Ryobi Bt3100 Blade Replacement Wrenches

[flbas1]

Hi everybody. just got my first saw, a ryobi bt3100, used. happy to have found this place where there is a lot of support for this little saw!

but, when i got it, it was missing the blade removal wrenches. can someone adivse if these wrenches will fit? if not, is there a better wrench?

thanks!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17465378067...0AAOSwgKpgOCvS

[ballard770]

The nut is 3/4” so I generally use an open end or a box wrench for that one. For the slot I frequently use a block of wood against the saw teeth and it keeps the blade stationary to loosen the nut. My only concern about blocking the saw blade is that the pressure could deform the blade somehow. Additionally, when tightening the blade the block doesn’t get the same amount of holding power at the rear of the blade.

if you’re going to buy a set, I would look for the set where each wrench has the open end, that way if you misplace the wrench with the 3/4” box wrench you can always use a normal 3/4” box wrench for the nut and use the open end on the other other wrench for the slot on the shaft.

[LCHIEN]

The ad says

• Please refer to list for compatibility.
• Compatible with the Following:
  
  Ryobi: BTS10, BTS10S, BTS12S, RTS10, RTS21, RTS21G,

And I do not see the BT3000 on the list. I am almost 100% sure they will not fit.
While I have the original set of wrenches I keep a 3/4" combo wrench for the arbor nut and a 1/2" combo wrench for the riving knife retaining nuts. (combo wrench is a open end and an angled box end wrench in one). clearly an open end wrench works for both. I picked up the wrenches I keep by the saw from a box of loose wrenches at the local pawn shop for a couple of bucks.

The most important thing you need is a thin wrench with the right width and the right width open square end to lock the arbor, this is hard to find but there is one on the end of both of the supplied wrenches.
If you "jam" the blade as suggested by another user you can get the arbor nut (remember this is a left handed thread nut) off without too much trouble.

BT3000 wrenches appear periodically.on eBay. You only really need one or the other for the arbor locking feature. A combo wrench will work for the arbor nut and the riving knife nuts. One here... not cheap... https://www.ebay.com/itm/12480662802...UAAOSwi0lg6knU





If you haven't gotten my BT3 FAQ, you should... lots of key information about the saw. See the link at the end of this and all my posts.

[LCHIEN]

Let me reword my last post

This is one of two wrenches that comes with the saw. One end comes with the arbor lock wrench
The other end comes with a 1/2" closed end hex wrench or a 3/4" closed end hex wrench.

The only real reason you need one of these is for the arbor lock function. The closed end hex wrenches can be satisfied by any open end or closed end offset box wrench or combination wrench you may already have or can get one to dedicate to the saw from a pawn shop for a couple of bucks apiece, Or, get a brand new HF SAE set for $8 less discount and take the wrenches you need.

The arbor lock is somewhat special, I have not found a substitute for it. The width of the wrench opening is .75" and the width of the wrench is just under 1.25" and the thickness is .145"
The arbor lock slips in the small cutout to the right of the throat plate opening and matches a pair of flats on the arbor to lock the arbor from turning as you remove the arbor nut - much safer than trying to grab a hold of the blade with its sharp teeth in a safe manner.
The outer width and the thickness is just right to fit and work smoothly.
Not a complex thing and probably easy to fashion out of a piece of thin sheet steel. The resulting thin prongs are probably too easily bent if made out of aluminum.

My last warnings is that the arbor nut is left hand thread so it turns opposite normal nuts when you go to take it off.
And that a standard wrench will be quite a bit longer than the supplied wrench. Normally the arbor not should NOT be overly tight so be careful because you can get a lot more torque with a longer wrench. The saw direction results in self tightening (that's why its left handed, so it won't unscrew when run) and so you really need to make the nut finger tight and then just finish with the wrench another 1/8th turn or so with the wrench.
Overtightening will result in warping the blade (especially with thin kerf blades) and does no real benefit. Don't overtighten!

[cwsmith]

Here is a picture of the wrenches that came with my BT3100-1 which I purchased on clearance in 2005.

Except for locking the arbor in place with the open end of the wrench, I prefer to use an automotive-type open-end box wrench to remove the arbor nut. It grips the nut better (broader surface than the OEM wrench) and thus has less tendency to mar the nut. I purchased a separate automotive type wrench just to keep with the saw. Harbor Freight has a good selection for a low price.

Loring has provided a great description of the concerns.




Hope this helps,

CWS

[LCHIEN]

If you are into making your own arbor lock wrench,

I found some 48" long stock steel, 1/8" thick and 1.25" wide that would work well, you just have to cut the 3/4" wide notch in the end.

$11 bucks, free ship, you could make 8 wrenches or so since they only need to be about 6" long.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/37312926161...AAAOSwuKVfH9Nl

Of course I find working steel to be a bit of a pain.

In all honesty I have not figured out a home made way around the arbor locking wrench function. Some people just jam something against the blade and do without.

[capncarl]

I have never had much luck with my homemade wrenches. Unless the steel used is tool grade and heat treated the fingers on homemade open end wrench will bend. For this application Homemade blade wrench’s will work if you leave as much stock on the sides as possible, if it is able to still fit in the crack between the blade and motor. Pawn shops are a great place to pick up single mechanic wrenches for the arbor nut, most every one I’ve been in has piles of combination end wrenches for a back or two.