New TS55 maiden voyage some questions

[lablover27]

Got to play with my TS55 for the first time yesterday.  My first Festool so bear with me.  A few things kept getting on my nerves.  Crosscutting a sheet  of 4x8 ply for practice and the hose and cord kept dragging and moving my guide    Made a little hook on the cieling to hang all the goodies from and that seemed to solve the problem.  Is that common?  I did buy the little plastic deal to go on the end to help eliminate that but it did not seem to work.  I think the best bet is to clamp the guide down and not worry about it.  Thoughts?  The 55" guide would of been nicer if it was just a tad longer.  With the black plastic attachment for anti snags on, I cant seem to keep both green adjustment gibs on the guide start of cut without having the finish end too short to keep both gibs on?  Am I crazy here?  Cuts were lazer like clean..Loved it.  Cleaned bottom of guide but still got a little movement.  Could be cause ply was pre finished?  Thinking about those suction cup deals?

Any help would be great

EDIT>>>>  Let me add that I'm using a shop vac with 1 1/4 hose right now

Looking for tip on Technique, similar issues etc.  I don't want this to bum me out  

 

[jeffinsgf]

I personally would never cut sheet goods relying solely on the gripper strips.  I always clamp the guide.  I have cut some rafters without clamping, but never sheet goods.

 

[Roseland]

I'd second that; I've not yet cut a sheet without clamping the guide rails down.  I have the ratchet clamps and they are just so easy to use.

Andrew

PS:  I started with a TS55 in August.  September brought an MFT, and now a CTL26.  On a slippery slope and out of control....

 

[lablover27]

Very good to know.  Guess I gotta get some clamps.

 

[danrush]

While clamping is never a bad idea,  in the 3+ years that I've been using the 55 (on a daily basis), I rarely use them.  I find the foam backing to work just fine, sometimes even better on pre finished stock.  The panels do have to be well supported, though.  In the shop, I cut on a 4 x 8 assembly table that is dead flat.  In the field, I use my MFT with out-riggers.  

Using a boom arm, whether Festool's or home built, is a big help too.

Dan

 

[bonesbr549]

I just cut some cherry ply this week-end and did not use a clamp.  I bought a 4x8 sheet of thick foam insulation at lowes. Not the cheap stuff but the extruded foam that you can stand on and not damage.  I layed the sheet on that (the foam was flat on the floor) and just layed the guid down and it did not move.  I positioned my hose guide at a 45 degree setting so the hose was not pointing down to the rail and my power cord was wrapped around the hose to my ct33 (I'd love a boom).  I also cut in the direction so that the hose was extended across the ply and would be shortned as I made the cut.  This kept everything out of the way.  Since it was on the floor and I had my body weight on the wood and pushing slightly down on the TS55 everything came out perfect and worked like a charm.  I cut  8 panels this way and had good luck.  I would take a rag and wipe the underside of the rail each time just to keep the dust from building up on the sticky stuff  (what ever its real name is escapes me). Good luck and welcome to the club, but be carefull you will only be spending lots more money on more festool, its addicting!. 

 

[monstrol]

Congrats and good luck with your TS55.  One tip I picked up at a Gary Katz roadshow was that before plunging always let the saw get up to full speed.  Doing that for some reason prevents kickbacks.  You'll want a festool vac soon.
Matthew Jones

 

[jeffinsgf]

Very good to know.  Guess I gotta get some clamps.

Don't they come with the guide anymore? 

 

[EcoFurniture]

Doing this every day...
Prefinished ply: use clamps! or the gecco suction cups.
unfinished ply: no clamps. Well, I'm actually using clamps when cutting up a $300 sheet--just in case  [embarassed]

Even thought I think the boom arm is a great thing, I don't own one... I just simply guide the saw with one hand and the hose/cord with the other. Works very well.

When buying the clamps, I would recommend the longer non quick clamps. They are more universal. I have both versions and hardly use the ratched ones.

Anyhow, good luck!

 

[kev carpenter]

Hi been using the ts 55 on daily basis for about a year and i only used the claps a couple of times usualy when im cutting something that is overhanging the bench to stop everthing flying over the place

but their is a technique to using it i hold my hand on the rail in front of the ts keeping preasure on it and when it gets about 4 or 5 inches on the rail i keep a ample amount pressure on the rail and when it comes to the end i hold the back of the rail and this all help as long as ply wool or anything else your cutting
is flat and stable [smile]

well thats how i do it anway [smile]

But if your cutting somthing expensive clamps wont hurt

 

[tbellemare]

I tend to put the hose and cord over my shoulder to avoid snags. It works pretty well if you aren't using a boom arm or a ceiling hook.

