3100 blade depth super hard to adjust

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  • Brian G
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2003
    • 993
    • Bloomington, Minnesota.
    • G0899

    #16
    Originally posted by greenacres2
    I wasn't familiar with that, but it makes some sense given the symptoms. When my elevation shaft is grunged up, it gets harder to turn both ways, though down is always easier than up. I'd think that gears not quite meshing would be way more noticable when working against gravity--is that one of the clues??

    earl
    My opinion is, yes. I also replaced the two metallic washers with nylon washers when I had it apart once. Seemed to make a difference, but that was several years ago.
    Brian

    Comment

    • leehljp
      Just me
      • Dec 2002
      • 8429
      • Tunica, MS
      • BT3000/3100

      #17
      Originally posted by Brian G
      My opinion is, yes. I also replaced the two metallic washers with nylon washers when I had it apart once. Seemed to make a difference, but that was several years ago.
      Brian,

      Time befuddles my mind. I had thought that this was, for some reason, primarily a 3100 problem but you have a 3000 if I remember correctly. I didn't notice people mentioning the gear problem until around the time the 3100 came out. Probably wrong assumptions on my part. Glad you mentioned this.
      Hank Lee

      Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

      Comment

      • smithb9
        Forum Newbie
        • Mar 2013
        • 9
        • Boston MA
        • BT3100

        #18
        ugh, this stupid saw

        blade depth adjust got so bad last night that the knob wouldn't even turn. Took the right cover off, fiddled with the threaded screws and that bolt a bit, even took one of the shear screws out of a gear to see if the issue was in there, no dice.

        took the left cover off, dust shroud cover off, blade off... I can get the depth to move almost as good as my buddy's craftsman 21829 if I loosen the 4 screws and 2 bearing holder screws by a lot, so its definitely the shim assembly that is jamming it up. Rubbed a candle on all 3 faces of the rails and tightened the screws back to just barely hand tight, it works better now, but still not good.

        What am I missing or doing wrong?

        Comment

        • Brian G
          Senior Member
          • Jun 2003
          • 993
          • Bloomington, Minnesota.
          • G0899

          #19
          Originally posted by leehljp
          Brian,

          Time befuddles my mind. I had thought that this was, for some reason, primarily a 3100 problem but you have a 3000 if I remember correctly. I didn't notice people mentioning the gear problem until around the time the 3100 came out. Probably wrong assumptions on my part. Glad you mentioned this.
          I have a 3100.

          smithb9, I speculate that if you did have a shim problem and have had a hard time with raising and lowering, by now you'd have stripped the threads in the the aluminum motor housing that the threaded rod runs through. If that's not the case, then your observation about it being closer to the hand wheel would be more correct.

          On the other hand (besides all of your fingers, hopefully!) you may have purchased a saw where the original owner stripped the threads and didn't know it or didn't tell you.

          You're not going to know for sure until you go through the hassle of a complete tear down.
          Brian

          Comment

          • leehljp
            Just me
            • Dec 2002
            • 8429
            • Tunica, MS
            • BT3000/3100

            #20
            Before you panic - in case the thread ARE stripped, you can get a thread insert from a hardware or automotive parts store and thread it into the stripped housing. This has been done by others.
            Hank Lee

            Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

            Comment

            • Brian G
              Senior Member
              • Jun 2003
              • 993
              • Bloomington, Minnesota.
              • G0899

              #21
              What Lee said is true. That's what many of us did before motor brackets were available without a motor attached.

              Replacement motor brackets are now available at places like www.m-and-d.com for about $26 + shipping.

              I initially went the helicoil route, but had to spend more for the threaded insert and drill bit than what the replacement part now costs. Some guy that used to post here borrowed the bit and intended to purchase a threaded insert from me, but didn't come through and disappeared.
              Brian

              Comment

              • smithb9
                Forum Newbie
                • Mar 2013
                • 9
                • Boston MA
                • BT3100

                #22
                the threaded stuff all seems fine, when I took the shear screw out of the gear on the handwheel shaft, both the handwheel shaft and elevation screw easily turned. It wasn't until I loosened those 4 screws on the blade side that hold the shim/motor/etc assembly together that I got the motor assembly to move up/down easier.

                I used the saw briefly last night, it seemed to move better after having waxed the rails the night before, maybe the best it's moved so far. Maybe it just needs some up & down to work the wax into the rails for better sliding? I'm hoping that's the case, it's been driving me nuts! (especially being an engineer, hah).

                Comment

                • nicer20
                  Established Member
                  • Sep 2007
                  • 365
                  • Dublin, CA
                  • BT3100

                  #23
                  Apologies for resurrecting this old thread but I feel like -

                  Oh wow !! Is that "smithb9" actually me who had travelled back to the future?

                  My problems are exactly the same, to the T - including having bought a used BT3100.

                  Back in summer I opened the saw, disassembled the housing and lubricated it. Got it to raise a little easier but didn't use it significantly until the recent holiday break. Now as I started using it over the break I am back to square one. Raising is so difficult - lowering is a tad bit easier.

