Cheers Darren. I really appreciate people like you who give their time to pass on knowledge and experience to others like me. Thanks again, much appreciated.
I ordered a new TS 55 (plus a CT 36 vacuum) after months of consideration and it is en route to my workshop now. Thank you for a great video in explaining the operations of the saw and rail systems. This will certainly give me a jump-start as I have 8 sheets of 3/4" birch awaiting the arrival of my TS 55 for my next project. Well done!
I struggled with the same issue as you. Based on demos and reviews, I knew Festool was a quality brand. The first time I used my TS 55, I knew I made a good decision. Great job on pointing out the highlights of this great saw.
I've just put new floors in my house and used a Mafell track saw for it. Using a track saw just made it so much easier, no matter if it was wood, vinyl or cork flooring.
To have a table saw that can do the same thing as a track saw it would probably cost about $10,000. I have a table saw that can cut 4x8 sheets but will still use the festool saw to cut a reference edge.
I’m an artist who requires several 9 or 12mm boards cut to paint on..This is ideal as it’s very expensive having a cutting company doing it…some do take a couple of days to have jobs done..Also the Festool is very accurate in taking small edges off panels too…excellent accuracy..I used to use a Mikita circular saw but results were not great for presicion work
Oh my god, this thing looks awesome. I recently inherited some power tools, one of which was a circular saw. I bought a Kreg Accu-Cut track adapter and have used it a few times. I thought it was pretty good until I saw this video.
Excellent video...I'm amazed at how you didn't have to clamp it down. I want a panel saw so bad but can't afford one now. But after watching this video I might settle for a track saw.
First thing to do when changing the blade; make sure the power is disconnected. Interesting video, very informative, thanks. Would be good to know what better blades for. finer cut you mentioned, were. Bosch also could have been included in the list of other brands.
Nice video. I will stick with my homemade cutoff boards (small one and large one) and my DeWalt saw. With my Freud blade I get excellent cuts just like your cuts. I cut lots of plywood too. Just can’t see spending that kind of money on a saw
its normal with plywood, it has a rough wood structure, and when cutting vertical direction it always leaves a rough cut, so it depends on the type of wood. overall the ts 55 has a smooth cut with the blade that come with it. btw i recomend another type of hose bent is using. there is one with textile, that doesn't get stuck behind obsticles when using the ctl midi or mini
My understanding of these saws it that the blade is purposely about half a degree out of parallel with the groove. This keeps the rising teeth at the back of the blade ever so slightly away from the cut. The extend to which this is true would explain why the offcut shows tear out.
The lefty vs righty complaint is all about seeing the line to make the cut. In the case of a track saw, visual isn't a problem as the track is doing the alignment for you. Line it up, set the saw down, and cut. Shouldn't make a bit of difference if your left handed or right.
Great review! Thanks for doing it. Question: I'm building a farm house table with breadboard ends. Will this saw cut the ends at an exact 90 degrees so the bread board end fits perfectly. Enjoy all your videos.
@@bentswoodworking Thanks! I have 2 circular saws. Adjusted the crap out of them with a precision square. No go. Think I'll bite the bullet on the Festool.
Yes, that upper mark is calibrated (or should be calibrated) taking account the thickness of the track. The bottom mark is calibrated to cut without the track. If there is a little discrepancy, use the micro-adjust screw to zero in.
Hi Jason, thanks for this and all your videos. I have been watching a number of your videos, as well as Festool related videos and also on different takes on the Ron Paulk bench. Could you tell me how high you made your workbench? I know its a personal thing but just curious. Going to pick up my TS55 today and need to get this bench done. Thank you.
There are two neoprene strips on the underside that "stick" to the wood. When the begin to lose their grip, just put some blue painters tape on them, them pull off. It removes the debris and they regain their adhesive properties. Very good system!
If I buy one of these I was hoping to use this saw double duty and use it as a flush cut saw for removing subfloor on the perimeter of the room. But... the knob for the tear our mechanism would get in the way. Does that knob remove easily?
Looking to buy a TS 75 for my first track saw, and this review has a lot to do with my selection, so thanks for the help. Wanting to go with the larger saw for the benefit of cutting thicker tops. What length tracks would you recommend? I found a deal where you get a discount with the TS 75 and a 75” track. I figured that and a 55” with a set of connectors would get me to cutting 10’ material if ever needed, but most likely the longest cut will be 8’. Is there another combo of rail sizes you would recommend?
I'm a new Festool TS 55 REQ user. My saw will not cut thicker stock than 3/4" what am I doing wrong. I can't seem to increase the depth of cut to more than 3/4" Is my new Festool TS 55 saw blade too short to cut stocks thicker than 3/4"?
