TS-55 track saw - static shock?

[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.