TS 55 REQ Guided Circular Saw Guided Circular Saw Supplemental User’s Manual WARNING To reduce the risk of serious injury, read and understand all safety precautions and instructions in this manual before using this tool.
Limited Warranty1 The obligations of Festool in its sole discretion under this warranty shall be limited to repair or replacement or a refund Buy with confidence. If you are not completely satisfied, return of the purchase price for any Festool portable power tool that your tool2 to the selling dealer within 30 days and you will is found to have a defect in materials or workmanship during receive a refund of either your purchase price or the lowest the warranty period.
Contents About This Manual............................................ 3 Tool Symbols.................................................... 3 General Power Tool Safety Warnings............... 4 Work Area Safety........................................... 4 Electrical Safety............................................. 4 Personal Safety.............................................. 4 Power Tool Use and Care................................. 4 Service.........................................................
General Power Tool Safety Warnings WARNING! Read all safety warnings and instructions. Failure to follow the warnings and instructions may result in electric shock, fire, and/or serious injury. Save all warnings and instructions for future reference. Work Area Safety ►► Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or dark work areas invite accidents. ►► Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, such as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases, or dust.
conditions and the work to be performed. Use of the power tool for operations different from those intended could result in a hazardous situation. ►► To reduce the risk of serious injury, never alter or misuse the power tool. Service ►► Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair person using only identical replacement parts. This will ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained. Specific Safety Rules for Circular Saws ►► Keep hands away from the blade and cutting area.
Functional Description F G E R I J K L D G F C H B S A I D L O P Q Item A B C D E F G H I J 6 Name or Description Viewing Window Arbor Bolt Spring Loaded Riving Knife Miter Release Button Dust Collection Port Plunge/Trigger Release FastFix Arbor/Plunge Lock Trigger (On/Off Switch) Auxiliary Handle Blade Wrench Storage Ref.
Intended Use The TS 55 REQ, hand-operated circular saw, is designed exclusively for sawing of wood, wood-like materials, and plastics. The saw may also be used for cutting aluminum when a Festool aluminum-cutting sawblade is installed. The tool should not be altered or used for any other purpose, other than as specified in these operating instructions. Using the tool in contravention to this manual will void your warranty and may lead to injury.
Trimming the Guide Rail Splinter Guard The leading edge of the guide rail has a replaceable, rubber, zero-clearance strip. The first time the saw is used with the guide rail, this strip is trimmed to match the sawblade. When trimmed to size, this strip reduces chipping and tearout during normal cutting. Important: If you have more than one saw that uses the same guide rail system, you want all of the saws to have the same cutting path.
Changing the Sawblade The TS55 saw features the FastFix system for easier blade changing. The FastFix system is engaged by raising the FastFix lever and plunging the saw down. The system includes the following features: ►► For Plunge Release FastFix Lever safety, the power switch is locked out. ►► The plunge depth is locked in the position shown to the right with the arbor bolt accessible through an opening in the blade cover. ►► The arbor is locked from turning.
Sawblade Selection Festool sawblades are designed for optimal performance in a variety of applications. Choosing the correct sawblade is important for obtaining the best cuts and optimal blade life. There are several factors that determine which blades are best suited for the operation. Tooth Shape The trapezoidal shape of the TC blade tooth maintains its sharpness by not having points that could quickly dull.
Guide Rails Guide rails come in a variety of lengths, ranging from 32 inches to 197 inches (800mm to 5000mm). It is always best to use the correct length rail for the cut, but sometimes it is necessary to join two smaller rails together to make a longer rail. Guide rail connecting bars are available for joining two or more guide rails together. ►► Shorter guide rails are easier to work with for shorter cuts.
Operation Setting the Blade Depth The TS55 is equipped with a depth stop for setting the depth of the blade during a plunge cut. Using the correct blade depth improves cutting safety, cut quality, and motor efficiency. Multi-Function Tables When the saw is used in conjunction with a Multi-Function Table (MFT), the blade depth is typically limited to be 2mm deeper than the thickness of the workpiece. This limits the amount that the blade cuts into the table.
Setting the Bevel Angle The standard bevel range of the TS 55 REQ is between 0˚ and 45˚. However, an extended range is also available from -1˚ to 47˚. The extended range is available by pulling out on the limit release knob. 1. Loosen the front and rear bevel thumbscrews. 2. Tilt the saw until the index pointer is aligned with the desired angle. To go above or below the normal limit stops, pull out slightly on the limit release knob. 3. Retighten both bevel thumbscrews.
