All my TS55 woes, solved with one simple jig

[square]

I cut a lot of 45 degree miters on the old MF table. As much as I love the system, it has three problems:

1. Saw is unstable when in the 45 degree position. I give Festool a pass on this because in every other respect it's great, and I suspect it's a design compromise which could not be avoided in the interest of light weight, which is arguably more important.

2. Saw must be removed from guide to change workpiece. Gets old fast.

3. I swear if the little ribs on the vac hose bind against the guide or the table edge one more time I'm going to go very non-linear, and not in a nice way.

[attachimg=1]

You just park the saw at the far end of the guide. The top piece of the jig solves problem 1 and the bottom piece solves problem 2. Passing the hose through the clamp and looping it to the left ensures that it won't bind during a cut.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Square, this is an interesting idea, nice work. I kinda like the idea of being able to attach the saw to the rail. Maybe Festool could make the a piece that would attach to the base and in the channel on the rail, making the piece was removable for when you don't want this feature would be nice.

This thread isn't about a problem so it should go in the jig and enhancement section, maybe Matthew can move it. What do you think?

 

[nickao]

Yes Brice I was thinking the same. It was a problem for him to make these types of cuts, but it's not really a problem or faulty tool as he alluded to in his post that "you can't fault Festool". Nice jig though!

I could not see the picture very well. I had to change my monitor setting to really see the wood piece.

Nickao

 

[square]

Thanks. This jig got me thinking about using t-track nuts to attach a piece of wood along the length of the left side of the rail which would overhang the saw base enough to prevent it from ever tipping to the right. Easy-peasy and if you built in a stop at the far end you'd be able to tip up the rail to change work pieces. I'd never need a Kapex then!

 

[Tinker]

It's funny.
All afternoon, as I was riding merrily along on my trusty Tiger mower, i was thinking about the problem of my ATF 55 tipping when making miter cuts.  I had come up with close to the same solution of clamping the left side of the plate to the guide bar.  I had in mind to use most of the left side of the plate.

How does your clamp work using only the one corner?

Does the clamp glide ok in the groove on the guide bar?
Tinker

 

[Eli]

Nice jig. And simple too, which is rare  ;D

3. I swear if the little ribs on the vac hose bind against the guide or the table edge one more time I'm going to go very non-linear, and not in a nice way.

Do you have the little plastic thing-o that screws onto the end of the guide rail? I know it doesn't help with the table snagging, but......

You should check out Eiji's overhead track sliders for this as well.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I second that "nice Jig" comment.

Re the Festool hoses, I think Festool should switch to hoses that have a smooth outer surface, too.  I have the Boom Arm and use the little plastic edge guide/guard that attaches to the end of the Guide Rail, and I made a lateral extension of wood that prevents the hose from snagging of the end of the Guide Rail that extends laterally beyond the little plastic guide/guard.  But occasionally my hose still manages to hang up on something, e.g. the side rail of the MFT or the edge of the top of the MFT or some other Festool accessory due to the external ribbed design of the hose.  Some have added external sleeves [covers] to their Festool hoses to mitigate this problem. 

Dave R.