Festool TS55 vs Bosch GKT55

[Holmz]

Thanks everyone!
...
As for the MFT and FSN. How have you modified the guide rail support at the front to allow for correct positioning of the rail?

No... Just the T-bolts into the FSN and then the knurled thumb nuts to hold it on the back.
http://mafell-users-forum.freeforums.net/thread/67/mount-mafell-guide-rail-mft

One can modify the front, but I have not.

I just slid the front over and the back too.
Then I put dogs in behind the FSN to make the FSN parallel to the dog holes.
Then I adjusted the front and back and set the set-screws.
I can flop the rail down and use the high dogs to make sure it is square.

If you are doing 32-mm holes there are better options than either brand of holey rail - assuming you do enough to pay for it.

 

[Magpal]

One can modify the front, but I have not.

I just slid the front over and the back too.
Then I put dogs in behind the FSN to make the FSN parallel to the dog holes.
Then I adjusted the front and back and set the set-screws.
I can flop the rail down and use the high dogs to make sure it is square.

So then the rail is just resting on the little tap on the front support? Sounds like it would work, but you would then have to calibrate every time you raise the rail?

 

[Holmz]

Did you go to the link?
It i usually blocked, so you probably have to poke it in by hand.

The back slides over until the hinge hits the sop and gets locked down.
The front goes over until it hits the stop and gets locked down.

The sliding unit for height is supposed to track upwards, but it is not a rack-n-pinion.
It pretty much is good though, and you can check good with the dogs.

It is about the same as the FT rail, just the rail is not as high, and the slot is not as deep. (and the colour and name).
The second way (In the link) was a piece of Perspex or metal to make the slot shorter and raise up the platform.
The third way is to file the tab down.

I lay the rail onto the wood and adjust the rear height.
Then move the front indexing unit up until it indexes, but doesn't lift the rail off of the wood... The rail is on the wood and left-to-right is controlled by the slot and tab.

I think one has to calibrate the FT rail every time it is raised. It is the same part on the front, so it works the same.
That is why I have the dogs behind the rail for checking and not trying to recall if I have a square or where I put it.
The only thing different is "the rail".

Just use the FT rail...  the MT55 fits a FT rail, and so does a FT.
If your cuts are all square it doesn't matter what rail you use...

I sold my FT rail straight away, but I probably should have just used it on the MFT.

 

[Magpal]

Did you go to the link?
It i usually blocked, so you probably have to poke it in by hand.

The back slides over until the hinge hits the sop and gets locked down.
The front goes over until it hits the stop and gets locked down.

The sliding unit for height is supposed to track upwards, but it is not a rack-n-pinion.
It pretty much is good though, and you can check good with the dogs.

It is about the same as the FT rail, just the rail is not as high, and the slot is not as deep. (and the colour and name).
The second way (In the link) was a piece of Perspex or metal to make the slot shorter and raise up the platform.
The third way is to file the tab down.

I lay the rail onto the wood and adjust the rear height.
Then move the front indexing unit up until it indexes, but doesn't lift the rail off of the wood... The rail is on the wood and left-to-right is controlled by the slot and tab.

I think one has to calibrate the FT rail every time it is raised. It is the same part on the front, so it works the same.
That is why I have the dogs behind the rail for checking and not trying to recall if I have a square or where I put it.
The only thing different is "the rail".

Just use the FT rail...  the MT55 fits a FT rail, and so does a FT.
If your cuts are all square it doesn't matter what rail you use...

I sold my FT rail straight away, but I probably should have just used it on the MFT.

Yes, i checked the link. I see what you mean now. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Kevin McConville]

The fact that i already have the MFT is because i have a very small workshop with no room for storing a miter saw. I also do a lot of work with 2400x600 pine sheets and the MFT is brilliant for accurate splitting of these plates. The GKS saw works with the MFT, but as i said it lacks the plunge action and proper dust extraction. The workflow is therefore limited.

So far it serns like people who join rails multiple times a day prefer the Bosch due to time savings. How about the micro adjust and splinter guard then?

The micro adjust is a feature I couldn't decide about. In the end I decided for my purposes and the intended use I had for the saw, the ability to adjust in 1mm increments was perfectly adequate. I've had the GKT55 for 5 years now and haven't come across a situation where I needed the micro adjustment. This is probably because my workflow when using the saw is to have something sacrificial underneath the workpiece to ensure as clean a cut as is possible. As would happen with the MDF top of your MFT/3

As for the splinter guard, I'm not sure what benefit it brings over the results from the Bosch. I use mine on solid materials and wood veneers with the 48 tooth best for wood blade and the cut couldn't get any cleaner IMO. I guess if you're using it on melamine faced chipboard with an extremely thin (cheap) laminate facing it might offer some benefit, but I stay away from this material in the work I do. Also the fact it has to be put on and off rather than being a permanent feature made me think it wasn't worth the hassle.

