Festool TS 55 EQ Blade Alignment

[Robert Strasser]

I recently purchased my second Festool saw. I immediately noticed that it required a little more effort to push through a cut. It also made more noise and blew out more dust at the end of the cut. There was also a small "snipe" at the end of the cut. So I adjusted the blade alignment. This is a something you would also do if you wanted to match a saw to a guide rail that was used with another Festool saw. Anyway, the back edge of the blade was skewed slightly toward the guide rail which was causing my problems. You should adjust the back edge away from the guide rail by about 0.003 inches, or a papers width. It was like a completely different saw after adjustment. Quiet and smooth... and no snipe. You just have to know there is a problem. That is why I wanted to pass on my experience.

[Ben Grunow]

What are you measuring from to check the alignment (from the blade to what?)?

[Robert Strasser]

The following procedure for "Matching the TS 55 to an Existing Guide Rail" is from a draft English language manual:

1. Clamp your existing guide rail to a small scrap of wood (about 12 inches long) so it cannot move.
2. Using your existing saw, cut the Piece of wood. Do not move the guide rail after the cut is finished.
3. Place the NEW TS 55 saw on the guide rail.
4. Loosen the four hinge block mounting screws (2-front and 2-rear).
5. Plunge the blade to full depth and hold it there.
6. Slide the front of the sawblade up to the edge of the cut piece of wood.
7. Slide the back of the sawblade up to the edge of the cut piece of wood, except place a piece of paper between the blade and the wood. This paper serves as a shim to space the blade slightly away from the wood at the back of the cut. The saw's cutting is improved if the back of the blade is skewed slightly away from the guide rail.
8. Retighten the hinge block mounting screws.