paper.... So, copy that receipt ASAP and put it away for safe keeping.

It is also adviseable to register the saw. Seeing as you didn't get one in the package (I don't think I did either), you should go to the www.ryobitools.com and register it there. You'll probably have to create a personal "E-box" on the site in order to do that. It's pretty simple.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[monte]

Welcome to the group. Be safe and enjoy your new saw.

[Pappy]

Welcome to the Asylum, Salty!