New TS55, my 3rd Festool

[mdog114]

Everyone loves to share!

I got a job to do 32 PVC - 2x4' floral prep tables for a flower wholesaler. The originals are shot from cutting and water damage.

Finally an excuse for buying the saw!

I'll report how it works out.

PS: Do you guys have any blade suggestions for 1/4" PVC material?

 

[ccarrolladams]

Everyone loves to share!

I got a job to do 32 PVC - 2x4' floral prep tables for a flower wholesaler. The originals are shot from cutting and water damage.

Finally an excuse for buying the saw!

I'll report how it works out.

PS: Do you guys have any blade suggestions for 1/4" PVC material?

Hi M Dog,

You will make a lot of money with your new TS55 plunge track saw.

My recommendation for cutting PVC is the Festool cat 496 307 blade, called "Aluminum/ Plastic" saw blade.  It's teeth are even finer than the Fine Tooth Blade shipped with the TS55. Also the A/P blade has triple chip teeth. Although I use the Fine Tooth Blade for most plywoods, there are certain kinds of veneers I find are best cut with the A/P blade.

 

[Steve R]

Everyone loves to share!

I got a job to do 32 PVC - 2x4' floral prep tables for a flower wholesaler. The originals are shot from cutting and water damage.

Finally an excuse for buying the saw!

I'll report how it works out.

PS: Do you guys have any blade suggestions for 1/4" PVC material?

Hi M Dog,

You will make a lot of money with your new TS55 plunge track saw.

My recommendation for cutting PVC is the Festool cat 469 307 blade, called "Aluminum/ Plastic" saw blade.  It's teeth are even finer than the Fine Tooth Blade shipped with the TS55. Also the A/P blade has triple chip teeth. Although I use the Fine Tooth Blade for most plywoods, there are certain kinds of veneers I find are best cut with the A/P blade.

What CCarrolladams said, I have the  AL/Plastic blade on both the TS55 and the Kapex to cut schedule 40 PVC tubes and sheet PVC. All I have to add is move the saw outside and away from everything.... the plastic dust/shavings....go everywhere DC is not effective when cutting PVC even your saws DC area around the blades will clog.... Clean/clear them often...like every cut.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[fdengel]

As much as I love the tracksaw, as long as these cuts were across the short width, I'd be doing them on my scroll saw.

 

[mdog114]

I'll look into that blade in the morning, my local shop has a pretty good selection.

 

[mdog114]

As much as I love the tracksaw, as long as these cuts were across the short width, I'd be doing them on my scroll saw.

I need to rip 4x8' material to approximately 24x48" for the tops, a scroll or jig saw wouldn't be my first choice for this task.

 

[ccarrolladams]

As much as I love the tracksaw, as long as these cuts were across the short width, I'd be doing them on my scroll saw.

I need to rip 4x8' material to approximately 24x48" for the tops, a scroll or jig saw wouldn't be my first choice for this task.

I completely agree with you, M Dog. Cutting the parts you mention is a perfect job for a TS55 with the A/P blade. Oh, if you were just making a couple of cuts you could do it with the Fine Tooth Blade, and the results would be good. However, you would be re-sharpening the FTB frequently. This is a job for the A/P blade.

I also agree that PVC resists dust collection. In my first answer I should have made it clear that I use TS55 in other businesses I own beside my custom cabinet shop. Several miles away I am co-owner of a fabrication firm. There we work in metal and structural PVC. There parts needing cleaning before subsequent steps get cleaned.

In my cabinet shop we only work in wood. We want to avoid contaminating wood with plastic or metal shavings and dust.

 

[GregBradley]

As much as I love the tracksaw, as long as these cuts were across the short width, I'd be doing them on my scroll saw.

I need to rip 4x8' material to approximately 24x48" for the tops, a scroll or jig saw wouldn't be my first choice for this task.

I think that is the understatement of the year. I hope the "scroll or jig saw" comment was a joke.

The A/P blade ccaroladams mentioned works great for plastic. We use that and the previous version that was 2.5mm wide. His posts are very informative but he did transpose two digits of the item number in post #2. It is 496 307.

 

[Michael1960]

The new TS55 looks great...Currently I have a Makita SP6000.  The riving knife is a extra with Festool.  I have no doubt it is an essential part of a table saw.  Is it really important on a track saw?  (
PS I bought a RTS 400 sander last week so I should not need a green fix yet!!!

 

[Stone Message]

The new TS55 looks great...Currently I have a Makita SP6000.  The riving knife is a extra with Festool.  I have no doubt it is an essential part of a table saw.  Is it really important on a track saw?  (
PS I bought a RTS 400 sander last week so I should not need a green fix yet!!!

Festool have got the riving knife spot on - it is perfect. You need the riving knife to stop the blade being pinched and to provide an additional guide plane. Being spring loaded means that it does not interfere with plunge cuts. The final advantage is that when you (eventually) put one in the CMS unit (as I have done) the riving knife extension, essential on a table saw, can be attached quickly with no fuss.

The TS55 and TS55R are both great saws, well designed and super to use. The TS55R is a great step forward.

Oh...I laughed when I saw the initial post about the jigsaw for cross cutting - use the TS55R and a guide rail every time.

Peter

 

[Michael1960]

Thanks Peter- your point regarding the risk of the blade being 'pinched' is noted.  This is another hazard that can be minimized (I doubt totally avoided) with first class equipment. 

 

[semenza]

The new TS55 looks great...Currently I have a Makita SP6000.  The riving knife is a extra with Festool.  I have no doubt it is an essential part of a table saw.  Is it really important on a track saw?  (
PS I bought a RTS 400 sander last week so I should not need a green fix yet!!!

The riving knife is especially important when ripping hardwood boards. It has kept the blade from being pinched many times for me. I can often see the kerf closing behind the saw as I move it down the track.

Seth