New to woodworking - BT3000 questions

[Kangaman]

I have never owned a table saw let alone done much woodworking, I bought a BT3000 a month or two ago and have already replaced/upgraded the shims to the BT3100.

I am now putting the rest together and gathering parts needed. The SMT needed small part B’s to get it sliding correctly and I will fit them hope fully this weekend

Questions
Rip fence – advice/adjustment.
When I clamp it down it pulls to one side. I have read online and the manual that there are two adjustment screws on top – nowhere does it say which does what and how to really adjust to get it squared.


Mine also came with a Router/Jigsaw kit and when I slide the square pieces (threaded) on the rip fence rail, I have to loosen the end screws as the metal to plastic slide does not line up.
Any ideas on how to remedy my list??


Thanks
Paul

[LCHIEN]

Rip fence. When you clamp the rip fence lever, it does these things in sequence:
1. Clamps the fence "T" to the rail
2. pulls the rip fence base "T" into fixed alignment with the front rail
3. Then has a small clamper in the back that locks the back of the rip fence to the back rail

now when you pull the lever down you may see #1 occur or not depending on whether its already square. ALso its Key to note that neither rail is guaranteed square to the blade! At some point you need to check set the alignment of the rip fence to the blade.
The two screws on top of the rip fence, black one nearest the user, have slightly oversize holes. Loosen the screw and you can swing the rip fence a little bit enough to align with the blade.
To align with the blade, raise the blade up quite a bit, slide the rip fence as close as you can to the blade, depress the lever halfway until you see the fence move a little as it clamps to the rail. Now loosen the screws and align the fence perfectly parallel to the blade teeth outer edges. You may need to release and move the fecne closer to the blade a bit.
Once tight to the blade, tighten the screws. Now you may wish to adjust the rip fence base pointer to teh rip width scale "0" point as well.
OPerate the level further and see the back lock to the back rail - this prevents any forces from deflecting the rip fence - if should be quite tight.

I suggest you take the rip fence off and see how this multi stage locking thing works as you operate the lever.

[Kangaman]

Great response,

I will try that later this week and see what happens.


Thanks
Paul

[Kangaman]

Update,

Had a chance to work on the Rip-Fence this weekend. Loosened the two adjustment screws - aligned and tightened. Seemed to go well with no noticeable movement.

I had to remove the fence to then use the SMT on a large piece (also needs to be squared). When I placed the Rip-Fence back the play and movement when locking returned.

Is this the norm - has be be adjusted often??


Paul

[leehljp]

Update,

When I placed the Rip-Fence back the play and movement when locking returned.
Is this the norm - has be be adjusted often??
Paul

This is normal. It pulls it into alignment as you lower the handle. This confuses many a new users, but it works.

[glennaycock]

Congrats! The BT3000 is a great saw, but I think it was ahead of its time for the American market. It was the first tablesaw i bought, but I eventually replaced it with a standard contractor tablesaw so that i could use the slots for jigs and crosscut sleds. I still have it around just in case.

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