Anti-splinter strip vs Panther blade

[slb]

I noticed my TS55 struggling while ripping oak, so I decided to get a FESTOOL Panther rip blade.  I was a bit concerned because I have seen comments that this blade will trim back the anti-splinter strip on the guide rails because it has a wider kerf (2.5 vs 2.2 mm), making the guide edge inaccurate for the narrower blades. 

But then I got to thinking, and I'm now confused  ???.  The kerf difference should go half on each side of the blade plate, so the blade would trim back the strip by .15mm (.0059 inch).  That's about the thickness of a piece of heavy paper.  Are people really sawing to that kind of tolerance?  And when I put the blade in my saw it barely kisses the anti-splinter strip, certainly not looking like it is going to change things enough to matter (I haven't actually cut with it yet). 

So, I'm wondering what I am missing here ??? ??? ????  Is the problem really that the strip becomes less effective at holding down splinters, rather than that the cut is off the edge?  Does the more aggressive cut of the Panther pull up larger splinters, and they damage the strip?  Is my anti-splinter strip already off (never noticed a problem).  Is my saw untypical?

Enlightenment from anyone who has had this problem would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[Steve Jones]

I've only used the Panther a couple of times, never worried about the strip and I didn't seem to get a lot of black (like you get on a new rail the first cut).

There are maybe some folks who get worried about trimming the extra .15mm but I mostly cut plywood, never get splintering (at least not on the rail side). and never (yet) changed out a splinter strip.

As far as more aggressive splintering - I use the panther for ripping board stock, which by definition means I'm going with the grain and not getting any splintering anyway.

 

[nickao]

Steve you are right it does not make a difference for most cuts, but if you are drawing out a line and placing the rail on that line and need to cut EXACTLY on that line there is a problem. Especially for certain cuts.

Imagine cutting a disc into 8 pieces like a Pizza Pie. If you draw up the correct  shapes and then lay the rail on the line and your cut is not on the line(or next to, you should really leave the line), then the "pizza pie" pieces are never going to form an exact disc. Its these type of operations where it is imperative to have accuracy in the splinter guard.

 

[Dongar]

Steave the panther blade trims more off the strip then the measurement would lead you to believe. It also leaves the strip and the wood somewhat rough. It is a very fast cutting blade but the wood definitely need jointing before any use.
Donald

 

[Steve Jones]

Nick,

having seen some examples of your work I fully agree that your requirements are for more demanding than mine.

For anyone not familiar with nicks work, he makes truly beautiful compass inlays for wood floors.

Actually as I implied in my earlier post, I tend to avoid using the panther blade because of the poor quality  of edge it leaves.

 

[lym]

i'm confused.  why should the width of the blade make a difference when both blades are referenced from the same point, the inside plane where the blade meets the saw.  any additional thickness would be on the outside of the cut and not affect the anti splinter strip.

 

[woodshopdemos]

i'm confused.  why should the width of the blade make a difference when both blades are referenced from the same point, the inside plane where the blade meets the saw.  any additional thickness would be on the outside of the cut and not affect the anti splinter strip.

Lym,
    I think you are absolutely right. But there is a slight removal of a bit of the strip and I thnk it is because of the setting of the teeth...they are more aggressive. I have used the blade often and have gotten use to the guide rail being off a fraction...and it is mnor. Beware though, if you tilt the saw to 45? and cut a bevel, you can cut the strip and a bit of the aluminum off...not what you want to do. Just besure that the saw  base is adjusted as far away from the guide rail asa it can be.

 

[tbellemare]

It seems to me that it all depends on how much, if any, difference there is in the plate thickness between blades in combination with the difference in kerf.

As Lym pointed out, they all reference the same spot on the saw but assuming the cutting edges are centered, if the plate were increased in thickness by the kerf increase, there would be no cutting of the splinter guard to change blades.

Also, if like me, you use the same guide rails for a TS 55 and a TS 75, you will notice the bigger blades cut deeper into the splinter guard.

Tom

 

[slb]

Thanks for your thoughts! 

I agree that it depends on the amount that the teeth are set from the sides of the blade plate.  The plate is what attaches to the saw arbor.  The teeth cut "inside" the plane of the arbor by the amount of set.  Wider teeth on a thicker plate would have less set, and could make the blade cut the same inside edge along the guide (of course, it would cut a wider kerf so an outside cut would still be farther from the guide). 

I measured my Panther and fine tooth blades, and though the Panther has a bit thicker plate, it is not as much thicker as the difference in kerf.  So, it seems like the Panther does have a bit more set, though less than I originally thought.  I think I can live with it.

Whoa, if you do stuff like Nick you would really care ;D.

Steve

 

[jakiiski]

I think the kerf difference is exactly 2.75 mm (Panther) vs. 2.40 mm (rest of the blades), so it's 0.35 mm.