Jointing using track saws

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

Having some issues using the Festool track saws for jointing.

The material i use is 25mm++ oak. For edge jointing i prefer to use track saws with long rails, AS the boards are little too long for my jointer imo.

Problem being in the very start and end of the cut, the saw digs in a little, maybe by .5mm. When accumulating this on two boards, the ends is not jointed. Ive solved this by cutting away this part after glue up.

Ive tried both ts55 and 75, and ive used several rails - long or short. The problem shouldnt be faulty equipment. Ive tried numerous techniqes and ways of putting pressure, so it shouldnt be my technique.

The excessive rail Are supported by same widht stock, and the rail Are that much longer than the boards so that the rail cams doesnt go outside the rail.

The only thing that works is putting some sacrificial stock which the blade can saw in at end and front, but then again i found it easier just using longer boards than end product.

But this is a waste of material, and it annoys the the life out of me not getting this sorted out.

Any toughts??

 

[Birdhunter]

I don’t understand how a board can be too short for a jointer and short enough to use a track saw.

 

[blaszcsj]

Having some issues using the Festool track saws for jointing.

The material i use is 25mm++ oak. For edge jointing i prefer to use track saws with long rails, AS the boards are little too long for my jointer imo.

Problem being in the very start and end of the cut, the saw digs in a little, maybe by .5mm. When accumulating this on two boards, the ends is not jointed. Ive solved this by cutting away this part after glue up.

Ive tried both ts55 and 75, and ive used several rails - long or short. The problem shouldnt be faulty equipment. Ive tried numerous techniqes and ways of putting pressure, so it shouldnt be my technique.

The excessive rail Are supported by same widht stock, and the rail Are that much longer than the boards so that the rail cams doesnt go outside the rail.

The only thing that works is putting some sacrificial stock which the blade can saw in at end and front, but then again i found it easier just using longer boards than end product.

But this is a waste of material, and it annoys the the life out of me not getting this sorted out.

Any toughts??

[member=70203]Haugummobelsnekkeri[/member] are you prepping the boards individually or butting them together and jointing the mating edges at the same time? you will have better luck with the latter.

stan

 

[Svar]

When jointing I always try to completely plunge the saw before starting the cut, and then exit the cut completely before un-plunging. Obviously, the rail should be long enough.

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

I don’t understand how a board can be too short for a jointer and short enough to use a track saw.

They are too long.

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

Having some issues using the Festool track saws for jointing.

The material i use is 25mm++ oak. For edge jointing i prefer to use track saws with long rails, AS the boards are little too long for my jointer imo.

Problem being in the very start and end of the cut, the saw digs in a little, maybe by .5mm. When accumulating this on two boards, the ends is not jointed. Ive solved this by cutting away this part after glue up.

Ive tried both ts55 and 75, and ive used several rails - long or short. The problem shouldnt be faulty equipment. Ive tried numerous techniqes and ways of putting pressure, so it shouldnt be my technique.

The excessive rail Are supported by same widht stock, and the rail Are that much longer than the boards so that the rail cams doesnt go outside the rail.

The only thing that works is putting some sacrificial stock which the blade can saw in at end and front, but then again i found it easier just using longer boards than end product.

But this is a waste of material, and it annoys the the life out of me not getting this sorted out.

Any toughts??

[member=70203]Haugummobelsnekkeri[/member] are you prepping the boards individually or butting them together and jointing the mating edges at the same time? you will have better luck with the latter.

stan

Ive tried this, ive never had any success with it. It’s a fiddle with clamping strategies too i think

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

When jointing I always try to completely plunge the saw before starting the cut, and then exit the cut completely before un-plunging. Obviously, the rail should be long enough.

Yes, this is my approach.

 

[Michael Kellough]

There is some lateral motion in your blade. Could be from the blade itself or the arbor or both. This is not to say either is defective it’s just that there is a difference between the behavior of the blade when it is constrained on both sides and when it is spinning freely.

The simple solution os to add (sacrificial) wood before and after the boards you are jointing. The extra wood will stabilize the blade and should prevent the widening kerf.

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

There is some lateral motion in your blade. Could be from the blade itself or the arbor or both. This is not to say either is defective it’s just that there is a difference between the behavior of the blade when it is constrained on both sides and when it is spinning freely.

The simple solution os to add (sacrificial) wood before and after the boards you are jointing. The extra wood will stabilize the blade and should prevent the widening kerf.

Thanks. Do you think this is normal, or should i complain about this? Like i mentioned, both my saw does this, so what Are the odds they are both wrong..

 

[Svar]

There is some lateral motion in your blade. Could be from the blade itself or the arbor or both. This is not to say either is defective it’s just that there is a difference between the behavior of the blade when it is constrained on both sides and when it is spinning freely.
The simple solution os to add (sacrificial) wood before and after the boards you are jointing. The extra wood will stabilize the blade and should prevent the widening kerf.

