TS75 question

[Gixxerjoe04]

So I went yesterday and got the ts75, luckily I had a bunch of gift cards so didn't cost me much.  Got it out today, got it set up with no wiggle room and cut the edge off.  Got to use it on a little shed project cutting up some plywood today, worked really nice, 4x8 sheets have always been a pain until now.  Need to make sure I hook up my shop vac since I don't have a festool vac, sure can sling some dust.  Anyways to my question.  When I was playing around with it, I moved it to 45 degrees just to see how it moves on the track and all that.  With it being so heavy and top heavy, at 45 a slight breeze can blow it over it off the track it seems.  Is there something I'm doing wrong?  Feels like I'd have to use one hand to hold it onto the track when making a cut like that, which doesn't seem safe.  I thought maybe I'd need to tighten the side adjustments more to help but then it made it too tight where it wouldn't glide easily.  So, what's the deal?

 

[Brice Burrell]

As you mentioned you need to hold the saw with one hand on the base to keep it on the track.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

The TS-75 is heavy and can be awkward on bevel cuts which put side pressure on the blade/work instead of straight down.

I don't think it is anything you are doing wrong, but maybe some things you need to do that aren't always necessary on a straight cut.

Every cut is different but generally when cutting a bevel with the TS-75 I find it is best to  (a) secure the work, (b) clamp the rail to the work, and (c) use my left hand to hold the left side of the base against the rail while my right hand is operating the trigger and plunge mechanism.  Also as with all cuts ensure the hose and cord can extend freely all the way to the end of the cut, a snag during a bevel cut is potentially more of a problem than a straight cut.

 

[Gixxerjoe04]

Ok, wasn't sure if that was suppose to be the right way to do it or not.  Figured it would have been engineered to not have to do that.

 

[sancho57]

Yup boatbuilder said, if your track is moving you need to use clamps.

 

[Gixxerjoe04]

Track wasn't moving, just the saw could easily be tipped over at 45 degrees.  One of my plans is to make a waterfall edge coffee table.  What's the best way to check it to be actually 45 degrees so the miters go together perfect, any tricks for something like that?  Plan on using my domino for the corners for support.

 

[Flatsawn]

Could you use a 45 degree cutter on a router table or a shaper?

Mark

 

[ear3]

Excellent point -- have some scrap same thickness as the stock at least on the front of the cut (and maybe even on the back, if there is enough rail to spare), though with enough clearance to start the plunge.

Also support the infeed and outfeed part of rail to prevent the weight of the saw from bowing the rail at start and finish. That matters far more for bevel cuts then straight cuts. You want the rail to be dead flat throughout the whole cut. An MFT/3 table does that for you.

 

[bkharman]

One thing I have done is to use a piece of MDF with some "slick tape" and some spacers. Rail on the work piece, spacers and MDF on top sandwiching the base of the 75 between the rail and MDF.

Great when you need a very accurate cut.

Cheers. Bryan.