TS 75 tracking weird

[chromey]

Hello,

Long time lurker here.  Been reading/learning on the FOG since around 2010 (I think).  I can usually search and find the answer I am looking for so I have never posted before.  Thanks for all the past advice.

Ok.  Hopefully I can explain this well enough to make since without writing a book.

I have the TS 75.  Bought it November 2010.  I never noticed this problem until recently.  I first noticed this when breaking down MDF sheets.  What is happening is the blade seems to be deflecting away from the rail.  It cut hard and burned a little.  I am using the original blade that came with the saw.  I recently had it sharpened and thought maybe it was either dull already or sharpened wrong but it would have to be pretty dull to deflect when cutting mdf.  I also used the same place to sharpen it as I use for all my blades, always with good luck.

I use the saw to put a straight edge on hardwood so that I can use my table saw to safely machine it.  I was using this blade to rip a straight edge on some ash a couple of days ago and it was so bad that I finally stopped.  I ordered a Tenryu 18 tooth blade.  It came in today and sliced through the ash extremely easy but when I get to the end of the cut I can tell it is cutting off of the back of the blade.  Once the front of the blade is past the board the back is still cutting. 

After I cut the straight edge on the entire board I pulled the saw about half way back and plunged it and sure enough it cut into the edge of the board that I just straightened.  The trailing edge cut quit a bit more then the leading edge.

I tried adjusting both the front and back green knobs and have it set with no play at all on either the front or back.  If I back them off a tad I can feel just the slightest left and right movement.

I also thought maybe the tilt stops might be putting the front and back of the saw at a slight twist.  I tried backing them off completely then easing the screws down to get my 90 degree stop.  It is at a perfect 90 when the scale is showing 1 degree.

The attached image is the trailing edge.  I couldn't get my phone to focus on the edge.  If needed, I will take a real camera out to the shop tomorrow and get a better pic.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

 

[mwahaha]

Can't really see anything in that picture, but it sounds like your saw blade is toe out instead of toe in.

 

[chromey]

Thanks.  Any suggestion on how to adjust it toe in?

Jeff

 

[mwahaha]

Sorry I don't have the ts75, but I think it's the same procedure as the ts55eq try this linkhttp://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS_55_EQ_US.pdf

Its in the section called "Matching the TS 55 to an Existing Guide Rail". I think with the 75 a business card is used instead of a piece of paper, hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will be able to chime in.

 

[ear3]

Sorry you're having these issues.

Two last troubleshoot questions to rule stuff out: 1) are you sure you tightened the blade arbor screw all the way?  On the TS75, the tightening procedure is a bit stickier than the TS55, since you have to continue tightening past when the nut becomes snug.

2) when you lock the blade, do you tighten the back knob first, then the front?  You say that it is at 90 when the bevel indicator hits 1 degree -- does this mean that the saw plate is tilted slightly off the base?  Was this always the case with the saw, or is this a new development?

It is a red flag that the problem developed right after something was changed, in this case, having the blade resharpened (did the problem indeed develop right after you got the blade back and not before?).  A dull blade can produce the blade marks you describe even in sheet goods.

But from the symptoms you describe, and the fact that the problem occurs even with a new blade, it could also be a toe-in issue as someone has already pointed out, but why the say would suddenly develop this after 5 years of yeoman's service is a mystery.  I had a similar problem, but on the TS55, and usually only on 45 cuts, which I attributed to the lack of a positive stop at the front of the saw at 45 degrees.

If you don't feel comfortable following the procedures in the manual, you do have the option of sending it in to Service for recalibration, though obviously it will cost you.

 

[GhostFist]

Just a stupid question here. Is the saw at an appropriate speed setting? Are you pushing through too quickly?  Is the saw at full speed before you plunge into the cut?
Ok that was 3 dumb questions. just trying to rule stuff out

 

[roblg3]

I don't think it has been mentioned...I was having issues with my saw also.  It is actually important to tighten the rear tilt lock knob first and not to put any pressure on the plate while tightening the front tilt lock. What can happen is the sole of the saw being aluminum can be put in a twisted state, if you do what I had done, and cause the saw to become torqued and it will not track down the rail properly causing burning. It's a simple check worth looking at first.

 

[Svar]

it sounds like your saw blade is toe out instead of toe in.

Agreed. And its easy to fix by adjusting trunions.

 

[chromey]

I appreciate everyone’s help.  I hate it when someone asks for help on a forum then does not follow up with the solution they found.  I try to always return with any new information I have to help future searchers find solutions they are looking for.

The problem is fixed but I would like to elaborate on more of the symptoms before I get into that.  Some of the symptoms the saw was having, I really hadn't thought a lot about and didn't relate to this problem but they were.

For quite some time now (year or two) the latch that you press with your thumb to plunge the saw has been fairly hard to press and was catching. 

Another issue was that the blade hasn't been cutting against the splinter guard.  I had thought that was from when I used an Oshlun blade and was thinking that I had cut more of the strip off.  This has been the case for a long time now and I just had not gotten around to putting a new strip on my long rail. 

I did not know about tightening the trailing knob first.  I think sometimes I was tightening both at the same time but usually the front first.  I will change that habit.

Yes, to get the blade to cut at a 90 degree angle I adjusted the stops down so that it was tilting the saw a little (1 degree on the scale)  When I bought the saw, the gauge was dead on.

I am not sure when exactly the cut started to be bad but really noticed it a week or so ago.  This is not directly after sharpening the blade.  I only mentioned the blade being sharpened as it is not dull.

The saw is always set at full speed and with the festool blade it was cutting so bad that to cut through 1" thick ash I was making 4 or 5 shallow passes before I gave up and ordered a ripping blade. The ripping blade made the cut easy but was not right.  I could tell it was cutting off the back of the blade by pushing all the way through the cut until the back of the blade went beyond the board.

I went out to the shop this morning after reading mwahaha's helpful suggestion. It was a toe in problem.  I made the adjustment and now all the symptoms are corrected.  The thumb latch no longer catches.  The saw cuts against the splinter guard.  I was able to adjust the 90 degree stops back to where they belong and the scale now matches the cut.  I even put the festool blade back in for one cut just to see and it sliced right through the ash in a single pass easily. I appreciate you pointing me on where to look to make the adjustment.

Thanks again everyone.  As pointed out by many before me, Festool is absolutely pathetic in their documentation and support on tool setup.  Thankfully there is this great community of people that pick up the slack for them.

Jeff

 

[GhostFist]

Good to know.  Thanks for the solution

 

[semenza]

Welcome to the forum, Jeff!

    Glad that it worked out so well. And thanks for posting the follow up.

Seth