BT3100 setup

[stuartjs]

There used to be an article about setting up the saw using drafting triangles. It also talked about a red line and some other important tips. I can't seem to find it. Does anyone have it? If so would you post please post it?

Thanks

[LinuxRandal]

On the Main page (click Home on the bar above), you will find a link toward the bottom right (off to the side), for the newest member, and the member with the most posts (LChien). You will want to send LChien your email address, so he can send you the FAQ. The Red line, I believe was started by Gugie, and your article that your looking for, may be by him (his name would give you another search method), or it could be in the FAQ/article section.

And

Welcome

[Black wallnut]

.........The Red line, I believe was started by Gugie, ......

And

Welcome

Not quite. Norm in Fujino generally gets the credit for being the first to post a picture of the red line and also the first to post what it is, but this was over on the old Ryobi forum. However I had independently came up with the same idea, only mine is yellow as that was the color of paint pen I had. I did not have a camera at the time so could not post pictures. Furthermore IIRC I "joined the club" before I painted my line, I'm not sure if Norm ever did "join."

The red line and "joining the club" are both part of the colorful history and culture of the BT3K saw. Joining the club means cutting the plastic SMT fence ends and the red line helps to prevent this since it is a visual clue of where the blade is. You paint it in-line with the blade so as to always have a reference; if your miter fence crossed the line it will be cut.

[LCHIEN]

I will send the FAQ later, for the record, I think it includes the red line and a suggestion that drafting triangles can be used for setting up, but no specific procedure for the triangles.

[LCHIEN]

maybe you were thinking of this post, by GMACK5 (George) who used to post it for every new user who stated they just got a BT3:



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 one before it, 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.

The Illustration shown below is of a BT3000SX.
Most of the accessories shown will also fit the BT3100.

{link broken}

Here's some free plans that'll 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 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/index.php?page=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.

Just remember, regardless of which measuring instrument you choose to use, check it(them) to be sure they're accurate. When checking the Miter Fence for Square to the Blade with a triangle, use the 12" 30-60, if possible.

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.

You might also want to check out the "FAQ" shown in the link below.
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=19968
It'll answer a lot of your questions.

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.

[cwithboat]

Loring,
Some of the article links you are leaving are broken (for me, anyway). Maybe this is a result of the server change over. See my post "accessing articles")

[Black wallnut]

https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles/legacy link to the older articles

[JR]

https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles/legacy link to the older articles

Mark, how do you navigate to that page? I can't seem to figure it out.

JR

BTW - obviously, I mean how do you navigate to that page, other than by clicking the link you have provided! SOMEBODY would have said it.

[Black wallnut]

Mark, how do you navigate to that page? I can't seem to figure it out.

JR

BTW - obviously, I mean how do you navigate to that page, other than by clicking the link you have provided! SOMEBODY would have said it.

Bold emphasis mine!

articles>bt3 articles>>show all articles>>Link to Old Article section

Clicking on the link is faster!

[LCHIEN]

Loring,
Some of the article links you are leaving are broken (for me, anyway). Maybe this is a result of the server change over. See my post "accessing articles")

I am just posting 100% verbatim the post to which I believe the OP was asking for. Can't help it if the links are broken, the post is over 2 years old and one major software change and two database crashes ago. However it did have the info he was looking for w.r.t. the red line and the drafting triangles.

One of the broken links was to my FAQ and he already posted me about getting that.

Being that I can edit the copied post, I spent time fixing what links I could.

[cwithboat]

https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles/legacy link to the older articles

Thanks Mark. I now have it bookmarked.

[stuartjs]

Thanks for your replies this is the article I was looking for. Unfortunately can't get back here as often as I would like.

Stuart

[JR]

I'm still confused. I can not figure how to navigate to the articles page, other than clicking on Mark's link. When I click on the link I am taken to a place which indicates it is at btcentral/mainpage/articles. However, if I just go to the BT3central home page, there is no articles lilnk to click.

JR

[knotley]

I'm still confused. I can not figure how to navigate to the articles page, other than clicking on Mark's link. When I click on the link I am taken to a place which indicates it is at btcentral/mainpage/articles. However, if I just go to the BT3central home page, there is no articles lilnk to click.

JR

I have looked many times for a link from the main page and never found it. I have the same problem as you.


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1. From http://www.bt3central.com/index.php?page=articles

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2. From http://www.bt3central.com/index.php

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1. links the articles and 2. doesn't!!

[Black wallnut]

Please see my reply and explaination.