Just bought a used BT3000, a few questions

[KLF]

Been looking for a table saw for a few weeks, found a BT3000 on craigslist the other day, so based on some research and this forum, I went to take a look at it. He originally was asking $175 for it, we ended up settling on $150.

It's apparent that although this saw wasn't used very much, it was not very well taken care of. I couldn't figure out why the blade wouldn't lower all the way down, until I started taking it apart last night:



I guess he felt that connecting any sort of DC device was optional. Generally the saw is in good condition, it just needs some TLC. His basement had a lot of constant water issues, so the bottom of the base is rusty, and one of the little triangle pieces for the adjustable feet broke it's weld, but I'm gonna re-weld it today. It looks like the only parts that are missing are one of the blade wrenches and the video. It has a build date of 4/00.

He also threw in a 6" dado set, although I doubt I'll bother using it:



Now a couple of questions:

This is some mild corrosion in a few places on the top surfaces. I was tempted to use a polishing disc in my die grinder to get rid of them and polish the entire top, but I think I read on here that the aluminum top pieces are powdercoated. What do you recommend for smooting the tops back flat?

The blade is somewhat dull, although I haven't cut anything with it yet. Is it worth having sharpened? Or should I just buy a new "good" blade?

Starting to shop for accessories now...

Thanks for the great forum!

[Tom Miller]

Wow, that's just amazing! If the previous owner had actually installed that dado stack, he would have seen the problem with blade lowering.

The BT3000 does not have a powder coated top (the newer BT3100 does), so go ahead and polish away. Go easy, though; you don't need to remove any aluminum (other than its oxide). Then give it a liberal paste waxing to slow further corrosion.

Good call on tossing that dado stack, IMO.

That Ryobi blade, OTOH, is worthy of resharpening, if needed. First, clean it up, paying attention to the sides of the teeth (Simple Green and a brass or nylon brush), and check it to see that it runs true, etc. Maybe even use it for a while.

Regards,
Tom

[LCHIEN]

Yes, if its a BT3000 not a BT3100, the top is anodized aluminum.
You don't really want to cut thru the anodizing if its not already broken, because aluminum will form a number of oxides. Anodizing is actually a useful oxide, its stable and clean.

Looks like that cutoff that fell in the bottom essentially blocked the exhaust port and lead to that bad case of constipation - LOL, a constipated saw if i ever saw one!

The OEM Ryobi 36T blade is made by freud (it actually says made in Italy on it) and its regarded very highly as a clean cutting all-around blade, not a cheap thing thrown on to complete the saw. I'd say it would be worth having sharpened.

If you haven't already seen it, I have a lengthy FAQ on the BT3 saws. You can find a link in the first post under "Getting Started" discussions here on the BT3 forums. Should be useful reading for a new owner and whenever you have a question. There's info on the blades and taking care of the table tops and a bunch more stuff.

BTW, welcome to the group, hope to see more of you around here.

[BobSch]

...Go easy, though; you don't need to remove any aluminum (other than its oxide). Then give it a liberal paste waxing to slow further corrosion.

Watch which paste wax you use — don't use car wax or anything containing silicone (read the label). Silicone will transfer to your wood and make finishing a bear.

Look for Johnson's Paste Wax or something similar.

[lucifari]

From the looks of that piece of 2x?? pressure treated cutoff sitting in the chute he never heard of a ZCTP either. However, if that's the only problem you'll be off and running in no time.

Yeah, use that dado set in your lawn edger - it's not good for much else.

Welcome to the forum you'll find a great bunch of folks here; they're always ready to help out if you need information or inspiration.

Just remember: Safety First!

[Pappy]

Ditto on the dado set. Deep 6 it or pass it to a wanna-be Ninja. Not much good for anything else.

The best cleaner I have found for blades is DampRid Mildew Remover sold at Lowe's. Sold in a spray bottle. Soak the blade in a shallow pan for 10-15 min and clean it with a brass brush. Rinse it and dry it thouroughly.

[Tom Miller]

Yes, if its a BT3000 not a BT3100, the top is anodized aluminum.
You don't really want to cut thru the anodizing if its not already broken, because aluminum will form a number of oxides. Anodizing is actually a useful oxide, its stable and clean.

I think the tops of the ridges are just bare Al, aren't they? And the valleys are anodized? That's why you can end up with dark marks on your workpiece -- it's an oxide of aluminum coming off. If you keep that bare aluminum cleaned (I use 0000 steel wool, but only once a year at most), and then keep it waxed with non-silicone (good catch, Bob!) wax, you shouldn't get any marks.

I'm not currently staring at my saw, so let me know if I've got anything wrong.