                  I have read all the FAQ.

                  My shims appear in place.

                  I just found this thread and I am going to check the nut at the end of the elevation shaft as Brian G has suggested. But so far reading what Smithb9 has gone through, I don't have high hope on that

                  Wondering if smithb9 is still around and ever found the root cause of the problem and an associated fix.

                  One question I have is - are there any torque specs for the 4 motor housing screws that hold the motor housing, shim assembly? Is it possible they are too tight and preventing easy sliding of bracket?

                  Thanks in advance,

                  NG
                  Last edited by nicer20; 01-22-2021, 07:25 PM.

                  Comment


                  • LCHIEN
                    LCHIEN commented
                    Editing a comment
                    SMithB9 last activity was 3/3/2014
                • LCHIEN
                  Internet Fact Checker
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 20913
                  • Katy, TX, USA.
                  • BT3000 vintage 1999

                  #24
                  My BT3 FAQ has a lengthy enumeration of all the reasons why a blade is hard to elevate.
                  Most often the first reason is sawdust jamming the elevation screw.
                  A clean saw is a happy saw.
                  Forcing things on A BT3 is never a good idea.
                  Last edited by LCHIEN; 01-22-2021, 08:29 PM.
                  Loring in Katy, TX USA
                  If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                  BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                  Comment

                  • leehljp
                    Just me
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 8429
                    • Tunica, MS
                    • BT3000/3100

                    #25
                    For me, the one time I had problem raising but not lowering it was that I had the riving knife pushed a tad to much to the rear and it was rubbing the throat plate.
                    Hank Lee

                    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                    Comment

                    • nicer20
                      Established Member
                      • Sep 2007
                      • 365
                      • Dublin, CA
                      • BT3100

                      #26
                      Originally posted by LCHIEN
                      My BT3 FAQ lists all the reasons why a blade is hard to elevate.
                      Most often the first reason is sawdust jamming the elevation screw.
                      A clean saw is a happy saw.
                      Forcing things on A BT3 is never a good idea.
                      Thanks Lee,

                      I understand and will clean again. However back in summer I did clean it almost to the bones including disassembly of the bracket and shims and applied paste wax etc. Even then the saw never really slid smoothly right after that. It just got a tad better for some time. Hence I am looking for other possible problems and solutions.

                      Thanks again.

                      Oh BTW I do see that bracket which Brian G mentioned is available for purchase. But if I understand the diagram correctly, then the threads that get stripped are in the motor housing and not in the bracket that slides up and down. Can someone confirm my understanding before I order?

                      Thanks (and always appreciate the help provided on this group).

                      - NG

                      Comment

                      • nicer20
                        Established Member
                        • Sep 2007
                        • 365
                        • Dublin, CA
                        • BT3100

                        #27
                        Originally posted by leehljp
                        For me, the one time I had problem raising but not lowering it was that I had the riving knife pushed a tad to much to the rear and it was rubbing the throat plate.
                        Thanks leehljp - I read about it in the FAQ but I get the problem even when the riving knife assembly is completely removed.

                        - NG

                        Comment

                        • Jim Frye
                          Veteran Member
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 1051
                          • Maumee, OH, USA.
                          • Ryobi BT3000 & BT3100

                          #28
                          I would say the screw thread elevation mechanism needs cleaning. I lubed mine with a graphite lube years ago and it still moves with ease. I also use a shopvac attached to the saw whenever it's used. This helps keep things clean. My saw is completely enclosed so the only opening is the area around the front tilt quadrant and the throat plate. This also keeps the lift/tilt mechanism clean.
                          Jim Frye
                          The Nut in the Cellar.
                          ”Sawdust Is Man Glitter”

                          Comment

                          • d_meister
                            Established Member
                            • Feb 2009
                            • 184
                            • La Conner, WA.
                            • BT3000

                            #29
                            All dry lubes are not the same. I have locked up my elevator screw with a dose of dry lube. It was hard to operate, then I sprayed it. It locked up right away. As Loring has said many times; paste wax is a good lube for that.
                            Many people say wet lubes like oil will cause the screw to jam up with sawdust,, but I've ignored that and it turned out fine. My saw has the heli-coil steel threads from an earlier mishap, though. Aluminum threads may be different. I have a can of LiquiMoly aerosol grease, that sprays out liquid and congeals to a grease. It's been just fine, over many years, and I can't be accused of cleaning the guts to the saw excessively, either. Innocent!

                            Comment

                            • nicer20
                              Established Member
                              • Sep 2007
                              • 365
                              • Dublin, CA
                              • BT3100

                              #30
                              Originally posted by Jim Frye
                              I also use a shopvac attached to the saw whenever it's used. This helps keep things clean. My saw is completely enclosed so the only opening is the area around the front tilt quadrant and the throat plate. This also keeps the lift/tilt mechanism clean.
                              Thanks Jim,

                              Yes I have a shopvac with dust separator connected to the dust port of the saw. Enclosing the saw especially from the bottom is on the "To Do" list.

                              - NG

                              Comment

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