Question about TS55 usage.

[tomba26]

Hi all, I used my new TS55 today to cut 40mm oak kitchen worktops and had a couple of issues I hoped you could help on.

Firstly I was running the 48 tooth/fine finish blade no 491952 (local dealer said the blade was ideal for oak tops) and to start with the blade cut full depth no problem but very quickly started to burn the timber and really struggle a lot even making the cut, even when using two 20mm passes to complete the cut. Obviously the blade was now dull. Also as the blade came through the material at the end of the cut and I lifted the saw back up (ater the cut was complete - so pushing right through the worktop until the cut was completed) I noticed it was slightly chamfering the last inch or so by 1 or 2 degrees, this was quite obvious when came to join the worktops using the cut end.

I realized the blade was now dull and tried my 28 tooth blade (no 496302) again using 2 passes. Problem solved, fantastic smooth cuts with no burning and no chamfering/beveling the last inch or so of timber.
Anyone had similar issues cutting 40+mm oak tops with the 48 tooth blade?

Also I am going to order a couple of  blades, what would you suggest as the ideal blade for cutting exterior hardwood doors (including oak) and oak worktops....seems like the 28 tooth blade is ideal or are the Panther blades better?
Is the standard 48 tooth blade okay for laminated materials (kitchens, etc)?

Thanks and sorry for all the questions.

 

[Michael_MA]

as a general rule of thumb, you should use the fine saw blade (48 teeth) only for cutting timber cross grain. If you need to cut along the grain, the blade should have enaugh space between the teeth to cool down and transport the chips and dust properly.. which means a blade with half the number of teeth is a much better solution, as you already discovered.
The fine cutting saw blade with 48 teeth is a very good universal solution for most situations, so the 28 teeth blade seems to be the perfect solution for cutting timber cross- and along grain.

kind regards, Mike

 

[jonny round boy]

The standard 48 tooth blade is fine for laminate tops. For a solid timber top however, I would always take 2 or 3 passes. Trying to cut those in one pass results in overloading the both the blade and the machine.

Personally, I use the standard blade (48T) for virtually all materials. The only other blade is a triple-chip one for solid surface, which IIRC is 52 teeth. I tried one of the old panther blades (the 14-tooth one with a very agressive hook) and it was awful. Festool have changed a lot of the blades about a year or so ago, and the newer 12 tooth panther blade should be a lot better, but I haven't tried it myself. If you buy a panther, check that the order code matches the one shown on the Festool UK website. If it doesn't, then it's probably old stock so don't touch it.

 

[tomba26]

Thanks for the replies fellas....just asking too much of the saw I guess. I'm used to my big Makita powering through timber.......leaves a rough as finish but it's got some power. On the plus side the TS55 worked like a dream after I swapped the blade and started using a couple of passes.  [smile]

I just hope I have not damaged the saw as it actually stalled at one point midway through a cut, got quite hot but I suspect it was a combination of the saw and the blade temp going up. Seemed fine after it cooled down and a sharp blade using 2 passes. It's the 110v version and I don't think it has any overload/electronic protection so I guess time will tell if it's damged.

 

[chrisrosenb]

Thanks for the replies fellas....just asking too much of the saw I guess. I'm used to my big Makita powering through timber.......leaves a rough as finish but it's got some power. On the plus side the TS55 worked like a dream after I swapped the blade and started using a couple of passes.  [smile]

I just hope I have not damaged the saw as it actually stalled at one point midway through a cut, got quite hot but I suspect it was a combination of the saw and the blade temp going up. Seemed fine after it cooled down and a sharp blade using 2 passes. It's the 110v version and I don't think it has any overload/electronic protection so I guess time will tell if it's damged.

The saw should be fine. Mine has shut down several times before I figured out the correct blades to use for the material I was cutting.
The saw is designed to do this.

 

[peter halle]

I went looking for an answer.  It appears that in the UK there are different models.  If you have the ts 55 EBQ then you have the electronics that include temperature protection. 

