TS-55 track saw - static shock?

[Michael Drew]

I just bought the Festool TS-55 track saw and used it for the first time yesterday. First time ever using a track saw....

I am using a Rigid shop vac and Bosche hose for dust extraction.

I was cutting some 3/4 ply yesterday, taking the saw for a test drive and figuring out how to use it. I can tell I need to buy some clamps for this already..... I was holding the track to keep it from moving on me, and I felt a shock. At first I thought it was my imagination, so I had to try it again. Sure enough, damn thing bit me again, and I can actually see an arch between the saw and track. I am assuming this is a static discharge, and it's most likely due to the saw being insulated, and the hose I'm using is not, so I have become a ground path. Or, maybe my saw is defective?

Anyone else experience this? What do you recommend? It's not a mild shock either. It's got a pretty good bite to it.

[Jim Becker]

I've never had that happen, but I used an anti-static hose.

[Bill Dufour]

I know they worried about this with 400 gallons of liquid hydrogen. they use conductive rubber hoses, conductive rubber tires on the cart, copper ground strap hanging down and touching the floor. You do not want a spark around hydrogen since some of it is evaporating away all the time. It is just a few degrees above absolute zero so it will heat up enough to evaporate if you look at it, literally.
Bill D
I saved myself from mentioning the BRT emergency dump tank again.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

One way you could test for this being caused by static is to repeat the test without the vacuum being attached. Then if that doesn't repeat the symptoms, attach the vacuum without turning it on and repeat the test. If still no static, then repeat the test with the vacuum on and if the symptoms occur again, it's most probably caused by static electricity created by the air rushing through the hose.

Since I have a cochlear implant (CI), static electricity is a concern to me since it could damage my CI and I can become deaf again. Most people don't realize static electricity doesn't have to cause catastrophic damage, it can just be chronic damage that may or may not be accumulative which could eventually result in a casualty. Thus, I use a grounding wrist band and attach it to ground when ever sanding.

[David Buchhauser]

Pretty sure it is the shop vac. I have had mine do the same thing. Add a grounding wire or "grounding wrist band" as Ken has suggested to eliminate the problem.
David

[Lee Schierer]

Try spray the inside and outside of your vacuum hose and vacuum with some of this.
428917

[Bohdan Drozdowskyj]

The shock is caused by the buildup of static due to the fast flow of sawdust from your saw thru to the vac. To prevent the buildup Festool supply antistatic hoses with conductive connectors on both the hoses and the tool and their vac. Your vac must also be plugged into an earthed outlet.

It is unlikely that your vac has an antistatic inlet and your hose may not be antistatic also. If your hose is antistatic then running a wire from the hose vac fitting to earth (which could be the metal* part of your vac) will solve your problem. If the hose is not antistatic then the wire needs to go all the way to the saw dust outlet.

*If your vac is plastic then you need to run a wire to the nearest earth. (In OZ we call it "earth" but you may know it as "ground")

[jim sauterer]

I have gotten shocked using the shop vac on the concrete floor.older craftsman no ground don’t think that causes it.ken never heard of your situation before ground strap is good protection against static be safe.

[Larry Frank]

No shock with mine using Festool CT26 and hose.

[Rod Sheridan]

No shock with mine using Festool CT26 and hose.

No doubt, that’s because the Festool vac has a ground connection for the hose and an electrically conductive hose.

It’s designed to be a dust extractor......Rod.

[Michael Drew]

I think the motor is bad. Static is still a problem though, but the motor sounds like it has marbles rattling around in it, and it vibrates. RPM fluctuates as well. If I just hold the power button, not cutting anything I can hear this. I did not notice this before, as the sound of my vac was too loud to notice it. This little Ridid vac sound like a friggin jet, noisy as hell. I did make a couple cuts without the vac, and I did not notice any shocks, so that's another problem to solve. Might just pony up and buy the Festool vac, but jeezus they're stupidly expensive..... Figured I'd call the dealer where I bought it. Hopefully I can exchange it without too much issue. The state is in Corona-virus no-travel mandate, so this may not be a simple solution.

[glenn bradley]

I've never had that happen, but I used an anti-static hose.


Ding, ding, ding. I don't have an anti-static hose but, outdoors I am generally hanging on to the hose providing the path to ground. Inside I have the hose suspended and don't notice a lot of shock occurrences. Certainly not as bad as with any shop vac activity.

[Derek Arita]

I believe the computer varies power to the motor to maintain constant speed. Yes, it sounds like there's something rattling around inside of it. Also, the tracks should be staying in place by themselves, pretty much. Only very occasionally with slippery surfaces, do I need to use clamps to hold the rails. You might try holding down the rail with light pressure, either in front of or behind the saw as you make your cut. Also, try not to apply any lateral pressure on the saw handle as you make your cut. Oh and obviously, make sure the surface and nonstick strips on the under side of the rail, are free of sawdust. If your strips are old and hardened, you can replace them with new material from Festool.

