TS 55 FEQ-F US - calibration...help

[Ampman117]

I've had the TS 55 FEQ-F US for a few years. Not a lot of hours on it as I am a hobbyist but Ive built a few things.

Background: Sometime in 2023 I dropped it and and for whatever reason I thought it needed adjusting, so I recalibrated it as best I could and figured "good enough" Then just recently (December 2024) I was building a chicken coop and had the saw trigger its kickback feature (I think?) It jolted in my hand and the blade immediately stopped. This was due to not properly securing some 2x4s I was cutting so I think one end pinched the saw as it was cutting. Anyway, I later took the blade off for cleaning and there were minor knicks in the blade body around the arbor hole, which I assume was from the force of the blade stopping. The blade itself was/is flat (at least when laying it on plywood) and there was no damage to any teeth.

So now, I am gearing up to build some furniture (drawers for a previously completed vanity + tool storage / workbench) and figured I should check the calibration and get it dead on 90.

I have been using the method described here:https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/...g-blade-angle-squareness/msg526940/#msg526940 with MDF (2x 1/2" pieces glued up, so ~1" thick) and I just cannot get it to zero gap. In addition, the cut pieces touch in the middle but with a gap on either end...so it seems the cut itself is not completely straight? I thought maybe I needed to support the rail better, but still get the waviness.

I'm thinking of just sending it into Festool to have them check it out and calibrate it, but wanted to get some feedback on what could cause a wavy sort of cut or other things I should check before sending it in?

Toe in is ok I think - I adjusted it and folded paper can get in the back but not the front.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated, thanks

 

[Coen]

TS 55 F has no kickback feature but instead even better; a riving knife.

Is your rail straight? Do you support the overhang on the rail? Do you go through the entire cut with both ends of the blade? What is "not zero" as in .. what gap size are we talking about? Every material flexes. The rail rests on rubbers.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

It is possible, if you have too much toe, to pull the blade toward the rail. This is exaggerated with deeper cuts, since there is more blade length in the cut. Also, longer cuts can actually move the rail slightly at the end of the cut, resulting in a cut that is not parallel to whichever side you referenced.
This is really only in extreme cases, but it can happen.

What is most likely, in this case, is that you had an issue with your lumber. Construction-grade soft wood is not the easiest thing to work with. It has a tendency to move when ripped. It is either from internal tension, as a result of drying, or just the fact that a lot of it came from too close to the center of a "farmed" tree. They are grown too quickly, and are not stable. It can pinch or spread open, which can do all kinds of crazy stuff. As Coen pointed out, it is especially important to support the rail fully with narrow parts (like 2 x 4s)

As an aside, a slightly bent blade will not give you a curvy/wavy cut. It will just make a wider kerf than the true width of the teeth.....and overcut your splinter strip.

 

[peter halle]

I don't know if you have the supplemental manual - but here is one location where you can get it (the original author's website - safe).  Page 22 has the procedure for adjusting the blade and toe in instructions.

https://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf

Peter

 

[Ampman117]

Thanks for the help everyone. I spent a good part of the afternoon going through toe and perpendicular calibrations again. I added more support to the guide rail and seems like I could get most of the waviness out. However there is still a gap (maybe between half to 1 millimeter?) the first inch or so of the cut, and I can’t seem to get rid of it. A paper thin gap remains in most of the rest of the cut as well.

How would I check straightness of guide rail? Straight edge against the ridge the saw rides on? I only have a 48” ruler not a true straight edge but could check with that. Thanks

 

[Crazyraceguy]

[member=79146]Ampman117[/member] The simplest way to check for straightness is to cut a couple of fairly big pieces of some kind of sheet goods. They are generally non-reactive, as far as bowing or tension on the parts.
Cut one edge on both and push those sides together. Remember, this will double any error.

The straight edge isn't going to help a lot. The part you need to check is not the edge of the track, it's the outside of the raised groove. (the part the saw actually rides on) This is harder to check, without proper equipment, and again, not as important as the results.
I have seen guys struggle with getting the blade perfectly square to the base of the saw, but that's not the important part. The squareness of the cut is what matters.
"Measure the results, not the equipment making the cut"

If the gap you are experiencing is only at the very end of the pieces, it may be a technique issue.
You have to be sure that there is enough track extending over the part, at the beginning, to fully plunge the saw, before the blade makes contact. Then there has to be enough track off the far end to "follow through". If the saw runs past the bearing blocks of the base plate, before the blade is clear of the wood, you might get a tiny gouge. Many people try to get more cut length than they should, in relation to the length of the track. That is why there are so many tracks. "Ideally, you should be using the shortest track that will completely cover your parts."