New Festool Track Saw, Blade & CT Connection Help

[phineas]

It's my first post here and I received my first Festool product today. I suspect that none of you will be surprised that it's a track saw. Here are specifics:

• Festool 574683 TS 55 REQ Imperial
• Two 55" (1400mm) tracks
• lesser stuff including track connectors, clamps etc.

I haven't even trimmed the splinter guard yet. I am as newbie to Festool as it gets.

Trying to figure out how to connect this impressive tool to my non-Festool dust extraction system. Festool offers no information I can find about the diameters of its dust collection connectors.

Does anyone have a recommendation about a blade for ripping? I'll check out the Festool blades, but I'm open to one or two other manufacturers' products too.

 

[DiscoStu]

Festool dust connects tend to be 27mm and 36mm on the TS55 I think it's a 36mm. The Festool hose fits both ie on the 27 it goes around the outside and on the 36mm it goes inside. Pretty sure that's right.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ross 71]

The Festool panther ripping blades are excellent. There isn't anything better/cheaper available for us Brits
https://www.festool.de/zubehoer/496301---160x2,2x20-pw12

 

[RustE]

...
Trying to figure out how to connect this impressive tool to my non-Festool dust extraction system. Festool offers no information I can find about the diameters of its dust collection connectors.
...

The newer Festool saws come with a locking dust port connector that fits a 27mm hose.

A smooth dust port that is sitting on my workbench has an inner diameter of 30mm and an outer diameter of 39mm.  Bosch and Fein both have tool connectors that fit the Festool dust port.

 

[phineas]

The Festool panther ripping blades are excellent. There isn't anything better/cheaper available for us Brits
https://www.festool.de/zubehoer/496301---160x2,2x20-pw12

I went to Tool Nut and looked at blades for the TS 55. That was the exact blade that I gravitated toward. I haven't looked around for better pricing yet but at Tool Nut the Panther was a pricey $78. I bet the Panther is fast. But I wondered how clean and fine the cut would be. It's a pretty aggressive blade. What have you found?

 

[Euclid]

I bet the Panther is fast. But I wondered how clean and fine the cut would be. It's a pretty aggressive blade. What have you found?

I haven't used the Panther, but do bear in mind it is intended (or so I believe) primarily for rip cuts in solid timber, rather than cross cuts or sheet goods, so I think that must inevitably have some effect on the 'finish' of cut one can expect.

 

[Kev]

I bet the Panther is fast. But I wondered how clean and fine the cut would be. It's a pretty aggressive blade. What have you found?

I haven't used the Panther, but do bear in mind it is intended (or so I believe) primarily for rip cuts in solid timber, rather than cross cuts or sheet goods, so I think that must inevitably have some effect on the 'finish' of cut one can expect.

I've only used the panther for rip cuts in oregon using the TS75 installed in the CMS. Brilliant cut finish.

 

[Bohdan]

The panther is fast and easy for ripping but the finish is not what I would call glue ready.

If it is an occasional thin board I prefer to use the standard blade and just go slow as it is glue ready and doesn't need any preparation but if doing a few I use the panther and set up the router to joint the edge.

 

[Ross 71]

The Panther Is fast. The important thing is that it does cut. The other day I forgot to change the blade for a diagonal rip cut in 44mm tantalised. Poor saw was labouring like anything. The standard blade really does not do it ripping anything thicker than about 16mm. The finish isn't as good as the standard blade on sheet material. Almost, but not quite as good. Still better than any other make of saw/blade that I've seen though.  Also it doesn't mess up the strip on your guide rail as it is the same kerf as the standard blade.

 

[Nat X]

I found the Panther blade to be utter garbage for the money. Freud has a rip blade with a slightly higher tooth count that surpasses it in every way I care about and it's like half the price.

 

[SS Teach]

Welcome to FOG. Makita makes better rail connectors. They will not put indentations in the rails as Festool connectors can. Also Betterly Straight Line Connector does a great job connecting Festool rails. Enjoy using the saw. By the way this is just the beginning.

 

[ben_r_]

So what are your guys' opinions on the Universal blade (496304) vs the Panther for ripping?

 

[Trosey]

Ross stated....

"Also it doesn't mess up the strip on your guide rail as it is the same kerf as the standard blade."

That statement is not necessarily true.  Once upon a time, the panther rip blade had a kerf of 2.5 mm instead of 2.2 mm of all other blades for the TS55.  Buyer beware.

HTH

 

[phineas]

Welcome to FOG. Makita makes better rail connectors. They will not put indentations in the rails as Festool connectors can. Also Betterly Straight Line Connector does a great job connecting Festool rails. Enjoy using the saw. By the way this is just the beginning.

