HKC 55 EB review

[ali]

that is a shame John, did you get to try it before you ordered it?

Received mine today from N&B, luckily I have small hands so feels nice to me. I did expect it to be a bit more compact but am happy with the saw as it is.

What's up with the blade that comes as standard with it? It has TS55 and TSC crossed out so is that blade not compatible with those saws? (I don't own either of them yet but interested if it was compatible).

 

[philphilop]

What's up with the blade that comes as standard with it? It has TS55 and TSC crossed out so is that blade not compatible with those saws? (I don't own either of them yet but interested if it was compatible).
[/quote]

It is one of the issues that i believe stops a lot of people investing into festool saws, CS 50, ts 55, and now the hk 55 all use differant sized blades, as does the ts 75, cs 70 and the sym 70  so you need to spend a lot of money kitting out each saw with blades, why not have one size 55 and one size 75, good for festool but i see it as entrapment and profiteering

 

[pingvinlakrits]

philphilop:

The sales rep was not too happy about this. The kerf on the HKC55 blades are thinner (1,8mm?) than on the other Festool plunge saw blades and they are not deemed "compatible".

It is very easy to mistake the new blades for the old ones so I predict a lot of confusion and angry customers the following year...
It should be a different color packaging and very easy to tell them apart.

To further add to the confusion the aluminium/metal sheet cutting blades are 2,2mm so there are thicker blades available for the HKC55 but when you use them you cut the strip down a little more as well.

I am not sure how well this saw will work as a plunge saw for kitchen sinks (my Mafell KSS300 works "ok") but it does seem like a saw aimed at flooring and panel sawing where I think it might do a great job but it does not feel like a "complete" saw.

The other double battery saw does not interest me at all (two batteries tied up in one machine? No thanks...) all in all I will stick to corded plunge saws as I want trouble free vacuum integration and for me the new battery saws are not adding any value in my production or workflow - almost the opposite.

Sure - if you are on site and have no electric power the saws make sense - that hasn't happened to me more than once or twice the past eight years so I think I will stick to bringing my corded tools for finer sawing and my 18V tools for other daily tasks. For most months of the year over here it goes like this: no electricity, no light (daylight that is...) and no heat so I don't take jobs in environments where electricity is not supplied on site.

 

[mrboult]

Got mine today, one thing i will say is you need very small hands to use it comfortably. My knuckles are crushed against the side  [sad]

john...

Try holding it "pistol grip" style. Like you would a C-Drill. Your bigger knuckles will be a little higger and out the way. 
Thats how I use my TS55 anyway.

 

[neth27]

Im just used to holding a circular saw the way i do. It keeps a good grip on it  [big grin]

john...

 

[GhostFist]

Just to clarify on aluminum blades. There is little to no protrusions with the tooth set. Essentially the blade plate is about as thick as the kerf. It shouldn't cut into your track

 

[philphilop]

Most people i know, a lot, only use their portable saws for cutting floorboards @30mm, plinths and architraves @25mm, sheets @22mm and framing @35mm so why dont festool make a smaller portable saw like the KSS 300 which is very popular in all diciplines of woodworking, very light and small. Word has it that the TSC is a flop in Europe because of its heavy unbalanced feel and the fact that it eats batteries, so dealers down here in southern europe are reluctant to stock an 18v heavy HKC in fear of it staying on stock.

 

[jonny round boy]

Word has it that the TSC is a flop in Europe because of its heavy unbalanced feel and the fact that it eats batteries, so dealers down here in southern europe are reluctant to stock an 18v heavy HKC in fear of it staying on stock.

Festool have sold far more than they were hoping to, and can't produce them fast enough to meet the demand - hardly a 'flop'...

 

[Kev]

Word has it that the TSC is a flop in Europe because of its heavy unbalanced feel and the fact that it eats batteries, so dealers down here in southern europe are reluctant to stock an 18v heavy HKC in fear of it staying on stock.

Festool have sold far more than they were hoping to, and can't produce them fast enough to meet the demand - hardly a 'flop'...

Yeh - love to hear the source of "flop" ... sounds like a pork pie.

 

[pingvinlakrits]

Just to clarify on aluminum blades. There is little to no protrusions with the tooth set. Essentially the blade plate is about as thick as the kerf. It shouldn't cut into your track

Ok, could you elaborate a little on that?
The kerf on the "standard" blades are 1,8mm (three of them) and the kerf on the two "special" blades are 2,2mm - how would that not affect the cutting strip?

(I might be wrong about this but) I think both the special blades (TF52/TF48)  are for _the TS55 saw system_ and therefore have the wrong blade thickness. They are listed for the other saws at Festool but also included in the HKC55 accessory line up.

