CMS55 sliding table alignment off

[Aegir]

OK, I am sure it is me, but I can not seem to be able to adjust this. Had the Festool rep here this morning running through this and the Kapex 120 I bought, and she scratched her head a little too. There is 2 long bolts than can be adjusted, and there are 4 little bolts allowing that table to angle up and down a little.

Basically I can not get it level, so I loosened everything in order to drop that table down, as it is currently higher than the main table.
Nope! It still sits approx 3mm higher, I will attach a picture here and I am at a loss.
If I cut a bit of wood and put pressure on the CMS side of the sliding table, I will not have a straight vertical cut, and that will not be acceptable to me.
The level looks a little off, but it is the angle of the picture. I have been over this and over this and the level is new as well and of course the fact I can rock it back and forth shows me all I need.

So any ideas?

 

[bertv]

If I remember correctly the slider comes with two black plastic doodahs. These are meant to be used on the VL, not the CMS (mind you, I could have that the wrong way round). The doodah is a strip with some extrusions and a threaded hole for the knobs you use to attach the slider.

When you mix up where these are needed (VL or CMS) things go wrong.

 

[Roachmill]

Oh, this brings back happy memories! This thread and the Supplemental Manual (page 18) got me through.

From what I understand you've tried slackening the two vertical bolts (these ones) in the fixed rail that *should* lower the sliding table but that's done nothing?

 

[Aegir]

Oh, this brings back happy memories! This thread and the Supplemental Manual (page 18) got me through.

From what I understand you've tried slackening the two vertical bolts (these ones) in the fixed rail that *should* lower the sliding table but that's done nothing?

Everything seems to have done nothing! Thanks for the link, will watch that now. I have done some Google searches but that did not appear.

 

[Aegir]

Oh, this brings back happy memories! This thread and the Supplemental Manual (page 18) got me through.

From what I understand you've tried slackening the two vertical bolts (these ones) in the fixed rail that *should* lower the sliding table but that's done nothing?

At 9.07 he adjusts that rail to level it, then at 9.15 he swings the guide around and it is clearly a couple of mm out! Sma issue I am having. I did take this as . floor model, so maybe I need to strip it down and start again, but I am thinking I should not need to.

 

[Jaybolishes]

I’m embarrassed to say how much time I have spent trying to get the table right on my cms. I do not like the way you have to adjust it because it is such a fiddly thing to get right.  But once it’s set I’m very happy with it.

 

[Aegir]

I’m embarrassed to say how much time I have spent trying to get the table right on my cms. I do not like the way you have to adjust it because it is such a fiddly thing to get right.  But once it’s set I’m very happy with it.

Would you please share how?

 

[kmhphoto]

I believe that video is somewhat misleading as I've pretty sure he is not using the mitre gauge during the setting up of the sliding table.
Either use a known straight edge or remove the rail from the mitre gauge, now level up the sliding table to the CMS insert, reattach the rail to the mitre gauge and when you attach that to the sliding table it may well look "off" but it will work perfectly.

 

[Aegir]

I believe that video is somewhat misleading as I've pretty sure he is not using the mitre gauge during the setting up of the sliding table.
Either use a known straight edge or remove the rail from the mitre gauge, now level up the sliding table to the CMS insert, reattach the rail to the mitre gauge and when you attach that to the sliding table it may well look "off" but it will work perfectly.

I have the gauge on the other side. I am just trying to level the sliding table with the CMS and cant. It sits a little higher and no adjustment will change that. Today I will remove everything ( is was a floor display ) and reassemble myself.

 

[Aegir]

I believe that video is somewhat misleading as I've pretty sure he is not using the mitre gauge during the setting up of the sliding table.
Either use a known straight edge or remove the rail from the mitre gauge, now level up the sliding table to the CMS insert, reattach the rail to the mitre gauge and when you attach that to the sliding table it may well look "off" but it will work perfectly.

Just the sliding table itself is the issue.  I have just removed it all to see how it works and found the height adjustment for the rail that the sliding table attaches to.

