Subject: Ryobi TS-Survey(This is long)

From: "Ed Kirkpatrick" <[email-masked]>
Date: 15 Feb 97 16:32:05 GMT

Results of BT 3000 Table Saw survey.  Taken from users (1/97).  There were
eight responses.  Owners not on our email group should respond via email to
join.

HAVE   RATE   Range of Scores        Accessory 
     8	  4	     3-5	              BT3000 with stand
     3	  2.67	     1-5		Dust bag
     5	  3.6 	     3-4		Dado insert plate
     7	  3.71	     1-5		Zero Clearance throat plates
     3           1.67	     1-2		Miter Clamping Kit
     7	  3                 2-5		Router/Jig Saw Mounting Kit
     1	  4	     4		41" Long Miter Ext. Arm
     4	  3.5	     3-4		Wide Table Kit 
     1	  1	     1		Air Floatation Vacum Table
     1	  3	     3		Table Leg Set(for wide table)
     3	  3.34	     1-5		Quick fold rear table
     7	  4	     3-5		Casters (2)
     2	  4	     4		Extra table insert
1=poor; 2=fair; 3=good; 4=v.good; 5=excellent

List jigs you have built: 
-Rebuilt and extended miter fence
-Router fences. 1 tall for trimming laminates, 1 for all other uses
-Make my own zero clearance throat plates
- List jigs you have built:Frank Klaus slip joint in FWW also works for
tenons,
vertical panel raising rides on rip fence, corner spline jig for frames,
ply
used for 3' taper jig and support for cross cutting long noards.
Threw away the dust bag when started using shop vac (since replaced with
1HP DC. Used masontite to make one for the Freud blade and plan to use
3/8" Plexiglas and tap the lower holes for use with Forrest WWII (an
excellent blade!!). Bought 2 at HD instead of Ryobi ($ difference).
-Tenoning jig
-Miter fence extension
-Finger/box joint sled
-Tenoning jig
-Leg taper jig
-Enclosed bottom of cabinet with drawers

If you could change two things about the saw what would they be. 
-Built in drawer/shelving in the stand
-More accurate/sturdy sliding miter
-Make a better miter fence attachment with convenient jointing
possibilities
-Give a better blade with saw (A carbide tipped blade is very nice, but
then they piss it away with only 36 teeth).
-I know, but hey-How about a micro-adjustment for the fence.
-A drop in throat plate
-Table height adjustment for the miter and accesory table.
-Larger opening on accessory table to accomodate large panel bits when
routing
-More power (13-amp motor)
-Miter fence needs more support...has too much give.
-Improve dust capturing capabilities
-Better & faster system for mount and unmount guard
-Stronger rails for moving saw
-Longer rails, esp. on left side of blade
-Wish came with extra accessory table with miter slots in both
-Wish had the new 15-amp motor
-Miter table level with table

What is the most aggravating thing about the saw for you:
-Correcting the sliding miter and fence
-When cutting hardwood 1 inch thick stock, the anti-kickback pawls keep
jamming in the table.
-Only a 6-8 ft power cord for a portable saw this to short
-Filmsy, requires a fairly frequent amount of adjustment , awkward (0,45)
bevel stop adjustment, cumbersome blade change.
-Lack of power
-Rough adjustment of blade (up/down).
-Give in miter fence
-Low throat plate
-Dust
-The fence (need upgrade)
-Openings in the table, making work with thin stock difficult
-Star knobs on rip fence (for router table accessory) are wider than rip
fence, and therefore obstruct/hit work pieces that protrude above rip
fence height (knobs hit workpiece as it slides).
-Sliding miter table adjustment

What is the most benefical thing about the saw for you: 
-Router mount
-The fence! (rip)
-Lightweight, portable, good power,large cutting depth, accurate rip fence
-Flexible for crosscutting and ripping.
-Easy router setup
-Decent stock fence
-Portability
-Sliding miter table
-Rip fence
-Sliding miter table
-Rip fence
-Alumiun material that doesn't rust but very strong

Other comments: 
-This saw is a good value for the money. If you don't want to spend a
fortune and are a weekend woodworker.
-There are also some accesories that are available from the Ryobi
distributors and service centers that you have not listed. I know that
your list is based on what is readily available, but I think current and
prospective users of the BT3000 would be interested in hearing about
them. There is a user hardware kit available. It's about $8 from
Ryobi distributors and service centers. It's basically a bunch of bolts
and T-nuts that you can use to attach jigs or whatever to the miter and
rip fences. I've found it useful for attaching fence height extension
boards for sawing tenons, raised panel type sawing or any type of sawing
where you need to run a board on edge. There is also a rip fence
micro-adjustment accessory available. I haven't seen or used one, but maybe
someone in your e-mail list has experience that she/he would like to share.
I believe they're about $50.
-It does the job, but I want to replace it with a full on cabinet saw.
But for the price, its a good saw. Cant bitch too much about it, as in
comparing to say...a unisaw, cause it doesnt have a unisaw price.
After owning this saw, I can say I will never buy anything made by ryobi
again, solely because the throat plate on the saw sits low. Such an easy
thing to fix, yet thats the way they sell it. That fact alone has ruined
my opinion of ryobi. Plus the zero inserts I bought were bowed badly, and
also sat low.
-The accessory vacuum is a *very* good vac for the price, and in combo with
the well-designed DC port does a good job, if the vac outlet is routed to
the central dc system. In fact, it's a good value for anyone that just
needs a good shop vac, because of it's suction and large collection
capacity.

Ed Kirkpatrick - Kinston, NC

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Ed Kirkpatrick - Kinston, NC