Neophyte question

[geodude]

Greetings all,

I am a hobbyist/homeowner in the market for my first table saw. I have been doing my homework and based on the reviews I have read. It looks like the Ryobi BT3100 is the entry level saw of choice.

The question is, where can I find one? I have done a number of searches (online) and although I found lots of discussions and reviews, I cant actually find that part numer listed at any of the vendors. One persuasive review at http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/bt3100rvu.html listed homedepot as a supplier, but searching their site I do not find the BT3100 listed. Is the model number now superseded? Am I completely barking up the wrong tree? Where should I be looking?

I am told that "there are no dumb questions" on this site, but I am sure that this is as close as it gets! So sorry for taking up time with what should be a simple issue, but I am getting nowhere so asking for directions seems a reasonable next step.

Thanks in advance for any pointers!

Cheers

Geodude

[GoFish104]

Geo, sorry to say Ryobi no longer sells the BT3100. Sears however does have a clone or you can watch Craigslist or the local classified for a used 1. Also once in a great while 1 will appear on EBay. Good Luck Jack

[kevincan]

Here is a link to the Sears version of the BT3100.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...ame=Table+Saws

It goes on sale on a regular basis and you can sometimes get a discount if you have a Craftsman club card.

Kevin

[Uncle Cracker]

Keep your eye on your local Craigslist (and those in other cities within an hour or so). You could see a deal come along. There is a thread running here right now about a BT3100 somebody got for $60! The next gloat could be yours... Be careful not to pay too much though, as many people have no clue as to what is a fair price...

[pelligrini]

I noticed that the Sears 21829 was listed in the latest Craftsman Club mailer.

[LCHIEN]

as all have mentionedthe BT3100 is not longer sold through what was then the exclusive retailer, Home Depot.
It lives on, made by Ryobi and sold as the Sears 21829 - its the same basic saw but they did make some changes. The basic elevation system and motor were retained. The rip fence with the three-point locking, the cabinet, and table, rail system and sliding miter tables are the same except that they changed the finish and paint schemes, the Auxiliary table was modified with guide slots for router operations and alas the mounting plate was deleted in favor of predrilled holes and bosses in the auxiliary/router table itself.

The base also was major-changed from a fixed stand to a collapsing wheeled arrangement which has some advantages if you need portability and space saving storage.

So your options for a BT3100 are a used BT3000/BT3100 or Sears 22811 (all basically the same saw) or a new Sears 21829.

Craigs list and local classifieds often feature BT3000 and BT3100s from $50 to 300 and conditions may vary as much. Because the saw is modular, many pieces tend to get lost or misplaced... if you want to buy one, get the manual (which is readily available on-line) and study the main pieces so you can recognize them when you see his garage. the parts may be missing off the saw and hanging on the wall behind him. Saws were made for about 13-14 years and condition may range from unused to worn out. There are some particular problems with the saws that propercare and usage may prevent but mistreated saws may have succombed - e.g. motor burnout and shim loss. know how to look fo and check these.

Get a tour of a working saw from someone on this site that lives close to you, perhaps. Before buying a used one.

Good luck. There's many bargains - 100's of thousands of these saw were estimated to have been sold. many were bought with good intentions and sat more or less unused and can be had for a song. I have a FAQ (see my sig line below) which you may want to get before or after you buy the saw.

[dkerfoot]

The basic elevation system and motor were retained. The rip fence with the three-point locking, the cabinet, and table, rail system and sliding miter tables are the same except that they changed the finish and paint schemes, the Auxiliary table was modified with guide slots for router operations and alas the mounting plate was deleted in favor of predrilled holes and bosses in the auxiliary/router table itself.

A few other improvements for the 21829 over the BT3's that Loring overlooked:

The rails are longer
The SMT has a 2nd rear location for the fence, allowing cross-cuts on wider boards.
A very impressive folding stand.

[dbhost]

Geodude,

If you are the same one from woodworkingtalk.com, welcome! If you are someone else, well, welcome anyway...

What others have mentioned here is pretty much it. I don't recall where you are from, but if you check out the members classified section here, there are some members here selling some beautifully maintained 22811 (Craftsman clone on the fixed base) BT3000, and BT3100 saws, one of them may be in your area...

A couple of BT3Central resources that I didn't see mentioned above are the articles section, and a specific article that would serve you extremely well if you are going to be buying one of these saws...

Articles Page.

Things to look for when buying a used BT3000 by Jim Frye. Yeah I know it is for the older model saw, but it's still very useful advice...

Again welcome, be safe, and have fun!

[geodude]

Many thanks everyone,

Much info to ponder and options to explore - just what I needed!

Thanks


Cheers


Geodude.

P.S. Apparently not the original Geodude, at least my wife tells me I am something else entirely!