TS55 started to lose power then stopped altogether, is this normal?

[erikfsn]

I was cutting out carriages for stairs today with my TS55. The material was 2X12 pressure treated douglas fir. There were 3 carriages, 20 feet long each.
I got about half-way through the job, when the saw seemed to begin to lose power. I made 1 or 2 more cuts, then the saw stopped. It felt very warm,
but not real hot.

Do you think this is normal behavior due to thermal overload protection or should I be worried that there's something wrong with the saw?

Was I asking too much of this saw? I sure liked the quality of the cuts I was getting before switching to a Skilsaw.

thanks,
Erik

 

[nickao]

One reason to go with the TS75. That Green Treat is so tough to cut I am sure it was just the overload protection kicking in. You get a lot further with the TS 75 before the protection kicks in. Actually, I have never had the protection kick in once I sold the TS55 and got the TS75.

Nickao

 

[Les]

Were you using the Panther blade or the fine tooth blade?

 

[Steve Jones]

I've had my TS55 go into thermal overload a few times (about three, I think) just let it cool down and it should be fine, symptoms are exactly as you describe, it's get very short of power and if you keep pushing it it totally cuts off for a while.

Now when doing lots of cutting with a heavy load I keep an eye (or a hand actually) on the temp, checking the blast of air out of the front vent, when the saw is getting hot that air is very hot (The air is the exhaust from the motor cooling system)

 

[erikfsn]

Thanks for the replies.

Nickao, your response is amusing to me because just before the saw started to lose power I had said to my partner that I was glad I didn't get the TS75 because my arm was getting tired and I was glad I didn't have to handle the extra weight of a larger saw. How do you find the extra weight of the 75 versus the 55?

Les, I was using the blade supplied with the saw in the US. Not sure if it's the optimum blade or not. I guess cutting out for stair treads is considered a cross cut? Any thoughts?

Steve, It's good to know that it appears to have been thermal overload and not something broken, thanks.

 

[nickao]

Well I am lucky in that I work in the shop and the saw usually does not leave the table or the rail it sits on, so I am not lifting the saw very much. I notice quite a difference in speed when ripping a 1 1/2" thick piece of Ipe or similar hard exotic. 

I have never had the 75 turn off on me yet and ripping 8 foot boards of 1 1/2" or 2" Ipe I think is a decent test. The 55 would tend to poop out on me 3 -4 feet into the cut if I did not slow down considerably. Of course the 55 can do it, just slower.

 

[woodshopdemos]

The TS55 might make it better if you switch to the Panther rip blade. Also check the blade you are using and clean it.

 

[Brice Burrell]

All good advice so far. I'd say the TS55 excels at cutting sheet goods. It can handle cutting 4/4" hardwoods fairly well but when you get to thicker stock the 55 isn't ideal. The right blade makes a big difference The Panther blade rips very well but you lose cut quality, the blade for construction is the 28 tooth, Universal blade. If you're going to cut framing lumber regularly, the 55 is underpowered so you might want to think about getting the 75. For occasional cutting of thicker stock a slower feed rate and Panther or Universal blade will do.

 

[robtonya]

My TS-55 had gone into protection mode while I was cutting some treated decking. I did not use the Panther blade, as you had done I used the factory blade. I just quit for the day, and got a new blade for it, and it was like night and day difference. I was using it previously to cut a lot of laminate flooring, and I suppose that dulled it pretty quick. Since getting the new blade, I have not had it go into protection mode.