Guide Rail Positioning - On or Next to Cut Line?

[Paul G]

Rail on cut line, keeper piece under the rail, when doing measurements add 2mm to measure for blade thickness

Not sure I understand your comment here, I'd only be adding kerf thickness to my measure (technically 2.2mm for most 55 blades) if my waste piece is under the rail.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Yes, talking just the guide rail and the TS-55REQ.

Festool has notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada of a potential problem with the plunge mechanism on some TS 55 REQ Plunge-Cut Track Saws.  While investigation is continuing, Festool, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), intends to recall affected units. If you have a TS 55 REQ Plunge Cut Track Saw, please discontinue use immediately and call Festool directly at 1-855-784-9727.

 

[Sparktrician]

More info:

I did some sleuthing by penciling a 1" cut line on some wood and then running the blade (unplugged) into the wood to leave a mark where the blade would cut. I found that when I butt the splinterguard up against my cut line, the cut is about 1/16th short, when it's on the cut line it's 1/8th short.

Maybe my splinterguard isn't cut right?

Frank, You've already gotten the word on keeper under the rail, but if you think the splinterguard is cut too short, it's a piece of cake to peel off the existing splinterguard and reposition it out by 2mm or so and re-cut it to be right on the mark with your saw.  It works well, and you don't have to spring for a new splinterguard.  Just be sure that the gibs on the saw are snug enough to eliminate any lateral slop before you make that first cut. 

 

[newbirdhunter]

Thanks Spark, that's definitely an interesting option.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Frank,
Couple of things, first of all, if you have an MFT, you need a "Flag Stop" part number 495542.  This slides along your fence and you tighten it down when it snugs up to your workpiece, already positioned for the cut.  Then snug up all the rest of the cuts against your stop and every one will be exactly the same length.  If you have a clean kerf on your mft, you can just measure the stop position from the kerf.

Secondly, we all have to decide our personal cutting style: leave the line, split the line, etc,  the important thing is that whatever you decide - do it that way every time - you will save a lot of grief.  With the track saw and the rail, its easiest to leave the line.

If you are doing a lot of cutting, google "story stick" for another technique for avoiding measuring errors.