# Ryobi BTS21 mod.? New guy..



## weirdbeard (Mar 31, 2008)

Hey guys. I am new to this site but not new to woodworking. I bought this table saw recently for on site work (Cabinets and trim and so fourth) I have found that it is a nice saw but the run out is unacceptable for my work. It is brand new but I had to take it apart and find the cause. I have found that the main bearing for the arbor is sloppy causing the excessive run out. However I cannot seem to get the gear off the arbor shaft to remove the bearing. I know if I could just get it off I could replace it with a high end German bearing and it would be a much better saw.
Does anybody know where I could find help on this matter? I don't want to mess up my brand new saw guessing but this has to be done.
Thanks.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

I have that same saw, and would be interested in seeing how you do with it. I have not had a dial indicator on mine, but using the framing square front to back of the blade against the fence, it appears to be pretty true with no noticable run out. A true run out dial indicator might show different though...


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## Davet (Nov 16, 2007)

If the saw is brand new and has excessive run out, why don't you take it back and exchange it for another one?


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## weirdbeard (Mar 31, 2008)

I had really just assumed that all the saws were this way. I don't expect much from ryobi. That is a good point though. I will have to check the stores display models and see if they are as bad. 
I must say at this point I would feel the saw has beaten me if I just give up.:laughing:


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Admittedly Ryobi isn't top shelf stuff, but their tools USUALLY do a darned good job for the price point they are marketed at. Remember the same engineers and factories that design and build Ridgid tools, design and build Ryobi right? Undoubtedly certain corners are cut from line to line to differentiate them... Usually that difference does not matter when using the tool. Some times it makes all the difference in the world...

For the most part I like my Ryobi tools. The only tool they make that I have and am not thrilled with is the Corner Cat detail sander. But then again other models of its type suck too...


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## weirdbeard (Mar 31, 2008)

Yes I do agree that Ryobi tools have the most bang for the buck. I usually buy Ryobi when I don't plan on using the tool everyday. I think this table saw was I knockoff of the Bosch saw and I like it very much. It just has this one problem that I must fix. I don't expect it to be my powermatic 66 but it can be better. There must be A good 1/32" of slop in this bearing!


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## weirdbeard (Mar 31, 2008)

this is a pic of the part I need to get apart. I have all kinds of gear pullers but I don't want to brake this. I don't know if I can get another.:wallbash:


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Stab that sucker back together and run it back to Home Depot. 1/32" runout is pretty steep. These saws ARE not the most powerful, but wobbly is NOT a description I have heard about this model... 

In my case I am a hobbyist, and it is a great saw for me. No noticable runout...

It does look from the angle of the photo you post, that a small gear puller should do the trick on getting it apart, then you have the whole pressing it back together to deal with. A nice German bearing set would be a good mod for this saw. Just not sure it is worth risking the saw to do with warranty issues and all... If it was an older, out of warranty model I would probably say go for it and let me know how it works out.


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## Graphiti (Mar 29, 2008)

Having had alot of experience with similar pieces parts. (Spent age 19-27 as an ASE certed auto tech.) The piece is very similar to drive train parts I've worked on. The gear was probably heat pressed into place. If so then most any method used to remove it will likely crack the gear. It needs to be heated to expand it so it can then be pressed off. Most automotive machine shops are equipted to do this sort of thing. I'd buy the new high tolerance bering and take it to a machine shop and have them swap the bering. If you realy want to do it yourself then let me know, there is a way to do it at home... The explaination is kinda long and i type real slow, two finger, hunt and peck and all.


