Plunge saw speed problem

[Andir]

Firstly thanks for existing.
I need a solution to my problem of speed.
I have a festool plunge saw like the ts55 but with the steel base (can’t remember the model).
When it starts up it is slow with no torque. Over 20 seconds or so it runs up in speed but not to full speed. It can then cut board at about 6” per minute or it stalls.
I changed all the bearings just in case but I would put money on the speed controller.
I beleive these to be no longer and so for me a bypass of it would be the solution. I only use this occasionally and as a hobbyist.
Any advice that doesn’t entail a new machine

 

[peter halle]

Welcome to the forum!  I might suggest that you contact Festool in your country about service for your tool.  You might be surprised that they can service older tools.  You should be able to find tool info on a label attached to your tool.

Respectfully,

Peter

 

[Gregor]

By the looks of it it's quite vintage... and the old ones are more on the indestructible side of things.

Thus it is likely it just needs some fresh coals for the motor.

 

[Andir]

Hi Peter
I have been in touch with my local agents and they told me of the non availability of the controller.
I went to them for the stepped bearing used on the shaft and that had been discontinued also so I has to get busy on the lathe.
After posting this I did think to have a go and after some googling of drill wiring I managed to crack it. Of course it has no speed control or braking but I can use it again.
For anyone who needs to do it you simply clip the large black and red wires going into the speed board and connect them together off the board. All else I left on.

 

[Gregor]

It's not visible, thus: is the controller old enough to not be molded into a resin block? Or old enough to be made out of discrete parts only?

A yes to one (or both) would mean that it should be possible to either replace all (to be sure) the parts or to reverse engineer the board itself to build a replacement.

 

[Michael Kellough]

It's not visible, thus: is the controller old enough to not be molded into a resin block? Or old enough to be made out of discrete parts only?

A yes to one (or both) would mean that it should be possible to either replace all (to be sure) the parts or to reverse engineer the board itself to build a replacement.

HA!  That’s easy for you to say!  [embarassed]

 

[Michael Kellough]

Thanks for posting Andir.

So, did it work?

My old ATF 55 sometimes seems to bypass the speed control all by itself. That is, it runs significantly faster than normal and the speed is naturally affected by load (feed rate) with none of the speed control induced vibration. I actually like it better when it runs “wild” so I appreciate the post.

 

[Andir]

It's not visible, thus: is the controller old enough to not be molded into a resin block? Or old enough to be made out of discrete parts only?

A yes to one (or both) would mean that it should be possible to either replace all (to be sure) the parts or to reverse engineer the board itself to build a replacement.

Unfortunately it is a resin block or I would be all over it. Electronics is what I studied all those years ago.

 

[Gregor]

Unfortunately it is a resin block or I would be all over it. Electronics is what I studied all those years ago.

That (the resin getting in the way) is a shame.

Maybe asking the German headquarters kindly could yield the schematic, as it's out of support anyway?
Or maybe careful application of a sander to get to the core of things... ?