TS 55 Question

[tvgordon]

I know this has been covered before, but I've just spent a lot of time searching and can not find it.

I just took delivery of a TS 55 saw and noticed that the 36mm vacuum hose is recommended. 
Can I get by using the 27mm and if so, how do I hook it up to the saw? 
If I need the 36mm, which length is best?  I don't want a lot of extra hose, but I also don't want to have to move my CT 22 in order to finish a cut.

One other question, is the angle guide a worthwhile purchase? 

I read Rick's manual and found it to be helpful.  I might have to make a copy of it.  He mentioned the 36mm hose.  I also visited Brice's site and don't recall him mentioning the hose size, but he did use the angle guide.

Thanks,
Tom.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Tom, the D27 hose fits inside the attachment of the TS55/75 saws and the D36 fits on the outside. I use the D27 hose a lot with my 55, while the D36 hose collects the dust a little better there is no reason you can't get by with the smaller hose. I don't have the longer hoses so I can't comment on them, I use my CT mini with the standard length hose with no real problems, my CT22 has the boom arm attached. The angle guide, well, most would agree its not Festool best product. I do use mine from time to time but not for accurate cuts. It gets used when cutting ply for sub floor and the like, when accuracy isn't the most important thing, speed is. For precise cuts I wouldn't recommend the angle guide.

 

[Frank-Jan]

I haven't used the 36 mm hose with the ts55 yet, but I will try it soon.
I spoke with a festool rep 2 weeks ago (I was inquiring how to go about bringing my out of warranty CS70 tablesaw in for servicing) and the hose issue came up. I asked if it really was any better and following his recommendation I ordered the 36mm 3.5 m non-AS hose for my kapex.  (He recommended getting the non-AS version, because, according to him, the AS versions they make are ridiculously overpriced)

When it arrived last week I gave it a try, but I didn't notice any major improvement over the 27mm. I don't regret getting the 36mm hose though, because it now fits perfectly inside the dustport of my makita 1100 planer.

About the length, the standard 3.5m is best, they don't sell them any shorter, and that way it works well with the plug it cords.

I only use the angle attachment rarely aswell, but like most of the accesories that don't perform like you expected it beforehand, they will show to be usefull eventually. For instance, a few months ago I used it when I was siding a barn with al low pitched roof, and had to make repetitive cuts that where too steep for the scms.

@ Brice: I read on the jlc forums that you are working on a kapex review. It might be interesting to compare the performance of the 27mm vs the 36mm hose for dust collection. And please don't be tempted to use it without a hose attached first and than blame all the sawdust on that, like most demonstrations I saw till now 

 

[Brice Burrell]

Frank-Jan, good advice.

@ Brice: I read on the jlc forums that you are working on a kapex review. It might be interesting to compare the performance of the 27mm vs the 36mm hose for dust collection. And please don't be tempted to use it without a hose attached first and than blame all the sawdust on that, like most demonstrations I saw till now 

  Yeah, I've been working on the review, I'm going to include video of the Kapex with the CT mini and CT 22 with both the D27 and D36 hoses. Sorry, I know this off topic. Getting good video that accurately reflects the saw's capabilities has been pretty hard. So far the video shows the dust that is being collected pretty well, the dust that escapes is harder to capture on video. When dust is getting sucked up its concentrated and that shows up on the video fairly well. The dust that the Kapex can't collect is much more dispersed so it doesn't always show up. If the video isn't going to be a fair representation of the tool's DC capabilities I won't use the video at all. I have no intention of showing the Kapex without the vac hose attached, there is no reason to. Of course the DC looks great after seeing it without DC at all. And, like you say, if anyone tries to make an excuse for the dust, well, that's not representing the product in a fair way. I hope to have the review out in a couple of weeks.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

    I use the D27 and D36 hoses interchangeably quite often on my TS55. I would say there is a little improvement with the D36 but not enough to warrant its purchase just for use with the TS55.  With the possible exception of cutting stuff that creates very fine dust like MDF. Then the improvement is more noticable. That extra air flow  just seems to help more with that. It is still not a big improvement. And you will make out just fine  with the D27.  The D36 is a major improvement on the OF1400 router however.
  I know your main question is about the hoses, but if you want to improve the TS55 DC more significantly then consider the Cover Plate 491 750 and check out this Review.  Be sure to read the follow on posts as they do add more info from several people.

Seth

 

[tvgordon]

Thanks guys,

That will save me some money not having to buy a 36mm hose - that is until I get a router!  I might have to buy another 27mm as, with the boom arm, it didn't seem I could make a very long cut.

I thought I had read that the angle guide wasn't the greatest, so that's for your input on it's value.  So what is the best way to cut angles?  I'm guessing accurately marking the material and laying the guide on the line.  Do you use a large protractor for that?

After I tried again, I realized the hose went inside the connector on the saw.  Of course it took me a little longer that it should have to notice the plug it cord from the sander was not the same as the cord for the saw.

Tom.

 

[Frank-Jan]

...  Of course it took me a little longer that it should have to notice the plug it cord from the sander was not the same as the cord for the saw.

And the cord that came with the saw also works with the sander.

I finally figured out why I don't have any of them lighter guage cords, altough I do have tools that would run of them, but came with the heavier guage cord (trion jigsaw, ebq1010)... I don't have any festool sanders...

 

[Woodenfish]

Tom, I've never had any problems with the 27mm hose coming off the boom arm and being too short to cut a 4' x 8' sheet.

Dust collection with this setup has also been more than adequate.

I picked up the MFT/3 recently and the new angle fence has been working just perfect for me.

 

[tvgordon]

Woodenfish,

My boom arm would be toward the end of the sheet instead of in the middle.  So I had enough hose to trim the edge off the guide rail, but it didn't seem enough to cut much more than that.  I thought I might be better off using a hose without the boom arm for longer cuts.

I was referring to the angle guide for use with the guide rails, not the one that comes with the MFT/3.  I don't have a catalog in front of me but I don't think there are the same part.  Hopefully I can get my shop cleaned out and add a MFT later this year.

Tom.

 

[Frank-Jan]

... The D36 is a major improvement on the OF1400 router however.
...

Thanks for bringing this up Seth!
I use the of1400 mostly with the OF/FH (the plexiglass door edge routing thing) and with the 27mm hose I have to route short lengths at a time and go back and forth, because the vac can't keep up; I tried it today, with the 36 mm hose hooked up to the OF/FH dustport, and I could route the entire dooredge continuously. (I had to route a 30 mm wide groove along the entire height of a few  exterior doors for  multipoint locks)

Sorry Tom, if I am getting off topic, I was just very pleased with the increased performance and thought I had to share  (I don't own a boom arm, so I can't help you with that)

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