Problem: Top Down - Blade Not Parallel to Base

**leehljp** · 01-25-2009, 11:57 PM

Welcome!

This used to be a concern some years ago but in actuality it is not a problem. I hope someone else can chime in on this in more detail. Basically and short answer is that the fence and sliding miter tables are adjustable and therefore aligned to the blade. One of our best users on this forum had a BT with that "feature" as in your drawing. He made the most square cuts of anyone and somehow never let a molecule of sawdust escape either.

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**Mr__Bill** · 01-26-2009, 12:07 AM

I too have a BT3000 and trued my top to the blade using the percussion method. Which is to say I loosened the nuts holding the top to the innards and then tapped with a heavy mallet until it was true. It took some time and it's as true as I can measure (not saying much). I trued to the left side and when I was done the fence lined up nicely. You could avoid all this and just adjust the fence to the blade and forget about the table. I squared the top so that I could just use a space block to check the SMT for square to the blade/table. I expect that there is a much easier way to square the table to the blade.

Bill,

**Ed62** · 01-26-2009, 09:00 AM

Welcome aboard. Check out my signature line for a nice writeup on kickback, written by another member.

Ed

**shoottx** · 01-26-2009, 09:10 AM

First, welcome aboard. This is a great site with wonderful folks.

Second, if you are a user of a BT3k or some variant, this place is chock full of information and knowledgeable people.

There are several sources of information;

Send Loring Chien (LChien) a PM (with your e-mail address) for a copy of the BT3 FAQ

Look here for a bunch of helpful hints http://www.bt3central.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Look at these archives for a wealth of information http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=28720

Add use the search feature to research any topic, there is a wealth of information already recorded.

And next ask a question. You will get answers, ranging from expert advice to silly comments but all in good form and spirit.

In addition if you will review the user manual and all of the instructions for setting the fence and the SMT you will see they are set in reference to the saw blade. Setting everything in relation to the saw blade is one of the unique features of the BT3000. Most of the other saws are set and adjusted to the table.
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**Tom Miller** · 01-26-2009, 09:58 AM

Blade misalignment to the tabletop ribs is purely cosmetic. Unlike saws with miter slots machined into the table, this saw has a miter slot only as an accessory, that you align to the blade when you install it.

If you can get over the psychological impact, you're good to go -- that's what I did. Then, just align the rip fence to the blade, and likewise for the SMT.

Good luck, and welcome!

Regards,
Tom

**LCHIEN** · 01-26-2009, 10:49 AM

the BT3 FAQ explains this all in great detail.

bascally with no builtin miter slot the table alignment is unimportant as the SMT and fence can be aligned to the blade. This makes the whole system much more inexpensive or shall we say cost effective.
If you add a miter slot the miter slot is adjustable.

**Black wallnut** · 01-26-2009, 11:11 AM

As others have already said your issue is only an issue in your mind. With the BT3x series of saws both the rip fence and SMT are aligned with the blade and not the table. Since the angle of the blade to front rail is the same for the entire width of the saw as long as either is parallel to the blade at any point they will be parallel anywhere along the rail. For this reason when using the SMT always lock the front first then back. Ryobi did not design the saw to have the top ribs parallel to the blade, just generally running in the same direction. I normally do not say it but Read and understand the manual prior to using. Without understanding how to align your fence and SMT can result as you've found out ina very dangerous condition. The manual is available as a PDF elsewhere on this site as well as on Ryobi's site.

Welcome aboard!

**Hoover** · 01-26-2009, 11:24 AM

Are you using the riving knife on the saw? Also ensure your rip fence is parallel to the saw blade. You shouldn't be getting kick back if the above conditions are met.

**gimpy** · 01-26-2009, 06:39 PM

Here are three other sites (possibly same as mentioned above-did not check) that discusses allignment, although I don't think alligning the table was one of the options.

http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/3k.htm

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=33234

http://www.benchmark.20m.com/tools/B...3100index.html

hth, Frank

**atanguay** · 02-02-2009, 05:53 PM

Good stuff!

Interesting.

Thanks everybody for the info!

I do see what you're saying...and it does make sense. I guess I was sort of being picky about the alignment. But I have to say, it was really quite off. The good news is that with my sort of rough handling alignment, things are much better and I made a really cool fireplace mantle to hold a new LCD TV I got. It went together more properly than anything I've ever built with the saw.

But at the same time it does seem to me that although it's only important to have the fence run parallel as far as the blade is concerned, it would seem that another thing to worry about would be the SMT. And the SMT (should) be running very parallel to the grooves on the main body, I would think. Because if you're trusting that a piece ran through the saw by pushing the SMT is cutting square, you're trusting that the SMT rails are parallel to the blade...no?

Thanks again for all the good info...you guys know your saws!
Andy

**Black wallnut** · 02-02-2009, 09:24 PM

Andy, The SMT needs to be adjusted to the blade not the table! The steps for alignment are found in the users manual also available here on BT3Central
Make sure you follow the step word ofr word and in the correct order. First make sure the SMT base is parallel then and only then adjust the table top on the base so that when the miter fence is set to 0� that it is 90� to the blade with a square that you have proved square. Then after the SMT top is adjusted remove all side to side slack. Once this is don recheck every thing again unitl it is perfect. Once it is perfect it should stay that way. If it is adjusted anywhere along the rail it will be in the same exact relationship to the blade anywhere along the rail. If it helps think of it as a parallelagram rather than a square.

**atanguay** · 02-02-2009, 09:29 PM

Thanks Wallnut...I just noticed that in the last hour after reading Phil Thien's page about the subject. I'm learning!

Problem: Top Down - Blade Not Parallel to Base

Problem: Top Down - Blade Not Parallel to Base

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