Blade adjustment handle won't raise or lower blade

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  • dw833
    Forum Newbie
    • Apr 2013
    • 8

    Blade adjustment handle won't raise or lower blade

    I have a BT3100. This past week the saw got to a point where turning the adjustment handle won't raise or lower blade. Cleaned and lubed saw about a month ago. It has been difficult to raise blade for a while before that. Cleaning and lubing helped a little.

    Reopened saw and got into the motor assembly and looked around. Could not see anything wrong. Noticed that the handle did not turn any part of the shaft from the handle to the elevation screw/gears or elevation screw/gears themselves.

    At a loss to what to do next. Any suggestions are appreciated.
  • LCHIEN
    Internet Fact Checker
    • Dec 2002
    • 20920
    • Katy, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 vintage 1999

    #2
    its my educated guess that:
    Your saw needs cleaning; internally the dust has gotten to the point where the gears and elevation mechanism are jammed. Also lubricate the vertical screw thread shaft along its length with a dry-lube (so it won't attract and hold sawdust), making sure to lube the point where it engages the motor assembly.


    the other common reason for this is that you assembled the blade guard assy with thing tilted backwards and it is dragging on the edge of the opening in the table as you lower the blade, but since you too the saw apart and tried it you say, that's not likely.

    If its not the above then its possible you have let the jammed up ting go too long and forced it and now you have stripped threads on the bracket that raises and loweres the motor assy - the vertical screw is steel but the hole in the bracket is aluminum and relatively soft. See the following:

    excerpt from the FAQ
    Last edited by LCHIEN; 07-01-2013, 12:05 AM.
    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

    • JimD
      Veteran Member
      • Feb 2003
      • 4187
      • Lexington, SC.

      #3
      Nothing wrong with what Loring said but I have to remind myself that it is a plastic wheel trying to rotate a steel shaft. The weak link, by design, is the handle. The hole will become oversize so it can rotate on the shaft. Once you have access, with the saw unplugged, you can try and rotate the gears by hand. Or from outside you can remove the throat plate and the handwheel and rotate the shaft with a pair of pliers. If the blade goes up and down, you know it is lubriation of the aluminum casting the blade arbor is in versus the aluminum casting the motor is in. You should not apply a lot of force because you can strip the threads in the aluminum motor housing.

      Jim

      Comment

      • jabe
        Senior Member
        • Apr 2006
        • 566
        • Hilo, Hawaii
        • Ryobi BT3000 & Delta Milwaukee 10" tilting Table circular saw

        #4
        I had a similar experience. I took apart the handle shaft assembly all the way back to the tilting gear,clutch and cleaned everything then waxed or dry lubed all the parts. The clutch needs to slide freely on the handle shaft to able to engage/disengage. When reassembling make sure the the tilt/raise lever can engage/disengage the gear. Hope this helps.

        Comment

        • dw833
          Forum Newbie
          • Apr 2013
          • 8

          #5
          Blade adjustment handle won't raise or lower blade

          Tried to upload some images, but no success. Instead, included link to images and video on photobucket.

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          I've cleaned and lubed everything again, but still can't raise blade.
          I took the saw off the stand and placed it upside down. I noticed that when I change the bevel angle settings, I see the handle turn and rotate the motor assembly to a different angle. So I know the handle engages the gear rack.

          Also, when I return the bevel locking lever back to the other position and turn the handle. The small pin does slide into the slot on the shaft that connects to the bevel gears (see image at link above). However, when I turn the handle at this point nothing happens.

          For jabe, not sure what "tilting gear, clutch" is that you refer to. Do you mean the cam? On page 33 of manual I see the handle shaft. Took apart the handle down to handle shaft. To go any further, I would need to remove gear rack, bevel indicator, etc. Is there any reason to take apart any further?

          Also, you wrote "When reassembling make sure the the tilt/raise lever can engage/disengage the gear." What is the tilt/raise lever? Do you mean the bevel locking level? Which gear?

          Comment

          • mpc
            Senior Member
            • Feb 2005
            • 979
            • Cypress, CA, USA.
            • BT3000 orig 13amp model

            #6
            the tilt/raise lever is the lever control behind the height adjust wheel. When pushed to the left, it makes the control wheel alter the blade's tilt. When the lever is pushed counter-clockwise (almost 90 degrees from the "tilt" position) it makes the control wheel adjust the blade height/elevation. Not getting this lever pushed fully counter-clockwise (mine ends up pointing around 5 o'clock) will prevent the height adjustment from engaging.

            mpc

            Comment

            • dw833
              Forum Newbie
              • Apr 2013
              • 8

              #7
              MPC,

              Thanks for the feedback. I do understand that the bevel locking level in one position affects blade height. And in the other position affects blade angle.
              The position for affecting blade angle works fine. It is affecting the height in the other lever position that isn't working.

              I may be reading too much in your post, but I wanted to verify some parts of it. You mention pushing the lever "left" it affects the blade angle. My saw does exactly that. But then you write "when the lever is pushed counter clockwise". First, in this case what is the differerence between left and counter clockwise? Second, after pushing the level left/counter clockwise until the cam disengages and changing the blade angle, the lever can't be pushed any further left on my saw.

              When I push the lever all the way right/clockwise the cam engages again. But turning the wheel doesn't turn the gears and so the blade height doesn't change.

              Comment

              • dw833
                Forum Newbie
                • Apr 2013
                • 8

                #8
                This saw is driving me crazy. I wanted to remove the handle shaft to check that along with elevating shaft. Got it loose, but it would not come all the way out. So tighted it again. Now it won't tighten all the way.
                Is there a specific way to tighten back to what it was?

                It is the handle shaft that is specified on page 44 of manual.

                Comment

                • dw833
                  Forum Newbie
                  • Apr 2013
                  • 8

                  #9
                  Decided to move on

                  Thanks guys for the help. I was out of town for weekend. Dropped by home depot and discovered they carried 4512 in stock. So decided to get it.
                  Had the BT3100 for about 6 months. Had this problem with it several times.
                  It took up too much time to deal with, so decided to move on.

                  Will be parting out the BT3100 over the next month on ebay. If you know anyone who is looking for parts, let me know.

                  Comment

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