Ts55eq disappointed. Is latest models more robust

[Baysidedesigns]

I have a TS55EQ. I bought it probably 10yrs ago for the sole purpose of breaking down sheet goods. My table saw broke and I’m have been waiting on it to get replaced under warranty. So in the meantime I have been trying to use the TS to finish up a project. I was trying to cut a bevel in some white oak. Cut two test pieces, and they do not come together square. Adjust the the bevel settings, still not square. Put it on a granite surface plate with a combo square with no light between the blade. Make another test cut and miters don’t come out square. So after about 3 hours of making small adjustments and wasting a bunch of material I finally get a perfect miter. So before I cut up my white oak slab, I make two more test cuts. One at 90 and one at 45 and there off again. So now I don’t trust the accuracy or repeatability. So it got me thinking about if I should just get the latest TS55. I would think there has to have been improvements to the saw the last ten years. Im heavily invested in there tools from sanders, routers, domino, tracks, accessories and so on. I’m pretty happy with them over all. I will say for these tools to be sold at this price point and be marketed as precision tools some of the features should be made of metal and not injected molded plastic. Such as the bevel ways on the TS or the stile attachment for the domino, that thing is a joke. Also the wide printed scales lines and plastic indicators on some of these tools can not be relied upon for precision.

 

[mino]

That would indicate some issue with technique or calibration, more so than with the saw. With the TS55 series you really just need to calibrate the 90-degree position and the scales are pretty accurate.

I would try to get the saw fully calibrated first - not just the angle, but also the blade position etc. You can also send it in to Festool for a check-up and asking for calibration.

The other part is the rail being flexible, unlike a table saw fence. So when doing a bevel cut with a tracksaw, it is pretty easy (my first like 5 bevel projects we off because of below) to:
- not apply sufficient pressure on the saw plate, causing the whole rail (and the saw plate) to lift a bit, changing the angle and even position of the cut
- to apply too much force on the handle of the saw - "over-bending" or "under-bending" the angle, made worse if combined with too little on the plate

These come from the limitation/properties of the tracks/saw combo in a bevel scenario. The track is designed with the assumption there is down-pressure applied to it via the plate of the saw. With 90-degree cuts, this is auto-magically applied by the same hand pushing the saw down into the cut, so even one-handed operation works well.
The problem comes when this one-hand operation, which works fine normally, is used with the bevel cut. The (excessive) force against the plunging handle works by *lifting* the saw plate that needs to be pushing the rail down .. or in the best case, if the plate is also pushed, it bends the whole saw assmbly.

What I have seen, the (only ?) way to get good bevel cuts with a tracksaw is with a two hand operation with below rules:
- the rail must be clamped but must NOT be over-clamped (the rail must not be visibly bent when clamped)
- the material must be also clamped/fixed (I know, preaching to converted)
- one hand needs to be the primary hand guiding the saw AND applying top-down pressure on it, this hand is placed on the plate
- second hand needs to be managing the plunging action, this hand MUST NOT APPLY PRESSURE in any direction except force needed for the plunge itself

Long story short:
Bevel cuts are no strong point of (any) tracksaw. Even one built like a tank (and heavy...) will flex if not handled carefully as the track itself is placed on rubber which moves too (!). It is possible to make bevel cuts, and it is possible to make them pretty accurate too. But it requires care way beyond doing 90-degree cuts and definitely way beyond making them on a table saw.

my 2 cents (from a non-pro)

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Agreed totally. Long bevels take a lot of practice and patience. I generally avoid it if possible.
Cutting them on a tablesaw can be a bit of a challenge too though. If the piece to be cut has any amount of bow/ twist/ or tension, you are in the same place. This even happens with sheet goods.

The last big job I had to deal with this was because of the material itself. I was miter-folding barn wood around corners of a bar. In the past, I have done this with a sled on a tablesaw, but the TS was much quicker.

 

[tomktest]

I found that calibrating the TS55 REQ as well as the TSC 55 KEB is a delicate process because too much on the 90 degree calibration pushes the 45 degree off and vice versa. There's a bit of flex in the saw so if you just let it sit on the stop before tightening down the opposite site will give you poor results. I honestly wish that the saw gave you two separate stops to perform the calibration independently. It just seemed to me that the slot didn't give me quite enough travel between 90 and 45.

 

[sancho57]

I had a TS 55 EQ for about 9 years until I recently sold it. The issue yer having Im guessing is operator induced. I never had a problem with mine. I was able to cut 2" thick mesquite with it and had no issues what so ever.

So its either operator error or a calibration issue. There are plenty of You Tube videos that will help you calibrate that saw. You could also send it into festool service or call them. They can help you with the Calibration procedures.

FYSA the reason I sold the saw was not because of the saws performance. Its because I wanted the freedom of  going cordless. I have a lot of out door projects on the horizon to do

 

[woodbutcherbower]

100% agree with [member=61254]mino[/member]. His advice is bang on the money in my experience.

 

[mino]

I found that calibrating the TS55 REQ as well as the TSC 55 KEB is a delicate process because too much on the 90 degree calibration pushes the 45 degree off and vice versa. There's a bit of flex in the saw so if you just let it sit on the stop before tightening down the opposite site will give you poor results. I honestly wish that the saw gave you two separate stops to perform the calibration independently. It just seemed to me that the slot didn't give me quite enough travel between 90 and 45.

What I learned to do is to place the saw "on its butt" when adjusting the front knob. Then, still with its "butt" pointing down, raise it in air and tighten the back knob with the saw in the air, holding it by the handle.

That way the weight of the saw cannot affect the mutual position of the two knobs. Works for me so far.