Error grave. Esta circular tiene el corte al revers,el disco penetra en la madera de abajo hacia arriba ,en una circular de mesa de arriba hacia abajo ,el resto es de lógica.un saludo
My son bought this saw but has never used it, i need to cut up some ply so got it out to use it. On pressing down the blade i noticed that when combined with the track it seems it will cut of the rubber edge of the track, plus the edge of the splinter guard, i had to use it without the track. Any idea what is wrong here?
55 and 75 in the name comes from the depth the saw can cut. 55 or 75 millimeters. I dont know if you have heard of millimeters? Its what we use for measurements in the civilised world ;)
What is the difference between TS 55 EQ and TS 55 REQ? I bought some of the front splinter guards and they don't seem to fit my TS 55 EQ, and apparently the ones I bought are for the REQ, or at least they look different. Should they be interchangeable?
@@christianpetersen1782 I've used both the Mak and the Festool extensively and there is no comparison between the 2.The Festool gives a much better cut and will outlast anything from Japan/China. After cutting 18mm birch ply with the Festool,it only takes a few seconds per foot of edge to sand to near perfect finish with p120 on a random orbit sander,then ur ready for chamfering/profiling/assembly. Will save you so much time compared to the Mak which will have bits falling off it or broken after 2 years of careful use.
I use a custom jig with a Milwaukee circ saw and it works extremely well, especially when I use double sided tape on the back of the jig so it doesn't move. No tear-out on my work pieces. But the dust is insane! I am upgrading to Festool because of their dust extraction system.
Larry, Dewalt has there own track profile. that is not compatible with any other manufacturer that I know of. I know the Makita and I believe the triton as well are compatable with festool tracks.
@@Amboy65 You might want to rethink the use of a Makita track with the Festool 55. Yes the saw will slide in the Makita track, but with a lot of slop. The reason is because the rail that the saw runs on, on the Makita, is 15 thousands smaller then the Festool, so every time you want to go from one track to the other, you must re-adjust the two small green knobs to tighten up the side play. Also the outer channel on the Makita has a small protrusion on the inner wall that will not let you use the small kick-back tool supplied with the Festool.
*Great saw **MyBest.Tools** and track for the price can't beat it although the blade could be better but easily switched out.*
Cheers Darren. I really appreciate people like you who give their time to pass on knowledge and experience to others like me. Thanks again, much appreciated.
I ordered a new TS 55 (plus a CT 36 vacuum) after months of consideration and it is en route to my workshop now. Thank you for a great video in explaining the operations of the saw and rail systems. This will certainly give me a jump-start as I have 8 sheets of 3/4" birch awaiting the arrival of my TS 55 for my next project. Well done!
Nice!! You are going to love it!!!
Best Festool video I’ve seen! Answered a lot of questions…! Very detailed and excellent video!
Glad you found it helpful
I bought one of these recently for a big bookcase project, paid for itself ten times over in one job. Great tool & so accurate.
It’s a remarkable saw
Thank you for the content. You explain things clearly and provide valuable information. Excellent presentation.
Exactly what’s was looking for to make my decision. Thanks for taking the time to produced this.
Adam Floyd awesome, glad you found it helpful
I struggled with the same issue as you. Based on demos and reviews, I knew Festool was a quality brand. The first time I used my TS 55, I knew I made a good decision. Great job on pointing out the highlights of this great saw.
Thanks. Glad you found the information helpful
Appreciate you showing the difference with and without the splinter guard.
Craig Lafferty no problem! Let me know if You have any other questions
I've just put new floors in my house and used a Mafell track saw for it. Using a track saw just made it so much easier, no matter if it was wood, vinyl or cork flooring.
Jesus von Nazaret yes it has really been a game changer in my everyday operation. I pretty much never use my table saw on plywood anymore.
To have a table saw that can do the same thing as a track saw it would probably cost about $10,000.
I have a table saw that can cut 4x8 sheets but will still use the festool saw to cut a reference edge.
I hrave original ts55 and the anti splinter works perfect in any cut. You plunge through it and you get perfect cuts every time!
I’m an artist who requires several 9 or 12mm boards cut to paint on..This is ideal as it’s very expensive having a cutting company doing it…some do take a couple of days to have jobs done..Also the Festool is very accurate in taking small edges off panels too…excellent accuracy..I used to use a Mikita circular saw but results were not great for presicion work
Awesome review. You covered all the points that I needed answers to. Thanks!
dynasty1910 thank you. Glad you enjoyed it
This is just the info i needed
Practical illustration, very helpful
Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Oh my god, this thing looks awesome. I recently inherited some power tools, one of which was a circular saw. I bought a Kreg Accu-Cut track adapter and have used it a few times. I thought it was pretty good until I saw this video.
A track saw has been hands down one of the best purchases that I have made.
