Setting TS55 REQ Blade Perpendicular to the Sole Plate

grbmds

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How do you set the sole plate on the TS55 REQ perpendicular to the blade? I have read the instructions in the old TS55 User's Manual but  the shown Front and Rear Stop Screws do not appear to exist on the REQ saw. Adjustment isn't addressed in the REQ Supplemental User's Manual and I can find no basic User's Manual for the REQ. Therefore, I have not been able to find any way to adjust the blade square to the sole plate except to loosen the Bevel lock knobs, adjust the saw, and re-tighten the knobs. Then the bevel gauge isn't accurate. It doesn't seem possible that there is no way to adjust the saw so I must be missing something. I suppose I should have done something sooner, but I had adjusted it when I got it and forgot about this issue until the other day it appeared to not be cutting square. I then remembered the problem when I went to fix it by again adjusting it. It's a great saw, but it should cut square to the base or at least have an adjustment to the stops.
 
Apparently this is a common problem based on another thread I was just reading. We all need some direction it appears.
 
It is possible to make this adjustment. I would suggest that you contact our service department for assistance with it.

Shane
 
I contacted Service after your response. I took the option of sending it back because the process seemed like it required some precision that I might not be able to accomplish. However, I do wonder why the design was changed to one that doesn't permit easy adjustment if needed. The holes are still in the saw's guide plate for the adjustment screws the previous version. The Service guy said that would have been adjusted during the recall but it certainly wasn't on mine as I've adjusted for it by locking the lock knobs at a slightly different angle than the default. Problem is each time I change the angle to make a bevel cut I have to realign it and lock it down.
 
Shane Holland said:
It is possible to make this adjustment. I would suggest that you contact our service department for assistance with it.

Shane

Shane,

As I already said, I am sending the saw back to Festool service. However, I do have questions . . .

1. I believe that this problem gradually got worse since I've owned the saw. Until about a week ago I did not notice any significant problems with the blade returning to a default position which was essentailly 90 degrees to the plate. I don't use the saw everyday but have used it a number of times in projects where I believe I would have noticed the problem before now. I'm not sure what that means with regard the factory stops and will, of course, detail that in my service description to Festool, but it concerned me.

2.Why was the design changed from the previous TS55 saw? It seemed that the older saw had a good and easy way to maintain the 90 degree angle; namely with the 2 set screws.

3. Since the holes for the Stop Adjusmment Screws still remain in the plate of the TS55 REQ, can self-threading screws be installed to return the saw to its previous design to permit easy adjustment by the user?  I am committed to sending the saw in this first time for adjustment but, if this problem returnes, it seems to me that there is a need to avoid returning it each time and, of course, in the future, it will be out of warranty.

Please note the other comments about the plate being out of square in the How To section from other FOG members. This might not be a rare a problem as Service reported to me.

Randy
 
Douglas Urner said:
What it the process like for sending the saw back for repair?

I just contacted Festool Service by phone. They emailed me the shipping label. Since it was under warranty it was pre-paid. Once they received it, they shipped it back within about 2 days. I was without the saw about a week.
 
Aha, I'll have aloof at mine tonight and see if I can get mine fixed too. It's always bugged me the saw not at 90 correctly nor at 45 either. Am hoping I can follow your directions above and set the TS55r up and get it going correctly for once.
Thanks for posting the instructions on this by the way, much appreciated.
 
Acrobat said:
Aha, I'll have aloof at mine tonight and see if I can get mine fixed too. It's always bugged me the saw not at 90 correctly nor at 45 either. Am hoping I can follow your directions above and set the TS55r up and get it going correctly for once.
Thanks for posting the instructions on this by the way, much appreciated.

I don't see the instructions posted, can someone please re-post them or point me in the right direction? I'm happy to follow Shane's advice and call the service department, but figured this way I have it in writing. Thanks!
 
There are several threads on this same subject. There is one, I think with "zero" in the subject. One of them has a set of steps. I got mine directly from service and, if you call them, I'm sure they can tell you. It would be easier if, when you are on the phone with service, you have the saw in front of you. That will help locate the screws they will reference. However, even if you don't have the saw (I didn't when I called), I was able to take notes and do it when I got home from work. It isn't hard, just a little tricky with only 2 hands; holding and tightening at the same time. Mine has been perfect ever since though.
 
Volker said:
Acrobat said:
Aha, I'll have aloof at mine tonight and see if I can get mine fixed too. It's always bugged me the saw not at 90 correctly nor at 45 either. Am hoping I can follow your directions above and set the TS55r up and get it going correctly for once.
Thanks for posting the instructions on this by the way, much appreciated.

