BT3100 owner <~ not yet......

[PushyMonk]

Hello fellow members, I am a carpenter by trade and use a grizzly saw in my cave. I have a side job that's going to require a decent amount rip Work
Found a clean used one for $150
Does that price seems high . They weregetting that much in 2005!
Watched the you tube instruction dvd and this table seems versatile and easy to take apart and maybe not bad for portable job site saw ... Thoughts ... .

[twistsol]

I think $150 is near the top end of reasonable prices for a BT3000. It's worth it, but not a steal by any means. One of the biggest perceived flaws of the BT3xx saws is that they don't stay in alignment. This is generally a false perception. Where it becomes true is when you try to use it as a job site saw and throw it in the back of a truck on a daily basis.

If you plan on moving it to the site and leaving it there, there should be no problem.

[leehljp]

While this saw (BT3000/3100) was Originally designed to be a job site saw that gave precision, it soon moved into the category of "poor man's cabinet grade saw" because of its precision at a low price. At the same time, it did not hold up well as a job site saw 1. in which the typical construction worker bounced it around in the back of a pickup, 2. force fed ripping all day long. There have been several people over the years on here that used the BT3000/3100 as an inexpensive production saw and came back here to complain when it didn't stand up to the rigors or rough handling and force feeding. - Burned out motors and broken belts and alignment problems.

On the other hand, there have been people who used this saw to make very expensive fine furniture without a problem, and those that even built houses with it - by taking their time. The difference is basically this: If one treats their saw like a fine tool and take care of it with respect, it should last a good while and it will give precision performance. If one treats it as tool to be used and pushed to the limits without regard to its light weight, it will fail. If one expects to drop 3 or 4 - 2x4x8 on it and expect it to stay in precision alignment, the owner will be disappointed. This same owner would not slam 2x4x8s down on a $500 fence on a Grizzly or Unisaw but scream at the BT for not taking it. This has happened a few times over the years.

This is a fine saw at a good price, but it must be treated well. I rip 2x4s on occasion and even 2x4s glued together, making the rip at 3 inches and 3 1/2 inches. It does fine. With a very good quality rip blade, it rips these without burning. But I am cutting for precision and taking my time, not trying to see how much I can get done in a time limit.

Hope this clarifies things. This is a good saw, but treat it with respect.

[cwsmith]

While I love my BT3100-1, I don't think it would be a good "job site" saw. Great saw for the hobbyist woodworker, but I question it's durability and precision, should it be hustled around from job to job, finding its way in and out of the truck etc. I just don't think it is built for that kind of wear and tear.

Also (and I think this is important), you mentioned you've used a Grizzly "in your cave". I presume that was a bigger, induction-motored, saw. (I'm not aware that Grizzly makes a universal motored lightweight.) With the BT3100, it rips just fine, if you take your time and let the blade do its job. But I've seen more than a few carpenters rip lumber at a pretty fast pace (time is money), and I'm not so sure the BT can handle that without taxing those all-too-expensive belts, which are getting tougher and tougher to find. The BT simply won't take a lot of 'manhandling' in my humble opinion.

Lastly, I also think the $150 is a bit on the high side... worth it for the hobbyist perhaps, for it's precision, once set up and properly aligned. But for a contractor who's going to move it around a lot, and possibly force feed, NOT so much a good deal. I paid $150 for mine brand new in 2005 when Home Depot had them on clearance.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[RAFlorida]

Agree with all the above posts. I've had my BT3000 for a LOOONNGG time and it works as great as the day we bought it. For the hobbyist, diy individual, you just can't beat it for what it does, and does very well. Now for a job site saw, no by all means. It is very reliable, accurate, and sturdy. But job site tools get thrown around and banged up. The BT3000/3100 is for the people like here at BT3central, myself included. I built our kitchen cabinets, bath room vanities, and a whole bunch of other builds with our BT3000. Would I trade it for any other higher priced table saw? I don't think so.
Forgot to mention the price you posted. Yeah, that's kind on the high side. Several months back (I thing February this year), a fellow had a BT3100 and asking $110 for it on Craigs list. And it was in really clean, unabused condition. Hope these posts help you.

[Black wallnut]

I've used mine to "production" rip softwood and hardwood. Both building furniture and cabinets. The saw can take it if you feed it at the correct rate and treat it as the precision tool that it is. Due to limited parts availability I would be hesitant paying much for a used one. I dread the day that I have to replace my saw.

[LCHIEN]

As other people said, its not a heavy duty saw. Its a light duty saw for someone who's going to be taking reasonable care of it.
It'll rip your 2 x 4s. easily with the proper 24T rip blade, OK with a 40T combo blade.
If you rip one or two then turn around and nail them to something and then come back ad rip two more, I think you'll be OK

But if you're ripping an endless series of 2 x 4s without a break, and eventually your blade gets dull, then this may not be the saw for you, there's no thermal cutout and you might overheat it.

