Kinda wondering....

[eezlock]

Has any one heard any news as to what Ryobi is doing? :
(1) are they designing a replacement for the Bt3100?
(2) are they just going to continue with Bt10, Bt15,& Bt20 or what?
(3) seems to me that they are putting their current efforts in the
Sears clone of the Bt3100...what do you all think?
(4) Ryobi is pushing their new(er) line of battery powered tools at HD
more than their woodworking tools...hum? think about that.....
(5) I seem to run across several messages that Ryobi is not too interested
in helping their customers with a problem thru customer service...
sort of like well, too bad, it is your problem now,figure it out for yourself.
(6) another question here: Does Ryobi ever conduct customer opinion
polls, as to what customers would want/ or like to have made on future
models of their equipment before it comes into production? I think that
for them to continue selling their saws...they should at least ask
people what they would want ex: features, availabilty, product support,
better source of replacement parts, upgrades, better info. on recalls.
etc. I know that all features someone would want can't be feasibly
incorporated in any new saw, because of costs...but it never hurts to
ask anyway...good ideas come from curent users of one's products.
(7) If you wanted something different relating to your BT#3 saw..what
would it be? (1) bigger table surface a 27"x 40" top (2) factory
installed miter slots (3) longer rails sets instead of sliding rails?
(4) different designed cabinet....more like a 3/4 cabinet style or
(5) built in storage area within a cabinet? (6) easier to change throat
plates vs. hold type down with screws? (7) smooth top vs. ribbed top?
(8) extension tables that could or would easily replace the sliding
miter table or accessory table ( without making your own)?

(8) if you had to replace your current Bt#3 saw, what would you buy
to replace it with and why? There would be a lot of answers
to this I know.... personally, if I had the money it most likely
would be the Craftsman 22124 or a Delta hybrid for me. they seem to
have some things I like about both of these saws. I know that General,
Jet, Powermatic, and several others out there are rated higher
but I'm looking at it from a hobbyist aspect instead of a professional/
commercial viewpoint.

Sorry about the long post...but wanted to hear others opinions/ideas
about things that have been on my mind for a while. Any and all
comments welcome from everyone especially the long timers on this site,
Ken in Clemson, Pappy, Sam you'all tell me what you think....eezlock

[Wood_workur]

1-4, don't know

5 yeah, customer support has not been too good for me when my switch goes. ended up just buying a switch.

6- If they do, I've never seen one.

7: 1,2,6,7(smooth)

8: a grizzly 4444Z or whatever model nuber it is. nice saw from what I have heard, big table, large motor, ect

[cwsmith]

eezlock

(1) I believe there is NO difinitive answer to this. I've read some speculation, but that is all.

(2) I have yet to read any positive comments about the BT15. The BT20 is a fair mobile I guess and the BT10 offers a cheap, just need to cut wood, first time saw. I really haven't read any real enthusiastic reports about any of these. But I do think that the 10 and 20 saws provide a profitable nich for first time owners who don't really know what to expect.

(3) Who knows. Sears has had a BT3K clone in one form or another for the past few years and Ryobi/TTI appears to be on the Sears "good" list for a number of tools, including routers, cordless drills, and several other hand and bench tools.

(4) I'm sure those tools provide HD with an exclusive, economical line for the homeowner and probably move at a pretty profitable pace. Both HD and Ryobi win.

(5) That does seem to be a popular opinion; although I must admit that I haven't had any problems and Ryobi customer support has always been courteous and knowledgeable with my questions. I recently sent in my 1802M router for service (in its last month of warranty) and received it back within three weeks. Problem solved, part replaced, and nothing but courtesy the whole way through. Makes me think that too often the problem occurs when people get PO'd and/or have expectations beyond the warranty. Who knows?

(6) Yes! I've participated in only two surveys. Can't really remember what the focus was though.

(7) I don't really know as I am a new owner and haven't put my BT through its paces yet. I surely wouldn't want the SMT to go away. That is one of the main attributes of this saw. Probably, I'd want another table to fill in that hole to the left of the blade. Maybe it could be the slotted miter table. I do like the versatility of relocating the tables, the SMT, rails, etc. Definitely would want a better power switch. I'd also like an induction motor too.

(8) Wanting something like a big Powermatic or one of the Craftsman "zip-code" saws might be nice; but then, it wouldn't be a "BT3K", would it? I suppose that's a lot like buying a Miata for it's nimbleness and then wishing I had really gotten a big Chevy Suburban. The attractiveness of the BT3100, was it's reported precision, low cost, versatility, and relatively maintenance-free design. I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to keep the rust off all that cast iron, nor do I want a saw that can't be moved around my little shop.

CWS

[crokett]

(1) No idea
(2) No idea
(3) No idea
(4) No idea
(5) Never had to call customer service so wouldnt know
(6) This is a good idea for any consumer products company.
(7) 1,2 and 6. Smooth vs ribbed does';t bother me.
(8) Hmmm... never thought about it so really don't know what is out there. I think I'd watch the ads and get a good used one.

