Hello from a Craftsman 21829 noob

[lakkdainen]

I just picked up this saw yesterday after much research. This site was definitely a great influence. I'm almost done assembling and tuning. The manual is not good IMHO. What's the deal with drawn pictures in every power tool manual? Would it kill em to take an actual picure?? That drives me nuts. So far the "hardest" part was putting the guard/splitter assembly on... I was cursing for a while before I realized that it would be far easier with the blade up. LOL.

I do have a few questions...

First, my rip fence will not move/slide at all when unlocked. It has to be removed completely from the table. It looks like there is a screw on the back of the rip fence to adjust the tension, but it is threadlocked (loctite) in place, implying it should rarely if ever need adjustment. Is this the right screw? How sensitive is it... should I be working in tiny 1/4 turn increments? Should I add more threadlock to it when I adjust?

Second, I have never used a table saw for crosscuts. Are there tricks to measuring and lining up everything with your mark where you want it cut? It looks like the most accurate way would be to put it in place and line it up with the front of the blade (looking from the rear) but I'm wondering if I'm missing something.

Is there some kind of wax that I can put on the table top and rip fence to slick it up without it coming off onto my work and making it a pain to stain/finish?

The instructions for the router table attachment mention that you should never use a ball bearing piloted bit with it. That sounds crazy to me... I've never seen say, a roundover bit *without* a bearing except for junk steel ones. What's the deal? Obviously you have to have the fence set right or bad things could happen. Do they just say that for liability reasons?

Anyways, this is a great place - tons of info! I've been reading and learning a lot the past couple days. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge.

[rlah]

I just picked up this saw yesterday after much research. This site was definitely a great influence. I'm almost done assembling and tuning. The manual is not good IMHO. What's the deal with drawn pictures in every power tool manual? Would it kill em to take an actual picure?? That drives me nuts. So far the "hardest" part was putting the guard/splitter assembly on... I was cursing for a while before I realized that it would be far easier with the blade up. LOL.
I do have a few questions...
First, my rip fence will not move/slide at all when unlocked. It has to be removed completely from the table. It looks like there is a screw on the back of the rip fence to adjust the tension, but it is threadlocked (loctite) in place, implying it should rarely if ever need adjustment. Is this the right screw? How sensitive is it... should I be working in tiny 1/4 turn increments? Should I add more threadlock to it when I adjust?
Second, I have never used a table saw for crosscuts. Are there tricks to measuring and lining up everything with your mark where you want it cut? It looks like the most accurate way would be to put it in place and line it up with the front of the blade (looking from the rear) but I'm wondering if I'm missing something.
Is there some kind of wax that I can put on the table top and rip fence to slick it up without it coming off onto my work and making it a pain to stain/finish?
The instructions for the router table attachment mention that you should never use a ball bearing piloted bit with it. That sounds crazy to me... I've never seen say, a roundover bit *without* a bearing except for junk steel ones. What's the deal? Obviously you have to have the fence set right or bad things could happen. Do they just say that for liability reasons?

Anyways, this is a great place - tons of info! I've been reading and learning a lot the past couple days. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge.

Great! New buyers like you (and me) will keep this site going for many years. It's a great saw (and forum) ... I've had mine (21829) a few months and enjoying it very much over the cheap 10" bench top model I struggled with for a year.

I'll let others answer some of your questions... don't know why your rip fence won't move except you don't have it positioned in the rails properly.

I won't defend the owners manual ... I'll just suggest reading *the* manual - the archives on this forum. I would suggest searching for 21829 for specifics of your "BT3Craftsman". No other table saw on the planet has a manual like this saw.

Cross-cuts - the yellow plastic circle in front of the blade that says "Align-a-cut" is for making marks on for where your cross-cuts will be on your work piece. I couldn't find this in the official manual, only on this forum.

I don't think the powder-coated table top needs any wax... I think the wax suggestion came when these (Ryogi branded saws) did not have the powder-coating surface. But you might do it on other pieces like the rip fence and a ZCTP (abbreviations well covered in the FAQ's if you haven't read it yet). Just don't use automotive waxes with silicon - I found Johnson's wax at Lowes.

Enjoy! rlah

[Tom Miller]

I was cursing for a while before I realized that it would be far easier with the blade up. LOL.

You're the only one that's ever done that, right guys?

I do have a few questions...

First, my rip fence will not move/slide at all when unlocked.

How "unlocked" do you have it? Are you holding the handle in the fully-lifted position? Do you see how the cam roller (IIRC) clamps down -- is there anything jammed in there? That's something to check first; I don't recall how the adjustment is made just now.

Second, I have never used a table saw for crosscuts. Are there tricks to measuring and lining up everything with your mark where you want it cut?

There are a couple approaches. The most straight-forward is to make your mark on the leading edge of the workpiece, and then line it up with the left side of a blade tooth. Otherwise, I suggest using a stop block on your miter fence, then measure with a tape from the block to the tooth. Stop blocks are very useful during projects for getting multiple pieces cut to the exact same length.

Is there some kind of wax that I can put on the table top and rip fence to slick it up without it coming off onto my work and making it a pain to stain/finish?

Johnson's paste wax, or other paste wax meant for furniture, that does not contain silicone. Do not wax the saw's rails, as it will interfere with the clamping action of the rip fence.

The instructions for the router table attachment mention that you should never use a ball bearing piloted bit with it.

I wonder if they just mean you shouldn't use such without a fence, perhaps due to the limited amount of table top space. Otherwise, if used in conjunction with a fence, I don't see any problem.

And, welcome to the forum!

