Cutting multiple identical pieces with the TS 55 EQ

[sprior]

Last weekend I bought the TS 55 EQ with the original justification of ripping and crosscutting pieces of plywood which were too big for my contractor sized table saw.  My task for today is to rip some shelves from a piece of plywood, all the same width and while I can do it with the table saw I'd rather use the new toy.  With the table saw I'd just set the fence to the right width and send the plywood through, but probably with some minor issues with the wood steering away from the fence.  It appears that with the Festool saw you've got to measure/mark the width for a piece, put the guide rail in place, make the cut, then start measuring again.  Is there a faster way that avoids measuring each piece individually?  I don't have the parallel guide.

 

[festooldude]

Make your own parallel guides

Greetz rick

 

[VictorL]

There are three options:
1. Mark each strip individually
2. Buy Festool parallel guides. (Tool nuts is very close to you)
3. Make your own parallel guides.

Cheers,
VictorL

 

[Jonhilgen]

Make some with a couple of drywall t-squares and some clamps.  Do a search on the forum for homemade parallel guides for more ideas.

You're going to love your 55.

Jon

 

[ccarrolladams]

Last weekend I bought the TS 55 EQ with the original justification of ripping and crosscutting pieces of plywood which were too big for my contractor sized table saw.  My task for today is to rip some shelves from a piece of plywood, all the same width and while I can do it with the table saw I'd rather use the new toy.  With the table saw I'd just set the fence to the right width and send the plywood through, but probably with some minor issues with the wood steering away from the fence.  It appears that with the Festool saw you've got to measure/mark the width for a piece, put the guide rail in place, make the cut, then start measuring again.  Is there a faster way that avoids measuring each piece individually?  I don't have the parallel guide.

[welcome] to The FOG, Sprior,

Before Festool introduced the Parallel Guide Set with Extensions, I routinely needed to turn sheets of plywood into shelves of identical width using a TS55 and a Guide Rail. Although I now own a large shop with a Pressure Beam Saw, I still use my trusted method when the shelves need to be beveled.

Since normally plywood shelves are made with the veneer grain running the long way, I start breaking down the sheet of plywood by carefully cross-cutting the sheet into pieces with parallel cut sides the length of the finished shelves.

Step 2 is to use a sacrificial surface set at a convenient working height. At the end where I want to work I fasten a piece of scrap the same thickness as the shelves about the width of the shelves. Along the start end of the cut I fasten a long 4" wide piece of scrap at an exact right angle to the other piece of scrap but separated from the end scrap by just over the width of the shelves. At the far side or end of the cut I fasten still another long 4" wide piece of scrap, also separated from the end piece by just over the width of the shelves, at an exact right angle to the end scrap, but far enough from the start edge scrap the blank shelf plywood slides freely.

Step 3 is to place a shelf blank sheet on the surface, snug to the start end scrap. Measure from the end scrap the width of the shelves, plus 2.2mm to allow for the kerf of the TS55 saw blade. Mark that at on both the start and finish end pieces of scrap. That mark is where the splinter guard of the guide rail needs to be. Clamp the guide rail so it stays on that mark.

Step 4 is to fasten a small scrap of 12mm material to the start and finish long pieces of scrap snug to the far side of the rail away from the splinter guard.

The way I use this fixture is to position a fresh shelf blank snug against the start scrap about 12mm beyond the rail's splinter guard. I make a clean-up cut of that factory edge of the blank. Then I move the blank's clean edge snug against the end scrap. From then on I hold the rail's far side against the small blocks make a cut and remove the new shelf. Then I keep doing the same thing until the remaining shelf blank is too narrow to support the guide rail.

I solve that issue by using either the next blank or a finished shelf to support the rail and at the same time hold the last bit of blank snug against the end stop.

Probably it has taken me longer to explain this fixture and method as it does to finish a batch of shelves. Long before I bought Festools I would use either double-headed nails or dry wall screws to temporarily fasten cleats and stops to my sacrificial surface, I continue to do so even when using guide rails, so clamps do not get in the way of using the TS55. Each time I set up this sort of fixture I place the end scrap a different distance from the end of the sacrificial surface, so the groove from the saw blade is not in the same place.

 

[Mark]

I learned this trick from the late John Luca's website, woodshopdemos.com.

1. Get some stair gauges http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Level-Brass-Stair-Gages/dp/B001CJZV20/ref=sr_1_11?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1329594697&sr=1-11
2. Aluminum ruler and or something that you can clamp the stair gauges to.

3. Mark you cut
4. From the opposite side of the splinter guard set the distance from the edge of the rail to the end of the material, set the gauge and check it the ends of the rail.

* I use the aluminum part of the rail to reference off of as the guiderail tends to get chewed up as you use the rail. Using any portion of the guide rail will give you a consisten point of reference...

Can't find John's posting but if you haven't seen his site, its a wealth of good info not only on Festools but general woodworking.

