New TS 55 EQ Saw - Why Blade is cutting the plastic on guide

[Eddie]

Hello Guys
Just bought a TS 55 EQ Plunge Cut Circular Saw.
When I plunge it the saw is touching the plastic bit on the the guide.
Do I need to adjust the blade or should I cut through it the first time ?
Thanks for your help
Eddie

 

[PaulMarcel]

Bonjour, Eddie,

That's actually the whole idea.  You'll want to do a plunge cut to cut the rubber edge.  This makes it zero-clearance for your saw.  The result is a guiderail you can position exactly to the edge of the cut and has fiber support for the fibers at the front of the saw.

You'll also want to put the green splinter guard on the saw (front right side) and plunge through that as well.  That's what gives you off-cut fiber support on the front of the saw.

All this should be spelled out in the user's manual, but no matter, you're on the right track (-chuckle-) so long as you haven't tried moving the blade in the meantime  [crying]

 

[Brice Burrell]

Hi Eddie, since your question was answered by Paul let me welcome you to the FOG!

 

[Bob Marino]

See how fast issues/questions get resolved here!

Check out Rick's manual on the TS 55.
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS_55_EQ_US.pdf

Bob

 

[PaulMarcel]

Oops! mea culpa...  je n'avais pas remarqué que vous êtes nouveau parmi nous; bienvenu au FOG!

(just a missed FOG welcome...)

 

[gumwood]

What manual, terrible at best. I tore the plastic edge the first time I plunged my new saw. Still havn't gotten a new one after talking to dealer one week after sale.

 

[PeterK]

Gumwood -

The manual Bob has a link to was redone by a member and is far more informative.

I recommend you edit your info to show where you are located as we have members here from all over the world. You will receive better assistance if we know you are from a specific country.

Oh and WELCOME TO THE FOG!!!
Pete

 

[Corwin]

What manual, terrible at best. I tore the plastic edge the first time I plunged my new saw. Still havn't gotten a new one after talking to dealer one week after sale.

Yes, the factory manuals from Festool have not been the best.  The TS55 manual does, however, cover the procedure to initially trim the Guide Rail's splinter guard -- unfortunately, that information is provided on page 20 in the Accessories section that describes the Guide Rail -- that information would have been better located on page 16 with the saw's splinter guard or at the beginning of the next section covering basic saw operation.  

The link Bob provided above is for Rick Christopherson's supplemental manual that has much better information.  "Setting Up a New Saw" begins on page 7 and will take you quickly through, "Adjusting the Guide Rail Gib Cams," "Trimming the Guide Rail Splinter Guard" and "Trimming the Outrigger Splinter Guard" (that's the green splinter guard that you install onto the saw).  If you need to first replace your original Guide Rail Splinter Guard, instructions to perform that task are outlined in the Maintenance section on page 26 under the heading, "Replacing the Guide Rail Splinter Guard".  However, if your splinter guard is not too damaged you may be able to either carefully remove and reinstall it over a little further, or do this by moving only a small portion over at a time, working your way down the length of the rail -- you can search here for some threads that discuss this in more detail.

Oh yeah, Welcome to the FOG!  [welcome]

 

[AlexR]

Welcome Eddie.
Congrats on buying a saw that will change the way you work! for the better of course. ;D
Good advice all round and the supplement manual is excellent. I'd just add a caution to remove green splinter jobby before tilting saw to do bevel cuts as blade then rides up and wrecks your rail. [eek]  
Enjoy, Alex.

 

[Eddie]

Thank you everyone.
Very helpfull indeed.
Good luck.