Regards,
Tom

[Thom2]

I've even gone so far as to call Mequiars Tech Service to inquire about a silicone free product, at the time I was told that such a product did not exist in their lineup.

I would definately avoid automotive waxes (which breaks my heart because of the discounts I get), and stick with Butcher's or Johnson's

[Ken Weaver]

Welcome aboard TLF. Ditto what the guys have said so far. The Ryobi blade is a keeper - worth sharpening. Amazon has the Woodworker II thin kerf on sale now for under $65 and that would be worth having while the Ryobi is out being sharpened - then you're set for blades. Also talk to Lee Styron about a used or 2nds Shark Guard, he sometimes can save you some $$ on the one must have addition to the BT.

[KLF]

Wow, didn't expect such a response. Thanks for the tips and replies!

LCHIEN, yes I did read your FAQ (very nice!), I keep a printed copy in my now growing BT3000 binder.

Stopped and bought a bottle of Simple Green today, will clean up the blade and look for a place to get it sharpened.

I just re-welded the foot onto the base a few minutes ago, my next step is to get the base re-assembled (possibly with a fresh coat of paint), then slowly go thru the saw alignment process in the manual.

What is the general consensus on the caster set? I need to have this thing somewhat mobile, was wondering if just having the two casters was enough. I see them (and other accessories) on eBay. I also want to get a miter slot table extension.

While I was in Lowe's today, I found a product called "TDL Dry Lube" from the same folks that make the infamous PB Blaster rust penetrant. Ever tried this stuff? It says it contains PTFE, but specifically says "does not contain silicones". I think I'll try it on the shims.

Need to find a tub of Johnson's Paste Wax.

[Ken Weaver]

I'd forget the caster set, better off making your own base or springing for the HTC or Woodcraft knockoff mobile base. I have mine mounted on a HTC and it works great (pics are at the link to my shop). I have the casters stashed away for another project.

[JR]

Hi KLF,

I can't help with the lubricant question, but I do know about the casters. They're not very useful in the OEM configuration. In fact, they can be harmful.

They're meant to mount on the side of the base so you can lift the whole assembly from one end and move it around. Unfortunately this is very awkward. The tendency is to lift with the ends of the rails, which can cause the rails to go out of alignment or even to get damaged.

The casters themselves seem to be of decent quality, but some sort of plan B is necessary to get good mobility.

JR

[gmack5]

Welcome to the Family!

Welcome to the "family".

One of the first things you need to do, after you get your BT3000 Table 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.

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 Framing 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. If you get a 45 degree triangle that is 10", or more, then notch out the right angle corner so that you have about 8" exposed as a straight edge so you don't contact the teeth of your Saw Blade.
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.

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

You might also want to check out the "FAQ" in a "sticky" at the beginning of the Getting Started Forum:
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=19968
It'll answer a lot of your questions.

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 enough, most of them contain Silicones that will make your projects difficult to finish.

Silicones repell liquid, making "fish eyes" in your finishes, this will cause 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 (parafin) for the Raising/Lowering and Tilt mechanisms below the table top.

Do NOT use "oils" as they will get sticky and attract Saw Dust and "gum up" the mechanisms under the table top.

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.

You might also want to check out the "Articles" section on the www.BT3central.com site. Lots of good maintenance information on your saw and some of the Jigs and Fixtures that BT3Central members and others have designed for it. Located here: http://www.bt3central.com/index.php?page=articles

The only thing you'll need to access the information is a recent copy of the Adobe Reader (It can be downloaded from the BTcentral site).

One of the Articles mentioned is a "Check List", written by Jim Frye. You can find it here: https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...nce-check-list

This list contains all the different areas on your saw that need to be periodically inspected or given some sort of special attention. In other words, a "Preventative Maintanence Check List" or PM. Performing this PM on a monthly basis would be a good idea.

One of the other things you'll find there is an on-line copy of the User's Manual in downloadable pdf format (a handy thing to have).

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.

Another "problem" that I've solved is as follows:
Problem: The Miter Fence does not move smoothly when making an Angular Adjustment or when installing/uninstalling the Miter Fence.
There is a Grove on the bottom of the SMT that the Head of a 5/16-18 Machine Screw rides in, it's the "Clamp" Screw that you're using when you tighten the Knob to lock the Miter Fence in place.
Uninstall the Miter Fence and rub Candle Wax (Parafin) on the Hexagonal Faces of the 5/16-18 Clamping Hex Head Machine Screw, coat it liberally, so that the Parafin will be spread over the Working Surfaces that the Bolt Head rides in. You may also want to coat the Sides of the Slot that the Clamp Screw passes thru.
This should make the Miter Fence move much smoother thru it's range of motion, as well as make it much easier to install/uninstall.

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.