I use it for hobby work, its given me great service for years, its accurate and fun to fiddle with.
But I'm the light duty guy who takes care of it.

Price is relative, does it do what you want better than a tool that costs the same new? can you hold out till you find one cheaper?

[PushyMonk]

I'm now a proud father of bouncing baby 3100-1!

Thanks for all the detailed responses I didn't get to read the post till after it's been purchased, commandeered, set up, tuned up, and used. I have to say I did pay up at 175, call me a loon. ( figured it into the job I start Monday)
I thought Home Depot/Lowe's/Sears base models are still going to run you about 140 for a plastic box that does not have rails and all the capabilities this saw has.

This was a homeowners saw, used a few times 👉brand-new👈 collecting dust. The tabletop was hardly scratched so I ran it, bought it, took it home.

I cleaned off the cobwebs, lubed the guides and tracks, dropped a square on the fence and the slider and everything was spot on. So far I'm pretty impressed with this little unit, just comparing it to long dead and buried son ZRRTS10 and his brother RTS20 who's in Nicaragua but that's another story! I'm presently married and living with their Mom the "cave woman" Grizzly 715P. Believe me once she moved in, she's hard to move at all!

Anyway, I broke the plastic miter fence lock down when I closed the rear door the SUV, so I made a new beefy one. The fence has slots so I'll make some hold downs who knows when.

So when I was done fiddling, I cut a piece of true 2"x4" red oak reclaimed from skids, not bad!

As far as job sites, I'll be moving, setting up, and using it so it's not going to take abuse I see on commercial job sites where I earn my living.
This seems perfect for mid to high residential restoration work to small commercial Jobs that require woodworking. If I rip even 25 or less 2x's per day, it would be occasionally.
This coffee shop job calls for using reclaimed skid material so I figure 2x rips, 1/8" Masonite, 1/2" pine or oak slats cross cuts... that's Nothing!

I read all of your considerate responses and as prescribed, I'll put on the white gloves and treat it like a Stradivarius 👌.

It may be newlywed fever but I'm feeling this saw, and I can put it under my arm and walk a flight or two.

I hope to get years of use producing quality finishes.
Thanks again for the feed back. I look forward to dropping in to see how some pimp out your rides😉. I'll post some pictures when I can . Glad to be here and now a member of the club...

[cwsmith]

Congratulations on your purchase and the addition to your family. Sounds to me like you already have an appreciation for the saw and what it can do. Nice to know that you have a good grasp of what you now have.

The BT3100-1 that I have was my first and only table saw purchase. Got it soon after my retirement in 2003. I did a lot of looking/research and bought this saw for it's rather unique features. Now when I occasionally look at another saw on display I wonder where the adjustable rails are, why no SMT, wheres the slots in the rails and the fence, etc. Why doesn't anyone incorporate these features in those beasts coasting hundreds of dollars more. Yeah, they've got bigger, stronger motors and lots of cast iron... but where are the design enhancements of my beloved BT???

Oh well, I guess I just need to treat my BT with some affection and keep it running well for as long as I can... Hope you enjoy your new purchase as much as I have mine.

CWS

[leehljp]

For people that take care of their equipment, the BT3100 should work well. Welcome, and let us see some of your creations! After reading your profile, you obviously have some skill at woodworking!

[PushyMonk]

New SMT Fence Holder &amp; Factory Throat Tune Up

[capncarl]

I'm of the opinion the keeping a sharp blade on this saw helps extends its operational life more than anything else.

[LCHIEN]

good solutions to the miter fence clamp. That's the second one I have seen, the first one was all wood and belonged to an Australian.
I think you are in the spirit of the saw, making custom pieces is easy because of all the hooks and attachment points, it's fun for the creative mind!

Good luck, make lots of money with it.

If you're interested my BT3 FAQ has a lot of tips and facts on the saw in it. See my sig line below for how to get it.
There's even a item on five things a newbie breaks on a BT3.
Here's the excerpt:
Avoid the Five Things a newbie often breaks on a BT3:
· The ends of the miter fence, or the miter fence itself get cut if the SMT or miter fence is set too far to the right
· The zero stop on the SMT, its real brittle metal and slamming the miter fence into it will do it.
· The latches on the SMT when they drop it, or unlatched, it falls off as they move the saw around
· The eccentric screws (they’re real brittle) that set the SMT alignment – know how they work before you adjust them
· The belts. If you freeze the blade when starting, the belts will go to protect the motor. This occurs in making ZCTPs, and if the wood closes up around the blade, and if you try to feed too fast.