BTS21 with Miter Channel

[rxvii]

I recently purchased a BTS21 table saw and immediately realized the problems not having a miter channel. With a little help from BT3 Central members, I decided to redo the BTS21. After removing the sliding miter table and its inners, I cut a new table from melamine to just fit the space where the table was. You will need to find a piece of something for an underlay that will raise the melamine so that it is flush with the saw table. I used a piece of floor laminate that was perfect. Also the underside of the underlay will need to be drilled or routed to account for projections molded into the table housing. Precision is important here. The melamine table was fastened down using the same holes used for the sliding table. Once the table was secured, I carefully marked a position for an Incra miter channel, making sure that it was absolutely parallel to the blade. I then cut a dado in the melamine table and fastened down the Incra miter channel. It works beautifully. Moreover, I now can use jigs designed for miter slots. Photos are in my Album entitled BTS21 Redo. Take a look.

[Black wallnut]

Pics and post approved! Well done!

[dbhost]

I'm VERY interested to find out. My old college friend still has my former BTS-21 and may be interested in this modification...

[pelligrini]

Link to the album: http://www.bt3central.com/album.php?albumid=26

Nice! Looks like you've done a custom throat plate. Is that a replacable wood insert?

[dbhost]

Now it just needs a router insert to go in between the rails when the wing is extended. (A few guys have done that here, not sure where those threads are).

I know when I had my BTS-21 I was impressed by the power it had. And for a direct drive saw, it cut awfully smooth... Even with the cheap OEM blade...

[cgallery]

That is real nice work. I'll have to remember this thread in the event that I ever purchase one of these saws.

[rxvii]

Erik,

The throat plate is a zero-clearance throat plate with a replaceable insert. The insert happens to be mahogany from a scrap piece I had. I did it more as a joke. Who has a table saw with a mahogany throat plate. I also made a similar throat plate for my dado set (also mahogany).

rxvii

[phi1l]

Erik,

The throat plate is a zero-clearance throat plate with a replaceable insert. The insert happens to be mahogany from a scrap piece I had. I did it more as a joke. Who has a table saw with a mahogany throat plate. I also made a similar throat plate for my dado set (also mahogany).

rxvii

Hi,

I was wondering if you could elaborate a bit on making that throat plate. I looks like the wood insert is nailed to the metal part, is that correct? Also, did you adjust the surface contour of the wood piece so that the exposed part of the wood is flush with the top of the metal?


Thank's

Phil