10 day status report on my BT3000

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  • woodynoob
    Forum Newbie
    • Apr 2013
    • 42

    10 day status report on my BT3000

    Executive Summary: "I love my BT3000!"

    Details:
    I had chats with a couple board members and learned a lot about the saw's capabilities. The only two parts I'm missing now are one of the wrenches and the SMT. I thought I couldn't change the blade out without the larger wrench, but one of the board members gave me a 'if you absolutely have to' technique by jamming a piece of wood in the blade to keep it from turning! Wasn't pretty, but it worked!

    I went through the parts schematics and noticed that the accessories table was installed on the left side, instead of the right, which explained this strange gap left of the blade. However, until I have a SMT, that is where it will stay. I cut down some wood to fill the gap temporarily. (my first BT accessory!)

    Let's see what else... Oh, I found the long rails to be difficult to adjust, so (again, on a board member's advice) took then off, shop-vac'd the dust and lubed them. Slides nicely and locks down great!

    Raising and lowering the saw blade is a bit difficult. I'm not sure what's going on there... Not a real problem right now though.

    Oh, and when I put the Diablo D1040X blade (another board member's advice) and adjusted the height properly...and learned how to adjust the riving knife (all of this is brand new info to me!)... the cuts are amazing! OK, I just went through pine, but it went through reasonably quickly and was quite smooth. Sigh...

    I've been answering Craigslist ads for free wood. Picked up some 1 inch plywood from a house remodeling site (one piece is too massive for this saw, so need to shop for some hand tools..sigh..) and some beautiful melamine backed particle (seems high quality though). This is to practice my cutting techniques with different materials. My understanding that cutting particle board can mess up nice blades, so won't be doing that until I learn more. I'm sure I will get some hardwoods too.

    I signed up for a 3 hours class at Woodcraft on Table Saw 101, which besides the basic safety and anatomy of the saw will go into tuning and maintenance. If I can get the table saw working as it should (tuned/calibrated/etc), then I can focus on my own skills.

    Thanks all for your support!

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

    #2
    Raising and lowering the saw blade is a bit difficult. I'm not sure what's going on there... Not a real problem right now though.
    That's possibly the infamous shim problem.

    It's not hard to fix - but it's going to take some time.

    Welcome to the BT3x world.

    Comment

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

      #3
      Originally posted by woodynoob
      Raising and lowering the saw blade is a bit difficult. I'm not sure what's going on there... Not a real problem right now though.
      Probably just needs to be cleaned and lubed like your rails. Be sure to clean the crown gears. I've found that paste wax works the best and longest for me. I've tried a myriad of dry lubes and some others.
      Erik

      Comment

      • LCHIEN
        Internet Fact Checker
        • Dec 2002
        • 20920
        • Katy, TX, USA.
        • BT3000 vintage 1999

        #4
        I would second the cleaning and lube (properly done is important) of the elevation components of the saw. Esp. for a BT3000.
        I use wax on the vertical ways of the locker bracket on which the blade arbor and motor are located. Johnson's paste wax or other silicone-free paste furniture wax. lube the exposed parts, raise the locker bracket and lube the other exposed parts (particularly clean the crown gear and wax lube the vertical screw drive shaft). Will work much better (unless you've lost the shims already).
        Last edited by LCHIEN; 04-23-2013, 08:56 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

        • chopnhack
          Veteran Member
          • Oct 2006
          • 3779
          • Florida
          • Ryobi BT3100

          #5
          Congrats and good for you Aaron. Just make sure that the freecycle wood doesn't have nails or staples in it. That diablo is a gem of a blade and fairly inexpensive too. I would suggest your first project be a push stick of some sort.
          I think in straight lines, but dream in curves

          Comment

          • LCHIEN
            Internet Fact Checker
            • Dec 2002
            • 20920
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #6
            if you are going to frequent free wood sources (scrap, recycled, used etc), it might be wise to buy a handheld metal detector wand to check your stash before cutting. they work well but you have to remember to check first! Will save your carbide tipped blades from damage. Only about $20
            Whether you're a seasoned artisan or a novice enthusiast, shop Woodcraft for expert advice, unbeatable prices, superior brands, and a woodworking experience like no other. Explore our vast selection of premium wood, tools, and accessories, meticulously curated to fuel your passion for creating timeless pieces.



            Last edited by LCHIEN; 04-23-2013, 11:47 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

            • Sawatzky
              Established Member
              • Apr 2005
              • 359
              • CA
              • Ridgid TS3650

              #7
              I second the metal detector! I trashed a fairly new Woodworker II blade to a nail!

              Comment

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