 

[Michael_MA]

Thanks for the replies fellas....just asking too much of the saw I guess. I'm used to my big Makita powering through timber.......leaves a rough as finish but it's got some power. On the plus side the TS55 worked like a dream after I swapped the blade and started using a couple of passes.  [smile]

I just hope I have not damaged the saw as it actually stalled at one point midway through a cut, got quite hot but I suspect it was a combination of the saw and the blade temp going up. Seemed fine after it cooled down and a sharp blade using 2 passes. It's the 110v version and I don't think it has any overload/electronic protection so I guess time will tell if it's damged.

you can be assured, the TS55 in any voltage has a perfect overload/temperature protection, which will simply shutoff the saw if the overload situation requires it. After the situation is cleared and the saw cololed down, you can simply work again without affecting the life time of the saw.
But to get back to you blades, as JRB already stated the 48T, or fine cut blade is good for any melamine or ply wood, you can also use it to cut timber cross grain, but this is nothing the blade is really made for.
I'd suggest, you get some more info about the available blades from festool and their usage range from here:
Festool - Circular Saw blade overview page 52.

kind regards, Mike

 

[tomba26]

Thanks for the info Peter.
The version I have is the TS55 EQ, here in the UK the 240v version of the saw is the TS55 EBQ and the 110v version (mine) is the TS55 EQ. I THINK that the EQ version I have has the electronic protection but not the brake as with the 240v EBQ.

 

[tomba26]

Thanks for the replies fellas....just asking too much of the saw I guess. I'm used to my big Makita powering through timber.......leaves a rough as finish but it's got some power. On the plus side the TS55 worked like a dream after I swapped the blade and started using a couple of passes.  [smile]

I just hope I have not damaged the saw as it actually stalled at one point midway through a cut, got quite hot but I suspect it was a combination of the saw and the blade temp going up. Seemed fine after it cooled down and a sharp blade using 2 passes. It's the 110v version and I don't think it has any overload/electronic protection so I guess time will tell if it's damged.

you can be assured, the TS55 in any voltage has a perfect overload/temperature protection, which will simply shutoff the saw if the overload situation requires it. After the situation is cleared and the saw cololed down, you can simply work again without affecting the life time of the saw.
But to get back to you blades, as JRB already stated the 48T, or fine cut blade is good for any melamine or ply wood, you can also use it to cut timber cross grain, but this is nothing the blade is really made for.
I'd suggest, you get some more info about the available blades from festool and their usage range from here:
Festool - Circular Saw blade overview page 52.

kind regards, Mike

Thanks Mike, I'll take a look.  [smile]

 

[ccarrolladams]

The 48 tooth blade ( cat 495 377=491 952) shipped with the TS55 EQ (USA 120v) is marvelous for plywood and many other wood-like sheet goods. Routinely I use mine for finished glue-ready cuts of 19mm and 30mm birch and maple plywood. I also normally use speed setting "4" on 19mm plywood and "3" on 30mm.

In my experience I am using too high a speed when I burn the product.

For solid wood I use the Universal blade ( cat 495 376) with 20 teeth on the TS55 EQ. However normally I use the Universal blade (cat 495 380) which is 210mm in diameter with 30 teeth on my TS75 EQ. I do always slow the speed on solid timber.

Please note there is a slight difference in kerf between the TS55 and TS75 blades. There is also a difference in kerf between the fine tooth and universal blades.

 

[Corwin]

Thanks for the info Peter.
The version I have is the TS55 EQ, here in the UK the 240v version of the saw is the TS55 EBQ and the 110v version (mine) is the TS55 EQ. I THINK that the EQ version I have has the electronic protection but not the brake as with the 240v EBQ.

Here's a link to a post here that describes what the product codes stand for.  FEQ Plus ??

 

[tomba26]

Thanks Corwin, excellent info. [smile]
That thread confirms it, the UK TS55 EQ has the electronics but no brake.

 

[tomba26]

Caroll I'm not sure if the blades you have in the US are slightly different? My 28 tooth blade (universal) and the 48 fine tooth blade both have a thickness of 2.2mm.

 

[ccarrolladams]

I own a mix of blades for all my saws. Some of the blades I purchased at the same time as my first TS55 EQ in January 2006 are still going strong. I was promised 5 sharpenings and yet some have been sharpened more than that. Of course the downside is some of those blades make a wider kerf than do others. That difference is between 2.2mm and 2.6mm which is hardly a big deal.

Most of the blades on my beam saw make 5.0mm kerfs. Same for the slider saw.

All of the Festool blades I have bought in 2010 for the TS55 and TS75 make 2.2mm kerfs.

 

[tbellemare]

The newer blades for the TS 55 that have the "496" prefix have the same kerf as the "Fine Tooth Blade", 2.2mm.

That is the blade that comes stock with the saw.

Tom

 

[ccarrolladams]

The newer blades for the TS 55 that have the "496" prefix have the same kerf as the "Fine Tooth Blade", 2.2mm.

That is the blade that comes stock with the saw.

Tom

Tom, this is really good to know.

I am sure the updated Festool USA catalog will show the new cat numbers for the new saw blades.