"Steve Mellenthin" wrote in message
...
According to the guys at Sears Hardware, Crapsman power tools are
actually Ryobi incognito - so that should tell ya somethin'...

When I worked at Sears hardware about 15 years ago, there were several
"manufacturers" of Craftsman power tools. Ryobi/B&D/Skil,
etc....Y'know, the same stuff they sell under their own name, and is
great for Joe 6Pack who gets 'em to build a shed for the kid's bikes.
They started IIRC around that time with the "Professional" line -
Milwaukee/DeWalt/Makita, if memory serves. Perfect for the "guy who
can build anything, he just doesn't do it for a living"

Just to get it in print(I haven't seen it lately)

The hand tools have the lifetime warranty
power tools normally carry(ied) a 1 year warranty(but you could buy
the "extended warranty"--purely profit most of the time). Pros were
not eligible for either one(Commercial use, and all that) My buddy
Mike came up with the SEARS acronym:

SEARS: Serious
Errors
Associated with
Retail
Services


I prefer Milwaukee & Porter Cable mahself...

You say that like someone(who has the money, need, tool knowledge)
doesn't



I have a Ryobi BT3100 Sliding Miter Table Saw and am quite please with its
accruacy and versatility. Ryobi tends to provide cheaper tools but their
upscale ones ae fine.

Nice thing about it and Sears is that you can always get parts for both
from
Sears. I have kept some tools (drils, routers, compressors) runing for 25
years or more that way. Some of the innovations on Sears tools are great
though some aren't I really miss the micro adjustment I had on my 1/4"
sears
router I bought in 1975. Neither my Freud or DeWalt have that.

I also have a 1953 model Shopsmith that still works like a champ thanks to
the
company still having parts available for that model.

I have just purhased a top of the line Hitachi 18v Drill-Driver and
Hitachi
Circular Saw for my latest project an 30' x 34' x 16' shed. Better price
than
anyone else for both features and capability. My Skil saw and Black and
Decker
Pro series driver busted on me and parts are not available for either.

Steve


I have a Ryobi BT3000 Sliding Miter Table Saw, the model before yours. I
broke the "quick stop" while cutting sheets of plywood and I can't get the
part through Ryobi. I tried Sears, but it's not available there either.
Its a great saw, excellent condition, rarely used. Now I have to replace
the whole saw because a $1.00 part is no longer available.

You know what, I think its the same part as on the BT3100! Hope you don't
break yours.

Nigel.