I saw on a recent video that some one placed blue painters tape over the hole on the side of the TS55 to improve dust collection. I thought it was a great idea and then thought why wouldn't Festool place a clear plastic door, for lack of a better term, to remove when it was time to change the blade? Does tape over the hole improve the dust collection?
Tape over hole on TS55
- Thread starter Df1k1
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bertv
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Yep, it does improve dust collection. Even better is using the parallel guide accessory : )
joiner1970
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That's funny I had the same thought only today. Might give it a try.
I've been cutting up 9 sheets of 18mm MDF today and for some reason the extraction doesn't seem as good as usual. I'm going through the stack sliding bearers under each sheet as I go. The dust is spraying out from under the sheet. I'm sure cutting on an insulation sheet would trap the dust and collect it better , but as I'm working through a stack of sheets that wouldn't be easy.
I've been cutting up 9 sheets of 18mm MDF today and for some reason the extraction doesn't seem as good as usual. I'm going through the stack sliding bearers under each sheet as I go. The dust is spraying out from under the sheet. I'm sure cutting on an insulation sheet would trap the dust and collect it better , but as I'm working through a stack of sheets that wouldn't be easy.
Yes it does. It does the same thing as the tape...Engineering left out a piece of plastic when they designed the saw.grbmds said:
The greatest issue with dust collection is when just nipping the edge off a board. That is where you need something that drops to blade height. At some point I will make a magnetic attachment for my Festool side cover plate to further improve dust collection.
Brice Burrell
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Df1k1 said:
The current version of the (TS 55R) has a removable green splinterguard. It can be replaced with a clear plastic "window". Pushing this window all the down helps contain dust.
The D36 hose does fit the CT Mini/Midi vacs. However, I find dust collection with the TS55 to only be marginally improved with the D36 hose. With a router or planer it is almost a must have.
[member=57769]TylerC[/member] I do both of those and the TS55 is still the worst of my owned Festools for dust collection. I am looking for a way to improve that as all the other tools I get great dust collection. I've always used a 36mm hose with the saw and it is better than the 27mm but not really all that great.TylerC said:
[member=50292]Peter_C[/member] Most of my sawdust seems to escape to the front of the saw (back on the MFT) when cutting, regardless of whether it is just a trim cut or not. Do you think the cover plate will help eliminate some of that? I assume that the cover plate fits low on the saw based on the picture.Peter_C said:
Anytime you increase suction you will improve dust control. My saw kicks dust forward too. I don't expect 100% collection, but a few design changes would increase it further from what it is now.
Why is it so many tools need modifications or add on parts that they should have come with them? [unsure]
The first photo shows the clear dust control window mounted to the saw. It also shows how the saw angles up away from the blade to clear for 45* cuts.
Second photo shows the saw with the side doohickey attached. You can see how it closes most of the side of the saw off. For cutting right at the edge of the board a piece of something, mounted where the brown phenolic surface is mounted, that slides down to the saw blade cut depth would greatly enhance dust collection. Seems to me having the phenolic piece slide down wouldn't be that hard, and pretty safe as the blade would just cut it. Kinda like the clear plastic piece at the front of the blade. The saw systainers supplies a relief to drop that part of the saw into so it doesn't retract every time you set it down flat. (The side plate could be used as an edge guide, but I never have. Only time I seem to want to cut like that is for window replacement and I have an old junky saw I use for cutting missed nails.)
Why is it so many tools need modifications or add on parts that they should have come with them? [unsure]
The first photo shows the clear dust control window mounted to the saw. It also shows how the saw angles up away from the blade to clear for 45* cuts.
Second photo shows the saw with the side doohickey attached. You can see how it closes most of the side of the saw off. For cutting right at the edge of the board a piece of something, mounted where the brown phenolic surface is mounted, that slides down to the saw blade cut depth would greatly enhance dust collection. Seems to me having the phenolic piece slide down wouldn't be that hard, and pretty safe as the blade would just cut it. Kinda like the clear plastic piece at the front of the blade. The saw systainers supplies a relief to drop that part of the saw into so it doesn't retract every time you set it down flat. (The side plate could be used as an edge guide, but I never have. Only time I seem to want to cut like that is for window replacement and I have an old junky saw I use for cutting missed nails.)
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Peter_C said:
Seems like it obstructs the view of the blade and where you're cutting. That was kind of why I haven't tried it yet and chose to live with the extra sawdust. Does it obstruct the view of anything that would be important when using the saw?
joiner1970
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Maybe this is a job for someone with a 3d printer ? To make a clip in cover for that hole that can easily be removed for blade changes
Woodwork Wizard
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There is someone selling 3-D printed snap-in covers on eBay for the 55 and 75 saw for about £10. I think their name is Butterfield.