Tom

 

[bonesbr549]

Very good to know.  Guess I gotta get some clamps.

Don't they come with the guide anymore? 

Nope.  I bought a couple of the quick ones for use on the table and the TS55, love em though!

 

[Bob Marino]

I very rarely clamp on crosscuts, but I do sometimes on long rip cuts; the clamps do make it easier to ensure the rail is aligned correctly and is cheap, quick insurance preventing any type of rail movement. Having said that, there is a very small learning curve using the saw and rail and I think once you have used it  a bit more, "gotten the feel" of the tool, you may not find it always necessary to use the clamps on all the cuts.

Bob

 

[lablover27]

I found after a dozeon or so cuts I was gettin the hang etc.  God I love this thing.  Just bought the ets 150/3 today 

 

[Jay Evans]

I know this is blasphemy, but I just bought and really like the DeWalt guide rail claps, but they are a bit heavy.  I have a small light set of Irwin "squeeze" clamps that I took the solid jaw off of and replaced with modified 1/4 x 1/2 key stock to fit the Festool guide rails.  The Irwin clamps are lighter than the De Walt, and for both sets, the movable jaw stays put where you put it when the clamps are under the rail.  Festool clamps, regular and quick type seem to "fall open" all the way when using them under the rail.  The Irwin's and DeWalts are truly one hand adjustable, to open or close and are more controlable when upside down.

Just some additional information- 

Jay

 

[Daviddubya]

...I have a small light set of Irwin "squeeze" clamps that I took the solid jaw off of and replaced with modified 1/4 x 1/2 key stock to fit the Festool guide rails....
Jay

Jay - Sounds like a good idea.  Would you please start a new thread about the Irwin clamps and post a photo or two?  Thanks.

 

[woodguy7]

I cut up 4 sheets of 25mm mdf today, rip & cross cut with the 3m & .800mm rails.  Never used a clamp once.  I have 2 of the ratchet clamps & i have only used them for cutting expensive doors.  Like others have said, once you get a feel for it you will be fine but also, if expensive then clamp it.

Woodguy

 

[score0matic]

Glad you got to play with your new saw.

The hose:  it will grab hold and make for all kinds of misadventures as will the cord which seems to find the top side
"T" slot like a magnet  if you don't take some action.  most of the time I wrap the hose over my wrist so it is out of the way.  Whatever technique you end up calling your own.  It will soon become second nature.

Craig

 

[JeromeM]

Crosscutting a sheet  of 4x8 ply for practice and the hose and cord kept dragging and moving my guide    Made a little hook on the cieling to hang all the goodies from and that seemed to solve the problem.  Is that common?  

Yes it is and one way to improve that is to use sliding door track so the attachment point moves with the tool.
[attachthumb=1]

[attachthumb=2]

I did buy the little plastic deal to go on the end to help eliminate that but it did not seem to work.  I think the best bet is to clamp the guide down and not worry about it.  Thoughts?  

I have it but don't usually bother and, with the wrapped hose and celling attachment, don't seem to need it.

The 55" guide would of been nicer if it was just a tad longer.  With the black plastic attachment for anti snags on, I cant seem to keep both green adjustment gibs on the guide start of cut without having the finish end too short to keep both gibs on?  Am I crazy here?

No the 1400mm rail is too short to cross cut a full sheet. You either need to add a shorter rail to it or get a longer one.

Cuts were lazer like clean..Loved it.  Cleaned bottom of guide but still got a little movement.  Could be cause ply was pre finished?  Thinking about those suction cup deals?

I usually don't bother to, and don't need to, clamp long cuts. The wrapped suspended hose means that the hose does not move the rail and the strips under grip the sheets well enough that it does not move.

 

[Oyvind]

I cut 3m x 1.2m fiberglass panels using pretty much the same technique that Kev outlined above.  These panels are heavy and awkward to handle, so I move them as little as possible.  I have to cut them from the reverse side, so I just flip them over on the stack and insert a few boards under the panel to lift it off the next panel.  No room for clamps, but have not have any problems with slippage.  I solve the vacuum hose/cable snag problem by simply putting them to the side of the track before I start the cut.  I use the 3m rail for the rip cuts.