TS 55 REQ 90 degree cuts

[ear3]

I got a TS55 REQ from the recon sale.  I was in the middle of a job, so I immediately put it to work finishing off some straight cuts on veneered plywood panels, which it did no problem.

Once I got it back home, I started using it for some mitre cuts on a cabinet I'm building, and I ran into some issues.  I was getting some deflection at the end of the 45 degree cuts, with material left to the right of the scribe line.  I soon realized that this was because the blade at the front of the saw was set slightly above 45 degrees.  I had been treating it like my TS75, and assumed that once I hit the positive stop everything was good.  But on the TS55, the positive stop only operates at the back of the saw -- on the front, because you have the option of going to 47 degrees, you have to visually set it exactly to 45.  Once I realized this the subsequent mitre cuts were fine.

Here's my question: When I put the saw back to its resting mode for straight, 90 degree cuts, I saw that the angle indicator is actually around -.3 to -.4 degrees.  To hit true zero I have to tilt it ever so slightly to the right and then tighten.  Is this the case with everyone else's saw, or has mine (as a recon-ed tool) traveled a bit further down the road from the original factory settings?  From what I can see, even though you have to disengage the positive stop at the back of the saw to get all the way to the -1 degree option, because there is no positive stop at 0 at the front, you can't simply tilt the saw back to its resting position and assume you are dead on accurate at 90.

No biggie if that's the case, but it just seems like a weird omission on the part of Festool engineering not to have corresponding positive stops at the front of the saw.

 

[grbmds]

You can set the stop, not  as easily as you could on the older TS55 models (and maybe even the TS75 although I don't own a TS75). Do a search in the FOG posts for something similar to your post subject or "set TS55 blade perpendicular to the base"; something along those lines. You should find other threads similar. Within one or more of those threads there are directions. You can also call Service. They will instruct you how to reset the stop. Generally, there is a screw hidden by the bevel bracket in the back of the saw that holds the stop bracket.

Similar to you I noticed that, even with that stop set as close to zero as the human eye can see, the front bevel knob must be tightened last when changing the bevel angle because the back knob is the import an one in locking in an angle or returning to zero. When tightening the front knob you must be careful not deflect the front of the saw; meaning putting no downward weight on the saw frame when tightening.

You can, however, get the saw set so the stop for zero gives a perfect 90 degree cut and it stays that way after set. Just make sure you are on a perfectly flat surface when setting it (the MFT should do it) and make several cuts to test after setting it.

I haven't had a problem since  reset the stop, though.

 

[ear3]

Thanks -- I'll go ahead and make the mod.  That still leave some guess work with the 45 degree bevel however, or an additional step using an angle finder.  Again, I'm just puzzled why they would have gone to the trouble to re-engineer the TS55 and not take the opportunity to build in absolute precision at the two most common cuts.

I've since seen other posts on the FOG complaining about the same problem: http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-wish-list/ts75-splinter-guard/

 

[rst]

I bought a recon 55 and love it.  That being said, the blade toed in and did not cut at 90.  I'm used to machine tool set-up so I fixed it by adjusting the base and permanently installing shims in the hollows of the base.  I could have adjusted the angle but it was much easier just to shim the base stops, this also meant I was not just relying on the rear stop for repeat ability.

 

[ear3]

What did you use for shims?

 

[elfick]

I just got a recon unit also. I have to push it hard against the zero stop when tightening the thumbscrews so when the pressure is released it falls back to zero.

 

[grbmds]

Thanks -- I'll go ahead and make the mod.  That still leave some guess work with the 45 degree bevel however, or an additional step using an angle finder.  Again, I'm just puzzled why they would have gone to the trouble to re-engineer the TS55 and not take the opportunity to build in absolute precision at the two most common cuts.

