TS 75 45 deg. cuts

[pfy333]

Anyone out there having problems cutting 45 deg.. My 45's seems like 43.5 - 44 deg.  ??? Check it against a square ( 45 deg. pieces) at about 8" down the run it is already 3/16 inch off.

 

[Tinker]

I don't have the TS 75.  i do have the ATF 55.

The markings are so tiny and close together, it is darned near impossile to get an accurate reading for any angle.  Forget aout getting a reading directly from the blade.  you need three or four hands.  I just set it as close as I can get by reading the marks.  Then I make a cut on a piece of scrap and check the angle with a T-bevel and architects adjustable bevel drawing tool.  I determine how far off and in which direction I am off.  I then place the T-bevel against the saw shield and determine that angle/table and readjust the angle as per the first reading.  i then check with another cut on a scrap piece.  I usually come out very close on that cut.  If not, it is only a slight adjustment from there.

i have wondered why Festool doesn't make their saws so the shield is absolutely parallel with the blade.  It would be so much easier to get the angles right the first time.  From your question, i would assume the shield on the TS models is also off just a tad.

Tinker

 

[iggy07]

Maybe I'm missing something here?  If you are talking about a beveled 45 degrees, this would not get any better or worse as you proceed down the run (e.g. 8 inches), would it? OTOH, if you are talking about a cross-cut, then the adjustment would be between the guide rail and the fence, not the internal settings on the saw itself . . . ?

Going back to the saw itself, however, I agree with Tinker, the angles on my TS-55 are virtually impossible to set accurately using the bevel guide on the saw.

While we're on the subject, in a previous comparison of the 55 and 75 saws, someone mentioned that the 75 is top-heavy when set on a 45-deg bevel, whereas the 55 was not. Does someone have a TS-55 different from mine? When I set the saw on 45 deg it falls right over, whether sitting on the MFT alone, or on the guide rail.

Given the design of the baseplate and the enclosed blade, I feel pretty comfortable placing my left hand on the plate to hold it down to the guide rail as I make my cut. However, with any flex in the guide rail, or with any change in pressure with the left hand, the resulting bevel is going to deviate from 45 degrees.

At this point I can certainly see the advantages of a sliding compound miter saw (as recommended elsewhere) for cross-cutting bevels. My second project with the TS-55 was adding oak trim to a laminate kitchen counter. It took me hours to get the corner bevels worked out. Some were 45-deg. On others I first cut a 1" 45-deg corner on the counter top, and wrapped it with a 1-inch piece of trim. These pieces required 22.5 deg angle to connect the front trim with the corner piece, and then the corner piece with the side trim.

Cutting a 1-inch length of oak trim with 22.5-deg bevels on each end was a bit of a challenge to say the least. At the time I was attributing this to my ignorance. Now I'm simply amazed I was able to accomplish this at all, but at the time I didn't realize I probably shouldn't have been doing it this way at all?!

Ed

 

[CharlesWilson]

Iggy,

In comparison to the TS75, the TS 55 just tips over at 45 degrees. It is the TS 75 that 'falls' over. So, any difficulties you noticed with the TS 55 are amplified with the TS 75 for these bevel cuts. A reasonable amount of pressure needs to be applied to prevent tipping, and, as you said, the guide rail does respond to the extra pressure unless the material underneath solidly supports it over its full length of cut.

Charles

 

[Mark]

I have a TS55 and had to replicate a closet door moulding with a simple 45? rip along one side of a 5' x 4" piece of oak. This would have been a simple operation with a TS but took some fiddling  to get it right. The other issue is that you need another piece of material of the same height to support the guiderail to make the cut which I didn't have. I guess the answer is the CMS NAINA for operations like this. It might be cool to have something like the angle adjuster found on the Kapex that allows you to dial in precise angles. The scale on the TS series seems "GE" = Good Enough for framing or rough work.

 

[iggy07]

Thanks Charles, you have confirmed my previous experiences.

The TS55 depth gauge is easy to use because (a) the mm settings are magnified by the design of the hinge, and (b) click stops are provided for each mm depth. No such precision on the bevel scale. I was thinking of this when I wrote my previous message, and concluded that this would be too difficult an engineering task with such limited space. However, Mark's suggestion could lead to an easy and very effective improvement.

As it is, we can attempt to set an angle, create a test cut, then attempt to refine the previous setting. However, this requires visually confirming the location, loosening the two set screws, and then nudging the setting one way or the other. A simple driven screw, in addition to the set screws, would seem like a very simple, and very effective fine adjustment mechanism. The set screws could be loosened just slightly, and the screw drive could be turned one way or the other for a very precise and predictable adjustment.

Ed Gallaher

 

[pfy333]

Wow good information there.  I found out what I was doing wrong this morning.  The hinge section on the guide rail will deviate up and down a little at any height setting, my setting was obviously off.  Also mention earlier that the guide rail needed to be supported.  I supported everything but at the hinge.  Once  there were support near the hinge I made some sample cuts and adjusted as needed.  The bevel cuts are now perfect.  The TS75 is a bit of beast to work with (heavy), setting it at the 45 deg. will definitely tip the saw over no questions there. 

 

[iggy07]

Aha!  If I understand correctly, you were doing cross-cut bevels, and they were changing as you moved from front to back!

(Keep in mind I am very much a newbie here.)

Re the hinge at the rear: I have found it to be very firm and stable, but only after being set carefully. If I bring the guide rail down onto a fairly narrow piece of stock, the front of the rail will be either up in the air (until the support is raised), or on the support (if the support is too high). Changing the setting of the front support can then lift the guide rail off the stock material towards the rear.

It works much better if the rail is resting on the stock along the fence, AND on a piece of scrap of identical thickness, placed toward the front of the table. The guide rail is now lying horizontal and parallel to the table. NOW tighten the rear clamp, and the raise the front support until it just touches the groove in the front of the rail.

While cutting the bevel, I found it helpful to hold the plate of the saw firmly on the guide rail with my left hand, while guiding the saw forward with my right hand. The guide rail can certainly flex from left to right if not supported by scrap stock all along its length.

Ed Gallaher

 

[pfy333]

Thanks Ed, yea thats pretty much what I did, added supports.  As far as you being a newbie I don't think so.  After reading your post I had to figure out what a cross cut is. ;D