interesting post about BT3

[Gary L]

I know exactly what you mean Sarge. A saw like this becomes a friend after getting to know it and the things it can easily do.

I spent the day working on mine to get her ready for a speaker building project and I finally have this saw about as versitile as any.





Gary

[JimD]

I can afford whatever saw I want and I have shop space for a larger saw but I see no reason to change. The BT3100 cuts as accurately as any table saw. It is underpowered for full depth cuts (3 1/2 inch) in hardwood but so would any saw that will work on 110V. For the infrequent times I need to do this, I am satisfied putting on a clean and sharp blade, going slow, and dealing with a little burning if I am off on the feed rate. I would also like to have a little more table in front of the blade sometimes but I consider these drawbacks minor. I really like my micro-positioner for the rip fence and would have to have something like it on any new saw. The splitter moving with the blade is also now a "necessary" feature for me and not that common.

My bottom line is that my BT3100 in its extension table and rip fence extensions meets my needs and does not need to be upgraded. I have plenty of other ways to spend money. If you can't make a BT3000 or 3100 cut accurately, you will probably have problems eventually with another saw too. It takes a certain amount of mechanical apptitude or coaching to keep tools working well but it seems to me to be the same kind of skill that lets you figure out how to cut joints accurately and make little jigs that make things go a lot better. I question how far you can go as a woodworker if you can't tune up even a bit unconventional table saw.

I also do not mind at all if somebody else wants to buy a different and more expensive saw. I do not mind if somebody else wants to explain why their saw is "better" but I think it is more polite to state it in terms of what they like about their saw, not what they don't like about another option. What turns me off the most is the guys that say things like "that saw is junk" and provide no basis for their statement. I generally conclude they've never touched one or otherwise do not have a clue.

Jim

[SARGE..g-47]

Greetings Gary...

Nice set-up there. Now... if ya would just knock that back wall out and take the extension back about 3'... and maybe 4" on the left... and maybe 3' forward with a little cut-out to stand in... ya could make some really "BIG" speaker cabinets.

I got Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the "Rolling Stone's" on conference call holding on the other line and they want to know when thier new "concert speakers" will be ready and delivered? ha.. ha...

Regards...

[Gary L]

HaHa Sarge, Thats what I love most about the BT 3000. Even with all this stuff attached I can easily lift the extension end that engage the wheels on the other side and roll this thing anywhere I need it in my garage.
It takes just a few minutes to get it leveled and ready to work.

JimD makes some great points as well. The fellow I sold my Powermatic 66 and Paralock rip fence to hates that saw and fence. I tried to help him with the adjustments but quickly learned he has no business owning nice equipment. I had it adjusted for a thin kerf blade and he complained the scale is off a 16th of an inch on every cut, NS- he has a wide blade on it and can't understand the simple reset of the sight guide.

Tell your buddies Mick and Keith to get on line, my friends come first!

Gary

[SARGE..g-47]

"Friends come first"..... ummmh.. ummmh............................

Poor Mick and Keith.. they just don't seem to get "No Satisfaction"!

:>)