I bought the BT3000 in 5/1992 and had trouble raising/lowering the
blade and stripped the gear used because it is aluminum and was dirty.
My experience is far from the lifespan you assert. It was designed as
a lightweight benchtop tool as name confirms, Precision Benchtop
Cutting System therefore the use of lightweight aluminum. The gear
stripped because I didn't maintain it properly and keep it clean! I
use it almost daily and would buy it again with space constraints
experienced sharing a garage with a car. I found out after a couple
of years the back/far end of the rip fence should be hooked to the
back rail prior to clamping down to secure. It DOES NOT move when
installed properly. The universal motor is LOUD and the owners manual
recommends using hearing protection, rightfully so! As Packard
Motorcar Co slogan suggested years ago "Ask the man that owns one"!
Clean the gear mechanism before it is stripped!

On 30 Nov 2005 10:11:36 -0800, "SAIL4EVR"
wrote:

I have a BT3000. Have had it for about 5 years. I think it has reached
the end of the road. It's been getting harder and harder to raise and
lower the blade. Now it won't budge. I have used it for far more than
the light use recomended which is why it is finally dieing. Everything
everyone says about lightweight and Ryobi machines is essentially true.
You get what you pay for. If this will be your first machine it is a
good entry level machine. When you have used it to the end of it's life
in 4-5 years you will know what you ae looking for in a better machine.
If you are only making 5 or 6 cuts a year, they will do that for you at
home depot or wherever you buy your lumber. Don't bother to take up the
space in your basement or garage.

I gather you rexperience is fairly limited, don't get offended,
everyone starts somewhere or you would know the limitations of $139
machine. The good thing about a lightweight machine is you can move it
easily. However it won't take a lot of abuse. Ripping 8ft 4 x 4s. like
I did. Ripping long miters on 2 x 4s. with a dull blade. I liked the
fact that it would cut a 4 x 4. Not all of them do. The fence was
pretty sloppy. I'd have to be extra careful if I was making a set of
drawers for example. Have to measure at each end of the fence to msak
sure it was parallel to the blade. Stuff like that. Hope this helps