Does changing a track saw blade require changing the guide rail splinter guard?

[Steve-Rice]

Festool has a great selection of track saw blades, but if the width of the teeth are different on each blade, that would require changing the clear plastic splinter guard on the bottom of the guide rail to maintain the tight fit between the blade teeth and the splinter guard.  Is this a valid concern or can various blades all work on the same guide rail with the same splinter guard and still provide a splinter free cut?  Thanks.

 

[elfick]

I believe the kerf on the TS55 is standardized at 2.2mm.

 

[shaun.mcc]

I believe only if the kerf width is different...all the TS55 Festool blades in the catalog are 2.2mm. Perhaps only aftermarket blades of a different kerf need to be a concern.

 

[grbmds]

I recently installed the Festool rip blade for the TS55. I had just cut a new splinter guard. The kerf's are the same on my standard and the rip blades (at least that's what it says on the blades). The problem s that, now the splinter guard is just a tin bit off from the blade after I reinstalled the blade that came with the saw (which I use mostly). I know that there is supposed to be no difference, but you can see a rougher edge on the splinter guard only where the rip blade came into contact with it when I used it for several cuts. With the combo blade I now don't get a cut which is exactly on the line as I did just after I cut the guard with it. I am disappointed in the I don't really know what to do about it. There are occasions I would like to use the rip blade but I doubt I'll ever use it again. I will replace the splinter guard and just never use the rip blade again. I have recently acquired a small table saw and probably will just use that for ripping from here on out.

 

[jcpsmallwoodworkershop]

Festool has a great selection of track saw blades, but if the width of the teeth are different on each blade, that would require changing the clear plastic splinter guard on the bottom of the guide rail to maintain the tight fit between the blade teeth and the splinter guard.  Is this a valid concern or can various blades all work on the same guide rail with the same splinter guard and still provide a splinter free cut?  Thanks.

in the ts55 supplentary manual buried deep p22,
http://www.festoolusa.com/media/pdf/Festool-TS55REQ-Supplemental-Manual.pdf

there is a paragraph "Matching Multiple Saws to Shared Guide Rails" on aligning a different saw to
a common guide and common splinter guard, this is like your problem of aligning different
blades to the same splinter guard.

 

[grbmds]

Actually I believe that the claim is that, as long as the kerf is the same and the blades are Festool, there should be no effect by switching blades. That has not been my experience recently.

 

[Steve-Rice]

I'd like to thank all of you for your prompt replies.  Special thanks to jcp2wood for turning me on to the supplemental manual for the TS55 REQ.  I see now that the blade kerfs are 2.2mm for both the standard 48 tooth cross cut blade and the 12 tooth  ripping blade (which I'm about to purchase). Looks like the splinter guard should be OK with both blades.  Thanks again everyone.

 

[semenza]

Kerfs are the same but the different tooth geometry and big difference in aggressiveness between something like the Fine blade and the Panther can still result in a roughed up anti-splinter strip.

Seth

 

[grbmds]

Kerfs are the same but the different tooth geometry and big difference in aggressiveness between something like the Fine blade and the Panther can still result in a roughed up anti-splinter strip.

Seth

It appears to have cut the splinter guard back slightly so that it no longer will cut right on the mark with my other blade. True, it's a very tiny amount and I can compensate, but one of the things I like most about the TS55 and track is that it cuts right on the mark and it make the cuts so much easier and accurate. As I said, since I did get a small table saw, I may eventually just install a new splinter guard or recut the one on there and use the table saw for ripping.

 

[monstrol]

If you have the 75 and 55 and use the same rails the splinter guard will change. I have both and dedicated a long rail and short rail for each saw thinking that would work. I  would invariably get a
situation where I would need more rails to make a cut and alter the 55 rails splinter guard. Measure a lot, cut once.