Just got a BT3000 Thanks to you!

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  • adlpc
    Handtools only
    • Aug 2014
    • 2

    Just got a BT3000 Thanks to you!

    Was looking for a good capable table saw and came across this forum. Was a little dismayed because the BT3000 sounded like a great versatile saw, but too big for my 2-car garage. Then one showed up on craigslist for $265 and thought I should see it. Guy never called back. A couple of days later another showed up for $150. Got a hold of the guy and next day went to just look. Well, it ended up coming home with me for $90. It has the stand and the large table top attached, all the normal accessories, including the router attachement but with a broken clear tube. It also just fits where my old Black & Decker 8" $1 saw and my homemade stand resided.
    Thanks to you and this forum for opening my eyes to this amazingly versatile and well designed saw! It is on the noisy side and I noticed quite a bit of the noise comes from the body of the saw. The sheet metal used is pretty thin, so had anyone tried putting sound absorbing material (stick on sheets) on the inside walls of the saw?
    I found the latest version of the BT3000 as the Crafsman 21829 for $599. It has all the modern upgrades with one picture showing a new style guard, grooves on a the table top plate for a standard miter gauge, foldable stand for easy storage and parts storage attachment. Are all of these compatible with the BT3000? I ask because the base of the Craftsman unit looks slightly different, and I am not sure what changes were made to the rails since the rip fence clamp looks slightly different too. Some of those 'upgrade' would make my saw EXACTLY what I need with storage help!
    Just sharing what is new to me and probably very old news to you! Thanks for a great informative forum. Glad to be a new member with a great saw! Now to go through all the proper set-up to check and make sure it does its best for me.
  • Black wallnut
    cycling to health
    • Jan 2003
    • 4715
    • Ellensburg, Wa, USA.
    • BT3k 1999

    #2
    Welcome! Sorry that it took so long to approve your post.
    Donate to my Tour de Cure


    marK in WA and Ryobi Fanatic Association State President ©

    Head servant of the forum

    ©

    Comment

    • LCHIEN
      Internet Fact Checker
      • Dec 2002
      • 20914
      • Katy, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 vintage 1999

      #3
      Don't get your hopes up on the 21829, the grooves on the router plate are for the router, there's no way to routinely keep it aligned to be parallel to the blade.

      it is almost completely compatible as far as all the rail mounted accessories go. The base is different and has fold up and wheel features. A lot of cosmetic differences.

      For a complete rundown on all the variations of the BT3xxx and sears saws there's a lot of detail in the FAQ I keep. see the sig line below for info on the FAQ.

      There's also a number of things to check on used saw, for the BT3000 it would be care and maintenance of the shims that the blade raising mechanism ride on. Details in the FAQ, too.

      Welcome to the world of BT3s!
      Loring in Katy, TX USA
      If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
      BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

      Comment

      • charliex
        Senior Member
        • Mar 2004
        • 632
        • Spring Valley, MN, USA.
        • Sears equivelent BT3100-1

        #4
        Foam

        I tried the sound deadening foam on the inside. Waste of time and effort, couldn't really tell any difference. Get yourself a good pair of safety head phones. They keep the saw and everything else in the shop quiet.

        Comment

        • LCHIEN
          Internet Fact Checker
          • Dec 2002
          • 20914
          • Katy, TX, USA.
          • BT3000 vintage 1999

          #5
          foam won't really work because the bottom of the saw is open.
          The induction motor in the BT3 is noiser than induction motors used in larger saws BUT the sound of wood being cut usually exceeds the motor noise so in reality hidden by the sawing noise.
          Loring in Katy, TX USA
          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

          Comment

          • tfischer
            Veteran Member
            • Jul 2003
            • 2343
            • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
            • BT3100

            #6
            Is that broken "clear tube" from the router accessory kit? No sweat, they are worthless. Supposed to be a safety guard but really doesn't serve that purpose well (or any other).

            If you really want one I can dig mine out and sell it to you cheap.

            Comment

            • adlpc
              Handtools only
              • Aug 2014
              • 2

              #7
              Thanks for the Welcomes and info

              Thank you for the welcomes and info! Well, found another for $40 and figured I could use the spare parts and extra router table for surface. Also, I have parts if anyone is interested, in need or wants to trade.

              Yes, you (pleural) are right, the chassis vibrations are minimal to the wood sawing noise and ear plugs work fine for me.

              The $40 one seems a bit quieter than the original $90 one. Not sure why. The $40 did come ithe a nice 50T Frued combination blade, so that might be part of it.

              Now I am on the lookout for the miter slot plates (miter slot attachment plates) so I can use some of the regular miter slot accessories with this table. Any ideas or suggestions where I might find two at a reasonable price?

              Thank you all again for your welcomes and info!
              Payam

              Comment

              • jdon
                Established Member
                • Feb 2010
                • 401
                • Snoqualmie, Wash.
                • BT3100

                #8
                Check out ebay- you'll likely have to spend something between what you paid for your two saws- great finds, btw!

                Comment

                • LCHIEN
                  Internet Fact Checker
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 20914
                  • Katy, TX, USA.
                  • BT3000 vintage 1999

                  #9
                  throat plates are not real hard to make yourself.
                  A good training exercise.
                  Doesn't take much more than minimal tools and the BT3 saw itself.
                  A lot easier than for contractor and cabinet saws which use ovalish racetrack- shaped plates - the BT3 uses straight-sided plates that are easily sawn (or pattern-copy routed if you wish)
                  The blade slots are easily cut by raising the blade... just make sure the saw can spin freely to start or you WILL break your belts.
                  Last edited by LCHIEN; 08-19-2014, 12:40 AM.
                  Loring in Katy, TX USA
                  If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                  BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                  Comment

                  • Bill in Buena Park
                    Veteran Member
                    • Nov 2007
                    • 1865
                    • Buena Park, CA
                    • CM 21829

                    #10
                    Originally posted by adlpc
                    ...Now I am on the lookout for the miter slot plates (miter slot attachment plates) so I can use some of the regular miter slot accessories with this table. Any ideas or suggestions where I might find two at a reasonable price?
                    Payam,
                    You might compare price of retail MSTs vs. making your own custom version using miter track in a board - several here have, and here's a link to one I made some time ago still in service.
                    Bill in Buena Park

                    Comment

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