So I have tightened those down as far as they will go, in an effort to lower the sliding table. I have backed off the two bolts all the way on the sliding table plus the four bolts from its brackets in order to drop that. I level the sliding table with the two adjusting bolts and it sits approx 4mm higher than the CMS. If I play with the four bolts, it also makes no real difference to its actual height. If the slots in the bracket were larger, it would work, but now I am starting to think this is not me.
It can not be designed that the piece you are cutting is slightly in the air and if pressure is applied to it over the CMS itself, then the vertical cut will not be straight. Time to ask Festool I think.

 

[infer]

If it’s any help mine adjusts from lower to higher correctly. So there must be something wrong with yours.

 

[infer]

[attachimg=1]

 

[Aegir]

[attachimg=1]

I can adjust it  ok, but still sits higher than the CMS. That outside screw that you have as '' clamping screw '' has an elongated hole,  and if the inside one did that and took into account the wheel size of the sliding table , it would be fine, but it is just a hole. I managed to get the table within maybe 1.5mm and that is it. OK, so 1.5mm is not huge, but if I apply pressure to the wood near the blade, it then has a vertical cut that is off. I spoke to Festool today, and they said it is what it is when it comes to this table. Now I appreciate their honesty,  and of course they will refund me, but I want this option to work out as I want to add the router at a later point in time. I don't want to be ''that guy'' but I also want to have a level table when I pay $2500 for it.

If I adjust the '' adjustment screw'' in your picture, I can raise the outer to bring it in line with the table, making it level, but it then sort of has a very very slight ''V'' in it, where the outer edge and table is in line, but in between is lower.  So while that is fine for bits that are X in length, it does not work for bits of wood that are Y in length.

I can fix all this by cutting a slight slot in the rear ''clamping screw '' but ........ I shouldn't have to, nor will I.
I cant complain about CS from Festool, they rang me and we are working through it, but I just dropped $ 6.5 k on their stuff and was hoping for a slightly more care free transaction. 

 

[Roachmill]

As far as I can make out, my CMS is dead on after some fettling with the the assorted bolts. Sounds like yours ain't right so would a swap not be in order? I completely understand the expectation for it to be accurate after such a traumatic wallet-worrying experience!

 

[Sanderxpander]

With all due respect to customer service but I don't think the guy you spoke to realizes the situation or has that much in-depth knowledge of the product. The table should be adjustable to be flat, period. If not, it's off and I would exchange it.

 

[Gregor]

IIRC to set the height of the sliding table one uses the screws (the ones accessible through the holes in the top of the rail) that set the height of the black V thingies (that go into the v-groove of the CMS) at the bottom of the rail.

 

[Aegir]

IIRC to set the height of the sliding table one uses the screws (the ones accessible through the holes in the top of the rail) that set the height of the black V thingies (that go into the v-groove of the CMS) at the bottom of the rail.

Done that, but had to basically back those out all the way to drop that rail as far as possible, then just turn them a little to make sure the ends are the same height and tighten up the black fasteners so it does not move. Having got that as low as I can ( it is the sliding table being too high is the issue) then I back off everything on that table to lower it as far as possible. Fiddle with it so it is as low as I can but level and it is still a little over 1mm higher than the CMS table.

So the sliding table can go no lower and the rail it sits on can go no lower and the CMS cant come up.
1mm is 1mm and I can rock a workpiece back and forth, meaning it is not making a perfect straight vertical cut if I apply pressure to the wood near the blade. Now since I kind of have to do that, nothing will be coming off square.
This could be solved easily with elongated slots on the inside screws underneath ( there is 4 of them ) as the front has that for adjustment. I have a cnc mill in my garage, so could easily fix it, but I just do not want to, as it is brand new and a fair expectation that a Festool table would be level. Even if we eventually get this, which I have had two other people look at it as well, it should just not be this hard. 

 

[Sanderxpander]

I'd stop frustrating myself and use the all-inclusive warranty.

 

[Aegir]

I'd stop frustrating myself and use the all-inclusive warranty.

I have the rep coming the week after next ( as it is me who is unavailable ) and they are bringing their own sliding table for this to see what is what.  I have the Kapex 120 which is really nice and that can do everything I am currently working on anyway. To their credit, they offered me to return it anyway, but I dont want out of it, just want it to be right. And yes, I agree with you, I will stop playing it until they come, because it really is bugging me.

 

[Sanderxpander]

Sounds good. Make sure they bring a full set, the fault might be on the other end(?).