Finally ready to align everything

[tjr]

So I finally moved my BT3000 (13 amp) out to the garage and put it all together - mounted saw to stand, put on rails, SMT, fence, aux table + an extra aux table from the 15 amp saw. Now I've got to get everything at least marginally lined up. First project is to rip and crosscut some 2x's and crating for garage and basement storage, so it doesn't have to be super precise, but still I would like to learn how to use the saw properly.

Should I just follow the directions in the manual? What's the best order to do the procedures? What tools to use to check the blade tilt for 90 and 45 degrees? Is there a tutorial on this site (didn't see one but maybe I looked in the wrong place)?

Also, this thing came with a 60 tooth Oldham finishing blade which I suppose is not ideal for ripping. Is there a relatively cheap general-purpose combo blade like the original Ryobi that'd work? Should I grab a rip blade?

[crokett]

I would use a good square to check the angles. For a decent combination blade, I use a Porter Cable Razor. As far as the order of alignment, I am not sure it matters to align the SMT first or the rip fence first.

What I use to align my saw is a jig designed by Lonnie In Orlando. Find a piece of stock that is jointed square. On one face glue magnets so that when they are stuck to the blade they fit between the teeth on opposite sides of the arbor. At the other end of the jig and the opposite face drive a nail so that you have about 2" of nail sticking out. Now raise the blade to full height. Mark one tooth. Stick the jig to the blade and slide the SMT all the way forward. Slide the fence over so that it just touches the nail head. Now turn the blade so the marked tooth is in the back and flip the jig to put the nail in the back. Slide the SMT all the way back. The edge of the fence should just brush the nail. If it doesn't, follow the instructions on the manual to turn the adjusting screws till it does.

You can use the same jig to adjust your rip fence. I have mine adjusted so that when the fence is up against the nail head in front there is about a playing card thickness of space between the nail head and the fence at the back. This helps prevent kickback.

[BobSch]

I would use a good square to check the angles.

And make sure your square really is square. Nothing worse than spending time setting up your saw and then trying to figure out why it doesn't cut square.

[LCHIEN]

a decent rip blade like a 24-tooth thin kerf Freud will run you about $25 at Lowes or HD.

And rip a whole heck of a lot better than your 60-T whose gullets will be too small to carry off the cuttings.