Ryobi / Home Depot BTS15 table saw

[David Scarborough]

Hello again,
Finally got everything situated re the name game. Here is the basic copy/paste from my old id:


"I recieved a ryobi BTS15 table saw as a gift from my father last year and have yet to use it. (Due to extremely limited shop space, I have been using primarily hand tools). The time has come to pull the TS out of my storage facility and try it out. I mainly intend on using the TS to rip stock for a cheval mirror project for my step-daughter.
Has anyone had any experience with this saw? Is there a zero clearance throat plate available? If not, anyone have suggestions on how to make one? I haven't heard that many great things about the saw, but would hate to disapoint Pop by not even using it. Again, its only going to be used for very basic operations."

I reread the manual and there are part numbers for a dado set and dado throat plate. I sent a fax to ordertree inquiring as to the truth in this, but being a holiday week, I don't expect to hear back before next week. I recieved good info on making a ZCTP, but would still appreciate any comments on the saw

Thanks in advance,
DS

[Corey Hallagan]

Well alot of people will scoff at such a saw, however, you just need to know up front that it won't last forever, and is a starter saw, it will cut up to 3/4 stuff well but will bog down in some hardwood. I would use the saw until you decide you want to upgrade, I started with much much less of a saw, an 8 inch craftsman bench saw and wore it out after five years work. Might want to invest in a good combo blade such as a LU83 from freud , which sales for around 48.00 or less. Go to the BT3000 or Ryobi tool forum sites and I am sure someone can help you on the ZCTP. Enjoy the saw and put a smile on pops face, make him something!
Corey

[Lee DeRaud]

Might want to invest in a good combo blade such as a LU83 from freud , which sales for around 48.00 or less.

Dunno about now (or that particular saw), but a couple years back, the blade that came with the BT3000 was a Freud, with Ryobi markings. Might want to eyeball it before you spend any money. If it's "Freud red" and has the kinda scroll-shaped laser relief cuts, it's actually a Freud, regardless of how it's marked.

[Bob Noles]

David,

I have the BTS20R which is the portable version of your saw. I have found it to be a good saw for the money and has served my purpose well in the "HOBBY" field. Don't be fooled by the name or low price as it is a good saw. Keep a good blade in it and double check your fence before cutting and you won't have any problem with the performance of it. It has done anything I have asked of it and never once complained or kicked back on me. I have made an untold number of cuts on it with about every wood imaginable. I must admit that lately I have been relying more on my GCSS for safety and ease of use reasons, especially on sheet goods.

[Jack Tunney]

Dave

I have the BT 3000SX. Their is no zero clearance throat plate for the BT saws. You can go to the Ryobi forums and find excellant discussions on making these throat plates made from Lexan (very messy manufacturing these throats).

I have found the easiest way to make throat plates is to go the the local big box and buy the very thin pressboard sheets that are finished on one side. Use the current throat plate as a template to trace the outline on the pressboard. Cut the new throat plate out and then tap countersunk screw holes using the original throat plate again as a template for the location on the holes. Finally, you will need to sand the lower front and back edges to make the new throat plate level with the table saw.

It sounds time consuming but it really isn't. I bang out a bunch of them at a time. That way I always have a fresh one ready to go.

I hope you find the saw to be as usefull as I have. When your shop is fully set up and you don't need any other of the major tools, then go back and upgrade the TS.

Best of luck to you.

Jack

[Lee DeRaud]

I have the BT 3000SX. Their is no zero clearance throat plate for the BT saws.

That's odd: I have about four of them. They're sold in sets of two, and there's also a pair in the "accessory pack" (which also includes the miter-slot table and the rest of the bits for the router table). They're made of polyethylene with stiffening ribs on the back side, and work very well.

