Author Topic: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment  (Read 2552 times)

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Offline pacificdune

  • Posts: 19
Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« on: May 25, 2022, 01:09 PM »
I have new TF55 FEQ and TS75 EQ saws.  After using them a few times I believe they may be just slightly out of adjustment for square.  (very slightly)  I would like to adjust them to be perfect, but don't want to make things worse and could probably live with where they are now.  I watched a few videos online, but would like to see an actual process for doing this in a manual.  Is anything like this available? 

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Offline Birdhunter

  • Posts: 3998
  • Woodworker, Sportsman, Retired
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2022, 01:46 PM »
Sorry that I can’t help, but I am curious at to what it is that you are trying to fix. I have used my TS55 for many years with no adjustments except to snug it into the rail.
Birdhunter

Offline guybo

  • Posts: 577

Offline pacificdune

  • Posts: 19
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2022, 02:22 PM »
Sorry that I can’t help, but I am curious at to what it is that you are trying to fix. I have used my TS55 for many years with no adjustments except to snug it into the rail.

While cutting 8/4 stock on my TS55 and 12/4 stock on the TS75 There were a couple times I needed to flip the stock to complete the cut.  When I did this, I noticed that the saw engaged about 1/2 way down which means there is a small error when trying to cut square which I would like to adjust out.

Offline pacificdune

  • Posts: 19
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2022, 02:24 PM »
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf

Thanks for the link, but when I reviewed that manual carefully I did not see the process for how to fine-adjust the zero and 45 setpoints on the track saw.

Offline rubber_ducky

  • Posts: 73
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2022, 02:25 PM »



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Offline guybo

  • Posts: 577
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2022, 02:49 PM »
Hi, sorry for the bad info,I use one of these ,i never rely on the scale.things change we also make angle blocks to set the saws up

Offline Crazyraceguy

  • Posts: 3289
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2022, 06:19 PM »
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf

Thanks for the link, but when I reviewed that manual carefully I did not see the process for how to fine-adjust the zero and 45 setpoints on the track saw.

There is a screw at the base of the saw at the "landing point" to adjust it for where it stops.
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Offline Vtshopdog

  • Posts: 237
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2022, 07:10 PM »
It’s possible that your saw is set at 90 degrees and your track (and attached saw) is twisting torsionally relative to your stock as you make your cuts.

This would be a common issue in rip cuts where full width of the track is not supported by the stock.  Before fiddling with factory settings might be good to eliminate this possibility.

A quick test for your saw would be to make a cut on some scrap MDF that’s as wide as your track.  Flip the off cut piece so its top is now on bottom and butt it up against the other side.   If your saw is set to 90 degrees should join nicely with minimal gap.

Offline pacificdune

  • Posts: 19
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2022, 01:53 PM »
It’s possible that your saw is set at 90 degrees and your track (and attached saw) is twisting torsionally relative to your stock as you make your cuts.

This would be a common issue in rip cuts where full width of the track is not supported by the stock.  Before fiddling with factory settings might be good to eliminate this possibility.

A quick test for your saw would be to make a cut on some scrap MDF that’s as wide as your track.  Flip the off cut piece so its top is now on bottom and butt it up against the other side.   If your saw is set to 90 degrees should join nicely with minimal gap.

I don't think this is the case, but I'll check.  It's a fairly new track on an MFT table, so I think it sits pretty flat.

Offline pacificdune

  • Posts: 19
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2022, 01:54 PM »
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS55REQ.pdf

Thanks for the link, but when I reviewed that manual carefully I did not see the process for how to fine-adjust the zero and 45 setpoints on the track saw.

I may just need to take the cover off and do some experiments / measurements.

There is a screw at the base of the saw at the "landing point" to adjust it for where it stops.

Offline woodbutcherbower

  • Posts: 792
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2022, 04:11 PM »
Sorry that I can’t help, but I am curious at to what it is that you are trying to fix. I have used my TS55 for many years with no adjustments except to snug it into the rail.

While cutting 8/4 stock on my TS55 and 12/4 stock on the TS75 There were a couple times I needed to flip the stock to complete the cut.  When I did this, I noticed that the saw engaged about 1/2 way down which means there is a small error when trying to cut square which I would like to adjust out.

I don't think I've ever achieved an absolutely 100% flawless, perfect flip-over cut, no matter how carefully I've squared up or measured. The tiniest error or discrepancy in positioning of the guide rail after flip-over will cause a lip where the two halves of the cut meet. I'm also guessing that the stock is roughsawn rather than planed square-edged? This can also cause inaccuracy as the material may not necessarily be square, or its faces parallel. I think the combination of some or all of the above is a much more likely reason for inaccuracy than than the saw being out of square. The best tool for cutting 8x4 or 12x4 is a 12" mitre saw.

Offline pacificdune

  • Posts: 19
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2022, 04:56 PM »
Sorry that I can’t help, but I am curious at to what it is that you are trying to fix. I have used my TS55 for many years with no adjustments except to snug it into the rail.

While cutting 8/4 stock on my TS55 and 12/4 stock on the TS75 There were a couple times I needed to flip the stock to complete the cut.  When I did this, I noticed that the saw engaged about 1/2 way down which means there is a small error when trying to cut square which I would like to adjust out.

I don't think I've ever achieved an absolutely 100% flawless, perfect flip-over cut, no matter how carefully I've squared up or measured. The tiniest error or discrepancy in positioning of the guide rail after flip-over will cause a lip where the two halves of the cut meet. I'm also guessing that the stock is roughsawn rather than planed square-edged? This can also cause inaccuracy as the material may not necessarily be square, or its faces parallel. I think the combination of some or all of the above is a much more likely reason for inaccuracy than than the saw being out of square. The best tool for cutting 8x4 or 12x4 is a 12" mitre saw.

The stock was jointed (on a jointer that I squared perfectly) on the edge I was using against the fence of the MFT, and the MFT was squared using a large woodpeckers MFT setup square, so I Know it was very good.  Cut ended up quite good too, and I was able to quickly sand out any lip left over.  It just made me notice that my track saw was likely not completely square.

I'm probably going to pop off the cover this weekend on both the TS55 and TS75 just to check how far off they are.  It's probably not going to be that much.

You are right, I do have a nice Dewalt 12" miter saw I could have used, and those are easy to confirm square.  I'm just excited about my new track saws, and want to think they are perfect.  :)

I'll post how it goes after I check the saws.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2022, 05:03 PM by pacificdune »

Offline Michael Kellough

  • Posts: 6372
Re: Tracksaw Fine Adjustment
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2022, 08:20 PM »
If you're doing a flip over cut and want the kerfs to match the stock has to be jointed, planed, and ripped so all opposite faces are parallel, in addition to all the mechanical stuff involving the track and saw that you have to do perfectly.