Excellent video...I'm amazed at how you didn't have to clamp it down. I want a panel saw so bad but can't afford one now. But after watching this video I might settle for a track saw.
bkrgls it’s a great tool. Definitely one I wouldn’t want to be without
Fantastic review. Very well done. Thanks
Owen Jennings thank you!!
Great video man! I am buying one this week and this video was super helpful
walkerandwood thank you! I promise you won’t regret it!
First thing to do when changing the blade; make sure the power is disconnected. Interesting video, very informative, thanks. Would be good to know what better blades for. finer cut you mentioned, were. Bosch also could have been included in the list of other brands.
Better video than the festool video 👍
Glad you found it helpful
Nice Review...loving your videos...always informative
Thank you!!
Nice video. I will stick with my homemade cutoff boards (small one and large one) and my DeWalt saw. With my Freud blade I get excellent cuts just like your cuts. I cut lots of plywood too. Just can’t see spending that kind of money on a saw
Whatever works.
Excellent review
Thanks, very useful video.
Glad you enjoyed it
its normal with plywood, it has a rough wood structure, and when cutting vertical direction it always leaves a rough cut, so it depends on the type of wood.
overall the ts 55 has a smooth cut with the blade that come with it.
btw i recomend another type of hose bent is using. there is one with textile, that doesn't get stuck behind obsticles when using the ctl midi or mini
maybe some kind of velcro fasteners on the vacuum tube for the power cable would be practically
My understanding of these saws it that the blade is purposely about half a degree out of parallel with the groove. This keeps the rising teeth at the back of the blade ever so slightly away from the cut. The extend to which this is true would explain why the offcut shows tear out.
Top Work Gent 🤟🏻🤟🏻
Much appreciated!
Saw your Festool Mitre saw table in the background. Any chance you have plans for that to share?
Great video & love the fact it doesn’t move around on you. Only drawback is that it Seems you need to be a left handed person to use this comfortably?
I’m right handed and have never even thought of it to be honest
The lefty vs righty complaint is all about seeing the line to make the cut. In the case of a track saw, visual isn't a problem as the track is doing the alignment for you. Line it up, set the saw down, and cut. Shouldn't make a bit of difference if your left handed or right.
TS55 Gives you 55mm depth of cut.
TS75 gives you 75mm depth of cut.
Great video...thanks for posting! Just curious on how is the tearout on the underside?
I have experienced little to no tear out. Especially when there is some sort of backing
I did lower the depth indicator to the max., but the saw will not go further than 3/4" Did I buy a faulty saw?
Good job sir
Thanks
Great review! Thanks for doing it. Question: I'm building a farm house table with breadboard ends. Will this saw cut the ends at an exact 90 degrees so the bread board end fits perfectly. Enjoy all your videos.
Scott Macgarvey absolutely. Any saw would really if you take the time to set it up. The saw saw might make it easier and faster though 😉😂
@@bentswoodworking Thanks! I have 2 circular saws. Adjusted the crap out of them with a precision square. No go. Think I'll bite the bullet on the Festool.
I bit the bullet. No regrets!
Any issues end trimming an 8/4 table top panel? That's about the biggest job I would use this for.
Depends on the species of wood
Hardwoods like Walnut and white oak about the hardest
Thanks for the review. Would I have to account for the depth of the rail when cutting? or is it already set within the whole unit?
Seth Barrett mine has been set to account for the rail. I would assume they are all. But if not, it is easily adjusted in a matter of seconds.
Yes, that upper mark is calibrated (or should be calibrated) taking account the thickness of the track. The bottom mark is calibrated to cut without the track. If there is a little discrepancy, use the micro-adjust screw to zero in.
Hi Jason, thanks for this and all your videos. I have been watching a number of your videos, as well as Festool related videos and also on different takes on the Ron Paulk bench. Could you tell me how high you made your workbench? I know its a personal thing but just curious. Going to pick up my TS55 today and need to get this bench done. Thank you.
I think mine was 35” tall when I had it.
Great Video but I was always curious how the track stays in place? If you covered it in the video I did not see it,sorry.
It actually does a great job staying on its own. You can however clamp it from underneath.
magic
There are two neoprene strips on the underside that "stick" to the wood. When the begin to lose their grip, just put some blue painters tape on them, them pull off. It removes the debris and they regain their adhesive properties. Very good system!
@@jeffjordan5426 can you purchase additional neoprene and cover more of the saw base?
@@mediaadrenaline Yes, from any Festool dealer.
If I buy one of these I was hoping to use this saw double duty and use it as a flush cut saw for removing subfloor on the perimeter of the room. But... the knob for the tear our mechanism would get in the way. Does that knob remove easily?
Yup. Comes right out no problem
Have you ever tried using the dewalt tracksaw. I like festool track saws a lot.
