Track saw

[Fancy Shoes]

I have heard good things of this forum, however the lack of sub forums for each festool powertool is a bit annoying. I really wanted to look up tips and tricks for using the track saw accurately since I bought it to make a parts cabinet.

Any tips you guys can add here would be greatly appreciated.

one thing is I do not have a work bench yet. How can I hold up the plywood stable enough to get a good cut without having to build something I dont have room to store?

 

[justaguy]

Get a sheet of 1” insulation rigid board and lay it on the ground. Place you plywood on top of the insulation to make your cuts.

For pointers on using the tools and making cabinets check out videos here Erock’s Poplar Workshop

 

[JeromeM]

one thing is I do not have a work bench yet. How can I hold up the plywood stable enough to get a good cut without having to build something I dont have room to store?

Build something you can store or breakdown and store.
You could look in a more appropriate place for examplehttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/495255290246395157/

Or evenhttp://bfy.tw/KKDd  [eek]

You could even use the forum search with words a like plywood cutting tables
and TS55 tips or track saw tips

I really wanted to look up tips and tricks for using the track saw accurately since I bought it to make a parts cabinet.

1) Measure your parts accurately.
2) mark your material accurately,
3) put your track on the correct side of your marks and clamp it
4) cut using the splinter guard.
If 1, 2, and 3 are followed your parts will be the correct size.
No tricks needed.

 

[Birdhunter]

I’ve been reading this forum for a long time and have learned a lot from reports of problems people experience.

Most of the track saw errors I have read about include not doing the 4 items listed by another poster and four others.

1. Track not secured against movement. Causes improper cuts.
2. Lateral pressure applied to saw while cutting. Causes a bowed cut.
3. Depth of cut improperly set.
4. Inadequate dust extraction

I find letting the saw come up to speed before plunging into the cut works best.

Wear your safety glasses and enjoy the saw.

 

[waho6o9]

Check your diagonals after you dimension your sheet goods to prevent errors from multiplying.

 

[sancho57]

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=76830&cat=1,43455

if you have a specific question ask the FOG it will be answered.

Others places to go for info

Call festool, they are very good at answering questions

brick and mortar festool dealer

find out when your dealer is having a festool demo day the factory rep will be there and answer your questions

go to a road show

take a festool end user class, i recommend starting with the essentials class first. But any of them are good.

youTube has a lot of user info

YouTube-festool TV.
instagram festool sedge lots of little tid bits of info to make your life easier

 

[Geoffrey]

3) put your track on the correct side of your marks and clamp it

When I was starting with the track saw on plywood, I made this mistake a couple times and put the track on the offcut instead of the keeper piece. For some reason, even with the splinter guard right on the marks, my piece was just a little undersized.  [laughing]

 

[GoingMyWay]

I still tend to make this mistake.  It doesn't really happen when I use the MFT/3, but if I'm just using the guide rail by itself I tend to get all turned around.

 

[Cheese]

Here's a recent thread. There are also several suggestions for a cutting table.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/suggestions-with-how-to-use-a-ts55/msg558034/#msg558034

And another
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/how-to-work-with-sheet-goods-when-you're-space-constrained/msg524465/#msg524465

 

[WayneHD]

Does anyone think an update to the TSC55 will come out soon?  The reason I ask is because of the current propmation at Toolnut.

 

[RKA]

Not likely.  They are clearing previous iterations with non airstream batteries and/or metric versions.  Great deal if you’re looking for one!

 

[Cheese]

Amen...this is a great deal compared to what us lemmings will typically pay for Festool gear.

And  [welcome] to the FOG. Love the TSC, actually like it better than the TS which I’ll probably be putting down the road.

 

[Fancy Shoes]

Thanks for the help. I bought the TS75 need to use it soon!

 

[Kodi Crescent]

As a beginner, remember that the "keeper" piece sits under the rail.  The piece not under the rail is the piece to be discarded.

Place pieces of foam insulation board on the floor under your workpiece before cutting.  Any other support is an added convenience.  I also use folding steel sawhorses as support.  I double stick taped 1x material across the top to act as a sacrificial backing.

 

[bdiemer]

Learn from me, and make sure the saw comes to full power before plunge begins. Very basic I know, but I did it.

 

[Mario Turcot]

I agree that a sub forum for each power tool would help new people. Like a How to TS 55 etc..

Like Jobsworth mentioned, the Lee Valley new platform is a real space saver. IMO better then insulation foam because on 2x4 you can use the clamps to secure your board.