Regards,
Tom

[lakkdainen]

How "unlocked" do you have it? Are you holding the handle in the fully-lifted position? Do you see how the cam roller (IIRC) clamps down -- is there anything jammed in there? That's something to check first; I don't recall how the adjustment is made just now.

It's fully lifted... I'll check it out again when I get home tonight. Maybe I'm just attaching it wrong to the rails.

Thanks for the tips!

[Tom Miller]

...Maybe I'm just attaching it wrong to the rails.

Check out this thread; in particular the diagrams in post #3, by Ray, which show how the fence clamps down to the rear rail. You have to make sure the roller on the far end of the fence is situated on the rail correctly for it to move properly.

Regards,
Tom

[LCHIEN]

if you want my BT3 "Frequently asked questions" FAQ, then send me a PM with yor e-mail address.
Has answers and tips for more than 100 questions and problems commonly encountered withthe BT3 family of saws.

[timb]

Hi lakkdainen,
Welcome. Just signed up myself with similar ownership credentials and fence woes of my own.

Assuming you have the rails mounted properly then my guess, not being able to see it, would be that the plastic Slides (part 16 in fig c) under the large grey casting, the Front Block (part28 fig c) are adjusted too close to the back or front of the Front Block.

The two slides are each held by a screw that can be loosened so the slide position can be adjusted. The slides run in the slot in the top of the front fence and they should be positionsd so there is some play back and forth when the fence is unlocked.

I suspect the screw to adjust the rear clamp has little to do with your problem. The thing to check there is that the Clamp, Rear (part 7 fig c) is in the slot and not riding on the top of the rail. When placing fence on the rails it helps to place the rear end first.

Let us know what you find.


On the router bits I looked in the manual. It says "do not use the guide fence with ball bearing piloted bits". So fine to use them but just not with the guide fence.

I'm not sure what the particualr concern is. I would think it was fine so long as the pilot roller is flush with or behind the face of the guide fence. Maybe if a pilot roller is not touching anything while the bit is rotating, it is apt to come undone and fly randomly about the place.

Although it doesn't make much sense to do so I'm not clear on the danger of operating it proud of the guide fence either since, in that case, you would really just be using the roller. Maybe the thinking is that the blade could grab and jam the work against the fence and you might pinch a finger in there.

Maybe some out there has tried this and can tell us first hand, why we shouldn't do this - assuming they still have hands gven their live it on the edge use of dangerous machinery.

As with all saftey statements, they are broad generalities to take note of and used you own good judgement when applying them to what you need to get done. They are broadly written since this serves the "we told you so" legal concern if you cut you leg off with the machine.

Tim

[Ed62]

I would think it was fine so long as the pilot roller is flush with or behind the face of the guide fence.

I think you are correct in that assumption. Sometimes when people write the "rules", they just don't make things very clear.

Ed

[Ed62]

BTW. welcome to the show, fellows.

Ed

[lakkdainen]

Well, I figured out the fence problem. The rear rail wasn't on quite right, so I took it off, adjusted the T nuts somewhat, and put it back on. Smooth as butter now.

Next job is to research the FAQs for alignment and find something better for the splitter / blade guard. THat thing is way too big and floppy for my liking.

[LinuxRandal]

Well, I figured out the fence problem. The rear rail wasn't on quite right, so I took it off, adjusted the T nuts somewhat, and put it back on. Smooth as butter now.

Next job is to research the FAQs for alignment and find something better for the splitter / blade guard. THat thing is way too big and floppy for my liking.

That is an EASY one, Shark Guard!!!


There is nothing better then it, IMHO.

[rlah]

That is an EASY one, Shark Guard!!!
There is nothing better then it, IMHO.

I'll second that even though I haven't received my order yet! Why would I say this? Because I have never seen a tool so highly recommended by so many people! I *know* this thing will be good! :-) Buy it before you forget and spend the money on something else (like I did for awhile). [Hmmm, you are going to need a better saw blade though...]

I can't wait to take advantage of it's safety and dust collection features.

rlah

[timb]

I'm going to order a shark guard as soon as my CC catches its breath. I didn't even bother to put the stock one on.

I should add I'm not using the machine that much yet and I do always wear saftey glasses ans so far I've been careful to lower the blade before I leave the saw, so I'm not a total daredevil/idiot

You should probably get a better blade too. The stock blade is just not that good. Its ok for rough work but it doesn't do justice to the saw. Lots of recommendations elsewhere. I got a 50T Freud TK906 mostly because I was impatient and it was hanging on the wall at a local hardware store for a reasonable price and some people here seemed to like it. I think it might be a bit slow for ripping but it makes much smoother cuts than the stock blade in the same wood. The choice does depend on what you intended to do most.

tim

PS: Glad you go your fence/rail problems straightened out. Now you get to find out if you have the rising Front Block problem and the out of vertical fence problem

[lakkdainen]

Lately I've been working with MDF almost exclusively, so I'll probably wait until I wear out the stock blade before getting something nicer.

After a couple test cuts, it looks like I need to check the fence alignment again... I'm getting a little bit of burn and swirlies on the edge. It could just be me not pushing it through straight or using featherboards though.

[gsmittle]

I'll second that even though I haven't received my order yet! Why would I say this? Because I have never seen a tool so highly recommended by so many people! I *know* this thing will be good! :-) Buy it before you forget and spend the money on something else (like I did for awhile). [Hmmm, you are going to need a better saw blade though...]

I can't wait to take advantage of it's safety and dust collection features.

rlah

I'll third it! I've had mine for about six months now, and I wonder how I got along for so long without it. Reasonably priced, too!

g.