TS 55 REQ - Setting blade angle squareness

[GarethR]

Recently purchased a TS 55 REQ, removed from box and check for blade angle when set at 0deg and 45deg using a similar method in this link.

Noticed a handful of issues:

1) blade was not 90deg to base when set at 0deg
2) pointer was not pointing at 0deg
3) could not set saw to 45deg, couldn't get there and pointer was off

Local Festool agents said to send it in. Returned last week and measured as above. Some improvements were noticed, saw could now be set and pointed to 45deg.

Some problems remained:

1) blade was still not at 90deg to base when set to 0deg, it was probably worse, about 2deg off
2) when set to 45deg the angle was not 45deg, but was close'ish

I then asked the agent how they set the blade and described my method. Their response:

" I have a jig that I set it too as its hard to square up without this as it needs to be squared up with the rail attached to get it perfect. Unfortunately once squared the pointer may not always point to exact 0 degrees or 45 degrees this machine isn’t for exact precision cuts but does come extremely close to it."

Do any of you guys agree with the comment from the agent above? Using the grub screw I'm able to set to the blade at 90deg using my method but if that's not the correct method then there is no/little point.

I find it a little odd that it's so difficult to set the blade square, surely it makes more sense to give the user the ability to easily adjust squareness without a jig. Also, why would another agent recommend a method for squaring up similar to mine, albeit on an older saw?

Any comments or feedback?

Thanks,

Gareth

 

[bulubuluplopplop]

what the pointer says is not very precise.
What should be set is the 45° and 0° stops.

When the 0° stop is right, then the 45° is automatically right.

You can set them yourself, by untightening the 2 screws :

first lift up the small screw on the sole:

use a screwdriver to fine tune the slot on the lower screw, this will adjust the blade angle:

The use of a tilt box makes the whole process a lot faster:

then reset the screw on the sole:

However, your festool retailer should be able to do it for you, especially if the saw is new.

You can then quickly verify the squareness as described in the manual:

All pictures are from this well made article (ok, in german):http://michael-hild.blogspot.com/2015/10/tipp-winkeljustage-einer-festool-tsc-55.html

 

[ChuckM]

"...this machine isn’t for exact precision cuts but does come extremely close to it."

Do any of you guys agree with the comment from the agent above?

It depends on what he meant by extremely close to it.

But if a saw, any saw, is billed for sale as not being able to make precision cuts, I would avoid it. That is a red flag for being a second-rate machine.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Great post bulu...!

 

[peter halle]

There are lots of people who have created high dollar projects that had to pass unbelievable scrutiny using the Festool TS-55.

When people talk precision I tend to roll my eyes and go look for another thread.  Precision or rather acceptable precision is in the eye of the user.  Can you easily set the bevel of the TS-55 to say 22.7 degrees? Nope.  Can you get there by using some of the other most common aids in a shop?  Yes.

Ignore the "rep's" statements.

Peter

 

[GarethR]

Thanks everyone for your comments and feedback. Excellent resource bulu, thanks for posting that. I've never seen the cutting diagram, cannot find it in my manual or the supplemental manual that I downloaded.

Interesting that the grub screw is not meant for adjusting the alignment, but rather as a stop after you've set the angle using the back two screws. I cannot even find the grub screw labelled in the features diagram. I think most people unfamiliar with the saw would assume this was for vertical adjustment, at least in part, of the blade.

Also interesting that the saw needs to be set square on the rail. So, if I want to use the saw off the rail I need to send it in (or DIY adjust) for adjustment and then again for readjustment on the rail  ???

Would be useful if Festool released some official instructions. To be told by the service agent that the saw needs sending in and then to read elsewhere that service agents provide instructions for doing it yourself, and that the methods differ, is confusing.

Thanks again.