TS55 bevel cut

[Chrisem]

Hi all,
When cutting a 45? bevel, the blade cuts into the splinter guard of the guide rail. It is only about half a millimetre difference in the workpiece compared to the 90? cut, but it messes up the splinter guard.
Does this happen with everyone else? Just thought I'd check before going to my dealer.
Thanks, Chris.

 

[Roseland]

It shouldn't, and it doesn't on mine.  Alas I'll have to leave it to an expert to tell you what you need to adjust to stop it.  The only thing I can think is that the saw isn't running flat on the rail and is a little high.

If the dealer isn't far I'd drop it back and get his view.

Andrew

 

[jmbfestool]

Like Roseland said!  Mine doesn't either!  I also dont know why yours does it though! Sorry!

 

[Chrisem]

Thanks guys, thats all I wanted to know. I'll go and see my dealer tomorrow. Cheers.

 

[ccarrolladams]

The design advantage to the TS55 and TS75 is that the side of a bevel kerf next to the splinter guard strip is in the same place as when at no bevel.

If you cut into your splinter guard making the bevel, something is wrong.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

The reason you are cutting the splinter guard while beveling is because the saw is cutting too far away from the splinter guard when not beveling. Nothing is actually wrong with the saw, just very slightly out of adjustment. You need to move the saw closer (cut more) of the splinter guard in the 0 degree position.

If you wish to make this adjustment, follow the procedure on page 12 of the TS55 Supplemental Owner's Manual which describes "Matching the TS55 to an existing Guide Rail"--except you are not trying to match a previous rail, just move the hinge blocks inward slightly.

Personally, the cutting you are getting is very minor, so I wouldn't risk messing up a saw that is cutting well over such a small amount.

 

[mouppe]

Today I cut a 30 degree bevel with the TS55 and there is now quite a wide groove on the MFT where the bevel cut overlapped with the 90 degree (regular) groove.

I know this is inevitable with regular use of the TS55 and MFT, but are there any disadvantages? I am thinking maybe there will be some tearout on the bottom of the wood as the groove gets wider over time?

Do people patch up the groove when it reaches a certain sized kerf?

 

[Corwin]

The reason you are cutting the splinter guard while beveling is because the saw is cutting too far away from the splinter guard when not beveling. Nothing is actually wrong with the saw, just very slightly out of adjustment. You need to move the saw closer (cut more) of the splinter guard in the 0 degree position.

If you wish to make this adjustment, follow the procedure on page 12 of the TS55 Supplemental Owner's Manual which describes "Matching the TS55 to an existing Guide Rail"--except you are not trying to match a previous rail, just move the hinge blocks inward slightly.

Personally, the cutting you are getting is very minor, so I wouldn't risk messing up a saw that is cutting well over such a small amount.

I hadn't ever consider this aspect of the saw's alignment.  So, there is a specific location (as to in and out) that the body of the saw should be in relation to the base that enables both 90 degree and bevel cuts to line up at the same location.

I need to readjust my saw, as it has crept closer and closer to the guide rail, cutting more and more off of the splinter guard over time.  So, without a splinter guard to identify a 'correct' location, how should I locate where the base of the saw sits on its base?  Trial and error?

 

[tbellemare]

Richard:

I doubt that you'll get tear out from a groove underneath your work piece. The blade is cutting upward.

Tom

 

[Corwin]

The reason you are cutting the splinter guard while beveling is because the saw is cutting too far away from the splinter guard when not beveling. Nothing is actually wrong with the saw, just very slightly out of adjustment. You need to move the saw closer (cut more) of the splinter guard in the 0 degree position.

If you wish to make this adjustment, follow the procedure on page 12 of the TS55 Supplemental Owner's Manual which describes "Matching the TS55 to an existing Guide Rail"--except you are not trying to match a previous rail, just move the hinge blocks inward slightly.

Personally, the cutting you are getting is very minor, so I wouldn't risk messing up a saw that is cutting well over such a small amount.

Rick,  Are you sure about this?  I've having a hard time understanding how this is possible.    [scratch chin]

I could understand how a bevel cut would align differently than a 90 degree cut if, say, you used a carpet tape to adhere the splinter strip to the guide rail which effectively raised the height of the saw in relation to the bottom of the splinter guard.  So, I can see how a difference in height can affect the position of a bevel cut, but don't see how a change in distance (laterally) between the blade and the edge of the guide rail can make a difference.  Can you explain?  And, if you are correct, can you also tell us how to reestablish the correct lateral position of our saws if they have been adjusted along the way?  Thanks.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

You are correct Corwin. It is the wrong side of the pivot for a lateral adjustment to affect the zero-point. It was an analysis I went through several years ago when I wrote the manual and didn't bother to refresh my recollection of it before posting. Shifting the blade position is what would accomplish the same thing, but that is not an option (although it could actually be the cause if the sawblade in question is not a standard Festool blade.)

Moving the sawblade out performs the same task that I thought I was describing earlier. If someone is using an aftermarket blade whose teeth stand out from the blade's plate farther than normal, it will result in the same effect the OP mentioned. If that were the case, the blade would have to be shimmed.

The other direction that results in this misalignment is that the height of the saw is too high from the workpiece (as I believe you might have mentioned). If the splinter guard and/or adhesive is thicker than normal, the pivot point will be moved in the direction described.

Sorry for my previously misleading post.

 

[Chrisem]

Thanks Rick, I pored through that excellent manual last night hoping to find an adjustment to fix the problem. Thought I'd found a solution a couple of times before realizing; 'Nah, that won't work.'
The biggest bother for me is it's not as easy to line the guide rail up to pencil marks when half the height of the splinter guard is cut away.
The saw is going in for a check up on Monday. I'll miss it.

I'm using the Universal blade.