Tweet
This is long, so read on at your own peril.
If you only are replacing shims and reference the next two members you’ll do your self well.
Thanks to Black Wallnut for his article and work on “Shim Replacement: How to Guide by” And to Crokett who is in that thread for his document on upgrading your 3000 with the 3100 guide and its shims. I love the internet.
I have owned my BT3000 for 10 years now and really like it. So the day that the shim fell out put me into a puzzlement. I was working on a project in my garage (unheated) in January only because this year we have had unusually warm weather. I noticed that the blade was working hard when I tried to raise it. Puzzled I worked it up a little then down being sure to not over stress it. I thought it must be the cold and the grease is thicker than normal. Anyway suddenly it worked smooth just like it always did. I cut my stock and went to lift up one side of my trusty saw and wheel it back to its resting place when I hear a tinkle of metal hitting the concrete floor. That’s Odd what could that be. …Humm what’s this? some little L angle stainless steel thing. I thought …did this come off my table saw, …could this have been the sticking problem, Did one of my children put this thing on my table saw and it only fell off now because I moved it. So I start looking and then I notice the other identical looking in place shim on the guide holder.
The ends of the shims that fell out should have tabs bent at a 90 degree but these are flattened. I take the saw apart and see that there are some set screws that must be used to hold this shim in place. Not a good design I thought but no Problem.
I loosen the set screws attempt to test sliding the shim down from the top of the guide. It slides in nicely … OK this is gonna work slick I think. When it gets all the way through I’ll re-bend the tabs back to 90 degree. The shim hangs by the bottom screw. OK I’ll have to loosen the screws on the guide like I really thought I’d have to do and slip this puppy right back in where it needs to be.
If I’m going to do that I thought I might as well buy a new set of shims because the 90 degree bent tab is going to have offer some help in holding these in place. So I order new shims. They come the next day. I’m impressed by delivery speed.
Here is where I wish I had Known about BT3Central. Thank you Black Wallnut and Crokett. In particular Crokett for his few lines in his document “BT3000 Shim Upgradev21.pdf. The wisdom threw would have been Very Very helpful, use the rubber mallet and rap on the end of the handle of the screwdriver while backing the screws out. Using a power/drill driver to remove these screws is NOT recommended – the screws are easily stripped.
So not having that knowledge I attempt to use my Power drill and promptly strip the head of one of the screws. Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry.
Now I get my dremel and attempt to cut a new slot in the head of this machine screw that is recessed down in its hole of the guide. This is difficult. I am getting cold working on this thing. My now new slotted head machine screw is not perfect, but not bad. The manual screw driver still won’t stay in my cut slot when I try to turn the screw. I get out my vice grip pliers and the screw head moves 1/8 inch, yes I think I did it …. Oh no I turned it the wrong way I’ve tightened it instead. How could I have been so stupid? I hope I did not stress the screw. I now start to loosen it (the correct direction). It starts to move, until the head pops off. Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry.
So I remove the guide. I have to disassemble motor, the motor bushings, the belts, motor shaft, arbor, power cord, just to get the motor bracket by itself to work on it. Of course you have to remove the treaded height adjustment shaft (all of this is an adventure). I then attempt to use a #1 extraction tap to remove the broken screw. The machine screw is really sticking. I let it soak overnight with penetrating oil and will try it tomorrow I thought. This screw has to come out or I have to get a new Motor bracket.
Next day I attempt to back out the screw with the extraction bit. It won’t budge. OK its either back out or break off. …. It breaks off! Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry, and I cry. I’ll have to check on ordering a new motor bracket. Figure this is going to be a $90-100 item. If its $100 I have to consider not repairing the saw. I find out its only $15 plus $8 shipping. I order it.
Next day it comes in. I have since moved all the parts into my warm basement. I’m 52 have 7 children of which the youngest is 3. I have all the screws in different Styrofoam cups. My daughter wants to help me so of course I give her “pretend” jobs. I go to the bathroom and come back down and she has helped me by mixing all the screws into one cup. Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry.
Well anyway I get the saw completely back together. I really don’t like how it is binding up and down. I don’t have any confidence that these new shims are going to last in place as long as the first set did. I’ve read everything on Ryobi site about setting set screws. I don’t like the imprecise method of setting them . So I do an internet search and find BT3Central. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I find out I’m not alone in the shim problem, boy am I not alone.
My binding I read on BT3Central was due to over tightening the lock nut on the shaft to raise the motor. I thought for sure it was too tight shims, set screws or I had somehow torqued something.
I read on more and I decide to do something more about the shims. I’m not doing this again. I decide to take Norm in Fujino's advice make shim supports. And do. I get ready to put them in but don’t like the thought of one of these maybe getting loose and hitting the blade and etc. Then I remember the Crokett blurb about contacting him for advice about the upgrade to the guide for the BT3100 and using the Spring shims. Think I’ll contact him in a PM.
Crokett sends me his BT3000 Shim Upgradev21.pdf document he made. IMHO this is how to repair this shim problem.
I check with Ryobi tech and my 3000 can be upgraded to the 3100 guide and shims so I order them and install them.
They work great …Oh life is good again.
If you have to replace a shim on your 3000 I can highly recommend that you replace the guide and upgrade to the 3100 guide and shims.
(3000 shims $4 each) Vs (3100 guide $15 plus $1 each shim)
If anyone who maintains their 3000 and would like my brand new 3000 style shims that were installed and then pulled out. PM me and I will mail them to you for free on a first come first serve basis.
Thanks again BT3Central people ...and Dave special thanks to you.
If you only are replacing shims and reference the next two members you’ll do your self well.
