HKC 55 EB review from downunder!

[Davesbuildtips]

You already named the weight difference.
Other differences are: cost reduction, competition of other brands, kerf of the blade (2.2 mm) and use of FSK rails attached to the saw.
Most battery powered tools now are 18V, so Festool also wanted to have a circular saw with 18V.

BTW. Cutting capacity is the same 55/50 on rails. But the rpm of the HKC is somewhat lower (4,500) compared to the TSC (5,200).
When you use 2 batteries and use the right saw blades you nearly never will run out of power.
And the TSC will also run on 1 battery.

Even Mafell has just released an 18V cicrcular saw. In the past they only had huge 24V and 36V circular saws.

I think the kerf on the HKC blade is 1.6mm. The TS55 has 2.2mm.

 

[DB10]

[member=56306]Davesbuildtips[/member]  Hi Dave, on a side note I just watched your Triton super jaws video, very good video on the super jaws functionality by the way, but what happened to your Kapex. Looks like it's morphed into a Metabo!

 

[Davesbuildtips]

That video was pre Kapex. My bosch for 15 years, served me well!

 

[neeleman]

You already named the weight difference.
Other differences are: cost reduction, competition of other brands, kerf of the blade (2.2 mm) and use of FSK rails attached to the saw.
Most battery powered tools now are 18V, so Festool also wanted to have a circular saw with 18V.

BTW. Cutting capacity is the same 55/50 on rails. But the rpm of the HKC is somewhat lower (4,500) compared to the TSC (5,200).
When you use 2 batteries and use the right saw blades you nearly never will run out of power.
And the TSC will also run on 1 battery.

Even Mafell has just released an 18V cicrcular saw. In the past they only had huge 24V and 36V circular saws.

I think the kerf on the HKC blade is 1.6mm. The TS55 has 2.2mm.

Yes you're right, but it's not 1.6 it's actually 1.8, I'll modify it.

 

[Davesbuildtips]

Oops, my mistake. [embarassed] 1.8mm it is.

 

[demographic]

Great review, thanks for working on it.
Upto  watching that I thought of the HKC as a bit of an expensive toy, Festools own literature doesn't exactly help much either.
They seem to be designed by engineers but their advertising literature done by idiots.
Showing pictures of a bloke cutting roofing batten ends off (a job usually done by the slaters "prentice" using a Bahco handsaw) isn't exactly blazing trails.

Anyway, after watching your excellent review I think I could really make use of a HKC 55 on sitework now.

 

[Davesbuildtips]

I was seriously thinking about buying the HK85 but I find my little HKC55 is so versatile for my current needs. If my circumstances change I would buy it in a flash.

 

[Kev]

I was seriously thinking about buying the HK85 but I find my little HKC55 is so versatile for my current needs. If my circumstances change I would buy it in a flash.

[member=56306]David Stanton[/member] and you're on drugs if you think you can avoid the HK85 and the grooving unit.

 

[Davesbuildtips]

I was seriously thinking about buying the HK85 but I find my little HKC55 is so versatile for my current needs. If my circumstances change I would buy it in a flash.

[member=56306]David Stanton[/member] and you're on drugs if you think you can avoid the HK85 and the grooving unit.

Hahaha, you know me too well!

 

[Grakat]

HI there

Just picked up the HKC55 with the FSK420 rail myself. Managed to get the deal with the extra 5.2Ah battery, giving me three in total. The plan in the future is to pick up the HK85 and a FS3000 rail for longer ripping operations.

[member=56306]David Stanton[/member] watched your Youtube video on the HKC, was a big help in deciding to get this saw. Originally was planning to do everything with the TS55, but short cross cuts and TS55 on a rail wasn't going to cut it.

 

[Davesbuildtips]

HI there

Just picked up the HKC55 with the FSK420 rail myself. Managed to get the deal with the extra 5.2Ah battery, giving me three in total. The plan in the future is to pick up the HK85 and a FS3000 rail for longer ripping operations.

[member=56306]David Stanton[/member] watched your Youtube video on the HKC, was a big help in deciding to get this saw. Originally was planning to do everything with the TS55, but short cross cuts and TS55 on a rail wasn't going to cut it.

[member=59890]Grakat[/member] , It is surprising how often I reach for the HKC instead of the TS-55 these days. I agree, the shorter rail is a perfect addition for everyday crosscuts. I would like to see some kind of cradle for the saw locked onto track that clips onto a systainer in the future. FESTOOL ENGINEERS, any plans on this?

 

[Davesbuildtips]

HI there

Just picked up the HKC55 with the FSK420 rail myself. Managed to get the deal with the extra 5.2Ah battery, giving me three in total. The plan in the future is to pick up the HK85 and a FS3000 rail for longer ripping operations.

[member=56306]David Stanton[/member] watched your Youtube video on the HKC, was a big help in deciding to get this saw. Originally was planning to do everything with the TS55, but short cross cuts and TS55 on a rail wasn't going to cut it.

[member=59890]Grakat[/member] , It is surprising how often I reach for the HKC instead of the TS-55 these days. I agree, the shorter rail is a perfect addition for everyday crosscuts. I would like to see some kind of cradle for the saw locked onto track that clips onto a systainer in the future. FESTOOL ENGINEERS, any plans on this?

Was using the saw the other day but was connected to a CT-26. The hose garage works great as a track caddy!

 

[Acrobat]

I used my HSK saw over the last couple of weekends to redo a bathroom/laundry and wardrobe. It's lightweight coupled with the and fsk rail made easy cutting down framing timber to size. Also its ability to go from a fsk rail to a standard rail came in handy when i needed to cut existing drywall sheets around a door frame. I screwed the rail to the wall and ran the saw on it across and down. Was a bit messy with the fine dust but sharp, straight cut and easy as.
I took 3 batteries with me from home, but only used one after two days cutting framimg timber. I was quite pleasantly surprised there.
I really love using this saw.
I feel for me, when doing building DIY reno's it's so much easier to use than my old circular saw and I feel alot safer with the saw attached to the fsk rail, (slides back to cover the sawblade when the cuts done) and has a far more accurate and simple depth setting than the old circular saw set up of set-tap-check-tap check-lock I used to do. Jeez what a pain that was.
I love the 90 and angle setting stop on the rail, so easy a quick and for someone like me who doesn't do building for a trade, I find the fsk rail a real help,  just pushing upto the stock and cut. No more holding a square to help guide the saw with the other hand for me now.

So far I am very happy with this saw. I still have the standard festool TS55 at home for fine and general work but this HKC is a little beaut for building/reno work.

 

[Davesbuildtips]

I love this saw. It just keeps on performing the way I thought it would. [big grin]

 

[Fesnaut]

I have the HKC and HK 55. I like the HKC and the track as a single unit, it's made my job heaps easier and faster, but take the saw off the track and it's not that impressive.  The 5.2 batteries are fairly ordinary, I had to buy a second charger and a 3rd battery to keep up with our workload. The dust collection (bag) is OK cutting timber, but is clogs up very easily cutting ply.
The saw itself doesn't have the same power as my Hitachi, Makita or Milwaukee 18v saws. It bogs down much easier on any ply over 12mm, and will overheat and stop. That's something that has never happened with any of my other saws. 
The saw blades are very expensive and don't last any longer or cut any better than blades half the price. I'm going though a blade every 4 days, so we have 4 with 2 away getting sharpened at any time.
If running a lead isn't a problem for you, buy the HK55 it's a much better saw! On large building sites running an extension cord isn't an easy task, that's why my HKC gets far more use and abuse than it really should.
Without the FSK tracks this saw is OK, but there are better saws out there for half the price.