Good Luck

 

[Brice Burrell]

....Can't find John's posting but if you haven't seen his site, its a wealth of good info not only on Festools but general woodworking....

Just a quick note on John's site, unfortunately, it's not longer up.

 

[peter halle]

....Can't find John's posting but if you haven't seen his site, its a wealth of good info not only on Festools but general woodworking....

Just a quick note on John's site, unfortunately, it's not longer up.

Not intending to hijack, but John's domain was taken over by another woodworking entity.  John's information is still out there on that site.  Here is the url for John's stuff.  What a guy he was!    http://legacy.woodshopdemos.com/

Peter

 

[Corwin]

...  My task for today is to rip some shelves from a piece of plywood, all the same width and while I can do it with the table saw I'd rather use the new toy.  ...

You can use a combination square (or two) to assist you in placing your guide rail on your workpiece.  Measure from the back edge of your guide rail to the cut edge of the splinter guard to get the width of your rail, then set a combination square to the difference between that measurement and the width you want for your shelves.  If you have a second combination square, use the first one to set the second to the same setting.  Now you can use the combination square(s) to locate the back edge of your guide rail in relation to the edge of your material.  This is a simple method to use until you make or buy some parallel guides...

 

[PaulMarcel]

Not intending to hijack, but John's domain was taken over by another woodworking entity.  John's information is still out there on that site.  Here is the url for John's stuff.  What a guy he was!    http://legacy.woodshopdemos.com/

Peter

Well there's a way to make a successful website... wait until someone who made one regrettably passes on then grab the domain.  Instant traffic.  At least they eventually put John's old information back up.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

You could always see if you can get a hold of John's cd with the whole site's posts in PDF.  Not sure if I'm allowed to copy mine for others, so if there's an attorney on the FOG, speak up.

 

[peter halle]

Not intending to hijack, but John's domain was taken over by another woodworking entity.  John's information is still out there on that site.  Here is the url for John's stuff.  What a guy he was!    http://legacy.woodshopdemos.com/

Peter

Well there's a way to make a successful website... wait until someone who made one regrettably passes on then grab the domain.  Instant traffic.  At least they eventually put John's old information back up.

Paul,

I think that Woodcraft (?)  now owns the site.  Perhaps they purchased the site.

Ken,  I am not an attorney, but my guess is that would be copyright infringement.  The DVD is available thru Woodcraft and John's wife does benefit.  If anyone is interested:  John's website on DVD

Peter

 

[Brice Burrell]

Not intending to hijack, but John's domain was taken over by another woodworking entity.  John's information is still out there on that site.  Here is the url for John's stuff.  What a guy he was!    http://legacy.woodshopdemos.com/

Peter

Well there's a way to make a successful website... wait until someone who made one regrettably passes on then grab the domain.  Instant traffic.  At least they eventually put John's old information back up.

I'm calling dibs on halfinchshy...... [tongue]

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Brice, that was good!  [big grin]

Thanks, Peter.  Good find!

 

[PaulMarcel]

Yeah, I did see that the DVD is for sale there and definitely that's a good thing for the family.  I think Woodcraft could have maintained the site and put the DVD's ad there instead of pigeon-holing it behind a sidebar link.

Once I'm gone, Brice, you can have HalfInchShy!  The rubber chicken on the bench, though, goes to Ken.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Yeah, I did see that the DVD is for sale there and definitely that's a good thing for the family.  I think Woodcraft could have maintained the site and put the DVD's ad there instead of pigeon-holing it behind a sidebar link.

Once I'm gone, Brice, you can have HalfInchShy!  The rubber chicken on the bench, though, goes to Ken.

...and the Saw Stop.

I think Brice is still upset over the WCR-1000 hockey check.

 

[sprior]

Keeping this thread on track...  I've been searching around on this forum and found at least 4 strong contenders for homemade parallel guides, but because of the way these discussions go it can be hard to follow and really determine what ultimately happened.  Is there any agreement on what the top one or two designs are (with parts available in the US)?

 

[Mark]

Here is the page on John's site using the stair gauges: http://legacy.woodshopdemos.com/Fes-Parallel-2.htm

Mark

 

[ccarrolladams]

Keeping this thread on track...  I've been searching around on this forum and found at least 4 strong contenders for homemade parallel guides, but because of the way these discussions go it can be hard to follow and really determine what ultimately happened.  Is there any agreement on what the top one or two designs are (with parts available in the US)?

Apparently there is no consensus about home designed alternatives to Festool Parallel Guides with Extensions.

Many of us have provided details our the approach each of us takes.

Based upon your OP my impression is that you had a short deadline to make a batch of shelves. That being the case, my suggestion is to go to a local Festool dealer who has a Parallel Guide set in stock and purchase that. If the shelves are narrow, then you will need the extensions. The method I suggested to you can be built in minutes with the equipment you stated you already have available.

 

[sprior]

I guess I should have mentioned that I finished those shelves yesterday by measuring them individually and they came out great.  My continued interest in this thread is in having a more efficient solution for next time.