I'm beginning to understand that already. I'm already trying to figure out how to explain to the wife that I need a CT 26. Last fall I purchased the Bosch GCM12SD glide dual-bevel compound miter saw. A couple of days ago I spent an hour looking at YouTube videos and reviews of the Kapex 120. Nice saw. I'll hang onto the Bosch. Once I got it properly tuned up it cuts well enough. But I can see where this is going to be the consideration that's at a whole new level.

I appreciate the blade discussion. Lots of great insights.

 

[phineas]

Festool dust connects tend to be 27mm and 36mm on the TS55 I think it's a 36mm. The Festool hose fits both ie on the 27 it goes around the outside and on the 36mm it goes inside. Pretty sure that's right.

The female connector on the TS 55 has a 36mm opening, which the new lockable male connector fits inside and then twists to lock. All that works great. My issue is that in my big pile of adapters I've got nothing to fit the 27mm hose connector at the other end. That 27mm connector fits inside a housing that measures about 38mm. I've been through all Festool's and Bosch's extraction adapters and nothing looks right. I'm trying to adapt up to a larger hose, either 1-1/4 inch or 1-7/8 inch. I don't really understand why Festool would use such a small hose, although I guess that makes it easier to drag behind the saw. Let's see, the CT 26 is only $665 (gasp, choke!). I assume that would solve the problem although I haven't looked at what the hose is. It's probably a 36mm. This stuff makes my head hurt. I don't want to mess around with dust extraction adapters; I want to build stuff!

 

[RustE]

The Festool 36mm hoses used to be installed over the dust port versus inside of the dust port like the 27mm hose.  I'm not sure if the 36mm hose can be installed over the newer locking dust port.

Will the Bosch VAC005 hose fit your vacuum?  I'm fairly certain the small end will fit inside of the Festool dust port.

 

[SS Teach]

Phineas, I have the Bosch Glide and it's a great miter saw. I use a 36 mm hose with mine and dust extraction is very good. I don't move my Bosch around so it's great. If you plan on moving your saw from place to place the Kapex is better since it weighs less. One of my problems it was almost triple the price.

 

[phineas]

The Festool 36mm hoses used to be installed over the dust port versus inside of the dust port like the 27mm hose.  I'm not sure if the 36mm hose can be installed over the newer locking dust port.

Will the Bosch VAC005 hose fit your vacuum?  I'm fairly certain the small end will fit inside of the Festool dust port.

I haven't purchased the VAC005 hose. I looked into it when I first got the saw and even contacted Bosch about it by email but could not resolve whether it would fit. I have two HEPA filter shopvac-style dust extractors. One I use for cleaning the shop. The other one is that I use for tool dust extraction, and it's the DeWalt DWV012. It does everything in Imperial and offers a modest range of adapters, none of which is 36mm. Its hose opening is 1-1/4", or just under 32mm. I regret the purchase. I'm sure there's a way to get there from here but I certainly don't know what it is. I'm using an adapter for the Bosch that doesn't fit it very well.

Oh and I think I have your answer about whether the 36mm hose fits over the 36mm opening on the TS 55 designed to accept the new 27mm connector. It doesn't fit. But the female piece on the TS 55 is removable and what's underneath does fit the hose.

 

[RustE]

Bosch VAC024 adapter?

My only other thought is the Nilfisk Quick Fit Tool Adapter.  You can order it from the Home Depot website and other vendors.

 

[phineas]

Phineas, I have the Bosch Glide and it's a great miter saw. I use a 36 mm hose with mine and dust extraction is very good. I don't move my Bosch around so it's great. If you plan on moving your saw from place to place the Kapex is better since it weighs less. One of my problems it was almost triple the price.

Clearly I've got to get something with 36mm! I sprung for the Bosch T4B gravity-rise miter-saw stand, which weighs another 85 lbs. It seemed like the wrong approach because the saw is really heavy to begin with, as you know. But I read the reviews and every o1ne of them said the sameB th0ing I'm going to tell you now. It really does make rolling the saw around much easier. No I haven't tried getting into the truck yet but I think it's going to be fine because of the height. I've even gone down stairs with it. I took it slow. As miter stands go, the pullout arms are not as stable as I would like but better than many. If you futz with them you can make them level. Something built-in would be a lot better. I retired my previous compound miter saw (mid 90s Hitachi whose fence is about 2 inches high) to the garage, and sold the standard chopsaw I'd been keeping there for years. But the Hitachi is a lot bigger than the chopsaw was and I needed a way to clear away space and move it around as needed. And I noticed that Ridgid makes a copy of the Bosch T4B for a lot less money. I took a chance on it. It's a lot lighter and cut a few corners here and there but it's perfectly usable. The Bosch is a better miter stand but I think I like the Ridgid slightly better as something two wheel my saw around with.

Let's see … If I sold both the DeWalt dust extractor and the Hitachi miter saw, maybe I'd have enough for the CT 26. And it goes up $25 on April 3. Would've gotten 10% off if I made this decision a week and a half ago.

Is Festool the way to go with dust extraction? Or is Fein or Bosch as good or better?