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## weirdbeard (Mar 31, 2008)

Yes I also work on cars and motorcyles. It looks very much like a tranny part. I have put the gear puller on it and it does not budge with reasonable pressure. I started thinking maybe it was brazed on or something. 
I still need to check another saw for this problem but from what I am hearing from you guys my saw is bad.
I already tossed the box it came in so I don't think I can take it back to Home Depot.
I might just have to find a machine shop or live with it.:thumbdown:


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## rcp612 (Mar 25, 2008)

You might check the BT3 Central site. http://www.bt3central.com
There is a lot of Ryobi owners there with a lot of knowledge to share.This


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## Graphiti (Mar 29, 2008)

Home depot has never given me a problem about returning a defective tool without the package. at the very least I'm sure they would swap your saw if it's a defect thing, they would probably want the packing from the new saw so they could send it back to Ryobi.
R.G.


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## Howard Ferstler (Sep 27, 2007)

weirdbeard said:


> Hey guys. I am new to this site but not new to woodworking. I bought this table saw recently for on site work (Cabinets and trim and so fourth) I have found that it is a nice saw but the run out is unacceptable for my work. It is brand new but I had to take it apart and find the cause. I have found that the main bearing for the arbor is sloppy causing the excessive run out. However I cannot seem to get the gear off the arbor shaft to remove the bearing. I know if I could just get it off I could replace it with a high end German bearing and it would be a much better saw.
> Does anybody know where I could find help on this matter? I don't want to mess up my brand new saw guessing but this has to be done.
> Thanks.


I own the earlier BTS20 version and when the BTS21 first appeared at Home Depot I took a quick look at it. 

It has some cosmetic upgrades from the BTS20, but the one thing that struck me was the fence. Now, the BTS20 does not exactly have a super-duper fence. It is short (well, the saw table is short, too) and it is not built like a battleship. However, mine at least measures true when I check its parallelism and it locks in place just fine. On the other hand, the fence that comes with the BTS21 looks downright flimsy compared to that which came with the BTS20. The motor-blade runout on my BTS20 is essentially non existent, so perhaps you got a bum sample.

Note, however, that in recent times Ryobi has replaced earlier fine model products with lesser versions. An example of that is their new model 1301 thickness planer, which is considerably cheapened when compared to the earlier 1300 version. No in/out tables and no cut-removal gauge.

Back to saws. My suggestion to you would be to return the saw and get the Ridgid TS2400. That is a definitely superior saw (with a shortened version of the nice fence that comes with the Ridgid 3650 contractor's saw); so much so that I am considering getting one to pair up with my BTS20. Two saws are always better than one.

Incidentally, when Consumer Reports (yeah, the testing outfit) reviewed table saws a while back they rated the Ridgid TS2400 highest, with the Bosch 4000 and Ryobi BTS20 in second and third place. The BTS-20, because of its low price compared to the two that rated higher, still got a "Best Buy" rating.

Howard Ferstler


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## weirdbeard (Mar 31, 2008)

Well I think I have decided to just put the saw back together and try and take it back to Home Depot. Out of all the small TS I messed with at the stores for the money the Ryobi had the best fence. It seemed to square up on lock down better that the Rigid and was comparable the the Bosch. I do wonder if the people that set the display saws up at the stores really know what they are doing. It could be that the Ryobi was just more idiot proof out of the box.


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## Davet (Nov 16, 2007)

Since you seem to like the Ryobi saw, just exchange it for another one.
I bet your second won't have that run out problem.


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## Davet (Nov 16, 2007)

Howard Ferstler said:


> I Ridgid TS2400. That is a definitely superior saw (with a shortened version of the nice fence that comes with the Ridgid 3650 contractor's saw); so much so that I am considering getting one to pair up with my BTS20. Two saws are always better than one.
> 
> Incidentally, when Consumer Reports (yeah, the testing outfit) reviewed table saws a while back they rated the Ridgid TS2400 highest, with the Bosch 4000 and Ryobi BTS20 in second and third place. The BTS-20, because of its low price compared to the two that rated higher, still got a "Best Buy" rating.


Amen to that brother! I am on my forth cabinet and I am quite amazed with my Ts2400. It truly does a great job. This is the first saw that I can actually set the fence to the scale and have the cut spot on! 
I trust the saw fence setting more than I trust my own measurement!
:thumbsup:


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