[NEW] Festool TSC 55 K Cordless Track Saw with Kickback Stop (US)

[Shane Holland]

Pre-order the new Festool TSC 55 K cordless track saw which is the world's first track saw with kickback protection technology. Visit our website for more details, or post your questions here. No price increase over the previous generation, which is awesome. Check out the video below to see the kickback technology in action.

Festool has been experiencing effects of supply chain disruptions due to COVID, which have resulted in backorders throughout the product line. We would recommend ordering as soon as possible to lock in your order and reserve yours today.

PRE-ORDER NOW!



Additionally, new thin-kerf blades are being introduced that are designed to increase cut speed, as well as increase battery life via reduced load. NOTE: the new blades cannot be used with prior generations of the TSC 55 or TS 55 models.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

 

[Shane Holland]

Wanted to share an additional video produced by Festool USA.

 

[Cheese]

Hey Shane just a heads-up, the email you sent out listed 205562 as the part number for 2 different blades. I believe one of those should be a 205563 number instead.

 

[Rick Herrick]

This is going to be tough.  I was lucky enough to find a TSC55 about 20 days ago and have been very happy with a number of items but DC with the bag is just so-so.  Been trying to decide if I really wanted to keep it (I also have the TS55).  Now that this newer version is out, its really causing me to make a quick decision.  I don't know if having two saws, both using different blades, is a good thing or not.  I can see from the video that the new TSC55 does have the riving knife, which I really like.  I have about 8 days left on my 30 days to decide to return this one and order the new. 

 

[slavi.yordanov]

This is going to be tough.  I was lucky enough to find a TSC55 about 20 days ago and have been very happy with a number of items but DC with the bag is just so-so.  Been trying to decide if I really wanted to keep it (I also have the TS55).  Now that this newer version is out, its really causing me to make a quick decision.  I don't know if having two saws, both using different blades, is a good thing or not.  I can see from the video that the new TSC55 does have the riving knife, which I really like.  I have about 8 days left on my 30 days to decide to return this one and order the new.

I use a cheap thin kerf blade on my TSC55 without a problem, when I cut subfloor or something that is likely to have nails. You loose the functionality of the riving knife, but if you only cut plywood I don’t think it’s a problem. The new TSC has an electronic kickback stop and no riving knife.

 

[Cheese]

I can see from the video that the new TSC55 does have the riving knife, which I really like. 

What appears to be a riving knife on the new TSC 55 K is actually an activator for the anti-kick back system.

 

[Rick Herrick]

What appears to be a riving knife on the new TSC 55 K is actually an activator for the anti-kick back system.

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] Thank you sir.  I did not know that was the case.  I think I will stick with the one I have.  I like sharing blades back and forth and I really like having the riving knife.

 

[Shane Holland]

I can see from the video that the new TSC55 does have the riving knife, which I really like. 

What appears to be a riving knife on the new TSC 55 K is actually an activator for the anti-kick back system.

Correct. The new TSC 55 does not have a riving knife. The component behind the blade does not actually ride in the kerf to prevent blade pinching. As Cheese noted, it's the mechanism used to monitor for kickback.

Cheese, thanks for the heads up on the typo on that blade.

Shane

 

[Cheese]

Cheese, thanks for the heads up on the typo on that blade.

No problem Shane...

Digging further into the details of this new track saw, there are several other items that force me to reconsider replacing my TSC 55 with the new TSC 55 K. Festool is promoting the "kickback stop" which is great but the elimination of the riving knife is equally as nice to facilitate quick blade changes. That riving knife always seems to be in the way.

Not only are the blades thinner but the blades have a new tooth geometry which is supposed to increase the blade life by 40%.

The thinner blade kerf allows for faster cutting, reduced load on the batteries for increased cutting time and decreased sawdust when using the attached bag for fewer bag changes. These are all major advantages in my book and position the new saw closer to the Mafell products.

Curious though why ALL the new blades have different part numbers between the UK and US variants. For example, the 160 x 1.8 x 42 tooth blade is P/N 205553 in the UK and P/N 205561 in the US.

It's also nice to see the return of the aluminum/plastic blade.  [big grin]

[attachimg=1]

 

[DynaGlide]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] What's bothering me is the set version seems to include a TCL 6 charger and 2 airstream batteries. What's the point of including a charger that can't take advantage of the supposed benefit of faster charging times.

 

[Shane Holland]

Curious though why ALL the new blades have different part numbers between the UK and US variants. For example, the 160 x 1.8 x 42 tooth blade is P/N 205553 in the UK and P/N 205561 in the US.

Likely a difference in the packaging, for example legal requirements.

 

[DynaGlide]

I just had a look at the current model of the TSC 55 set/plus and it includes the SCA 8 airstream charger. [member=48572]Shane Holland[/member] What gives? Can you swap out the TCL 6 for the SCA 8 at purchase for an upcharge if necessary?

 

[Shane Holland]

I just had a look at the current model of the TSC 55 set/plus and it includes the SCA 8 airstream charger. [member=48572]Shane Holland[/member] What gives? Can you swap out the TCL 6 for the SCA 8 at purchase for an upcharge if necessary?

[member=65062]DynaGlide[/member] you would have to ask [member=101]Festool USA[/member] why they changed the scope of delivery to the TCL.

We are prohibited from changing the contents of a kit by removing, adding or swapping out components as part of Festool's pricing policy.  [unsure]

 

[zcore]

You get the TCL charger so you can buy the SCA charger or convince yourself to buy another tool that includes the SCA charger for "value" of course.

I agree the changes seem to be following Mafell's design of a thinner blade and no riving knife. I'm not sure how I feel about the riving knife change. I was in the track saw for sheet goods 95% of the time camp until I sold my table saw, but never really felt like the riving knife interfered except for an annoyance at times with blade changes.

It is kind of a bummer that aftermarket TS55 blades from like Ridge Carbide won't fit the new version, or at least I assume as the older Festool one's won't.

With all the stock issues in play, it is tempting to per-order just to be able to get a TSC at all. I personally still want the Mafell, but rebuying rail square/parallel guides etc always pushed it out of the "worth it" for me, and certainly Festool's offering is pretty darn great.

 

[Cheese]

I was in the track saw for sheet goods 95% of the time camp until I sold my table saw, but never really felt like the riving knife interfered except for an annoyance at times with blade changes.

That’s exactly what I was referring to...blade changes. I have a MT 55 and blade changes are absolutely painless. I’m more than willing to swap blades 5-10 times during a cutting session with the Mafell. With the TSC, I try to use whatever blade is on the saw at the time.