Spare parts list for BT3100?

[MK]

Just finished reading the "...it's all over..." thread and was wondering is there a list of spare parts that are "must haves" for the BT3100? Things that will eventually go, weak points, etc and good to have a spare around?

I tried searching and got no distinct answer. It's "all over the place". One thing I want to do is perhaps get a set of belts? There is nothing wrong with my BT3100 - knock on wood - but since that other thread, it got me thinking.

[mpc]

Look at some of the other threads to see the most frequently asked "my saw won't.... what's wrong?" type of questions. Off the top of my head:

* blade gets jammed in a workpiece, belts break to protect the motor. Or the belts just got old (dried out from being stored somewhere really hot) and died.

* blade raise/lower mechanism strips because the saw is allowed to get too dirty inside, isn't lubricated, etc... and owners "force" the handle. The screw strips the aluminum threads of the bracket that holds the blade & motor. Helicoils can fix this.

* main handwheel. Parts of the wheel get stripped... often because the blade height adjusting mechanism inside the saw is dirty or needs lubrication. Sometimes though the handle part breaks off from the wheel; that's a plastic web around a screw shank and isn't very robust. Replace it with a wood dowel covered in the rubber grip.

* Power switches internally fuse/weld the contacts together so the saw won't turn off until it's unplugged. The problematic switches were recalled, Wayne has been very helpful to owners long after the recall was made at getting updated switches to folks.

* shims getting damaged and/or get forced out of position. Often from neglected maintenance (cleaning & lubrication again... see a pattern here?).

* once in a while you read about arbor bearings going bad. Likely from fine sawdust getting through their seals. These are fairly generic bearings - not BT3 specific - so they should be easy to source in the future.

* parts for the sliding miter table (SMT) like the small plastic pieces that hold it to the track. Usually these get busted by accidents (dropping the SMT, knocking the SMT off a storage shelf, etc.)

* some fence parts. Again usually due to accidents (dropping), not from wear. The stuff at the back end of the fence - with the screw - often gets busted from dropping. A few folks have had to replace the roll pin but that's a generic part. One or two had to replace a wheel-like piece... that's not generic. When locking the fence down, the handle should be just a little below horizontal (4 o'clock-ish); don't over-push on it as that just bends stuff inside the fence mechanism. If your fence takes a real heave-ho to lock, something else is wrong: bent pieces inside, somebody waxed the rails so the fence can't grip them, the fence grip plastic bits are deformed or missing from years of too-tight lockdowns, etc.

* Once in a while you read reports of a bent arbor. It's a pretty beefy part so bending it must take a really horrible cutting accident.

* Burned-out motors ("too much smoke escaped"). Very expensive to buy a new motor; many times though local starter/alternator/motor repair shops can re-wind the motor for a more reasonable fee. Often BT3s with fried motors end up getting parted out... Fried motors are almost always due to problems with the cut: dull blades, regular kerf instead of thin kerf especially when making deep cuts or cuts into very hard woods, poorly adjusted fences that lead to the workpiece pinching between the fence and back of the blade, trying to feed the workpiece too quickly, etc. Fried motors also come from poor electrical power - long extension cords or too-thin cords, poor house/shop wiring, etc. deny the motor the energy it needs to run properly. A quirk of motors that many folks don't really know: the amperage draw is higher for a motor bogged down in speed/RPMs. Remember the stories of "inrush" current when a big motor starts (saws, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc?) The motor windings are just a lot of wire... fairly low resistance so a lot of amperage (lots of electrical current) flows into a motor when it first starts. As RPMs build, the interaction of the magnetic fields inside the motor actually increases the effective resistance (it's called "back EMF" or "Back Electromotive Force) so the current draw reduces. Anything that severely lowers the motor's RPMs reduces the back EMF leading to more amps flowing into the motor again ==> more heat. Stalling the motor (i.e. keeping it from turning) is the worst. So listen to the saw while making a cut (as you should with any power tool actually - it's a basic safety task besides helping tools, bits, and blades last longer) and if starts bogging down reduce the feed rate of your workpiece. Or stop the saw, remove the workpiece, lower the blade, and try again taking a shallower cut. (especially deep or wide dado/groove joints)

Offhand those are what I remember as being the most commonly needed fix-its. The shims, especially on the BT3000s, and replacement belts are the items where I think it makes sense to stockpile a spare set or two. Most of the other issues can be fixed with non-Ryobi parts, some creativity, and by reading what others have done on this site previously (Helicoils, other bearings, etc.) And being careful to not drop stuff.

Paying attention to the sounds and RPMs, and keeping up with cleaning & lubrication, will go a long way to make the BT3 last. I have an original BT3000 (the 13 amp model) still on its original motor, original shims, original wheel, original belts... mostly because I clean it after every major project or when I feel the blade raise/lowering is getting a little difficult. I've always used a shop vac or dust collector with the saw too.

mpc

[MK]

Awesome mpc! It's a print and keep in my pocket list!

[LCHIEN]

there's a list of many key parts of the BT3 saws in the BT3 FAQ.
The list has asterisks by the ones I considered to be frequently broken parts needing replacement.
Its near the end, just before the acronym section.

I'd also add the roller holder at the end of the rip fence; its plastic and while dropping could break one, mine just disintegrated from age and use recently.

[eccentrictinkerer]

Just watch Craigslist and pick up a spare BT3.

(Now I have five of the d@m# things.) I'm building a Frankensaw and I've sold parts to others on the forum, but I still have too much hardware.

BT3's can be addictive to some folks.

[durango dude]

did anyone mention miter end caps?

(grin)

[LCHIEN]

did anyone mention miter end caps?

(grin)

I don't regard those as "must haves". I've seen people make their own.
Must haves for the BT3 would be items that could not otherwise be easily replaced by DIY means or just doing without.