I've since seen other posts on the FOG complaining about the same problem: http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-wish-list/ts75-splinter-guard/

Actually, the ease of accessing and adjusting the stop is more the problem in my mind. If you look in the manual for the previous version, the stop is easily set. That said, when I adjusted my 55REQ to a "perfect" zero degree stop, the 45 was also corrected. I would recommend that you talk to Service. Regardless of the saw being a recon, there should be no problems with the zero or 45 degree stops. It may require you to send it back, but I always feel that is preferable to owing a saw to which I need to make modifications, install shims, etc. If you have to put up with that, you might as well just buy a cheaper saw. Accuracy is one of the most important features of Festool tools. Why sacrifice that?

 

[rst]

Shimming is not a difficult task, I used brass shim stock and glued it into the recess' that the saw rests onto.  Again, this means my saw at 90 rests solidly front and rear.  I may be in a minority, but I have modified almost every tool I own in some fashion or other to make it do the things I want.  Almost every tool I won has had the cord replaces with at least a 20'er.  I am comfortable with electronics and mechanical repair and have never sent a tool back for service in 40 years of construction and industrial work. 

 

[grbmds]

Shimming is not a difficult task, I used brass shim stock and glued it into the recess' that the saw rests onto.  Again, this means my saw at 90 rests solidly front and rear.  I may be in a minority, but I have modified almost every tool I own in some fashion or other to make it do the things I want.  Almost every tool I won has had the cord replaces with at least a 20'er.  I am comfortable with electronics and mechanical repair and have never sent a tool back for service in 40 years of construction and industrial work.

If that is your thing, great! However, when you pay the kind of money for a tool like this (even reconditioned), I don't believe you should have to make a modification to it to make it accurate. Plus, Festool Service has never failed to answer a question, fix a problem, or stand behind the product for me. So, if what satisfies you about tools is to try to make them better, that's fine. It just didn't sound like that was the case with Edward. I just like using them to make things.

 

[ear3]

when you pay the kind of money for a tool like this (even reconditioned), I don't believe you should have to make a modification to it to make it accurate.

Exactly.  Like you, though, I've had great experiences so far with Festool service, like having to send in my Carvex after only two months to remove play in the base that was resulting in out of square cuts.  I'm sure this will get worked out satisfactorily one way or another.

But I appreciate, nonetheless, the advice on shimming.

 

[Laminator]

RST, your post gave me a dejavu moment lol.  Even "high paid" engineers miss some small details (and some large ones) and I never hesitate to finish the job to make a tool do what I want it to.
Watching a guy plug, unplug, replug various tools all day long is painfully amusing. Long cords eliminate that scenario.
I only wish I could buy a 55 that was set at 90 degrees (EXACTLY) with no bevel ability at all as that is what I need from a saw. Just don't make it 89.75 degrees!!

Yes, for sure, when you pay the premium for premium tools you shouldn't have to shim/mod them.

 

[grbmds]

RST, your post gave me a dejavu moment lol.  Even "high paid" engineers miss some small details (and some large ones) and I never hesitate to finish the job to make a tool do what I want it to.
Watching a guy plug, unplug, replug various tools all day long is painfully amusing. Long cords eliminate that scenario.
I only wish I could buy a 55 that was set at 90 degrees (EXACTLY) with no bevel ability at all as that is what I need from a saw. Just don't make it 89.75 degrees!!

Yes, for sure, when you pay the premium for premium tools you shouldn't have to shim/mod them.

Actually, maybe I was just lucky, but once I got mine set to a zero I was satisfied with, it has been great. I did a lot of practice cuts and was completely satisfied that, to my eyesight, the cuts were perfect. And that, really, is the important thing. Of course, it can be measured with a digital gauge but I have become less a believer in digital gauges for this type of thing. If you can cut two pieces and they fit perfectly square with each other. That's all I'm looking for. I suppose it's possible that it is 89.75 degrees, but, in the end, it's the result of putting the pieces together that counts. If they go together as planned without adjustment, then I think the cut is what it needs to be. Anyway, after sending my saw to Service, then resetting the stop after I got it back, I'd say the saw is at as close to a perfect zero as possible with any saw.

 

[Laminator]

As close as possible is definitely the desired result which is where I have both my saws.  It took some trial and error but was well worth the effort.