[Bob Andre]

Hi Michael, For what it's worth I have a TS55 and TS75 with the Festool Ct26. I have never experienced a shock and rarely feel the need for clamps and then only on a small expensive piece. Great grip on 3/4 plywood with no clamps. Festool makes excellent clamps that fit it the track channels. Yes it's a slippery slope but the vacuum is quiet and powerful

[Michael Drew]

I believe the computer varies power to the motor to maintain constant speed. Yes, it sounds like there's something rattling around inside of it. Also, the tracks should be staying in place by themselves, pretty much. Only very occasionally with slippery surfaces, do I need to use clamps to hold the rails. You might try holding down the rail with light pressure, either in front of or behind the saw as you make your cut. Also, try not to apply any lateral pressure on the saw handle as you make your cut. Oh and obviously, make sure the surface and nonstick strips on the under side of the rail, are free of sawdust. If your strips are old and hardened, you can replace them with new material from Festool.

Are you saying that it is normal for a $700 saw to sound like something is coming apart, and the RPM will change when not cutting anything? I tried to make a few cuts without holding the track down, but did not feel all that confident. I have the 55" track and the stuff I was cutting was birch ply, maybe 30" in length. I plan to get a shorter track, and probably a longer one too. I got this thing for cross-cutting sheet goods without having to fight with them to/from, and on the table saw.

[David L Morse]

Before you give up on the vac I think there's one more thing you should try. Wrap the power cord around the hose in a loose spiral, not too many turns, just enough to keep it close to the hose. The wires in the cable have a DC path to ground and they will be charged with an opposite charge from what's on the inner surface of the hose. That should shield the track somewhat so it doesn't acquire as much induced charge and then shock you.

A similar technique is used with PVC pipe that's used for dust collection. A grounded wire is spiraled around the pipe and provides shielding.

Of course a grounded wire inside the hose will do the same thing but causes it's own problems by obstructing the dust path.

[Dick Mahany]

I have had the same experience. It is likely the lack of a conductive hose and vac. I have a Festool and a Ridgid Vac. I get shocked with the Ridgid, but not the Festool. It is likely your shop environment.

As far as the "marbles rolling around" that is perfectly normal on the TS55. The motor is constantly being adjusted for power from the active electronics. That sound will never seem right to me, but it is just how the tool works.

If you think the saw shocks are bad.......try a router, that will really get your attention.

[Derek Arita]

As far as the rattling sound goes, I'm no tech, but from what I understand, there's a control in the saw that varies the motor in order to maintain constant RPMs on the blade and that's what the rattling sound is. Go on the Festool Owners Group forum and someone there will be able to give you a much better explanation of why that's one of the reasons this is a $700 saw.
I think that most of us purchased our Festool track saw systems to break down sheet goods either instead of using a table saw or to make it easer when taking the parts to the table saw. It works beautifully for that and I couldn't do without it in my garage-shop.

[Michael Drew]

I'll try wrapping the cord around the hose. That's a really good idea. OK, so it should sound like it rattles.....that's just so weird. I love the thing for what it does though, and now that I have one, I am wondering why it took me this long.

[Bill Dufour]

The cord wrapped around the hose can be a separate grounded extension cord plugged into any ground outlet. It does not have to have anything plugged into the female end. It does not even have to have the other two conductors at all. A fine gauge speaker wire would flex easy and stay with the hose. There is almost no amps so the smallest wire that will not break is good enough. Can you electrically hook onto the spiral wire inside the hose or is it all plastic?
Bill D

[Doug Dawson]

Before you give up on the vac I think there's one more thing you should try. Wrap the power cord around the hose in a loose spiral, not too many turns, just enough to keep it close to the hose. The wires in the cable have a DC path to ground and they will be charged with an opposite charge from what's on the inner surface of the hose. That should shield the track somewhat so it doesn't acquire as much induced charge and then shock you.

A similar technique is used with PVC pipe that's used for dust collection. A grounded wire is spiraled around the pipe and provides shielding.

Of course a grounded wire inside the hose will do the same thing but causes it's own problems by obstructing the dust path.

A bare 14ga copper wire (solid not stranded, of course) inside the hose shouldn't be an obstruction, unless you're trying to suck up offcuts, maybe. They sell it by the foot at the big box stores. (Well, they used to, now you'd either go to an electrical supply house or strip it yourself, but that's not hard.) That said, I use the Festool hoses and have never had this problem. But that's the first thing I'd try if I did.