Need help getting blade square to the table (BT3000)

[bonnerj]

Hi everyone! I'm a new Sawdustzone member and new owner of a BT3000, recently picked up on Facebook Marketplace. I've been poring through the forums here as well as the BT3K FAQ, but I haven't been able to find an answer to my problem.

It appears that the blade on my saw is not square to the table. When I turn the bevel knob to 0, the blade is just slightly off. I've attached a photo, and you should be able to see that there's a gap between the blade and the square at the bottom by the throat plate.

Is there a way to adjust the bevel?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Joe

[LCHIEN]

Welcome to the forum. I think there is a stop somewhere you can set for zero, but I don't recall offhand.

Don't forget the carbide tips extend sideways a bit from the blades "plate" or body. If your square us resting against the blade tips, then there will be a gap between the blade plate and the square at the bottom.
This offset of the blade tips ensures that there will not be friction of the blade plate against the wood. The Kerf cut by the blade will be wider than the plate thickness. It sort of looks to me that the square is touching the tips.


If you want to check the blade angle to the table use a shorter square that does not contact the tips but only the plate, OR, use a uniform thickness spacer just short of the tips between the plate and the square and see that contact is made all the way from the bottom to top of the spacer.
OTOH, maybe you had a 24 tooth blade and the gap between tips is large enough so that the square rests against the plate and avoids the tips.

[mpc]

Inside the front cover, behind the banana-shaped opening the height/bevel control wheel moves through, are two stop-bolts and locknuts: one for the 90 degree setting and one for the 45 degree setting. Remove the left side panel (when you are viewing from the front of the saw) and you should be able to access the bolts... you may have to remove the right side panel to reach the 0.0 degree stop. Also, make sure the throat plate is flush with the table surface; you don't want it affecting your triangle. Or remove it while making the adjustments.

Before adjusting the stop bolts, rotate the blade (by hand!) and verify the angle relative to your triangle stays constant. Don't let a bent blade mislead you. Crud accumulating on the arbor shaft or on the various rings and washers around the blade can also be a problem.

mpc

[leehljp]

MPC gave the specifics. I have had to do that on one of my two BT3x00s. Takes a few minutes and the "stop" holds well if tightened.

[Black walnut]

Also check to make sure all the blade elevation shims are in place. If they have fallen out I can see gravity causing the carriage to lean the way your is. Your blade angle looks to be 91° or 89° on the square side. IN reference to the arc the blade adjustment is for bevel it is going past 90°

[bonnerj]

Thanks for warm welcome, and the great suggestions!

LCHIEN, I'm pretty sure that I was measuring from the blade itself and not from a tooth, but I will be sure to double check that.

mpc, thanks! I had found a reference in the BT3000 manual regarding adjusting the positive stops, but no mention of how do to do it. Good idea to check the sawdust buildup. That blade is new, but I'll double check that it's flat.

Black walnut, good eye! I measured the angle using a digital angle finder, but I'm not convinced that the device is accurate. It's measuring 89.9 (see attached photo). It could be that I'm using wrong, too.

[bonnerj]

Thanks again for the tips. I think adjusting the stops was the ticket, and got me pretty close. I'll go back and fine tune the settings before I button everything back up since I still have to clean and lubricate.

On a related note, do the shims look like they are in place?

Joe

[twistsol]

The shims on both sides appear to be right where they should be.

[bonnerj]

The shims on both sides appear to be right where they should be.

That's a relief. Thanks!