I don't see the instructions posted, can someone please re-post them or point me in the right direction? I'm happy to follow Shane's advice and call the service department, but figured this way I have it in writing. Thanks!

Hi,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

See this link for many supplemental manuals. Scroll down to Track Saws for downloadable PDF for the TS55REQ. It will contain the info you want with pictures , diagrams etc.  plus a lot of additional useful info.

  http://www.festoolusa.com/service/manuals/

Seth
 
SRSemenza said:
Volker said:
Acrobat said:
Aha, I'll have aloof at mine tonight and see if I can get mine fixed too. It's always bugged me the saw not at 90 correctly nor at 45 either. Am hoping I can follow your directions above and set the TS55r up and get it going correctly for once.
Thanks for posting the instructions on this by the way, much appreciated.

I don't see the instructions posted, can someone please re-post them or point me in the right direction? I'm happy to follow Shane's advice and call the service department, but figured this way I have it in writing. Thanks!

Hi,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

See this link for many supplemental manuals. Scroll down to Track Saws for downloadable PDF for the TS55REQ. It will contain the info you want with pictures , diagrams etc.  plus a lot of additional useful info.

  http://www.festoolusa.com/service/manuals/

Seth

OK, strike that.  It's not in there  ???  I thought it was  but I guess that was for the older TS55EQ. Anyway still a good manual.

Seth
 
I guess using a speed square would be to much work after you set the blade down with the quick lock feature?....
 
SRSemenza said:
SRSemenza said:
Volker said:
Acrobat said:
Aha, I'll have aloof at mine tonight and see if I can get mine fixed too. It's always bugged me the saw not at 90 correctly nor at 45 either. Am hoping I can follow your directions above and set the TS55r up and get it going correctly for once.
Thanks for posting the instructions on this by the way, much appreciated.

I don't see the instructions posted, can someone please re-post them or point me in the right direction? I'm happy to follow Shane's advice and call the service department, but figured this way I have it in writing. Thanks!

Hi,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

See this link for many supplemental manuals. Scroll down to Track Saws for downloadable PDF for the TS55REQ. It will contain the info you want with pictures , diagrams etc.  plus a lot of additional useful info.

  http://www.festoolusa.com/service/manuals/

Seth

OK, strike that.  It's not in there  ???  I thought it was  but I guess that was for the older TS55EQ. Anyway still a good manual.

Seth

Thanks for the warm welcome and the quick response! I actually found the information I was looking for here:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/festool-ts55-bevel-stop/msg317232/#msg317232

It's great to see how active and helpful this forum is!

-Volker
 
Volker said:
SRSemenza said:
SRSemenza said:
Volker said:
Acrobat said:
Aha, I'll have aloof at mine tonight and see if I can get mine fixed too. It's always bugged me the saw not at 90 correctly nor at 45 either. Am hoping I can follow your directions above and set the TS55r up and get it going correctly for once.
Thanks for posting the instructions on this by the way, much appreciated.

I don't see the instructions posted, can someone please re-post them or point me in the right direction? I'm happy to follow Shane's advice and call the service department, but figured this way I have it in writing. Thanks!

Hi,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

See this link for many supplemental manuals. Scroll down to Track Saws for downloadable PDF for the TS55REQ. It will contain the info you want with pictures , diagrams etc.  plus a lot of additional useful info.

  http://www.festoolusa.com/service/manuals/

Seth

OK, strike that.  It's not in there  ???  I thought it was  but I guess that was for the older TS55EQ. Anyway still a good manual.

Seth

Thanks for the warm welcome and the quick response! I actually found the information I was looking for here:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/festool-ts55-bevel-stop/msg317232/#msg317232

It's great to see how active and helpful this forum is!

-Volker

Unfortunately none of these manuals will tell you what you want to know. The only directions on setting the 0 degree stop apply to the older version of the TS55; not the TS55REQ. It's unclear why Festool did not put instructions in the REQ manual for setting the stop.

I would suggest that you call Festool service, who should be able to walk you through the couple of steps required. The adjustment will, however, require a torx head screwdriver. I believe the size is T20. If you search on the FOG, however, there are other threads about this  topic. I think they might be in the Ask Festool section. If I can, I will do a little search some time today and re-post if I can find them.
 
I'm only speculating and do not know this to be fact, but my guess is that too many customers were pulling their new TS saws out of the Systainers and setting about to tinker with the calibration and causing more harm than good. That may be why it's not in the supplemental manual for the REQ.

The saws should be dialed in right out of the box. If, for some reason, yours is not, please call the service guys.
 
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