Another New Member

[WoodPirate]

Hi everybody!

Yep, another newbie. I've been checking out the site for some time, but just recently got around to joining. Things are slow in the shop right now because of the Super Bowl crowds here in Jacksonville. Maybe after this weekend I'll be able to finish those new pantry shelves. I'll post pics after I'm done. The builder of this home could definitely add "square", "plumb", and "straight" to their vocabulary.

I definitely like the Ryobi saws. I have the BT3100 + acc kit and the 12" comp miter. Both are great. I also have the Ryobi 3-base router kit. I agree with some of your comments about this one. It's nice, but I'll probably go the Porter Cable route in the future. The Ryobi 12" drill press is really nice to have, too, but I think I need to tighten the spindle. It's a bit wobbly. The Ryobi 6" thin line grinder keeps stuff sharp and polished, too. Other things that found their way to my shop are:
Makita ROS, Dewalt drill, Dewalt Sawzall, cheap junky B&D jigsaw, Dremel scroll saw, VS Dremel tool, Ridgid 14" band saw (really proud of that one - Christmas gift from the LOML), and a myriad of hand tools, jigs and hardware. I still need to get a planer. Been looking at the smaller portable jobs: something between the Ryobi and the $500 13" Dewalt. Can I beg for some insight on this one?

Most of my projects have been small items. I make Christmas ornaments, picture frames, and small boxes from exotic hardwoods. Anybody got any suggestion where to buy the exotics that doesn't include Woodcraft? That's a great toy store to visit, but buying stuff there is only for lottery winners.

Lately, I've been working on a set of 5 14" deep shelves that mount in a kitchen pantry. 4 edges touch the walls in an L shape (the back wall is a 45 (yeah, right), and the front edge is an arc. Getting the template right was about as hard as chinese arithmetic. I'll just say that I'll be VERY happy when this one is finished.

This is a great site with lots of info put out by a bunch of very helpful and apparently nice folks. I may just have to stay around a while!

[BobSch]

Hi, Steve. Welcome to the asylum I've been a member of this site for a while now and you won't find a better place to get answers. The gang here knows what they're talking about and are great about sharing their knowlege.

Paint the red line, make some sawdust and have fun!

[Pappy]

That's my line, Bob.[B)]

Welcome to the Asylum, Steve!

[LarryG]

Welcome, Steve. I've noticed your handle on a few posts but it's nice to be formally introduced, so to speak.

This thread in Tool Talk contains some current chatter on thickness planers, and a forum search will turn up plenty more.

Good to have you aboard!

[RickLab]

Welcome Steve!

As for your question about insight on a planer purchase - you may want to stay tuned to this thread:

http://bt3central.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17129

Edit : too slow as usual [:I]

[mater]

Welcome Steve. Glad you decided to become part of the group.

[gmack5]

Welcome Steve,

Congratulations on the acquisition of your BT3100 and welcome to the "family".

One of the first things you need to do, after you get your BT3100 Saw assembled is, following your Owner's Manual, go thru the entire set-up proceedure, step by step, in the sequence laid out in the Manual. Each set up proceedure builds on the preceeding proceedure, so you MUST keep them in sequence.
Usually the Saw is set up properly, right out of the box, but you should still check it as this gets you familiar with all the adjustments on the saw and assures you that everything is as it should be.

Here's some free plans that'll take keep you busy for a while. http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/r...ex.php?cat=102

And here's some additional information about your Saw that you may find useful.

Regardless of what you've read or others have told you, NEVER use any wax or lubricant on your saw that contains Silicone, this includes all automobile waxes and polishes and most spray-on furniture polishes. The reason is simple, most of them contain Silicones and they will make your projects difficult to finish.
Silicones repell liquid, making "fish eyes" in your finishes, this will force you to remove the Silicones from your project and start over. That stuff (Silicone) migrates all over every where, don't ask me how, it just does.
If you put it in one place, eventually it will be all over the
entire saw. Your best bet is to use a "dry" lubricant, such as Teflon (PTFE), Powdered Graphite, or Candle Wax for the Raising/Lowering and Tilt mechanisms below the table top.
Then use either Johnson's Paste Wax, Minwax's "Finishing Wax" or Butcher's Wax on the working surfaces, table tops (All three of them) and the Rip Fence.
Do NOT Wax the Front and Rear rails or the Miter Fence. As a mater of fact, you may want to glue 220 grit sand-paper to the front face of the Miter Fence, cause you don't WANT things to slide on there.

You might also want to check out the "Articles" section on the www.BT3central.com site. Lots of good maintenance information on your saw and some of the Jigs and Fixtures that BT3Central members and others have designed for it. Located here: http://www.bt3central.com/articles/ The only thing you'll need to access the information is a recent copy of the Adobe Reader (It can be downloaded from the BTcentral site). One of the Articles mentioned is a "Check List", written by Jim Frye. You can find it here: https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...nce-check-list

This list contains all the different areas on your saw that need to be periodically inspected or given some sort of special attention. In other words, a "Preventative Maintanence Check List" or PM. Performing this PM on a monthly basis would be a good idea. One of the other things you'll find there is an on-line copy of the User's Manual in downloadable pdf format (a handy thing to have).

Something you might think about is the use of a set of Draftsman's Triangles instead of the Carpenter's Square that they show in the Owner's Manual for setting up your saw.
An accurate Carpenter's Square is almost a myth!
A good one will cost you quite a bit of money, $40 - $75, or more. I would recommend that you consider using a pair of Draftsman's 30 -60 and 45 degree triangles instead. You'll find they're not near as expensive and are far more accurate than a run-of-the-mill Carpenter's Square. The 30 -60 triangle should have one 12" leg and the other leg would be 9" long. The 45 degree triangle should have at least 8" legs on either side of the 90 degree corner. That way either one can be put up against the side of the Saw Blade without touching the saw teeth.

One of the other "tricks" that I've discovered is to take a piece of "Wax" paper, fold it several times and rub it in the grooves that the "T" nuts that lock your Rails in place ride in. Makes the Rails move smooth as Butter.

Last, but not least, don't forget to paint the RED line!
It's a line that extends the line-of-sight from the saw blade to the front edge of the table to remind you NOT to let your Miter Fence or your FINGERS get in the way of the saw blade. Just put red paint, nail polish, or what ever, in the grove that extends towards the operator from the front edge of the saw blade.

[John Hunter]

Hi WoodPirate, welcome to the board.

[JeffW]

Welcome to the madness. Great group here.

[monte]

Welcome to the group Steve! Enjoy the site!

[Popeye]

Welcome aboard. Good to see someone else from my neck of the woods. That may be streaching alittle but....I'm up in "Metro Woodbine" 45 miles north of Jacksonville. Pat

[leehljp]

And another Welcome! Post some picts of the shelves when you complete them; and also some of your other work. We would love to see it.

[Woodnut]

In the Sarasota area is Angelo Tumminaro Cabinet & Millwork, Inc.

They may be able to get you exotic woods at a better discount than Woodcraft.

It's not their primary business, but who couldn't use another revenue stream these days...

Angelo Tumminaro Cabinet & Millwork, Inc.
2211 Industrial Blvd, Sarasota, FL, 34234
(941) 351-7080
angelo@millworkmania.com

[Ken Weaver]

Welcome aboard Steve. My Mom lives in Jax, maybe we can hook up sometime.

[Slowpoke]

Welcome to the mix Steve ... Sounds like you have a great start on a nice shop setup.

[8D]