So for me, the rail system of the Bosch gave more meaningful, real world benefits, than the ability to adjust beyond 1mm increments.

Dear Locks,

Like others I enjoy the FOG and consider it a good resource. Yes from time to time the almost auto defense that comes from some is troubling and as I try to figure out why they do it I find it's a complicated situation. I wish it would go away much like I wish the non stop Festool bashing posts like the almost 100% of your 158 posts since you joined On April 19th of this year. 

I was hoping you might be able to explain a couple of things;

 

[aas]

Dear Locks,

Like others I enjoy the FOG and consider it a good resource. Yes from time to time the almost auto defense that comes from some is troubling and as I try to figure out why they do it I find it's a complicated situation. I wish it would go away much like I wish the non stop Festool bashing posts like the almost 100% of your 158 posts since you joined On April 19th of this year. 

I was hoping you might be able to explain a couple of things;

What is this all about???
I've just read a third of his posts... they're not all negative. The guy's got the right to give his opinion hasn't he?
Oh dear... grab another beer!

 

[Kevin McConville]

sorry for the confusion - this was a posting error - cut and paste issue.

Feel free to read the full post regarding getting the FOG back on track

 

[Magpal]

I found this youtube video:

The video is showing both the old TS55 and the Bosch GKT55 side by side. It appears to be russian, so i can not understand what he is saying. However, by looking at the video it looks like the dust extraction is a little bit more efficient on the Bosch. You can clearly see that the Bosch sprays less dust when it plunges. This is perhaps due to the clear viewing window in the front? I know that the new TS55 did also get this window to improve dust collection. Is the viewing window as effective on the Festool as on the Bosch? Is there a significant difference with/without use of the viewing window?

 

[Holmz]

In theory the Mafell does the best on dust collection as there is no hole in the side for access to the arbor nut.
So the majority of dust is out of the bottom, or at the end of the cut there is a puff.
Plunging maybe different that straight cuts, but I have not noticed a problem.

There is a shoot out at a Netherlands site... pook into google "ts55, mt55, bosch, dewalt tracksaw review youtube". If you see 4 men coming out of the water you have the right one. About 9 minutes in they are cutting sheets of gyprock/drywall.
Other than the dewalt, in practice they all do pretty well.

If the hose comes off the track saw then it is pretty apparent that the dust collection was working
(Looks like a ghost busters scene in reverse.)

Once the rail is down and in place, then I rarely look through a window.

But I know some do like to watch:

 

[heiko1974]

I wouldn't spent money on the Bosch because you never get clean 90° After you cutted any other angel! I sold my very quick  [mad] if you want the Mafell rails buy the MT55 but I love most my old TS55 EBQ  ;D but the MT55 is a good saw the problem is that they doesn't work 100% on FT rails and they haven't the parallel guides  for Mafell rails!

Heiko

 

[heiko1974]

 

[Magpal]

I wouldn't spent money on the Bosch because you never get clean 90° After you cutted any other angel! I sold my very quick  [mad] if you want the Mafell rails buy the MT55 but I love most my old TS55 EBQ  ;D but the MT55 is a good saw the problem is that they doesn't work 100% on FT rails and they haven't the parallel guides  for Mafell rails!

Heiko

Could you please elaborate what the problem with 90degree cuts are? From the video it seems like the problem is that the base is twisted when applying force to the saw while only one knob is tightened. (Due to the fact that the -1 and 47 knobs are only on one side). This is to my knowledge exactly the same for the TS55. Is this really a problem unless you are acutally applying force while tightening?

 

[heiko1974]

Hello,
the baseplate of the Bosch is weaker then the one of the TS55 and it have only one rest point for 90° and the 45/47°!
The Mafell have two of them and clamp in front and back with one knob at the same moment. The old TS55 EBQ has two points also...

Heiko

 

[heiko1974]

The GKT55 is also not at 90° when it's delivered (every GKT55  saw I heard about) and you have to make a justage but you can't do that on the scale, so my saw shows always 1,5° wrong.