[eddy merckx]

No idea either about 1-5.
6. I think that Ryobi is currently more interested in volume of sales than the niche market of serious hobbyists. It would be great if they arranged a focus group of enthusiasts to design a better advanced table saw. I would buy one if the features and price were in line.
7. 1. Certainly a bigger table. 3 or 4 more inches in front would be great. I would also vote for cast iron because of the stability and magnetic properties.
2.Miter slots for sure.
3. 36" of rip capacity to the right.
6. Decent throat plate with levelers
7. Smooth cast iron table surface
8. I envision something like the Ridgid 3650 with a riving knife and BT3 style dust collection. I'll bet the price could be kept around $500. Remember that BT3 saws were $400 not long ago.

[greencat]

I spoke to a Ryobi rep at a woodworking show in Novi Michigan. Blunt answer was not enough was sold and they are concentrating on high volume sales.

[scorrpio]

Frankly, my understanding is that Ryobi brand is HD exclusive. I might be wrong here, but I think it goes like this: HD decides what it wants to sell, and orders Ryobi-branded tools from a given manufacturer. I highly boubt that Ryobi exists as an actual business entity that can decide for itself where to take business to. I believe that BT3100's discontinuation has been HD decision.

3 - The manufacturer of BT3100 still produces the saw, but it apparently now all gets configured and branded as the Craftsman version sold through Sears. MAYBE, With HD no longer wanting it, the manufacturer will offer the design to another brand.
4 - No, HD is pushing a line of budget-priced, Ryobi branded cordless tools.
5-6 Not being an actual business entity, I would think that customer support and marketing are anything beyond rudimentary. Marketing is 100% on HD. Customer support would be sketchy at best as manufacturer apparently wants to deal only with distribution businesses, not individual consumers.

7 - frankly, I am fine with the saw as is. I like its default compactness and mobility. About only thing I'd love to see is a table with standard-sized miter slot (or two), that clamps to rails same way as SMT does. and can be removed as easily.

8 - Were I replacing my BT today, I'd most likely get a Grizzly 1023SLW. It is a new model, 3HP, left tilt, for $995, includes cast iron router table extension wing. Can eventually be upgraded for $170 to 7' rails, giving it 54" rip capacity.

[havighurst]

You gotta love the "not enough sold" rap. In all the HDs I have been in not one was ever assembled even close to correct. Just think about it, if you knew nothing about the saw or this site and walked into the Borg and looked at it with the bad assembly, would you buy it? I have yet to see a 3650 assembled incorrectly. Hmmmmm.....????

[greencat]

You gotta love the "not enough sold" rap. In all the HDs I have been in not one was ever assembled even close to correct. Just think about it, if you knew nothing about the saw or this site and walked into the Borg and looked at it with the bad assembly, would you buy it? I have yet to see a 3650 assembled incorrectly. Hmmmmm.....????

I agree - I got mine last year. I missed the black Friday sale because I didn't think much about the saw when I saw it. After I read this site I changed my mind and I'm glad I did.

[prlundberg]

I agree - I got mine last year. I missed the black Friday sale because I didn't think much about the saw when I saw it. After I read this site I changed my mind and I'm glad I did.

The first time I saw the Craftsman 21829, I thought it was a cheap benchtop with some overpriced gimmicks. If HD would have had a BT3100, I probably would have thought the same.

I never seriously considered the 21829 until I saw this website.

It pays to do some research, I'm pretty happy with it For my needs, I don't think I could have bought a better saw, regardless of price.

But you have to admit, the BT3s don't give a great first impression to most fairly serious woodworkers, and they are more expensive than what just-starting-out woodworkers tend to look for. And it doesn't help that finding somebody at HD or Sears who actually knows what they are talking about is a challenge. The demise of the BT3100 at HD really doesn't surprise me.

Hopefully Sears can keep it going. Judging from the long wait times this summer (6+ weeks) they must be selling better than expected. It's just too bad you can no longer buy a base model.


Phil

[WoodButcher26]

In all the HDs I have been in not one was ever assembled even close to correct. Just think about it, if you knew nothing about the saw or this site and walked into the Borg and looked at it with the bad assembly, would you buy it?

That actually happened to me. I bought my BT3100 on a whim, was looking for a cheap table saw and happened to see it in BORG. Wife liked it, and agreed to the purchase. It sat in my shop for six months with very little use before I found this site. I initially did not like the way it was set up, and didn't think it had enough power to do what I wanted. Figured I was stuck until I could get up enough courage to ask for the money for a bigger saw. A lot of folks on this site changed my mind, now I'm building a bigger table to put it into, but still love the basic saw.

As far as improvements, bigger table, miter slot, easier throat plate changeout would all be good.


Kim

[Black wallnut]

#5: Nearly everytime that I've need CS it was top notch. It has been a few years since my saw was under warranty. Parts, at least the few that I needed, including shims twice, were all shipped free and received within a week of my phone call.

#6: There was a time not to long ago where Ryobi contacted a WW website and had the webmaster gather a small group for as a focus group of which I was a member. After the initial effort it seemed that Ryobi dropped the ball. I'm not sure exactly what happened but Ryobi was at least at one point interested in actual user input from some of us that have been using the BT3 saws for a lenght of time.

Keep in mind that years ago there were many BT3s sold for prices approaching $500, with tax and a couple of 1"x sticks of pine mine was close to that in cost. The saw was a bargain then for the price considering what else was available in the under $500 price range.