TSC55 purchase questions
- Thread starter sploo
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DrD
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[member=44422]sploo[/member]
Just now catching up with this thread, and specifically your concern about joining/connecting 2 rails. If you have a good 48" level, or another guide rail, or anything like that my experience has been that joining the rails is a piece of cake. A Betterley straight rail joiner, while nice and effecient, is not necessary; all you need to a dead straight edge, against which to align the rails you are connecting.
The key to joining rails is the connectors, and here you have choices: Festool connectors or Makita connectors - your choice. If you are using Festool connectors, the best thing I've found is to replace the allen-head set screws with nylon tipped set screws which can be obtained from McMaster Carr (M6 - 1.0 x 6).
DrD
Just now catching up with this thread, and specifically your concern about joining/connecting 2 rails. If you have a good 48" level, or another guide rail, or anything like that my experience has been that joining the rails is a piece of cake. A Betterley straight rail joiner, while nice and effecient, is not necessary; all you need to a dead straight edge, against which to align the rails you are connecting.
The key to joining rails is the connectors, and here you have choices: Festool connectors or Makita connectors - your choice. If you are using Festool connectors, the best thing I've found is to replace the allen-head set screws with nylon tipped set screws which can be obtained from McMaster Carr (M6 - 1.0 x 6).
DrD
I have never had an issue joining rails - I use the shoe to help align them. It is a pain to join and un-join, but that is more from an efficiency standpoint and not necessarily accuracy. That is where a long rail excels if you can store and afford. I used the joining method for several years, though, without issue.
I'm also going to offer a positive opinion on joining rails together. We've been doing it near on 20 years now on kitchen fitment were the cabinet cost is upwards of $100k - the kind of jobs where close isn't good enough.
We've never had reorder a panel or worktop because a cut wasn't straight after using joined rails. Not once. They can be made straight , and in a short amount of time. Sure a 3000mm is faster , but not when carting it to and from the van.
Also note that not all of those 3000mm rails are dead on straight either !
And all you guys advocating them - how do you transport them in anything other than a full sized van or trailer? Do you trust the airlines to keep them straight when you fly with them?
It really boils down to what you value most. Portability , or setup speed.
We've never had reorder a panel or worktop because a cut wasn't straight after using joined rails. Not once. They can be made straight , and in a short amount of time. Sure a 3000mm is faster , but not when carting it to and from the van.
Also note that not all of those 3000mm rails are dead on straight either !
And all you guys advocating them - how do you transport them in anything other than a full sized van or trailer? Do you trust the airlines to keep them straight when you fly with them?
It really boils down to what you value most. Portability , or setup speed.
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Not wanting to hijack this thread but my questions concern the TSC55 also so seemed like a good place to ask.
Looking at two packages on ToolNut which to me seem to be the same, maybe someone here can point out the differences to me.
One is
Festool 201394 TSC 55 Cordless Track Saw BASIC, Imperialhttp://www.toolnut.com/power-tools/...tsc-55-cordless-track-saw-basic-imperial.html
and the other is
Festool 574685 TSC 55 Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw BASIC, Imperialhttp://www.toolnut.com/power-tools/...less-plunge-cut-track-saw-basic-imperial.html
Now, other than one short description says plunge and the other does not, I can not find any difference in the two. They both say the saw is a plunge saw, same specs, etc. Why do they have the saw listed twice at the same price and same accessories. They both say they are both bare tools without battery, charger, or guide rail.
And by Imperial I am assuming the depth gauge and other markings are imperial not metric is that correct? I ask because they give all the specs in metric and you'd think if the tool is imperial then the specs would be imperial measurement too.
I guess I'm missing something on these two pages.
Anyway this is part of a bigger purchase. I'm looking at selling my DeWalt track saw and track and getting the TSC55 and a MFT/3 with a few options such as the leg brace set. I'm looking to cut the cord on as many portable power tools as I can for no reason other than to get away from cords and the limitations imposed by them. Many times I want to work in places where there is no power available, and a cordless track saw would be nice.
I'm thinking what I really will need for the saw is kit 201402 TSC 55 Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw w/ 55" Track since I don't have any cordless Festool stuff now. And I'd like that rail to be a holey rail so I can use it eventually for shelf pin holes and other work based on the 30 mm spacing.