From what I gather the HKC55 blades are not compatible with the TS55 and derivatives (hence the cross out symbol) but the other way around works - though the kerf is different and that would have you changing the cutting strip everytime you switch blades or lose accuracy. 

Different kerf sizes are a pain in the neck I think. Especially with the Mafell style clip on rails.

 

[Kev]

Just to clarify on aluminum blades. There is little to no protrusions with the tooth set. Essentially the blade plate is about as thick as the kerf. It shouldn't cut into your track

Ok, could you elaborate a little on that?
The kerf on the "standard" blades are 1,8mm (three of them) and the kerf on the two "special" blades are 2,2mm - how would that not affect the cutting strip?

(I might be wrong about this but) I think both the special blades (TF52/TF48)  are for _the TS55 saw system_ and therefore have the wrong blade thickness. They are listed for the other saws at Festool but also included in the HKC55 accessory line up.

From what I gather the HKC55 blades are not compatible with the TS55 and derivatives (hence the cross out symbol) but the other way around works - though the kerf is different and that would have you changing the cutting strip everytime you switch blades or lose accuracy. 

Different kerf sizes are a pain in the neck I think. Especially with the Mafell style clip on rails.

The issue is not the kerf, it's where the kerf is cut relative to the saws position on the track. This may be a non issue ... and I'm hoping Festool thought this through.

 

[Holmz]

I thought that the saw's arbor was in a fixed position relative to the chassis and that tracks position is also fixed relative to the chassis.
As the arbor is on the left of the blade, and the splinter strip is also facing right, then the left hand side (LHS) of the blade should be in a constant position relative to splinter strip??

If it was thinker blades and teeth bit the teeth to thickness was constant then it would not seem to be an issue.

Or are we saying the blade's teeth's left hand side may vary in offset from the blade's arbor surface?
i.e. the blades have a constant base thickness, but the teeth can be wider or narrower?

 

[Kev]

I thought that the saw's arbor was in a fixed position relative to the chassis and that tracks position is also fixed relative to the chassis.
As the arbor is on the left of the blade, and the splinter strip is also facing right, then the left hand side (LHS) of the blade should be in a constant position relative to splinter strip??

If it was thinker blades and teeth bit the teeth to thickness was constant then it would not seem to be an issue.

Or are we saying the blade's teeth's left hand side may vary in offset from the blade's arbor surface?
i.e. the blades have a constant base thickness, but the teeth can be wider or narrower?

You said it better! [wink] Can't find any blade profile shots ...

 

[wrightwoodwork]

That's exactly my thinking as well

 

[neeleman]

Let's clear this out if somebody of Festool (UK?) gives an explanation about this.
They should know how they designed the saw blade position.

It would stop a lot of confusion about the different kerves of the blades relative to the splinter strip.

 

[Holmz]

I thought that the saw's arbor was in a fixed position relative to the chassis and that tracks position is also fixed relative to the chassis.
As the arbor is on the left of the blade, and the splinter strip is also facing right, then the left hand side (LHS) of the blade should be in a constant position relative to splinter strip??

If it was thinker blades and teeth bit the teeth to thickness was constant then it would not seem to be an issue.

Or are we saying the blade's teeth's left hand side may vary in offset from the blade's arbor surface?
i.e. the blades have a constant base thickness, but the teeth can be wider or narrower?

You said it better! [wink] Can't find any blade profile shots ...

You usually word things better than me, but I am happy to team up.
If we get a third we can have matching shirts...  [wink]

With a micrometer or calliper, then one should be able to just measure the base material and across the teeth to see if the delta is constant?

 

[philphilop]

Word has it that the TSC is a flop in Europe because of its heavy unbalanced feel and the fact that it eats batteries, so dealers down here in southern europe are reluctant to stock an 18v heavy HKC in fear of it staying on stock.

Festool have sold far more than they were hoping to, and can't produce them fast enough to meet the demand - hardly a 'flop'...

Says Who

 

[Kev]

Word has it that the TSC is a flop in Europe because of its heavy unbalanced feel and the fact that it eats batteries, so dealers down here in southern europe are reluctant to stock an 18v heavy HKC in fear of it staying on stock.

Festool have sold far more than they were hoping to, and can't produce them fast enough to meet the demand - hardly a 'flop'...

Says Who

Obviously not you ... you're too busy not supporting your initial bash at the product!

Demand exceeded supply in Australia when I was buying mine. Maybe our arms are a little stronger that the average southern european.

 

[philphilop]

Once again says who

 

[Kev]

Once again says who

I find this highly amusing. You seem to have a real chip on your shoulder ... SAYS ME [big grin]

Mouse getting heavy?