Thanks to Black Wallnut for his article and work on “Shim Replacement: How to Guide by” And to Crokett who is in that thread for his document on upgrading your 3000 with the 3100 guide and its shims. I love the internet.
I have owned my BT3000 for 10 years now and really like it. So the day that the shim fell out put me into a puzzlement. I was working on a project in my garage (unheated) in January only because this year we have had unusually warm weather. I noticed that the blade was working hard when I tried to raise it. Puzzled I worked it up a little then down being sure to not over stress it. I thought it must be the cold and the grease is thicker than normal. Anyway suddenly it worked smooth just like it always did. I cut my stock and went to lift up one side of my trusty saw and wheel it back to its resting place when I hear a tinkle of metal hitting the concrete floor. That’s Odd what could that be. …Humm what’s this? some little L angle stainless steel thing. I thought …did this come off my table saw, …could this have been the sticking problem, Did one of my children put this thing on my table saw and it only fell off now because I moved it. So I start looking and then I notice the other identical looking in place shim on the guide holder.
The ends of the shims that fell out should have tabs bent at a 90 degree but these are flattened. I take the saw apart and see that there are some set screws that must be used to hold this shim in place. Not a good design I thought but no Problem.
I loosen the set screws attempt to test sliding the shim down from the top of the guide. It slides in nicely … OK this is gonna work slick I think. When it gets all the way through I’ll re-bend the tabs back to 90 degree. The shim hangs by the bottom screw. OK I’ll have to loosen the screws on the guide like I really thought I’d have to do and slip this puppy right back in where it needs to be.
If I’m going to do that I thought I might as well buy a new set of shims because the 90 degree bent tab is going to have offer some help in holding these in place. So I order new shims. They come the next day. I’m impressed by delivery speed.
Here is where I wish I had Known about BT3Central. Thank you Black Wallnut and Crokett. In particular Crokett for his few lines in his document “BT3000 Shim Upgradev21.pdf. The wisdom threw would have been Very Very helpful, use the rubber mallet and rap on the end of the handle of the screwdriver while backing the screws out. Using a power/drill driver to remove these screws is NOT recommended – the screws are easily stripped.
So not having that knowledge I attempt to use my Power drill and promptly strip the head of one of the screws. Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry.
Now I get my dremel and attempt to cut a new slot in the head of this machine screw that is recessed down in its hole of the guide. This is difficult. I am getting cold working on this thing. My now new slotted head machine screw is not perfect, but not bad. The manual screw driver still won’t stay in my cut slot when I try to turn the screw. I get out my vice grip pliers and the screw head moves 1/8 inch, yes I think I did it …. Oh no I turned it the wrong way I’ve tightened it instead. How could I have been so stupid? I hope I did not stress the screw. I now start to loosen it (the correct direction). It starts to move, until the head pops off. Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry.
So I remove the guide. I have to disassemble motor, the motor bushings, the belts, motor shaft, arbor, power cord, just to get the motor bracket by itself to work on it. Of course you have to remove the treaded height adjustment shaft (all of this is an adventure). I then attempt to use a #1 extraction tap to remove the broken screw. The machine screw is really sticking. I let it soak overnight with penetrating oil and will try it tomorrow I thought. This screw has to come out or I have to get a new Motor bracket.
Next day I attempt to back out the screw with the extraction bit. It won’t budge. OK its either back out or break off. …. It breaks off! Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry, and I cry. I’ll have to check on ordering a new motor bracket. Figure this is going to be a $90-100 item. If its $100 I have to consider not repairing the saw. I find out its only $15 plus $8 shipping. I order it.
Next day it comes in. I have since moved all the parts into my warm basement. I’m 52 have 7 children of which the youngest is 3. I have all the screws in different Styrofoam cups. My daughter wants to help me so of course I give her “pretend” jobs. I go to the bathroom and come back down and she has helped me by mixing all the screws into one cup. Aaaaiiiiieeeee I cry.
Well anyway I get the saw completely back together. I really don’t like how it is binding up and down. I don’t have any confidence that these new shims are going to last in place as long as the first set did. I’ve read everything on Ryobi site about setting set screws. I don’t like the imprecise method of setting them . So I do an internet search and find BT3Central. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I find out I’m not alone in the shim problem, boy am I not alone.
My binding I read on BT3Central was due to over tightening the lock nut on the shaft to raise the motor. I thought for sure it was too tight shims, set screws or I had somehow torqued something.
I read on more and I decide to do something more about the shims. I’m not doing this again. I decide to take Norm in Fujino's advice make shim supports. And do. I get ready to put them in but don’t like the thought of one of these maybe getting loose and hitting the blade and etc. Then I remember the Crokett blurb about contacting him for advice about the upgrade to the guide for the BT3100 and using the Spring shims. Think I’ll contact him in a PM.
Crokett sends me his BT3000 Shim Upgradev21.pdf document he made. IMHO this is how to repair this shim problem.
I check with Ryobi tech and my 3000 can be upgraded to the 3100 guide and shims so I order them and install them.
They work great …Oh life is good again.
If you have to replace a shim on your 3000 I can highly recommend that you replace the guide and upgrade to the 3100 guide and shims.
(3000 shims $4 each) Vs (3100 guide $15 plus $1 each shim)
If anyone who maintains their 3000 and would like my brand new 3000 style shims that were installed and then pulled out. PM me and I will mail them to you for free on a first come first serve basis.
Thanks again BT3Central people ...and Dave special thanks to you.
Black wallnut
So far I've been lucky, with no shim problem. But you never know what tomorrow will bring. Thanks for the post.
Comment