Why did you buy a BT3100/21829?

[jonmnelson]

I have a Craftsman 21829 and like it a lot. The first time I saw it at Sears I wasn't at all impressed. I'm sure they just slapped it together to get it on the floor, but it looked like it had so many moving parts and nothing seemed very precise. I figured it was a saw that tried to do too much and didn't do anything particularly well. Obviously, I was wrong.

Reading woodworking magazines and other web sites, you'd think that any serious hobbyist woodworker has to have a cabinet saw, or at least a contractor's saw, and that anything else is essentially a glorified circular saw that will lead to poor results and frustration and the inevitable upgrade to a "real" saw. I haven't found this to be the case -- at least not yet. I've only used the 21829 to build a few simple projects, but I have yet to encounter any serious limitations. It seems to me that with a little creativity you can do just about anything with the 21829 that you could do with a contractor's saw, and maybe even a cabinet saw. Sure, the table surface could be larger, but the SMT gives a lot of extra room to work with. It'd be nice to have miter slots, but you don't really need them with the SMT, and you can add them if you really want them. I've just started to use the built-in router table and it's pretty nice, not to mention a big space saver. The riving knife is a great feature, particularly on such a relatively inexpensive saw, and the dust collection is great. The quality of the cuts is also impressive, even with the stock blade it comes with. More power wouldn't be a bad thing, but it's also nice to be able to run the saw and my Shop Vac on the same tired circuit in my garage. Then there's the ability to fold it up and store it in a corner when I'm done, freeing up much needed space in my small shop.

I've actually been comparing the 21829 to a Jet contractor's saw and the 21829 is more than holding its own. The 21829 doesn't have the mass or table size of the contractor's saw, and may have less power, but so far it seems more than capable of doing what I need a saw to do. At the moment anyway, I'm having a hard time justifying spending the additional money for a bigger, "better" saw.

[dkerfoot]

I have the 21829.

Price was a factor but not the primary one. If I were given any TS under $1000, I'd sell it and keep the 21829. Not because the 21829 is better in the general sense, but because it is better for me.

The folding/portability is great. So is the precision and flexibility. Except for handling full-size sheet goods, I have no limitations I am aware of. The only thing I'd add in a perfect world would be "sawstop" safety functionality.

[siliconbauhaus]

I had a pos delta benchtop deathtrap. Donated it to the Sally Army when I stumbled across a review of the BT3100 and found this place. Bought a sears version of the bt3k and then sold it off to fund my real bt3k with almost all the extras. I've sold off the wtk as I really didn't have the space for it. Slapped a freud diablo blade in it and got it accurate and I'm a happy camper.

It will probably get less use in the future as I've got a festool table and saw...but no way will I get rid of it.

[BTC3K]

Another thing...

I had to learn about woodworking and I am thankfull that learning was on this site and with this saw...

[RobertB574]

Guess I did it backwards. I had never owned or used a TS. Previously I used a circular saw and sawboard. About 2 or 3 years ago my wife wanted me to build her a 2-step steps so she can get in and out of bed easily. (She is short and the bed is high.) I felt that this was justification to buy a TS.

So I got on the internet and looked. I was surprised at the cost. It seemed the decent ones started at $500 and went up from there. I could not justify that, not for the steps anyhow. So I decided on a Ryobi at BORG that cost less than $100. I think it was $89. I had visions of later maybe building a table, stand and whatever else was needed around it.

My wife wanted some stuff at BORG so she went with me the following day. She wanted to see what I wanted. I showed her. She looked at it and the others. Then pointed at the BT3100 and said get that one. I told her that it cost more than I had intended to spend. Her answer was that I would be wasting my time with the cheap one. Knowing that she had never used tools and was unfamiliar with them, I asked what did she know and what was she basing her decision on. She said she knew a good tool when she saw one. I told her to stop tempting me or I would buy it. She gave me that look (which I seem to get a lot) and then without a word left me to go do her shopping.

I did a lot of back and forth thinking. My mind had been set, set hard. It took me a while but I finally decided she was right.

Registering the BT3100 led me to the Ryobi Forums. I found lots of interesting information there, one of which was this place. And this place, BT3Central, has been like a treasure chest for me. It has really opened my world.

