TS-55 bevel cutting - can't get straight line

[bkharman]

I get the same thing.  But I know what my problem is.  And there's no advice from any expert that will fix it.  And no tool I can afford will fix it.  It can be summed up in one sentence.

I never, never, never get flat plywood. 

$130 a sheet domestic picked from the middle of the stack?  Nope, not flat.  It may be flat when I load it but it's not going to be flat when I cut it.  And after the first cut it's going to be worse.  That's my life.  Stack it flat?  No good.  Stack it vertically on any edge?  No good.  Bring it home and cut it immediately?  No good. 

So the TS55 is always better than trying to cut bevels on my cabinet saw.

Where are you getting the sheets from?  If you haven't seen the other thread going about warped sheet goods, check it out.  Also in there is a pitch for http://www.columbiaforestproducts.com , they have very nice sheet goods and can ship to your local Home Depot in most cases.

Good Luck!

 

[wrightwoodwork]

Just curious if you check the straight on the long point side of the sheet where the rail is placed and also check  the straight on the short point side opposite the rail. Do you get the same answer. If it is worse on the short point side. Then you are letting the saw rock. When making any cuts you want your pressure and only slightly force to be directly in line with the blade. Also relax let the saw do the work don't rush it. Also look at the end of the cut where you want to go.    It's a pity you don't have a vid showing your actions then could maybe see where or what is causing the issue

 

[MichaelB]

I know this is an old thread but I am having the EXACT same problem. I am cutting MDF so its not the plywood and the saw and track are brand new so its not the blade. Did you ever get your issue resolved Kent?

 

[peter halle]

Hi Michael and welcome to the forum!  Unfortunately I doubt Kent will respond.  His last active time on the forum was in October 2014.  But I hope he will!

Maybe if you give us some more info the guys and gals here can give you some advice / thoughts.

Peter

 

[Ruudjw]

A very simple and rigid solution for problems with your rail: drill small holes in your rail, every 30cm, countersink the holes (i'm Dutch, maybe that's not the correct translation). Look for the right position for the holes, so you don't get problems with your saw.
Screw your rail with 2 or 3 very small screws. Two most times will do, depending on the length of your workpiece.
This works even faster than the usual clamping once used to it. Of course you cannot always do this, but in many occasions these holes are no problem at all when finishing a piece.

 

[MichaelB]

ok I have done some testing this morning and over the course of 8 feet on a straight 90 degrees I am not having any problems. When cutting the 45 over only 20 inches though I am running into an issue. The first 10 inches are square but the last 10 are off quite a bit. I have attached a photo of the last 10 inches. I have tried all the tips already offered and nothing is working for me.
[attachimg=1]

 

[MichaelB]

here is a link to a video showing both sideshttps://www.dropbox.com/s/6t8wuqyi2rb1nnl/File Nov 21, 1 28 49 PM.mov?dl=0

 

[Shane Holland]

With the saw tipped over, are you sure you're not inadvertently putting sideways pressure on it and moving the rail? Or causing the rail to flex.

 

[MichaelB]

I have the rail clamped to the piece and have as even pressure as I can get on the saw and rail.

 

[peter halle]

Hi Michael.

I sure wish that you had a longer square.  The reason being that after watching your video - once you change the reference point of the square the ultimate comparison goes away.  If that other end is not entirely perfectly parallel to the first end then you will have a deviation and will be chasing gnats trying to get them to match.  And that difference you are showing could indeed be the tiniest about of not parallel.

As Shane wrote there is always the possibility of applying sideways pressure - I know that in the ten years of using my TS-55 I sure have done that a time or two.

I don't know if you have the parallel guide (not guides which are different) for your saw, but once I found out that it could also act as an outrigger for cutting on the rails and stabilized the saw I saw how much easier it was to cut bevels and my cuts improved.

Just some thoughts.

Peter

 

[mike_aa]

I don't know if you have the parallel guide (not guides which are different) for your saw, but once I found out that it could also act as an outrigger for cutting on the rails and stabilized the saw I saw how much easier it was to cut bevels and my cuts improved.

Just some thoughts.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]

Are you referring to the  Festool 491469 Parallel Edge Guide?

Thanks, Mike A.

 

[MichaelB]

I do have a longer square but with trying to hold the phone doing video in one hand and the square in the other I couldn't get the longer square to work. I have tried the cut again and yet the same exact problem. it seems like no matter if I'm on top of the saw or on the side it always comes out the same. Here is a video with the track still clamped to my piece showing that the saw isn't even riding along the splinter guard at the start and stop but it does in the  middle. This is strange since its the same saw that cut that strip on the rail yesterday. I have tried to go back over the cut again trying to actually push the saw into the plywood on the start and stop and it doesn't work. I end up with the same cut.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxl9hgev4aojsev/File Nov 21, 3 57 08 PM.mov?dl=0

 

[peter halle]

I don't know if you have the parallel guide (not guides which are different) for your saw, but once I found out that it could also act as an outrigger for cutting on the rails and stabilized the saw I saw how much easier it was to cut bevels and my cuts improved.

Just some thoughts.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]

Are you referring to the  Festool 491469 Parallel Edge Guide?

Thanks, Mike A.

Yes, that is the one.  It can be used with or without the rail by flipping it over and can be set to either side of the saw.  It counters the tipping tendency of the bevelled saw and also gives an outboard hand position.

Peter

 

[mike_aa]

I don't know if you have the parallel guide (not guides which are different) for your saw, but once I found out that it could also act as an outrigger for cutting on the rails and stabilized the saw I saw how much easier it was to cut bevels and my cuts improved.

Just some thoughts.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]

Are you referring to the  Festool 491469 Parallel Edge Guide?

Thanks, Mike A.

Yes, that is the one.  It can be used with or without the rail by flipping it over and can be set to either side of the saw.  It counters the tipping tendency of the bevelled saw and also gives an outboard hand position.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]

Thanks, Peter.  I just picked one up last week and I never knew about using it for bevels!  I will soon have to wrap a column in mitered panels so I definitely will try your technique!

Mike A.

 

[peter halle]

Mike,

Flip it upside down and go to town.  Another one of those not so well known things that someone overseas came up with.  Personally that is my favorite use for it.

Please report back here.

Peter

 

[Cheese]

You also have some strange things happening to the splinter strip. From around 11 to 23 seconds on the video, the splinter strip edge looks like someone attacked it with a burr grinder. Is the saw properly adjusted to the track to prevent any sideways movement?

 

[mwahaha]

With the cut being that far away from the splinter strip I would say its possibly over clamping the track. The anti-slip foam strips squash moving the rail closer to the material, and being on a 45 deg angle, it will move the actual cut line at each end of the track.

 

[MichaelB]

cheese that what i was thinking too. it doesn't seem to affect the cut though on a 90 degree but yes its not a smooth or very straight cut on the splinter strip.

mwahaha never thought about that but it does make sense. i will try another cut without clamping and see how that comes out.

 

[MichaelB]

I figured it out! the piece needs to be supported on both ends of the rail. I put a piece of mdf on each side and the cut is now perfectly straight without the need to clamp it.