I only have experience with the Festool track saws personally
what blades are you using for fine cuts for plywood, melamine?
The standard blade that comes with the saw.
Looking to buy a TS 75 for my first track saw, and this review has a lot to do with my selection, so thanks for the help. Wanting to go with the larger saw for the benefit of cutting thicker tops. What length tracks would you recommend? I found a deal where you get a discount with the TS 75 and a 75” track. I figured that and a 55” with a set of connectors would get me to cutting 10’ material if ever needed, but most likely the longest cut will be 8’. Is there another combo of rail sizes you would recommend?
I have three 55” tracks and two 42”. I feel pretty good with what I have. I would like a 32” as well.
I can see where the shorter rails may be handier. Storage area may be the determining factor in the end. Thanks for the input!
I'm a new Festool TS 55 REQ user. My saw will not cut thicker stock than 3/4" what am I doing wrong. I can't seem to increase the depth of cut to more than 3/4" Is my new Festool TS 55 saw blade too short to cut stocks thicker than 3/4"?
I’m not sure why that would be happening. Have you called Festool?
Error grave.
Esta circular tiene el corte al revers,el disco penetra en la madera de abajo hacia arriba ,en una circular de mesa de arriba hacia abajo ,el resto es de lógica.un saludo
My son bought this saw but has never used it, i need to cut up some ply so got it out to use it. On pressing down the blade i noticed that when combined with the track it seems it will cut of the rubber edge of the track, plus the edge of the splinter guard, i had to use it without the track. Any idea what is wrong here?
It will do that the first time it’s used. Now every time you use it, it’s a splinter free cut
Does Festool TS 55 support both 110v and 220v?
Not in the US models I don’t think
55 and 75 in the name comes from the depth the saw can cut. 55 or 75 millimeters. I dont know if you have heard of millimeters? Its what we use for measurements in the civilised world ;)
Never heard of that place!
What is the difference between TS 55 EQ and TS 55 REQ? I bought some of the front splinter guards and they don't seem to fit my TS 55 EQ, and apparently the ones I bought are for the REQ, or at least they look different. Should they be interchangeable?
The EQ is a circular saw while the REQ is a track saw.
The REQ is the latest type of the TS 55, it has a different designed housing for the blade then the EQ. The splinter guards are not interchangeable.
I just don't see how this is such a big improvement over a circular saw with a custom jig.
Benjamin Boyle for me it’s the dust collection and versatility of the tracks. I have seen some excellent homemade jigs as well. Thanks
Bent's Woodworking Makita make an attachment to convert their circular saws. Makita 196953-0 Guide Rail Adaptor for DHS680
@@christianpetersen1782 I've used both the Mak and the Festool extensively and there is no comparison between the 2.The Festool gives a much better cut and will outlast anything from Japan/China. After cutting 18mm birch ply with the Festool,it only takes a few seconds per foot of edge to sand to near perfect finish with p120 on a random orbit sander,then ur ready for chamfering/profiling/assembly.
Will save you so much time compared to the Mak which will have bits falling off it or broken after 2 years of careful use.
I use a custom jig with a Milwaukee circ saw and it works extremely well, especially when I use double sided tape on the back of the jig so it doesn't move. No tear-out on my work pieces. But the dust is insane! I am upgrading to Festool because of their dust extraction system.
I was informed that you can use a Dewalt saw on this track. Is this true?
larry seliger I can confirm or deny but I have heard the same thing. I have never done it personally
Larry, Dewalt has there own track profile. that is not compatible with any other manufacturer that I know of. I know the Makita and I believe the triton as well are compatable with festool tracks.
@@Amboy65 You might want to rethink the use of a Makita track with the Festool 55. Yes the saw will slide in the Makita track, but with a lot of slop. The reason is because the rail that the saw runs on, on the Makita, is 15 thousands smaller then the Festool, so every time you want to go from one track to the other, you must re-adjust the two small green knobs to tighten up the side play. Also the outer channel on the Makita has a small protrusion on the inner wall that will not let you use the small kick-back tool supplied with the Festool.
can you use it to quickly cut 2x6s or such without the edge guide? thanks!
Edge guide?
@@bentswoodworking sorry i meant to say guide rail
If im planning on getting into the live edge stuff would you recommend the more powerful version of this? The 75?
Yes. And I actually have a newer video comparing the two
The major difference between TS 55 and 75 is the plunge depth
, respectively 55 and 75mm(2 & 3”) 😉
01:58 I know the difference: the *TS75* is the gorilla with the silver back.
Robert Schindell
A proper workshop is an untidy cluttered mess with blunt tools where you've thrown them. That guys shop is a 'girly' shop !
Lol
I can't take advice from a dude with unfinished drywall for aesthetic