I am very happy with my BT3100 and have thanked my wife often.

[sparkeyjames]

I bought a house that needed a lot of work before I could move in. Had to rebuild (from the wall frames out) a hallway and 3 door frames. All had to be custom cut due to the choices of building materials of other owners before me. I cut the frame of one door with my fathers RAS and it darn near ruined them. The edges though square were sloppy and rough and needed a bit of sanding to make them nice. RAS's just don't seem to rip long boards well (could have been the blade). I also had some other future projects in mind that were beyond the capabilities of my Dewalt CMS and my fathers RAS. I almost convinced myself that I could do with a cheap low end sears table saw but when I actually went to the store and looked at them I decided I could do better.
After reading this website plus several others I decided that the Sears 21829 fit the bill quite nicely. I wanted a saw that had enough capability to do home building projects and also do small woodworking projects as well. I also liked that it is mobile so if I need to wheel it out into the driveway to cut some larger sheet goods or take it to another location I can. What really turned the trick was that the rip fence has a really solid feel too it. It travels smoothly and locks down tight and the rails give you enough room to rip a 4'x8' sheet length wise down the middle. With most of the other small cheap table saws the rip fence feels cheap and inaccurate and the rails are far to short. The included router table added to to my decision in favor of the 21829. While it does have some minor short comings I felt that none of them were deal breakers.


Jim

[Slik Geek]

(This is a BT3000 story, not a BT3100)...

I had a vintage Craftsman 8" tablesaw that I bought from my grandma after my grandpa died. I did a few things with it, but found it very frustrating because the "fence" could be more accurately called a "gate". (It tended to pivot rather than remain stationary). There was no such thing as a consistent cut on that saw.

I attempted to adjust and shim the fence to fix the problem but had limited success.

A good friend invited me over to see his new tablesaw - it was a BT3000. He let me do a project on the saw and I fell in love. The cuts were precise and repeatable.

LOML noticed my intense enjoyment and extreme envy. She scraped together some cash and surprised me at Christmas with a BT3000 that she bought at Menards. (I've since repaid her with numerous projects).

[gary]

I bought my BT3100 mainly because it included a riving knife and the fact that it could be fitted with a Shark Guard. I wanted a reasonably accurate saw that was safe.

I'm now half way through switching to the dark side and have a PM2000 now sitting in my shoip but never powered up yet. I think it should be making sawdust in another week or so. The main reasons I got that saw was the riving knife and massive construction.

My BT will go up for sale soon and I hope to find some new woodworker get started with a safe and accurate saw.

[leehljp]

I took a chance on it at a local HD in the Memphis area. The tool salesman tried to get me to buy a heavier Ridgid brand. I liked the SMT. I had seen ads for the Precision saw for nearly a decade; Had seen the same (then) $400 saw in Japan for $2000. I had also seen something about the development of it in which it was designed purposely around precision that also eliminated the need for cast iron as a vibration dampener. I read about that later several times on the Ryobi forum after I bought it. I kinda like new technology and am often in the first group to purchase a new item that shows promise.

I bought it and was floored at it accuracy. I had an older Sears contractor's saw here in Japan. I also had my dad's Unisaw at my home in the States and sold it. It had power, a nickle would stand on it but some kind of fine vibe would make things constantly work loose or out of adjustment.

After getting the BT, I had it shipped to Japan and use it here. I bought another one to use in the States at my home there and at my daughter's for fixing up her house when needed.

My number one want and need in a saw was precision. Power was not an issue for me. I could stand slower feed rate if the saw was accurate to begin with. For me, as in another post here recently, The SMT and fence and the rip fence hold its settings and alignment through dozens and dozens of removals and replacements. Something my old Sears and the Unisaw could only dream of.

If I had spent a $1000 dollars on it, I could not have been happier. If Someone gave me $2500 to buy a Unisaw or $400 to buy the 3000 again, and knowing what I know now, I would take the $400 and buy a BT again. Not because I am cheap or frugal but because I like the features, accuracy and (for me) its ability to hold its alignment. The only advantage a Unisaw would give me is weight (which I don't need), durability from falling 2 X 4s (except on the fence) and more power, which I don't need either.

