Thread: TS55 Track Saw Problem

i use a cheap speed sqaure or the festool angle guide, but i have had trouble dialing in the angle.

Need more info

Originally Posted by Gaza

i use a cheap speed sqaure or the festool angle guide, but i have had trouble dialing in the angle.

I haven't seen the angle guide before, it could be a handy gadget. To my way of thinking I should be able to mark the sheet, quickly put the track on the mark(s) and cut, finishing up with all four sides square. I think there should be an accessory that fixes to the track and makes the track act like a big square, put it down on the mark(s) and cut. If that were to happen only one measured mark would be necessary.

I always thought the track was a great idea until I used it for a few days, now I think it is a great unfinished idea. I have held off buying one for this reason.

...you should have purchased an ez-guide instead...has a convenient square with handle...(maybe you could adapt one to the festool track...?)

Placing the festool track on some lines will only be as good as the placement (human error). It was never designed for square cuts. I have used the track with the festool angle guide to get perfect 90 deg cuts or any other angle for that matter. I think what you may be hoping for is an attachment for the track that will register it at 90 deg to a specific side. That is what the angle guide is for and all other angles in between.
Hope this helps
Les

There is a product out of the USA called the Qwas square for the Festool guide rails. Great product for making square cuts. I don't it it would be worth the cost of importing one or not. They retail for around $55 US dollars. QwasSquare
Here's a source to purchase, Qwas Rail Fence @ Festool Junkie - More than Just Tools

While at the Qwas site check out the Qwas dogs for the MFT tables, these things are a great product.

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

...you should have purchased an ez-guide instead...has a convenient square with handle...(maybe you could adapt one to the festool track...?)

I haven't purchased anything as yet.

Originally Posted by Mini

I haven't seen the angle guide before, it could be a handy gadget. To my way of thinking I should be able to mark the sheet, quickly put the track on the mark(s) and cut, finishing up with all four sides square. I think there should be an accessory that fixes to the track and makes the track act like a big square, put it down on the mark(s) and cut. If that were to happen only one measured mark would be necessary.

I always thought the track was a great idea until I used it for a few days, now I think it is a great unfinished idea. I have held off buying one for this reason.

approx $200

Originally Posted by Mini

I always thought the track was a great idea until I used it for a few days, now I think it is a great unfinished idea.

The Festool track system is about placing the saw cut exactly in the required position and getting a straight cut. It does not substitute for measurement and mark-out tools and techniques.

Although there are some Festool and off-brand accessories to help do this, most woodworkers and carpenters typically have many of the perquisites for obtaining square/angled/parallel/perpendicular cuts. Eg. pencil, scribe knife, squares, carpenters/builders squares, jigs, geometry and mathematics.

Even with the Festool accessory mentioned below, or any other, you still need a robust square to check it with, and check for square during assembly/glue-ups.

Let me put the question another way. Do the users of the track system expect to be able to cut a sheet of material for say a cabinet so that all the pieces come out square or is it only to roughly size the cut pieces and they are squared later on a TS. I am not knocking the system, I am just wondering if my approach to the whole thing is wrong. I expected to be able to cut dead square with a minimum of fuss but have never been able to do that, it always takes a fair bit of mucking around to get even close let alone spot on. BTW I do not want this to become a Festool knocking thread, I do own Festool and what I own is terrific and worth every cent.

Originally Posted by Mini

Let me put the question another way. Do the users of the track system expect to be able to cut a sheet of material for say a cabinet so that all the pieces come out square or is it only to roughly size the cut pieces and they are squared later on a TS. I am not knocking the system, I am just wondering if my approach to the whole thing is wrong. I expected to be able to cut dead square with a minimum of fuss but have never been able to do that, it always takes a fair bit of mucking around to get even close let alone spot on. BTW I do not want this to become a Festool knocking thread, I do own Festool and what I own is terrific and worth every cent.

I don't think you are knocking, I think the thread is constructive.

I approach cutting a sheet the same way with the TS55 and rail as I would with a table saw. I don't assume the sheet is square to begin with, but assume one edge is straight. Choosing any side, mark up a parallel line (or set of three marks marks) and use the saw/rail to rip to that.

Then using a carpenters square, mark up my cross cuts, mark them and saw again.

Double check with the square again.

The only difference would be with a panel saw (i.e. bigger than a table saw) where you have a large sliding table with fence you have pre-set perpendicular with the rip fence. But I would still check with a square after the cuts are done to make sue nothing went wrong / slipped during the sawing process and something is slightly off.

One thing my guys have constantly talked about is a simple right angle that slides into the guide rail and gives you a small right-angle fence for butting up against the edge of a board, therefore helping you make a right angle cut. But for some reason we have never made one up. And end us just using a square against the edge and guide rail. Saves assembling and disassembling something from the rail every time you need it.

I bought the festool angle guide in the hope it would allow me to cut perfect 90deg angles. Unfortunately mine has a slight amount of play when slotted into the guide rails and doesn't make the cut (pardon the pun) for me. The play can cause a discrepancy of about 1 - 1.5mm over a 1200mm board. It is a bit disappointing considering the price of the accessory set with clamps. I have been trolling the forum lately for a solution as well and have seen a number of jigs on the festool owners group as stated above. Just need some spare time to play around and work out what's best for me. I will be watching this thread with interest though.

Originally Posted by BTman

I bought the festool angle guide in the hope it would allow me to cut perfect 90deg angles. Unfortunately mine has a slight amount of play when slotted into the guide rails and doesn't make the cut (pardon the pun) for me. The play can cause a discrepancy of about 1 - 1.5mm over a 1200mm board. It is a bit disappointing considering the price of the accessory set with clamps. I have been trolling the forum lately for a solution as well and have seen a number of jigs on the festool owners group as stated above. Just need some spare time to play around and work out what's best for me. I will be watching this thread with interest though.

Hi BTman,

Where is the play? There should be some adjustment capability in the plastic guides that hold the rail, to remove any slop.

Having said that... I am usually conservative when I discuss this accessory with customers. Because this angle guide and attached guide rails makes for one big measuring/marking-out device, and in reality I am not sure how many marking out devices being 1.4m long (the length of the typical rail people use with it) are mm accurate. Maybe if it was electronic with sub-degree readout it would be a bit better.

Personally, I categorise this accessory with a 1.4m guide rail attached as 'construction project' accuracy, not furniture or cabinetry accuracy. It's my conservative nature coming into play here. But referring back to my earlier emails, I prefer dedicated measurement and mark-out tools, so I might be a bit hard on this accessory. I know there are many people happy using it.

Originally Posted by BTman

I bought the festool angle guide in the hope it would allow me to cut perfect 90deg angles. Unfortunately mine has a slight amount of play when slotted into the guide rails and doesn't make the cut (pardon the pun) for me. The play can cause a discrepancy of about 1 - 1.5mm over a 1200mm board. It is a bit disappointing considering the price of the accessory set with clamps. I have been trolling the forum lately for a solution as well and have seen a number of jigs on the festool owners group as stated above. Just need some spare time to play around and work out what's best for me. I will be watching this thread with interest though.

i found this aswell we were trying to cut 71 deg, ended up doing the maths are making then putting rail on track.