Thanks. Do you think this is normal, or should i complain about this? Like i mentioned, both my saw does this, so what Are the odds they are both wrong..

Those are good points Michael made. I had similar thing happened few times, but not every time. I also don't set up the blade with recommended "toe in". Always strictly parallel.
What if you move the rail 0.5 mm and re-cut again?

 

[ChuckM]

In the old days when I used a circular saw and a shop-made jig to joint (like this:https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2010/11/11/make-a-saw-guide-for-faster-cleaner-cuts ), I did not have the kind of problem you shared here. I'd blame your problem more on the machine (set-up issues or defects) unless you moved your holding hand when starting and ending the cuts. May be try the suggestion that you plunge the blade down to depth before making the entry.

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

There is some lateral motion in your blade. Could be from the blade itself or the arbor or both. This is not to say either is defective it’s just that there is a difference between the behavior of the blade when it is constrained on both sides and when it is spinning freely.
The simple solution os to add (sacrificial) wood before and after the boards you are jointing. The extra wood will stabilize the blade and should prevent the widening kerf.

Thanks. Do you think this is normal, or should i complain about this? Like i mentioned, both my saw does this, so what Are the odds they are both wrong..

Those are good points Michael made. I had similar thing happened few times, but not every time. I also don't set up the blade with recommended "toe in". Always strictly parallel.
What if you move the rail 0.5 mm and re-cut again?

What do you mean by toe in and paralell?

It replicates this issue every time, however sometimes not as bad as others

 

[Svar]

What do you mean by toe in and paralell?

http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf  Page 22, paragraph 9.
It is recommended to set the blade such the the front is closer to the rail by 0.15mm then the back (a toe-in). Blade goes into the wood skewed just a hair. Supposedly helps with cut quality, but I'm not buying it.

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

What do you mean by toe in and paralell?

http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf  Page 22, paragraph 9.
It is recommended to set the blade such the the front is closer to the rail by 0.15mm then the back (a toe-in). Blade goes into the wood skewed just a hair. Supposedly helps with cut quality, but I'm not buying it.

Mine are just factory calibrated.

 

[Svar]

What do you mean by toe in and paralell?

http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf  Page 22, paragraph 9.
It is recommended to set the blade such the the front is closer to the rail by 0.15mm then the back (a toe-in). Blade goes into the wood skewed just a hair. Supposedly helps with cut quality, but I'm not buying it.

Mine are just factory calibrated.

Something to check. Not sure what they do at the factory.

 

[semenza]

I would not start messing with the toe in to correct the beginning and end of cut problem you are having. If it is cutting fine otherwise I would leave the toe in adjustment alone.

I have had the saws do this at the ends of cuts even when not jointing. The solution has been to fully plunge before pushing the saw into the wood and fully exit the cut before raising the blade. Or, let the blade spin down to a stop before raising it. Though exiting is better since you don't have to hold the saw dead steady while the blade spins down.

It only takes a slight , almost imperceptible, amount of hand  / blade movement to cause the issue you are having.

Seth

 

[Bob D.]

After reading through all the comments, and you said your rails is long enough, I have one question.

When you say long enough do you mean long enough to have full engagement of the saw base with the rail before it contacts the wood. That would require at least 10 inches, possibly more. That's a guess at the length as I'm not near my TSC55 right now.

I'm thinking possibly the front and rear guide adjusters (used to snug the saw on the rail) are not in contact with the guide rib on the rail, allowing the saw to be slightly skewed until the rear guide adjuster engages the rail at which point the saw starts to track true.

 

[Michael Kellough]

One more thing, following what Seth said, but getting back to the suggestion to add sacrificial stock at beginning and end, there is also the possibility of the saw twisting when the rail is not fully supported. Twisting would increase the kerf in the same pattern as your photo.

I doubt your saw is defective. You just need to figure out how to get the most from it.

No toe adjustment is needed if the cut is smooth on both pieces. Some people like to have a little toe in but the more toe in you have (the front of the blade is a little closer to the guide rail than the back) the less satisfactory the cut edge on the right hand piece, when jointing.

 

[Haugummobelsnekkeri]

By long enough i mean that the rail are that much longer than the board (3m rail, 2.3m board) so i have clearence to plunge fully before the sawblade enter, and exit while fully plunge. The «overhang» are supported. As of now the only solution is to have sacrificial stock to saw in both ends.

I guess the only thing i havent tried is to stop the saw before exiting, wait for the blade to halt. This sure is frustrating.

 

[JimD]

I would also check that there is no play in the groove for the track in the saw base.  But I agree that absent a long lead-in to the cut from a track 6-12 inches longer than the board at each end, it isn't hard to inadvertantly cause this.  I have had good luck, however, cutting a glue ready joint in long boards with my DeWalt.  I plan to stretch this capability later this year making a 10 foot dining table.  Only reasonable way to get the glue joints ready is with the track saw - which will require me to join tracks which I have not done before (I have the connector, just haven't used it).