Ts 55 Bad moter smell :-(

[Shini7]

Just bought this saw from NB ( about six weeks ago) and was using it to cut and trim stair treads yesterday. Basically light work and intermittent use. I have used a Dewalt DWS 520 for five years without a problem and now i regret selling it.
I only bought the festool after using a friends and was blown away by the precision and smooth action.  I am bitterly disappointed as I was convinced I was buying the best.

Ian [sad]

 

[PreferrablyWood]

Sorry for your problem, send it in to get checked, Festool do there utmost to find, fix and repair or replace defective gear..

 

[Shini7]

Thank you for your reply PreferrablyWood
I will do as you suggest but I am very unhappy. As no doubt is the case with the  majority of members here I depend on my tools for my livelihood , I rate reliability higher on my list that all other features. Any tool that lets me down also let my customers down and so leaves a double bad taste in my mouth. I have little time to waste on lame ducks as i work 10hrs a day, 6 days a week. In 15 years of using Dewalt tools I have had just one drill burn out and that was after my hair caught in the motor!.  I know you can always get a bad tool but my confidence in Festool has taken a severe blow.  I have been saving up for a Kapex but may change my mind .
Ian 

 

[carlb40]

Also sorry to hear about the issue. I would contact N&B in the morning to see if they can help. From what i have read, they have excellent customer service.  [smile]

 

[Shini7]

Thanks Carl
I will register my displeasure with N&B in the morning but will have to shuffle my work schedule to  take into account my tool situation.
An update will be forthcoming as soon as I have news.
Ian

 

[wrightwoodwork]

If I was you I'd see if they maybe have loan machine to use whilst getting fixed

 

[Shini7]

Hi
Could do, what i need to know  is whether this is a common occurrence? nothing I have used before has cut so cleanly. Looking forward I need to know if the festool range can give me what I require in terms of reliability as well as an excellent finish. The Kapex Ks 120 for example seems on paper to be my ideal saw. I have used a Dewalt Dw 708 12" mitre for 8 years and in terms of reliability it has been faultless. Just one issue and that was when a laborer decided to cut a tiny piece of timber which shot up and smashed my guard. The saw is superb but has deflection at full stretch and is cumbersome. The Kapex has almost the same cutting capacity but is more compact, lighter and hase lots more features.  By all accounts it is also pin point accurate. Basically are there any users of both the TS55 and the KS 120 out there that would bet there mortgage on reliability? 
Ian

 

[John Bates]

Yes.

 

[carlb40]

Hi
Could do, what i need to know  is whether this is a common occurrence? 
Ian

I have had my TS55 just over 6 months now and not had one issue with it.  [smile]

 

[Shini7]

Hi Carl

I must have a dud then. I am cooling down a bit now, all part of the grieving process.

Ian

 

[Birdhunter]

I have a shop full of Festool products including a TS55 and have never had any problems. My good experience doesn't help you, but I bet the Festool company will.

 

[carlb40]

I know what that's like. I think given the cost of festool etc we think they will be perfect, but like others they can/ will be prone to failures. 

 

[AlexThePalex]

Could do, what i need to know  is whether this is a common occurrence?

Of course not.

I know that it's quite a disappointment when the first tool you get from a brand has a problem, but that does not mean you should jump to conclusions and overreact. Festools are very good quality.

 

[Jaybolishes]

Ian you should rest easy knowing festool has the most amazing service department there is. I know that it may seem meaningless now, but wait until your tool is a few years old and you can feel confident they will always take care of you if something happens.  They even have fixed things outside warrantee because these guys want you happy, not angry your tool is broke.  The turn around is super fast, like a week, and I swear they have always impressed me if there's an issue.  They go above and beyond what you'd expect out of a tool manufacturer. Which is why I'm loyal to the brand.

 

[Shini7]

Hi Alex
I am not overreacting, simply disappointed and rightly cautious. I have never had a problem with any of my expensive tools before.
(Had a couple of bargain basement tool fails but that taught me not to buy cheap. I am hoping the replacement will give me long service. 

Ian

 

[Shini7]

Hi Jay
My frustration stems from not being able to sort out my problem ( as its the weekend)
I am sure one phone call will put a smile on my face. It is good to know that festool values their customers enough to go that extra mile for us.
Thanks
Ian

 

[Lasse Pelkonen]

Hello Ian.

Is there anything else wrong with the machine besides the smell? Is the motor running etc? Can you see excessive sparking or something like that inside the motor housing? Have you had any indications, like smoke, that there might be something burned inside the machine?

Might seem like stupid questions but I didn`t see that you had wrote anything about any other problems with the tool.

If the machine is running properly and seems to be working ok, I would try to use it for a little while and see if it "settle`s down". The smell might go away in time. When new electronic component`s warm up in use, they might smell a little bit. If there is something actually broken/burned inside, you should probably notice this in some kind of other malfunction.

I understand that you want to be cautious but just a bad smell doesn`t 100% mean that there is something broken in the machine.

Anyway, I hope you will get it sorted.
 

 

[mmd77]

Hello,
if the engine from the ts55 smell like something chemical,
this should be normal.

Festool ist one of few companies that spin the copper around the motor by handwork..

after that, they put "transparent varnish" on the copper. 

and they did it more then they need, to be sure it is enough.

if you start a new TS55,
the Engine gets warm an the redundant transparent varnish beginn to smell ugly.

this is normal and should stop after using the ts55 sometimes.

greet christian

p.s. iam sorry for my bad english and hope i have find the right words.

 

[Shini7]

Hello Ian.

Is there anything else wrong with the machine besides the smell? Is the motor running etc? Can you see excessive sparking or something like that inside the motor housing? Have you had any indications, like smoke, that there might be something burned inside the machine?

Might seem like stupid questions but I didn`t see that you had wrote anything about any other problems with the tool.

If the machine is running properly and seems to be working ok, I would try to use it for a little while and see if it "settle`s down". The smell might go away in time. When new electronic component`s warm up in use, they might smell a little bit. If there is something actually broken/burned inside, you should probably notice this in some kind of other malfunction.

I understand that you want to be cautious but just a bad smell doesn`t 100% mean that there is something broken in the machine.

Anyway, I hope you will get it sorted.

Hi Lasse, thanks for the reply
There were no sparks or smoke but the smell is typical of electrical burnouts. I have had cheap tools smell exactly the same just before they go pop. It runs fine but it defiantly should not smell like it does. I have had the saw for six weeks without issue and I am a full on joiner so no way is this a new machine doing its normal burn off. The saw seems to slow down under load far more than my friends old one. I am convinced this one has a problem.

Ian

 

[Shini7]

Hello,
if the engine from the ts55 smell like something chemical,
this should be normal.

Festool ist one of few companies that spin the copper around the motor by handwork..

after that, they put "transparent varnish" on the copper. 

and they did it more then they need, to be sure it is enough.

if you start a new TS55,
the Engine gets warm an the redundant transparent varnish beginn to smell ugly.

this is normal and should stop after using the ts55 sometimes.

greet christian

p.s. iam sorry for my bad english and hope i have find the right words.

Hi MMD77 and thanks for your post.
Your English is far better than my German, I understood you perfectly
The smell is electrical not chemical so I think I have a problem. That said I have nothing to lose by running it for a while longer.
Thanks again.

Ian