What am I doing wrong with my new TS55

[thallikar]

So, I got the new TS55 with both 55" and 106" rails. I am trying to cut 1" maple along the 8 foot length.  I am finding it so difficult to cut the maple. I am having to push the saw. I am seeing burn marks and the wood is smoking.  Just horrible.

I am able to cut the same wood with my Worx saw and it cuts so smooth. Am I doing something wrong? Or is it a bad blade? I verify that when I am not cutting, the saw glides smoothly on the rail without any issues.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Roseland]

Are you using the standard 48-tooth blade?

Andrew

 

[chrisrosenb]

You need to use a blade with fewer teeth.

496304 Universal 28-Tooth Saw Blade

Or

496305 Standard 12-Tooth Saw Blade

 

[Joe Smith]

Normally I would say that the blade is installed backwards.  I would check that to make sure, but it sounds like the signs point to that.  

Or the blade could be bent.  I had a SCMS blade that did the same thing and it turns out the blade was bent.  It was not bent enough to visually see, but just enough to cause smoking and really hard cuts.

 

[mouppe]

I have cut 1" maple with my TS55 standard blade many times without any serious problems.

Is the wood badly warped or knotted? Is the motor at full speed before you start the cut? Do you have any problems with a thinner piece of wood?

It sounds as if the saw or blade is the problem here if you are doing everything right.

 

[clintholeman]

Sounds like you are ripping and you should be using

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/plunge-cut-circular-saws/blades/saw-blade-panther-14t-495372.html

the Panther blade.

I think you'll see a big difference.

Good luck!

 

[Kevin D.]

Do you have it at #6 (fastest) on the variable speed dial?

 

[thallikar]

Thanks, Guyz. I will buy the 12T or 14T blade and check it out. I am using the standard blade at speed 6.  I was trying to Rip Cut.

How about this blade instead? Festool blades are so expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU87R006M20-Perma-Shield-Festool-14-Teeth/dp/B002IPGXRO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1289156206&sr=8-6

 

[thallikar]

I have cut 1" maple with my TS55 standard blade many times without any serious problems.

Is the wood badly warped or knotted? Is the motor at full speed before you start the cut? Do you have any problems with a thinner piece of wood?

It sounds as if the saw or blade is the problem here if you are doing everything right.

I was rip cutting.  Wood is good. It is planed on both sides.  Yup, The motor is at full speed when I start the cut.  I will try with a thinner piece of wood and see. Thanks.

 

[fdengel]

I would think the standard blade would be fine for this.

I'd lean more toward the installed-backwards camp?

 

[Wood_Junkie]

I've used the stock 48T blade on my TS55 cutting solid core 1-3/4" door slaps (and by solid, I mean solid commerical doors ~80 lbs) along the full 84" length.
It gets unhappy towards the end, but does the job, and results in a very nice clean cut.

 

[gojira]

I used the 48 tooth blade on an old salvaged interior door just yesterday. The door was 1-3/8 inch thick. When I ripped the long stiles to trim the edges I also got burning and the saw really had to work hard. It then cut out near the end of the cut because of the overheating protection. The material is old SYP or fir, very dense with closely spaced growth rings. I switched to the Panther blade, which I should have used in the first place, and the saw had no problem. The cut quality is poor compared to the 48 tooth but these are not "glueline" rips. When making long rips in dense material, such as maple, the 14 tooth blade is hard to beat if you can afford to spend the time to clean up the edge. I don't know about another brand of blade, as I have never used another make. I would think that using a purpose specific ripping blade from whatever manufacturer is probably more important than the brand itself.

 

[Hoover]

I'll have that problem once in a while, depending on material.  If the burning is going to be a pain to clean up, I'll make two cuts.  The first being less than 1/8" over from where I need to cut.  Then I'll make the second cut on the marks that I want.  The cut will be nice and clean because you can control the speed you are sawing, etc. much better since you are just slicing a small amount off.

 

[tjbnwi]

If I am having a problem with a rip due to material thicknes or density, I do rip in 2 or3 plunges. I own only the 48 tooth blade, so at times this is a necessity.

Tom

 

[thallikar]

If I am having a problem with a rip due to material thicknes or density, I do rip in 2 or3 plunges. I own only the 48 tooth blade, so at times this is a necessity.

Tom

Great idea. I will try that out next week.

 

[thallikar]

Thanks a ton, all. Great advice from everyone.  Next week, I will try doing by  cuts in multiple plunges, little at a time.  If that doesn't work out, I will get the rip blade. I think I will just order it anyways. It is going to handy for sure.

Thanks again.

 

[JeromeM]

Thanks, Guyz. I will buy the 12T or 14T blade and check it out. I am using the standard blade at speed 6.   I was trying to Rip Cut.

How about this blade instead? Festool blades are so expensive.

This a common urban myth. The blade you reference is a thin kerf blade so its useful life is shorter than a regular Festool blade and better suited to different tasks.

If you compare like with like Festool blades are the best value for money and quality of cut. There are others that are almost as good though usually higher cost.

http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU87R006M20-Perma-Shield-Festool-14-Teeth/dp/B002IPGXRO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1289156206&sr=8-6

 

[hoedma]

Hi guys,

Maybe I am mistaken but I would not set the variable speed setting to 6 in ripping hardwood. The setting does very little to control power, its aim is to set the rotation speed. By lowering the setting, the blade will spin less quickly and burning will be reduced. The Festool electronincs will determine the right amount of power.

But as is mentioned above, ripping will go a lot easier with a panther blade or at least a blade with fewer teeth.

Cheers,
mattijs

 

[Tinker]

I have the old ATF 55.  I originally had the standard 48 tooth blade and had very little problems with ripping hard maple up to 1-1/2" and quarter sawn white oak up to same thickness.  I did follow the above mentioned procedure of plunging to several depths as I learned with my old RAS for years.  I never tried full cut with either of the woods mentioned above after my first atempt.  Even then, I experienced very little burning except the saw did slow down by end of cut.  That was my first clue to make multiple passes at increasing depths.  When the 48 tooth blade started getting tired, i purchased a 24 tooth blade and that cut much better.  The motor does not bog down with deep cuts in hardwood and the cut is still smooth.  Even tho the saw does not seem to bog down, i still continue to make multiple cuts to go thru the heavy stuff.

Another thought not mentioned above:  Are you setting the rail clamps (the adjustment screws that are on the saw base and clamp against the guide rail.  If these are not tight (but not too tight), there will probably be enough play in the saw as it makes a long cut to allow enough wobble in the cut to cause burning from the changes in allignment. 
Tinker

 

[Blouis79]

Certainly you need to have smooth saw progress with consistent pressure to prevent burning.

I love the Freud blades, which as a "system" have a consistent kerf width, which saves the splinter strip and keeps it accurate.

Worth checking:
* stops for right angle cuts (won't cause burning but you want square cuts)
* toe-in

My rip cuts even with crosscut blade on hardwood 19mm are better than planer finish. I love most of my TS55.