Looking at two packages on ToolNut which to me seem to be the same, maybe someone here can point out the differences to me.
One is
Festool 201394 TSC 55 Cordless Track Saw BASIC, Imperialhttp://www.toolnut.com/power-tools/...tsc-55-cordless-track-saw-basic-imperial.html
and the other is
Festool 574685 TSC 55 Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw BASIC, Imperialhttp://www.toolnut.com/power-tools/...less-plunge-cut-track-saw-basic-imperial.html
Now, other than one short description says plunge and the other does not, I can not find any difference in the two. They both say the saw is a plunge saw, same specs, etc. Why do they have the saw listed twice at the same price and same accessories. They both say they are both bare tools without battery, charger, or guide rail.
And by Imperial I am assuming the depth gauge and other markings are imperial not metric is that correct? I ask because they give all the specs in metric and you'd think if the tool is imperial then the specs would be imperial measurement too.
I guess I'm missing something on these two pages.
Anyway this is part of a bigger purchase. I'm looking at selling my DeWalt track saw and track and getting the TSC55 and a MFT/3 with a few options such as the leg brace set. I'm looking to cut the cord on as many portable power tools as I can for no reason other than to get away from cords and the limitations imposed by them. Many times I want to work in places where there is no power available, and a cordless track saw would be nice.
I'm thinking what I really will need for the saw is kit 201402 TSC 55 Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw w/ 55" Track since I don't have any cordless Festool stuff now. And I'd like that rail to be a holey rail so I can use it eventually for shelf pin holes and other work based on the 30 mm spacing.
Athttp://www.toolfest.co.uk/festool-tsc-55 they have a list of metric versions, all with 201... numbers, some of which are noted as "supercedes 561...". My guess then would be that the 201394 is the newer code for the imperial version of the 574685 (assuming they're otherwise identical - which I haven't checked in the links above).
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[member=60461]Bob D.[/member] - sorry the differences are clear. I admit there needs to be a better job done distinguishing the difference. I have been out of work most of the week due to illness but will work on annotating these better.
Like RKA said, the difference is that the 201XXX item numbers are the versions with Airstream. Even the BASIC model has a new item number because the Systainer insert is changing to accommodate the Airsteam charger and batteries. If you want the "latest and greatest", that's the one to get. But it will not ship until 4/3.
Apologies again for any confusion. Please always feel free to reach out to me directly if you have questions in the future. I generally answer emails night or day or weekends pretty quickly.
Shane
shane@toolnut.com
Like RKA said, the difference is that the 201XXX item numbers are the versions with Airstream. Even the BASIC model has a new item number because the Systainer insert is changing to accommodate the Airsteam charger and batteries. If you want the "latest and greatest", that's the one to get. But it will not ship until 4/3.
Apologies again for any confusion. Please always feel free to reach out to me directly if you have questions in the future. I generally answer emails night or day or weekends pretty quickly.
Shane
shane@toolnut.com
Adding an update as requested: I got the TSC55 with the SCA8 charger and the two 5.2Ah batteries. Impressive charge times with the SCA8; albeit somewhat noisy due to the fan.
So far I've used the 48 tooth blade with an 800mm rail and the rapid clamp for cross cutting the oak worktops - superbly clean results. Really no sanding required at all.
I used the 800 and 1400mm rails with the kickback stop to plunge cut a hole for a gas hob - using the 48 and 12 tooth blades for cross and rip cutting. In the end I did do a single 40mm deep plunge and cut, and the saw handled it no problem. I finished the corners using a jig saw - but the control on the TSC55 was good enough that I was happy to almost get into the corners with that (obviously the shape of the blade means you've not cut through at the bottom).
I've not joined the rails yet, but first impressions with the kit are very positive.
So far I've used the 48 tooth blade with an 800mm rail and the rapid clamp for cross cutting the oak worktops - superbly clean results. Really no sanding required at all.
I used the 800 and 1400mm rails with the kickback stop to plunge cut a hole for a gas hob - using the 48 and 12 tooth blades for cross and rip cutting. In the end I did do a single 40mm deep plunge and cut, and the saw handled it no problem. I finished the corners using a jig saw - but the control on the TSC55 was good enough that I was happy to almost get into the corners with that (obviously the shape of the blade means you've not cut through at the bottom).
I've not joined the rails yet, but first impressions with the kit are very positive.
