What’s it worth? (BT 3000)

[Dedpedal]

I see this model pop up occasionally on my Facebook marketplace. Usually around $150. I already have two of my own but was wondering if it might benefit me to pick another up.
my main one is already personalized with miter slots and better dust collection. The other is in parts and pretty worn out.

[leehljp]

This is an individual decision. Different people work differently and each have specialized patterns. For a long time, I wanted to make two saws - one with rip/cross cut blade and one with a dado blade. I had two saws (BT3000 & BT3100) and a third in parts. I finally gave one away to a son-in-law. I just did not have the space to have two saws side by side or in the same shop-room. Now if I had the room, I may have kept the second one.

Recently there was a short discussion thread on tool chests. I have two medium sized 4ft high tool chests, and numerous tool tote bags. Most of my tool chest tools are in my tote bag - the reason being . . . is that I tend to do most of my work outside, or in the house or for a friend at their house, or at one of my daughters. Meaning - I am very mobile with my tools; However, two or three posts after the first was - "I use my tools in the shop". One other response was similar to mine - he often took his tools to the place where it was needed. We used our tools in different ways.

The point is that it depends on your needs and habits. The fact that you are asking about it means that it sure might be beneficial to you in the future. As for me and my need for a dado saw, I made a circular saw into a dedicated dado saw and no longer need the second BT3x00. That said, I have a router table with two routers in it so that I do not have to keep changing bits out. VERY handy to have that set up. Sometimes two of an item is very helpful.

[cwsmith]

Spare parts maybe, and as Lee stated, personal choices. Certainly a lot of anyone's decision has to be based on how much storage room do you have for extra/duplicate tools, especially a table saw?

My favorite and oldest stationary tool is my Craftsman radial arm saw and about ten years ago I bought a duplicate for spare parts. I bought it for $70, sight unseen and when delivered I found it was misused and abused. I stuck it in the back corner of the garage with the idea of cannabalizing it for spare parts, mostly the motor. It still sits there and I question whether there was any point to it.

I also kept our past house which was 75 miles away, I sold it last year finally. But there I had several duplicate tools, like a shop vac, BTS21 portable saw, and several hand-held tools that I didn't want to cart between the two houses. So now, that's all here and my 12 x 20 work shed is stuffed to the point that everything is in the way of everything else, not to mention the garage.

Over the decades I've accumulated a lot of tools, with the bigger tools like the Ridgid thickness planer and jointer (you can't have one without the other can you? , thier 15" drill press, miter saw, a Ryobi 9" bandsaw and of course my BT3100 all purchased at really great prices (I'm a sucker for a sale)! Add to that the shop vacs, compressors (big and small), air tools, sanders, saws, routers and router table, and a rash of other power and hand tools, benches, tool cabinets, tool boxes, bags, etc. and just all the leftover files and graphics arts tools I had from my forty-year career; it's a wonder I can even move out there!

So, I guess the only thing that matters is your own wishes, and whether you have the room, and want to put up with the clutter,

CWS

[dbhost]

If it's in good shape, $150.00 is right at what the market here is getting for them. It's more than I would be willing to pay for a worn out saw though.... I can get parts saws for $50.00 around here if I am patient.

[twistsol]

I see them on Craigslist for $200-$250 pretty consistently in the Twin Cities and they last only a couple of days or a week at the most. Perhaps Minnesotans are born salespeople but that seems crazy to me. The BT3100 was listed at $299 new and towards the end of life could be had for less than $200 new.

There is one right now on craigslist about 7 miles from me listed at $100 but the rip fence is broken and it otherwise looks to be in pretty poor condition. It's been listed for 10 days.

[dbhost]

Mind you they don't come up often, but around here when they do, $200.00 will fetch a pretty prime example, nothing missing, no scratches or signs of obvious wear etc... Mine came with a box of extra parts, and a few of the normal mods, Switch relocation to the fence rail, and belly pan / dust port, , but had been in a shop that had a fire, the saw was fine but the fence had some damage, and I paid if I recall correctly $150.00. Mind you, there is no way I would sell it for what I put into it. It is worth way more to me...

[cwsmith]

I bought mine in 2005, NIB, on Home Depot closeout for $150 and IIRC the accessory kit a few weeks later for around $50. Should I ever decide to sell it, I'd be pretty happy for $200, but honestly mine is still in great shape. Sometimes certain tools not only hold their value but also increase. (Frankly, I don't know of any other saw that has the features of the BT.)

CWS

[Jim Frye]

I have a BT3000 from 1993 and an early production BT3100 that is almost unused. The BT3000 is also customized and I wouldn't part with it even for the $500 I paid for it new. It will likely outlast me and my heirs can do with it as they wish. The BT3100 is intended for parts if needed, but I also have spare plastic parts and belts for the saws that I purchased back when they were readily available. At one time, I wanted to build a Frankensaw like Hank and also didn't have the room.

[Dedpedal]

Thanks for all the input. Unless I gain more space or I find a killer deal I’m going to just hold off buying any of these local saws. I’ve found so much help on this site.