Finally got to use my TS-55 (thoughts)

[mntbighker]

Well, I spent $500 at the lumber yard today and I finally get to start some of my projects. Damn that pressure treated ply is HEAVY. I broke out the TS-55 and first I did the initial cut to trim the rubber edge. The saw handles like a dream and I'm glad I didn't get the 75 (for now anyway). The guides stay in place amazingly well but I already peeled a bit of the foam loose. It's too bad but I guess you can't have that nice grippy surface without the fragility. I got a sheet of rigid insulation to cut on based on a tip here and that works great but I would like to get it up off the ground. I am not super impressed with the short guides joined together but I can't complain about the cut. I have heard people complain about repeatability of cuts compared to table saws. My response is that the rails are so quick and easy to set up I think that is not a problem. And last but not least, I have never felt safer using a saw than I did today. This is a great design and a great tool. I hope Festool continues to make minor tweaks to the design but despite the high cost I am a happy consumer. I don't have a CT vacuum yet so I'm going to try out the shop vac tomorrow when I start cutting the pressure treated for the car port stair case.

--Mark

 

[Eli]

Congratulations.

Sounds like the hook hit bottom.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Mark,

Glad you like your new TS.  Festool is committed to continuing to refine their tools.  You will see that when we release a new model of a tool it doesn't just have a new color or name.  It has significant refinements and improvements that are mostly driven directly by feedback from the end users.  This is evident in the differences between the ATF and TS series saws. 

There may be other/better solutions for carrying that heavy ply but we use the Gorilla Gripper (http://www.gorillagripper.com/) here in our training facilities for carrying sheet goods and it works great.  I have no affiliation with the company, just a good product.

Shane

 

[Dan Clark]

Mark,

Welcome to the land of the slippery slope!  It sounds like you're starting to discover first hand why we like the tools so much, and why the slope is steep and slippery.  ;D

One small tip about the rails that will help keep the foam from tearing - tip the rail up a bit before sliding it.  After a few cuts, it becomes second nature.  Also, the foam strip is replacable.

I agree about connecting the rails to rip 4' X 8' sheets - it's a bit of a pain.  Once again, it becomes second nature after awhile.  That said, longer rails are available if you need them.  I've been thinking about a 2700 or 3000 mm rail, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Regarding cutting tables and repeatable cuts, search around in FOG.  There have been lots of discussions (including pics) about both.  Here's one from Corwin's gallery:

Good luck,

Dan.

 

[Daviddubya]

It is good that you are having fun with your new tool/toy.  One tip on joining the rails - if you get some binding as the saw crosses the joint, try joining those two rails at the other end.  Sometimes a pair of rails is smoother operating at one end than the other.  To remember which end to use in joining the rails, "park" the connectors in the rail slots at the end that works best.  If you have more than two rails that can be joined, use a Sharpie to mark the ends with numbers in pairs - 1 goes with 1, etc.  Enjoy.

 

[mhch]

Inside the Festool cardboard shipping box for the rails, one can
find a diagram printed on the inside of the lid. It indicates how to join rails !
According to it, It seems imperative to join rail ends with an hole in each.

Easy to overlook and get rid of it !

 

[bruegf]

I just picked up the 2700 mm rail and it makes it so much easier to cut an 8' sheet compared to pulling a rail off my MFT and joining it with another.  As with all things Festool, it seems a bit expensive, but well worth it after you get over the shock of paying for it!

Fred

 

[Daviddubya]

Inside the Festool cardboard shipping box for the rails, one can
find a diagram printed on the inside of the lid. It indicates how to join rails !
According to it, It seems imperative to join rail ends with an hole in each.

Easy to overlook and get rid of it !

Since I have not had the rail shipping cartons for a long time, help me to understand what you are saying.  Frankly, I don't get it.  I have 4 rails.  All 4 of the rails have a hole at both ends - a round hole that I use to hang the rail for storage.  Since there is a hole at both ends, it is impossible to not to "join rail ends with an hole in each" no matter how they are oriented end to end.  Obviously the slots in the rails must be aligned, so any rail can be joined to any other rail at either end.  Am I confused?