 

[Magpal]

There is a shoot out at a Netherlands site... pook into google "ts55, mt55, bosch, dewalt tracksaw review youtube". If you see 4 men coming out of the water you have the right one. About 9 minutes in they are cutting sheets of gyprock/drywall.
Other than the dewalt, in practice they all do pretty well.

I recently noticed that the test report and an excel sheet with results was posted on the main site (gereedschappro).
I used google translate and read both reports.

They have indeed done a very comprehensive test! As for the dust collection there was no conclusive answer regarding TS55R vs GKT55. One person rated the Festool above the Bosch and one person rated the Bosch above the Festool. In practice there seems to be very little difference. One interesting point though is that they commented on the opening on the backside of the saw. The Festool has quite a bit larger hole than the Bosch/Mafell saw and the test mentioned that this could make a difference. This sounds plausible as people report a small improvement in dust collection when covering the hole on the front. I wonder why the hole is made so much bigger on the Festool?

 

[pingvinlakrits]

Heiko1974:
I have never had any problems with the GKT55CE base being off square.

I have made quite a lot of surface jointed boards which would have revealed any errors instantly but no such problems at all for me. The cuts have been clean and square in all materials. For one of the most critical cuts we used the GKT55CE to edge join two Staron slabs and the joint cut lines are invisible. Not only hard to see, they are invisible.

People say the Mafell 55 is even better - but I don't need better  [eek]. If my Bosch quits on me I might go Mafell but for plunge saws I am not going back to Festool. 

 

[Locks14]

Heiko1974:
I have never had any problems with the GKT55CE base being off square.

I have made quite a lot of surface jointed boards which would have revealed any errors instantly but no such problems at all for me. The cuts have been clean and square in all materials. For one of the most critical cuts we used the GKT55CE to edge join two Staron slabs and the joint cut lines are invisible. Not only hard to see, they are invisible.

People say the Mafell 55 is even better - but I don't need better  [eek]. If my Bosch quits on me I might go Mafell but for plunge saws I am not going back to Festool.

"Heiko1974" is a troll or possibly works for one of the brand that competes in the tracksaw market as all he's done since joining is post untrue comments about the Bosch GKT 55 GCE!

 

[Holmz]

...
"Heiko1974" is a troll or possibly works for one of the brand that competes in the tracksaw market as all he's done since joining is post untrue comments about the Bosch GKT 55 GCE!

If we were on the Bosch Forum then the concept of him being a troll would make more sense.

How can you say his comments are untrue?
"He said every saw that he saw...", which could be 1, 2 or any natural number including 0.

I have only held an MT55, so I cannot make a comparison between the various track saws.
If he has tried both, then I have no doubt he is correct.
(I know he is correct from my sole example, which is statistically foolish)

The perception of 'hater' and/or 'troll' is an emotional response within the reader.
Branding the author as a troll discredits the author.

 

[Kev]

If we were on the Bosch Forum then the concept of him being a troll would make more sense.

I was biting my tongue so hard ... [wink]

[member=40772]Holmz[/member]

 

[heiko1974]

Hello,
[member=49749]Locks14[/member]: You call me a troll, interesting  [wink]

Again, I owned a old TS55 EBQ and changed to the Mafell MT55 because the new features, later i got a Bosch GKT55 from Bosch for a test on a german toolforum(that i can keep as a present).
You can cut square with the Bosch if you use a separate square instead of the stops that build in the saw! You can see the problem of the bending baseplate in the Bosch video, this causes the problem of geting a corect angle by the stops also! You have time consuming adjusting work if you want a good 90/45° cut!
The Mafell and the old TS55(also the new R-model since 2015) have two stops for each angel ans the Festool got a stiffer baseplate so you don´t have any problems with that!
If you using a Mafell or Bosch on a Festool guiderail it only reach over one of the two glidestripes so it tilts and you don´t get a 90° (or what ever angle you want) cut!
If you use a Festool rail with a Bosch or  Mafell saw the saw blade pivot point is lower than the edge of the rail, so the cut ist at 45° not at the railedge and you lose this feature.
I think we was 6 people at the german forum that got the Bosch for testing and nearly (?) everyone has adjust the saw because the stops were more than 1,5° of!
I got some pictures from my test
you see the glidestripe problem
you see that the baseplate scratch very fast after one use without the rail
you see a cut without adjusting (out of the box at the 90° stop)
you see the scala after adjusting the stop to corect 90°

I don´t know why you call me a troll, I just telling what I think about the Bosch...

greetings Heiko