Wonderwino
Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2008
- Messages
- 800
+1 on Spartrician's reasons for using foam. MDF or other engineered wood products contain resins that can be highly abrasive to saw blades.
Melamine Chipping
- Thread starter phmade
- Start date
phmade
Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2010
- Messages
- 162
A huge thanks to all who responded. It looks like I've found the source of my problems...
It turns out that the brand new blade I was using had a cracked tooth that was causing my chip out. I switched back to my standard blade and it was much improved. Festool USA provided awesome technical support in helping me troubleshoot.
I did find out that a scoring cut gives me chip free results on both sides of the blade - top and bottom. I'll definitely score the cuts when I want to use my off-cut piece.
Thanks again.
It turns out that the brand new blade I was using had a cracked tooth that was causing my chip out. I switched back to my standard blade and it was much improved. Festool USA provided awesome technical support in helping me troubleshoot.
I did find out that a scoring cut gives me chip free results on both sides of the blade - top and bottom. I'll definitely score the cuts when I want to use my off-cut piece.
Thanks again.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2007
- Messages
- 8,426
Thanks for sharing the resolution to your issue. I think this is a real testament to the advantages of relying on our service and support guys. Glad you got it resolved!
The Trainer
Member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2010
- Messages
- 3
Hi PH,
try this...as you are to cut a piece of board, go all the way to the END of the cut and plunge theTS55 just enough to touch the surface of the Melamine...than go BACKWARDS!!!(very slowly and with caution) this will create a"scribe cut" ....next go to the beginning of your cut and plunge fully and about 10mm more than your board thickness.......Now cut the board as usual. This should produce a clean cut. If it does not than try to plunge the saw on the rail WITHOUT moving it and measure the resulting cut how far it is from the Splinterguard....AT THE RFONT AND AT THE BACK of the blade...ie the entry of the blade and the exit. I have had this problem with some customers of mine complaining about the quality of cut and when they have sent the saw for inspection to the Festool Repair Ctr. the saw came back with a label that all is OK but the problem of splintering persisted.
The REMEDY....as the blade is not PARALLEL to the rail it enters the workpiece with no problems but as it hits the workpiece with the backside it tends to catch and tear out some of the part that was cut perfectly with the front of the blade.
You have to use VERNIER Callipers and a brand new Splinterguard freshly cut ONCE with a rather tightly fitted saw/to rail (two green thumbscrews on side of the saw have to be tight, but the saw has to move without a lot of effort o your part)
If your measurement is not exact at the front of the blade and at the back than it is time to unlock the 4 screws on the base and adjust the saw base untill it cuts perfectly parallel to the rail. IF YOU FEEL ALL IS OK than use Locktite on the screws to eliminate any future loosening of the joint.
Good Luck....you will need a lot of patience and a good eye.
The Trainer
try this...as you are to cut a piece of board, go all the way to the END of the cut and plunge theTS55 just enough to touch the surface of the Melamine...than go BACKWARDS!!!(very slowly and with caution) this will create a"scribe cut" ....next go to the beginning of your cut and plunge fully and about 10mm more than your board thickness.......Now cut the board as usual. This should produce a clean cut. If it does not than try to plunge the saw on the rail WITHOUT moving it and measure the resulting cut how far it is from the Splinterguard....AT THE RFONT AND AT THE BACK of the blade...ie the entry of the blade and the exit. I have had this problem with some customers of mine complaining about the quality of cut and when they have sent the saw for inspection to the Festool Repair Ctr. the saw came back with a label that all is OK but the problem of splintering persisted.
The REMEDY....as the blade is not PARALLEL to the rail it enters the workpiece with no problems but as it hits the workpiece with the backside it tends to catch and tear out some of the part that was cut perfectly with the front of the blade.
You have to use VERNIER Callipers and a brand new Splinterguard freshly cut ONCE with a rather tightly fitted saw/to rail (two green thumbscrews on side of the saw have to be tight, but the saw has to move without a lot of effort o your part)
If your measurement is not exact at the front of the blade and at the back than it is time to unlock the 4 screws on the base and adjust the saw base untill it cuts perfectly parallel to the rail. IF YOU FEEL ALL IS OK than use Locktite on the screws to eliminate any future loosening of the joint.
Good Luck....you will need a lot of patience and a good eye.
The Trainer
Similar threads
