Miter Slot Tables

[nickg]

Greetings (as the draft notice said a long time ago)!

I've had the BT3000 for about 16 years now, but I just found this forum the other day A few broken drive belts, and a difficult to elevate blade mechanism (since remedied) have been about the only problems I've ever had with the saw.

Anyway, after all these years, I finally got a miter slot table (Ryobi OEM) thanks to a sourcing tip from this forum. I mounted it to the left of the blade and had to move the SMT and fence rails to the left so the miter slot table would fit. My question is, is there a way to re-adjust the measuring scale on the rails so i know the approximate fence to blade distance? The measuring scale is about 4 1/2" off now (the width of the miter slot table).

Nick

[LarryG]

Welcome to the forum!

Try moving the scale pointer (little clear plastic thingie) to the "window" in the opposite side of the fence. I'm guessing you have it in the right window and will need to move it to the left, but it may be the other way around ... can't remember, and I'm nowhere near my saw. Then tweak the rail position as necessary.

My (now retired) BT3100 has exactly the same setup as your saw, and I was able to zero out the scale so it was right on the money. IIRC there's less than 1/2" of "extra" rail to the left of the SMT.

[nickg]

Welcome to the forum!

Try moving the scale pointer (little clear plastic thingie) to the "window" in the opposite side of the fence....

That'll work! I removed the old screw/pointer from the right hand side. I'll just drill a small screw hole at the '0' position on the left side, and re-attach the plastic indicator. Thanks for the tip!

Nick

[Uncle Cracker]

Here's another tip... The factory scale rule is just a decal, and can be removed from the rail (just peel it off) and repositioned anywhere you want with rubber cement. Also, Woodcraft and Rockler, to name a couple, sell replacement scale rules that will fit nicely.

[LarryG]

You're welcome, Nick, but you shouldn't have to drill any holes. The fence was designed so the pointer can be installed on either side, to suit the needs and preferences of each user.

[nickg]

You're welcome, Nick, but you shouldn't have to drill any holes. The fence was designed so the pointer can be installed on either side, to suit the needs and preferences of each user.

That's what I would have thought too! But I could not see another mounting hole for the pointer on the left side. My saw was bought in 1991 and perhaps they hadn't yet thought of remounting the pointer (??), or else I just missed it. Anyway, 'the deed is done'. I just drilled a small hole and used the same self tapping screw to remount the pointer on the LH side - it came out fine.

I guess reading through the posts on this forum has inspired me I also made a sacrificial fence that I mounted to the RH side of the fence. Believe it or not, I found the original sliding 'T' nuts that came with the saw (hard to imagine these little parts never got lost along the way).

[eezlock]

miter slot tables

Nick, while you are at it, might as well go ahead and buy a second miter slot table for the right side of the saw as well.It makes the saw more functional
and IMHO is gives the saw a more "balanced look" like it should have been there all the while like more convential saws have. A large size crosscut sled will work easier if it has two slots to ride in rather than a single one. I have two of them installed on my 3100 saw and I like it a lot better that way!
You can usually find everything on e-bay from komatoast he usually has
all the necessary stuff you need and he is a good guy to work with also.
eezlock

[nickg]

Nick, while you are at it, might as well go ahead and buy a second miter slot table for the right side of the saw as well.It makes the saw more functional

eezlock,

In fact I did buy two of the miter slot tables thinking that I would install one to both the left and right sides of the blade. But, I can't see how you'd install the one on the right hand side- there doesn't seem to be a way to connect the bolts as there was on the left side. I've seen pictures of BT3000s with two miter slot tables, so I know it can be done. Am I overlooking something??? Thus far the second table is still in its box waiting for action!!

Nick

[big tim]

KomaToast makes a hardware kit for mounting the mitreslot tables, including mounting one on the right side, check:

http://getthenews.net/BT3000/RSMTMHK/bt3c.html

Good luck,

Tim

[eezlock]

miter slot tables

eezlock,

In fact I did buy two of the miter slot tables thinking that I would install one to both the left and right sides of the blade. But, I can't see how you'd install the one on the right hand side- there doesn't seem to be a way to connect the bolts as there was on the left side. I've seen pictures of BT3000s with two miter slot tables, so I know it can be done. Am I overlooking something??? Thus far the second table is still in its box waiting for action!!

Nick

Nick, the right side miter slot table has to be turned around, that is to say
the beveled angles on both miter slot tables are pointing toward the blade,the
squared sides are away from center toward the outboard edges of the saw.
The miter slot tables have holes drilled in them at the ends for you to insert the allen head screws thru them and tighten them down to the saw main table frame. When installing them, try them out to be sure they are level
with the saw center table area, if not install a thin plastic shim underneath
the slot table and tighten them securely and level with the main table.
Hope this solves that dilemna for you...eezlock