so is the BT3100 officially dead?

[DrChas]

That would be very sad if true. Does anybody know if Ryobi is planning a replacement (a BT3200?)? If not what do people use for table saws these days in the $500 and less range?

I have long loved my BT3000, and have sworn that as soon as it died I would get one of the new fangled BT3100-1's. I guess my saw outlived the model.

[LCHIEN]

still lives on as the Sears Craftsman 21829, basically the same saw except for cosmetic changes.
Have not heard news of a Ryobi branded successor.

[goslin23]

The BT lives on at Sears under the Craftsman badge in the form of the 21829.

Sears 21829

-=gos=-

Beat me to it......

[Ken Massingale]

Got to choose my words carefully here.....

I have 'heard' that there won't be a Ryobi branded replacement but the group owner is working on a new TS, not a low end saw, and I prefer not to say what the brand will be. Of course everything usually changes during development.

[radhak]

Got to choose my words carefully here.....

How's that Ken, are you an employee, or otherwise under some confidentiality agreement?

[Ken Massingale]

How's that Ken, are you an employee, or otherwise under some confidentiality agreement?

Just something that I don't feel free to discuss. No, not an employee or subject to a confidentiality agreement, except my conscience.

[radhak]

Just something that I don't feel free to discuss. No, not an employee or subject to a confidentiality agreement, except my conscience.

Now that is so intriguing that I want to mull over it further - what could he mean? Is he their architect? their tester?

So much so that I want to start a poll on this to see if anybody else has any guesses...(obviously that poll would be off-limits to you)

[maxparot]

Hmm Are they gonna try to revive the Homelite name or head for a high end saw for the Ridgid line?

[sweensdv]

Got to choose my words carefully here.....

I have 'heard' that there won't be a Ryobi branded replacement but the group owner is working on a new TS, not a low end saw, and I prefer not to say what the brand will be. Of course everything usually changes during development.

Let the speculation begin..........

"group owner", would that be TTI?
"won't be a Ryobi branded replacement", so that leaves RIDGID or Milwaukee.
"new TS, not a low end saw", I'm guessing hybrid saw.

I speculate that the new saw will be a RIDGID Hybrid Table Saw to replace the TS3650. I hope this limb doesn't break!

[leehljp]

When Ken speaks . . .

.
.
.
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I listen!

[gwyneth]

Hey, Rockwell is marketing tools again. On Amazon right now are a router, CMS, sanders, hand-held planer, a bunch of drils (12 and 18v, hammer), angle grinder, corded and cordless jig, circular , and reciprocating saws.

And there's a corporate site, too:

http://www.rockwelltools.com/index.html

According to that site, the Rockwell brand will be on 'professional grade' tools, and the Rockwell Shop Series will be lighter duty [think Delta Shopmaster].

Interestingly for this discussion, perhaps, is that while there is a Shop Series table saw, there is not one in the higher-priced line.

A little research uncovered the fact that the new Rockwell is part of Positec Group, which is also associated with Worx.

[scorrpio]

Just to point out: Ryobi Europe still lists BT3000. And Ryobi Australia has BT3100K. The saw is definitely offered there.

[LinuxRandal]

The new saw would HAVE to be offereed under some other brand, since the borg has the exclusivity (with the refurbished exception) agreement.

So if they build a better one (aka more like Rod Kirby's with a decently functioning slider), then I will be interested, as I always wondered why they didn't cast iron their design.

[LCHIEN]

Hey, Rockwell is marketing tools again. On Amazon right now are a router, CMS, sanders, hand-held planer, a bunch of drils (12 and 18v, hammer), angle grinder, corded and cordless jig, circular , and reciprocating saws.

And there's a corporate site, too:

http://www.rockwelltools.com/index.html

According to that site, the Rockwell brand will be on 'professional grade' tools, and the Rockwell Shop Series will be lighter duty [think Delta Shopmaster].

Interestingly for this discussion, perhaps, is that while there is a Shop Series table saw, there is not one in the higher-priced line.

A little research uncovered the fact that the new Rockwell is part of Positec Group, which is also associated with Worx.

Doesn't look anything like the venerable Rockwell stationary tools of yore and the retailer list reads like a list of independent hardware stores, not the big chains and definately not woodworking stores. Says Positec since 1994... Hard to believe Delta let the copyright/trademark rights on Rockwell lapse or sold it. I think they bought or merged with Rockwell in the 70s(?), can't recall offhand. Guess I need to go to owwm.com and relearn my Delta history!

OK, OWWM Rockwell pages say that Rockwell purchased Delta in 1945 and the tools were subsequently labeled Delta-Rockwell. But in 1973 Rockwell was acquired by North American, and later (1981-1984) NA-Rockwell spun off Porter Cable and then Delta to Pentair. So while Delta supports the old Rockwell tools, it seems that Delta probably did not retain rights to the Rockwell name with regards to tools.

[gwyneth]

Doesn't look anything like the venerable Rockwell stationary tools of yore and the retailer list reads like a list of independent hardware stores, not the big chains and definately not woodworking stores.

The point isn't how much they look like the classic Rockwells. It's that the new Rockwell seems determined to offer two levels of tools: "professional" and a lower level.

The company's site describes its philosophy for the former as trying to offer a $300 tool for $150.

Is this not in tune with the the idea of the BT3xs--the sliding table, the riving knife, and so on unequalled in its price range?

Moreover, the lower grade line of the new Rockwells (slightly different bilious color scheme) has a table saw while the "professional" line does not.

And as for the retailer list, if you've got Amazon, well, you're way ahead of the game.