(sigh)..... shim replacement challenges....

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  • durango dude
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2011
    • 934
    • a thousand or so feet above insanity
    • 50s vintage Craftsman Contractor Saw

    (sigh)..... shim replacement challenges....

    Okay - one shim dropped out completely from my BT3000 --- and another shim is severly torn and bent --- and will drop out, soon.

    I ordered parts. Sears sent the wrong screws for the four screws that hold the guide to the motor.

    Then - I noticed that one of the machine screws holding the guide - was stripped.

    (guessing there have been previous attempts to replace the shims)

    Here's where the problems start:

    a) I ordered screw extractor kit from Harbor Freight --- big mistake. Drill bit broke almost immediately.

    b) I'm now stuck with broken shims, and a partially rounded-out screw --- with a broken drill bit.

    How the heck do I get this dang screw out???

    I'm not a machinist, and don't really want to tear down my bt3000 and take it to one.

    Comment - ryobi seems to have used some really crappy quality screws.
  • herb fellows
    Veteran Member
    • Apr 2007
    • 1867
    • New York City
    • bt3100

    #2
    If it is truly stripped (spinning in the wind, so to speak), you might be able to glue a nail head of the same size onto it and bring it out that way.
    If you need to get some real bite into it, I'm afraid you'll have to get (or borrow?) another screw extractor.
    Virtually every guy I know has bought a set at one time or another that is laying about somewhere, I'd ask a few buddies and see what you come up with first.
    You don't need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice.

    Comment

    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      I would suggest locating a supplier with GOOD fastener removal supplies. Granger, McMaster Carr, MSC are some of the larger quality suppliers, or a local supplier at a quality auto parts house like NAPA or equavelent. I would try to find one with a left hand twist drill bit. Sometimes the LH drill bit will remove the screw without using the screw extractor. Don't give up that easily because taking the saw apart still will not have the broken screw out, although you may have to take it apart some to get a good shot at the parts with the drill.
      Capncarl

      Comment

      • pelligrini
        Veteran Member
        • Apr 2007
        • 4217
        • Fort Worth, TX
        • Craftsman 21829

        #4
        You might get some ideas from this thread on the screws: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=53188

        I've had good results with the Grabit extractors.
        Erik

        Comment

        • Black wallnut
          cycling to health
          • Jan 2003
          • 4715
          • Ellensburg, Wa, USA.
          • BT3k 1999

          #5
          Which screw? Perhaps you can remove the other three, drill the stripped one enough for the head to pop off. Then after separating the parts use a vise grip to remove the stripped one. I'm assuming that by stripped you mean the head.
          Donate to my Tour de Cure


          marK in WA and Ryobi Fanatic Association State President ©

          Head servant of the forum

          ©

          Comment

          • durango dude
            Senior Member
            • Mar 2011
            • 934
            • a thousand or so feet above insanity
            • 50s vintage Craftsman Contractor Saw

            #6
            My problem child is the bottom left corner screw on the guide holder.

            Unfortunately, the screw is set down inside the guide - so I can't really use pliers or grips to work the screw out.

            I'm really curisng Ryobi, right now (to be fair - I should likely be cursing whoever put the screws in like this - who isn't necessarily Ryobi).

            Comment

            • Black wallnut
              cycling to health
              • Jan 2003
              • 4715
              • Ellensburg, Wa, USA.
              • BT3k 1999

              #7
              1/4" drill carefully drill the head off.
              Donate to my Tour de Cure


              marK in WA and Ryobi Fanatic Association State President ©

              Head servant of the forum

              ©

              Comment

              • dbhost
                Slow and steady
                • Apr 2008
                • 9209
                • League City, Texas
                • Ryobi BT3100

                #8
                Make absolutely certain you are using safety glasses when drilling anything, but particularly metal!

                CAREFULLY drill the head off of the screw, Extract the component in question, and then get a good tight grip on the remaining piece of screw with vise grips and unscrew it.

                Chances are better than good that the screw is probably cross threaded into its threads, not a fault of the screw, but rather the fault of a defective screwdriver operator... Been there done that a few too many times when I am impatient... It is always best to start a screw by hand...

                Anyway, once you get that apart, take one of the good screws into Ace Hardware, or another decent hardware store, match up the screw with a new one, and get yourself a replacement screw...

                FWIW, I am no HF hater, but their bits, and blades have left a sour taste in my mouth... Simply put, the metals they use, and the process they are using is just too cheap... Too soft to be of any use...

                I have gotten a LOT of very good service out of my B&D bits, and you don't want to know about my screw extractor set. It was SPENDY... But I was making a living with those tools at the time so it was a worthwhile investment...

                If you don't think you can drill the head of the screw off safely, see if you can enlist a car enthusiast friend with some mechanical skills. Most of those guys know how to work with metals...
                Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                Comment

                • durango dude
                  Senior Member
                  • Mar 2011
                  • 934
                  • a thousand or so feet above insanity
                  • 50s vintage Craftsman Contractor Saw

                  #9
                  Update ---

                  It's fixed!!! No more wobble.

                  Went to ACE hardware, picked up a left hand bit from Vermont American.

                  Drilled and removed the rounded out screw with the extractor (which worked fine)

                  Shims were easy to replace.

                  one thing to watch for ---- the machine screws on either side of the arbor go into (I think) an arbor shim. Make sure that part is aligned when you put the screws back in. If you don't -- the saw makes a really disturbing sound when you start it back up (and you need to take the whole thing apart, again).


                  Thinking I might want to buy more shims for the future.

                  Comment

                  • Skaning
                    Forum Newbie
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 63

                    #10
                    A bit late now for you but possibly in the future. I had the stripped lift screw problem many moons ago. This really necessitated pulling the whole blasted thing apart so I could drill and retap for a helicoil. Doing that, the shim assembly had to come apart and this was a Craftsman rebadged 3000. Getting those shims back in, for me at least, was a major PITA. I tried dry, grease and I forget what until I hit on Contact cement. Just a couple dabs on the shim and the frame and things stay together and don't move. The problem on the older saws is that the shims bend at the top and slide down and eventually get torn up. The contact cement prevents that. I had reason to go back in there about 10 years later. Turns out I didn't really have to but I was chasing a hard lift problem and overreacted. Those shims were right where I had installed them the first time, contact cement was still holding them.

                    Comment

                    • wardprobst
                      Senior Member
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 681
                      • Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
                      • Craftsman 22811

                      #11
                      Here
                      is a method for reducing/eliminating shim problems.
                      DP
                      www.wardprobst.com

                      Comment

                      • Whaler
                        Veteran Member
                        • Dec 2002
                        • 3281
                        • Sequim, WA, USA.
                        • DW746

                        #12
                        Years ago I had to replace the shims on my BT3000, rather than repair a problem with a part that was likely to fail again I converted to the BT3100 shim system. It was only about $20.00 extra in parts and no additional work to install. Wish I still had that saw.
                        Dick

                        http://www.picasaweb.google.com/rgpete2/

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