Tracksaw 55 Issue

[mywoodshop]

I’m making my first cuts with the fest tool track saw. I’m getting some terrible cuts on my plywood. I’m using three-quarter maple ply from Home Depot for shop cabinets. Is it the crappy plywood or am I doing something wrong with the tool that I need to adjust?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Packard]

The short answer: I would not blame your saw.  Blame the plywood.

I had so many issues with Lowes’ maple plywood, that I would never use it again.  I think the quality went down during the pandemic.

First, the veneer layer seemed thinner than before.

Second, the veneer layer seemed poorly adhered to the substrate

Third, on cross cuts, I got the same splintering you are seeing.

And finally, after applying oil based wipe on poly, I got this:

Paint seemed not to create this issue.  Perhaps the higher amount of mineral spirits in the diluted wipe on finish created the problem,  but it had never happened before. 

 

[Jim_in_PA]

If your anti-tearout strip on your track is in good condition, unless your blade is really toast, I agree with the other poster that the fault likely lies with the material. Sheet goods from the 'Borg is a junk-shoot. (The radiata pine ply at HD is actually pretty usable, however, and the face plies are very thick. But that's not a furniture or cabinet quality product...more for general utility)

 

[Adamsse]

When I was new to my TS55, I found this video helpful.  Initially I didn’t understand the difference between the clear viewing window and the green Splinterguard.  I also didn’t understand initially that I needed to push the Splinterguard all the way down to the wood.  That part of the explanation starts at 4:22.

 

[bobtskutter]

You could try a reverse cut (scribe cut) so the saw cuts in a downward motion instead of upwards.
Set the cut depth to 2mm, put the saw at the end of the required cut then plunge and pull the saw backwards - be careful for saw trying to drive itself itself along the track!

(I've probably not done a very good job of explaining that, buy search on youtube, there are lots of video).

Bob

 

[Peter Kelly]

A scoring pass doesn't actually need to be climbing, it usually works perfectly well to do an initial 2-3mm deep cut pushing forward  then second at full depth. That said, the OP might want to look into getting a 42 or 52 tooth ATB blade if they're going to be working with veneers a lot.

 

[Packard]

The scoring cut does work well.

Basically:

1. Clamp your track in place.
2. Set your depth of cut to about 1/8”.
3. Place your saw at the position that would be the end of your normal cut.
4.  Plunge and draw the saw towards the position of the beginning of the normal cut.
5.  Make your conventional cut.

It is the underlying layers of the substrate pulling up that causes the rough cut.  The shallow scoring cut makes two layers to resist that upward tearing.

I find that clamping the track is helpful, because any minute movement of the track will sabotage the effort.

Festool makes a saw with a built in scoring blade that simplifies this process.  I have never seen one in use.  Wood veneer over particle board substrate generally won’t splinter like this (but give Lowes  and Home Depot some time and they will reduce the quality to that same splintering problem).

 

[usernumber1]

i'm going with saw/user error. the chinesium ply we use cuts just fine over here. [member=80055]mywoodshop[/member] did you use the green splinter guard? what is the bottom supported by?

 

[jeh]

As others have said that is recent change to their plywood quality. I noticed it about a year ago.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

But that's not a furniture or cabinet quality product...more for general utility firewood.

Fixed that for you, Jim.

 

[waho6o9]

Maybe clean your blade up and or try a new blade.

The fuzzy pieces on the bottom of the plywood seems odd to me. 

Best of luck.

 

[Packard]

As others have said that is recent change to their plywood quality. I noticed it about a year ago.

I mentioned it happened during the pandemic.  That would coincide with your “a year ago” note.

 

[Packard]

Maybe clean your blade up and or try a new blade.

The fuzzy pieces on the bottom of the plywood seems odd to me. 

Best of luck.

I missed that.  I would expect the bottom surface to be clean cut. A blade not parallel to the line of the cut will result in lousy cuts.  I am not sure what caused the bottom to look like that.

 

[MikeGE]

I missed that.  I would expect the bottom surface to be clean cut. A blade not parallel to the line of the cut will result in lousy cuts.  I am not sure what caused the bottom to look like that.

I'm guessing, but if the front of the blade was angled towards the offcut, the back of the blade would be rotating down through the wood and could cause tearout.

 

[Packard]

I missed that.  I would expect the bottom surface to be clean cut. A blade not parallel to the line of the cut will result in lousy cuts.  I am not sure what caused the bottom to look like that.

I'm guessing, but if the front of the blade was angled towards the offcut, the back of the blade would be rotating down through the wood and could cause tearout.

Or maybe a warped blade or a shaft alignment issue.We could guess all day long and never have the answer.  It does not feel like an operator error to me.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

In general, bad cut quality on the bottom of the sheet comes from it not being supported completely.
Meaning that a cut on saw horses or riser blocks on a bench can do this, especially with a shallow cut.
When the teeth only protrude 2-3mm, they are pushing across the surface. This is the preferred way with fully supported cuts, like on an MFT. Then the surface of the table is supporting the fibers.
With an "open air" type cut, where there is essentially nothing underneath, setting the blade deeper makes the teeth cut upward from the bottom.....but significantly reduces the safety factor by exposing that much of the blade.

 

[Packard]

With a conventional circular saw, I would often set the blade depth for greater than required for the cut.  The greater depth also means greater length of the blade in the cut thus facilitating making a straight cut.

I never considered this practice to being particularly more risky than the smaller depth of cut.

 

[ElectricFeet]

With a conventional circular saw, I would often set the blade depth for greater than required for the cut.  The greater depth also means greater length of the blade in the cut thus facilitating making a straight cut.

I never considered this practice to being particularly more risky than the smaller depth of cut.

If you accidentally place your fingers below the material, it’s the difference between slicing your fingers and cutting them off completely. Or in a kickback scenario possibly much worse.

(With apologies to the squeamish: I live my life thinking of worst-case scenarios. I probably should have built a career in insurance.)

 

[Packard]

Unlike a table saw, where the spinning blade is easily accessible to your vulnerable fingers, the circular saw has both the finger-blocking material that you are cutting and the retractable blade guard to protect your fingers.

Plus, my newest circular saw has a safety switch that prevents accidental start of the motor. 

I see the risk differential as minimal.

Does anyone set their blade depth on a circular saw to 3/8” to cut 1/4” thick material?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Unlike a table saw, where the spinning blade is easily accessible to your vulnerable fingers, the circular saw has both the finger-blocking material that you are cutting and the retractable blade guard to protect your fingers.

Plus, my newest circular saw has a safety switch that prevents accidental start of the motor. 

I see the risk differential as minimal.

Does anyone set their blade depth on a circular saw to 3/8” to cut 1/4” thick material?

I have seen plenty of guys set the saw to darn near max depth and just leave it. Some are just not willing to adjust it every time, others are going on the same theory, that it helps keep the cut straight.
There are a few safety concerns with so much blade sticking out, not the least of which is binding. An unsupported piece that will be the off-cut, can catch as it is cut loose. I've seen it dozens of times, not saying it's proper practice, but it happens. Then you have the guy who reaches for a small off-cut, as it's happening, and all of that blade is down there where he is reaching....seen that one too.
Then of course is the kerf that you would be cutting into the top of your sawhorse...
I have never been a fan of circular saws. I see them as crude and that damn retracting blade guard will always try to steer the cut as it moves sucks.
When I discovered tracksaws, all of those problems were solved and I'll never go back.