 

[mhch]

  I just checked and .... please apologize and forget my stupid earlier message
  Yes rails have one hole at each end.

  So how did I come to that:  I looked too quickly at the 4 diagrams
  inside the lid: 2 for good practices, 2 crossed with large lines for bad ones.
  Guess what: the cross center is located right where the hole should be,
  and since there is no visible hole, I stupidly inferred what I put in my
  earlier message

  Sorry about it.

 

 

[mntbighker]

Thanx for all the tips fellas

--Mark

 

[Corwin]

... And last but not least, I have never felt safer using a saw than I did today. This is a great design and a great tool...
--Mark

Glad you like your new toys!  But do get the vac -- you'll love 'em then.

Welcome to your new home!
Corwin

 

[James Metcalf]

mhch

You do not need to apologize, everyone here makes mistakes. If we are not free to make mistakes, we are not free. Enjoy the long rail. Keep posting.                                                                                                                                                        P.S.Check the last Thanx.

 

[mntbighker]

I cut a bunch of ACQ ply today and I found that my Sears shop vac works pretty well although the nozzle does not match the saw nozzle and the hose could be longer. Also, I kept forgetting to turn the damn thing on and of course my filter is now filled with that toxic dust. Once I got the stuff down to manageable sizes it was nice to move to the MFT-1080. That ACQ weighs a TON.

--Mark

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Fein makes a stepped size rubber adapter that will enable you to hook up a standard 2 1/2 shop vacuum hose such as that from Sears Craftman to your saw.  The hoses supplied by Fein with their vacuum machines and of course, Festool, fit directly to your TS 55.  (I have all of these components in my shop and commonly mix and match hoses to do various things such as collect chips simultaneously from above and below the table when routing.)

Dave R.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Inside the Festool cardboard shipping box for the rails, one can
find a diagram printed on the inside of the lid. It indicates how to join rails !
According to it, It seems imperative to join rail ends with an hole in each.

Easy to overlook and get rid of it !

Quick and accurate way of connecting two guide rails:  Slide the two rails together using the guide rail connectors and sit your TS on the guide rails. Competely tighten the green adjustment cams.  This will properly align the guide rails.  Finally, tighten the connector screws.  For the underside, slide the guide rails joint off the edge of your MFT.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I prefer using a straight edge positioned against the back edged of the end-to-end rails to be joined.  The back edge of another guide rail works well for this, too,  I snug the connector scews showing on the top side, then while holding the straight edge against the back edges of the rails being joined and carefully flip the joined rails to access the screws of the connector on the bottom side, snug them, and them, then check those again on the top side to be snug.  If your eyes are good, you can eyeball the joined edges for straightness.  But if your eyes are like mine, better to use a long stra?ght edge.

Dave R.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I prefer using a straight edge positioned against the back edged of the end-to-end rails to be joined.  The back edge of another guide rail works well for this, too,  I snug the connector scews showing on the top side, then while holding the straight edge against the back edges of the rails being joined and carefully flip the joined rails to access the screws of the connector on the bottom side, snug them, and them, then check those again on the top side to be snug.  If your eyes are good, you can eyeball the joined edges for straightness.  But if your eyes are like mine, better to use a long stra?ght edge.

Dave R.

This is nearly the way I have been joining rails. The difference is that I butt the third rail against the spine the saw runs on since there is a bit of variation in the width of rails and the most important part to have registered (in addition to the overall straightness) is that spine. It is a bit awkward so I like Shane's suggestion to use the saw as a clamp to align the spine. His suggestion to overhang the mating ends so you have access to the set screws on both sides at once is very point that I don't recall seeing mentioned before.

I see a real benefit in combining Shane's method with Dave's. Shane uses the saw itself to align the spine of the two rails and Dave's method uses a third rail to insure the overall straightness of the two rails.

 

[Steveo48]

I went and bought the drywall vac bag for my 16 gallon shop vac and the HEPA anti-microbial canister filter and popped them both in.  Worked great with my RO 125 FEQ when sanding butcher block counter tops and with my router making coped rail and stiles.  I was going to get a CE33 but nearly choked  when I saw the cost of the replacement bags and filters.

Enjoy the saw, it's an awesome tool.

Steve