[Jim Dannels]

David: You have a saw so use it! I can assure you with complete confidence at some time you will want to upgrade, but use it until you find out what it won`t do and you`ll have a better idea what you need in your next saw.
Honestly I know little about the model you have. I never really looked to see if the plate was the same as the BT3000/BT3100 model.
I have a BT3100 and can assure you there are many accesories available.
I reccomend you get your saw out of mothballs and make a few trial cuts, you may not need a replacement blade. As Lee Stated, the BT 3100 comes with a very good Freud blade installed
If you get a dado set a 6" dado set should do anything you want and be within the capability of your saw. I have heard good things about the Freud & Avenger dado sets on the BT3000/3100.
The Zero clearance plates are available, something I have yet to get or make.

[Mike Sanfeliz]

sorry I'm late for the party. Here's my 2 cents.

David, I currently own a BTS 15 which has served me well over the past year and a half. What's nice about it is that it comes with a sliding miter table that you would find on more expensive tables. The rip fence is by far one of it's best features, much better than the one supplied by Craftman's lower end. Also, the base that came with your TS is wider and has a better center of gravity (so it will prove harder to tip over).

Things I did not like about the saw were the nobs to raise and lower the blade as well as setting the degrees are combined. I'm a fan of the seperate cranks. The other is how little Ryobi supports this saw. I have yet to find a dado plate as well as any other accessory. You may have to make one if you can fit the blade in. I've never tried myself so I'm not really sure. I know Ryobi's higher model the BT3100 gets much more support.

If basic ripping and cutting is all you need to do, then this saw is perfect. For mobility I simply attached 4 casters on to a square peice of compressed board (3/4 in), screwed in some L-shaped stoppers and there you go, instant mobility.

If you take the time to set the table up properly i.e. aligning the blade, fence etc. you'll find that the saw cuts pretty accurate.

[scott spencer]

Dunno about now (or that particular saw), but a couple years back, the blade that came with the BT3000 was a Freud, with Ryobi markings. Might want to eyeball it before you spend any money. If it's "Freud red" and has the kinda scroll-shaped laser relief cuts, it's actually a Freud, regardless of how it's marked.

The blade on the BT-3100 is a good Freud blade, but I highly doubt they'd put a $30 blade on the BTS15 with a retail point of ~$167....possible but unlikely. Maybe one of the owners can confirm. Either way, a good 24T TK ripper will help you through thicker stock.

[Lee DeRaud]

For what it's worth, I finally got a look at the BTS15 down at the Borg...

The throat plate is not the same as the BT3XXX saws, and it doesn't look like the rails are either, so the accessories for the higher-priced saw probably won't work.

Sorry about that.

[James Ayars]

David,
One of my coworkers has this saw and has been extremly pleased with it. He got it last year and since it is his first table saw he is finding every reason he can to use it. He used it to remodel his 110 year old farm house. He used a crate for an outfeed table and cut the plywood and paneling to build kitchen and bathroom cabinets, 80 feet of shelving, sink cabinets, wall paneling, and paneling for the ceiling. The pieces came out true and he had no problems.

I got my first table saw last year also, a Craftsman 22884 which was probably made by Ryobi and looks comparable to your saw. It is also a low end saw but it has done all I need it to do.

In my friend's case, once he learned to ignore the people that told him he should have started with a $800-$1,000 table saw he was able to enjoy his Ryobi even more.
James

[Dominick Giarraputo]

David, I have the Sears version of that saw and I love it!! Yes, it's not Griz, Uni, or any of those other commercial grade units but it is and excellent saw and a heck of lot easier on the pocketbook. I have had no problem with the saw boggin down on anything I've asked it to cut. The sliding miter table is wonderful. I have several jigs I made to work in conjuction with the sliding table and they work great!

You can get a ZC & dado plate at Sears but Home Depot sells a accessory pack that has a table extention with miter slots, the mounting hardware and fence for a router, a dust bag, base casters, and both dado & zero clearence plates for about a 100 bucks. It's well worth the investment IMO of course.

[David Scarborough]

Dom,
can you give me the sears part number for the zc and dado plate? How about the equivilent sears part number for the saw itself? Maybe sears has other things that will fit mine.

Many Thanks, and Merry Christmas,

Dave S

[Tom Drake]

Do a google search for BT3Central. Lots of good info on that site pertaining to Ryobi table saws.