New Owner - Assembly issues...

[Salty]

Try this...make sure the saw is unplugged first...then

Adjust both the front and back rails so that they are about centered with the saw body. Lock the back rail.
Put the 2" side of a table square against the blade and slide the rip fence against the square. Leave the fence unlocked. Unlock the front rail and, while holding the rip fence so it wont slide, slide the front rail PAST the 2" mark.
Now, leaving the fence unlocked and against the square, which is against the blade, tap the front rail to the left until you get to the 2" mark and lock the front rail. I had to make a few minor adjustments to get it dead on by unlocking the front rail and tapping it ever so slightly one way or the other.
Also, be aware that your 2" cut may be slightly short if the square was against the body of the blade and not the tooth of the blade.
After the front rail is on the 2" mark, use the right accessory table to adjust the back rail so that it is the same as the front rail.

[kmk]

OK! I did couple of things. First I unassembled the front rails and filed those bolts and gave some rubbing using the wax paper and installed them again. It was much better!!

Next, I performed the alignment procedure and I didn't have to struggle. I did notice that my scale indicator wasnt installed correctly. It was little off at the bottom. So, only half of the indicator line was dead on at 2" mark.

I did a test cut and noticed the it was short of 1/16". I guess I have little more work to do.

[Salty]

If the 2" was not measured from the tooth then that could be part of the 1/16". Also, if the scale was crooked, that could the the rest of, or all of, the 1/16".
You're close...keep at it.

[kmk]

I corrected the scale indicator and performed the alignment procedure again. No luck yet. I measured it from the edge of the blade. It is still 1/16".

BTW How far away I should mount the SMT from the main table? Right now, my SMT fence tip is more than few inches away from the blade. I made few cut using this config. No problems except that I couldn't push the stock completely past the anti-kickback pawls.

Can I adjust the SMT to do that? And, if the above config is OK then I don't need to paint the red line I guess...

[9johnny5]

Paint The Red Line!!!!

Don't lull yourself into not painting that line. The moment you do, and you think you've gotten your SMT far enough to not need it, it's gonna happen! (you KNOW what IT is - the smell of burning black ABS).

I painted mine, and still have yet to shorten my crosscut fence...not that I haven't caught myself at the last moment. Knock on wood!

PLUS, if you paint the red line, it's not going to hurt anything, and it just might catch your attention in the future, and what you save from inadvertent shortening could be more than your fence.

Good luck,
Johnny

[Salty]

kmk, what are you using to get the fence 2" from the blade? Table square? Block of wood? Tape measure? What?

[kmk]

Framing square. ( I also have drafting triangles).

I switched tasks... and made a ZCTP. But not without any issues. )

One of the throat plate screw (back side of the throat plate) , I think
it had froze, the tip broke while I tried to unscrew it. It took 3 drill bits
(all broke into two perhaps because the temp around here) and very minor
damage to the blade table to get it out. HD didnt have it. I'll try T-Nuts.

Anyhow, ZCTP cut came very nicely. I've not made the cuts for riving
knife yet. I'm following LeeWay instructions...

[kmk]

Don't lull yourself into not painting that line. The moment you do, and you think you've gotten your SMT far enough to not need it, it's gonna happen! (you KNOW what IT is - the smell of burning black ABS).

I painted mine, and still have yet to shorten my crosscut fence...not that I haven't caught myself at the last moment. Knock on wood!

PLUS, if you paint the red line, it's not going to hurt anything, and it just might catch your attention in the future, and what you save from inadvertent shortening could be more than your fence.

Good luck,
Johnny

The ritual is done.

[kmk]

OK! I got a free blade with my brand new saw...! Apart from that, I have another issue!. No surprise!!. I noticed today that the bevel indicator mark is not deadon at 0. What could be causing this and how do I fix it?

[Ken in NH]

Hey you forgot to put on your end caps! just kidding I also just bought a new bt3100 and I cant get that screw out from the trought plate, are they all screwed an super tight?

[kmk]

its frozen!

[kmk]

BT3K experts and senior members... Need help with couple of issues..

1. Bevel indicator mark is not dead-on at 0. Why?
2. New Issue: Made ZCTP and installed it. Did a test cross cut. No problem!
Tried miter cut... ran into a issue. When I was positioning the bevel indicator for mitor cut, I noticed the ZCTP was bulging up aparently due to the blade moving sideways...

What did I do wrong? The ZCTP template was one of those plastic ZCTP comes with BT3KIT.

[beetee3]

2. New Issue: Made ZCTP and installed it. Did a test cross cut. No problem!
Tried miter cut... ran into a issue. When I was positioning the bevel indicator for mitor cut, I noticed the ZCTP was bulging up aparently due to the blade moving sideways...

What did I do wrong? The ZCTP template was one of those plastic ZCTP comes with BT3KIT.

The blade pivot axis is not flush with the table top, so as you adjust the bevel angle the line at which the blade intersects the plane of the table top will move. This is entirely normal. ZCTPs are only ZCTPs for one specific bevel setting.

[edit]
...for one specific bevel and height setting.