[sawbones1]

Two for one!

I bought mine after considering a large cabinet saw. I wanted table size for cutting sheet goods. A friend of mine was super satisfied with his BT3000 and said "why don't you buy two BT3100's and put them together." He hooked me up with this site and the "Frankensaw". The best part is that I spent less on the two saws than I would have on a Delta or Powermatic cabinet saw. I built a base with dimensional lumber and a sheet of MDF. So far, I am very happy with the saw.

[drumpriest]

The RK was a big motivating factor for me. I had to talk my wife into letting me pay that much for a table saw, which I now find funny, given my PM2000 purchase. I felt that this was the best saw for the money for a number of reasons, and certainly safety was chief among them...

[Lonnie in Orlando]

I bought my BT3000 in 1996. Ryobi was advertising the BT3000 in all of the woodworking mags. I was hooked. The SMT and the router table were the biggest selling features to me.

Price was $499. I had a 25%-off coupon, so I jumped on it. Rented a trailer. Pulled it home. Set it up in a garage that we had just built. I still remember the first cut. WOW, was it smooth!

As johmnelson noted earlier in this thread, I would like a larger table, miter slots might be nice, and it could have a little more power. But this saw has done everything that I have asked of it -- and often better than my friends who have larger saws and larger shops. Plus the dust collection is second to none.

- Lonnie

[footprintsinconc]

when i was looking for a TS, i just had to compare what was out there. like i said before, i am not much of an internet person, so i barely even looked online for review or sites ....

i didnt want to spend over $350, so i went to all the store: wood worker's source, timber land, woodcraft, lowes, and HD. i found that the bt3100 had the most options for the buck. i didnt even know that you there was a table for a router until i saw and read the options on the bt3100 . so i had a 10% coupon from HD, and i pulled the plug on the bt3100.

after big purchases, i always 2nd guessing my deal and choice. so at work, i mentioned it to a friend who does some ww, and he said that his friend here in phx had one and he loved it. that boosted me spirit. however, the ultimate boost came when i found this website! i couldnt find any site dedicated by the name of any other saw. that is when i on big things every now and then i read online reviews and do some searching before making the purchase.

it sat in my garage in the box for one whole year before i took it out of the box and assembled it. my first project using this saw was a 5 long x 9 ft tall x 25" deep cabinet in the garage.

[JoeyGee]

While I was in the proces of selling my old house and buying a new one, I decided to get out of WWing. I was going to be going back to school, and we had our third daughter on the way, so I just didn't have time. I sold some of my tools, including my TS.

That didn't last long. I knew I was going to have a few small projects coming up that I had intended to use a circular saw for. Well, once you have a decent TS, a CS is a real step down. I decided I couldn't ever give up WWing, so I started looking. I was an active member at Woodnet, so I had the opinion the BT is a "toy" and members here are just fanatical nutjobs .

Anyway, I had already started looking at this site because I liked the atmosphere much better than Woodnet. HD at the time was advertising the BT3100 for $200, minus the $50 rebate. I bought it, and have kicked myself everyday since for not buying 2 (or 3).

[movnup]

My purchase was due to my wife ..... I have a bad personal trait of when I go out and buy a major purchase I always want the best or a close second. I needed a decent table saw in order to rip some boards on my big deck project and starting researching / pricing cabinet saws. I was ready to toss some serious money at it and my significant other said "your going to spend how much on this ??? we need xxyy, yyxx, zzxx". To make a long story short I found a used BT3 for $80 bucks on CraigsList that was all rusted up. After a lot of elbow grease and new paint it's in great shape again.

The main reason I like this saw is that it's a lot like a really cool old car that you can easily customize to make it unique to your needs. After putting a forrest blade on it, a router table, miter slots when needed, and various inserts you can set it up for just about anything and feel safe / accurate while you're cutting away. It's been a really fun mental challenge and increased my woodworking skill set quite a bit trying to come up with different ways to use the saw (either from the numerous forum members ideas or stuff I've created on my own). Maybe someday I'll buy the cabinet saw but for now with what I've learned along the way I'm a great fan of the BT3 !!!