Using the Limit Stop The limit stop serves two purposes: it controls the saw’s starting position and prevents a kickback during a plunge cut. The leading edge of the limit stop prevents the saw from lifting up at the beginning of a plunge cut. This is what prevents kickback during a plunging operation. Refer to “Plunge Cutting” on page 18 for more information. Clamping Thumbscrew Limit Stop 1.
Connecting the Plug-it Cord The TS55 saw comes equipped with a removable Plug-It power cord. To install the power cord, insert the cord into the inlet on the tool with the key and keyway aligned, and twist the locking ring. Reverse the procedure to remove the cord. NOTICE: Make sure to fully tighten the plug-it cord a full quarter-turn until it clicks. If the plug is not fully locked, the socket and cord can overheat and be damaged.
Applications The TS55 is capable of performing a wide variety of tasks. ties of the saw, but should not be considered as a compreThe following sections provide information on some of these hensive list of its capabilities. tasks. This is intended to be an introduction to the capabili- Straight-Lining Rough Lumber Purchasing lumber directly from a saw mill is significantly less expensive than buying from a home center.
Crosscutting and Trimming No other saw on the market can outperform a Festool for splinter-free, fine crosscutting. With other saws, the problem is two-fold; getting a straight cut, and achieving a splinter-free cut. The TS55 handles these problems effortlessly. Tips for Successful Crosscutting ►► Use ►► For small offcuts, overhang the workpiece from a work table or saw horses (as shown below). For larger offcuts, support both the primary piece and the offcut. ►► If the correct blade for the cut.
Plunge Cutting CAUTION! Never make a plunge cut without a limit stop. The back of the sawblade will lift the saw off the guide rail, and will result in a kickback situation. Plunge cutting is used when the cut does not start at the edge of the workpiece. Instead, it starts in the middle of the workpiece, and may continue to the end, or may stop short of the end. There is a wide variety of applications for plunge cuts.
Cutting Non-Wood Materials Soft Plastics Soft plastics such as polypropylene won’t chip, but they will melt. Therefore, a more aggressive cut with the blade set deeper and the motor speed set low will reduce the melting. ►► Too shallow of a blade depth and the plastic will be more prone to melting. ►► Too deep of a blade depth and the teeth marks from the blade will be more prevalent. ►► Any of the fine-tooth blades with a slow motor speed will cut this material with good results.
Maintenance WARNING! Any maintenance or repair work that requires opening of the motor or gear housing should be carried out only by an authorized Customer Service Center (see your dealer for information on locating a service center). NOTICE: Do not use compressed air to clean the motor housing of the tool, as you could inject foreign objects into the motor through the ventilation openings. NOTICE: Certain cleaning agents and solvents are harmful to plastic parts.
Replacing the Guide Rail Splinter Guard The splinter guard prevents splintering and chipping of the workpiece by holding the top edge of the workpiece down as the teeth of the sawblade move upward against it. The splinter guard needs to be replaced if it becomes damaged or worn. 1. Peel the original splinter guard away from the guide rail. the guide rail. 6. Trim the splinter guard as described on page 8. Splinter Guard Friction Strips 2.
Adjustments Matching Multiple Saws to Shared Guide Rails If you own multiple saws that share common guide rails, you will want all of your saws calibrated to the same blade position. This will prevent one saw from cutting more guide rail splinter guard than another saw. 7. Note: The TS 55 REQ FastFix has a second stop position which is near full depth. To activate it, plunge the blade to full depth, then open the FastFix lever, and release the plunge until it clicks in place. 8.
Installing the Imperial Depth Gauge The TS 55 REQ comes with an optional imperial depth gauge 5. Taking care not to kink the sticker, tuck the bottom under sticker to replace the standard metric depth gauge. the depth gauge pointer. 1. Set the depth gauge pointer to its maximum setting. 2. Using a sharp pencil, carefully mark the zero-depth position of the depth gauge on the blade housing. 6.
Troubleshooting Symptom Possible Causes Motor does not start ►► Check that the cord is properly plugged into an outlet. ►► Make sure the Plug-it connector is properly inserted and fully tightened. ►► Make sure the outlet has power. Check the circuit breaker or try another outlet. ►► If used with a Festool dust extractor, make sure the selector switch is pointing to “Auto”. The auxiliary outlet on the dust extractor has power only when the selector is at Auto.
Supplemental Owner’s Manual 25
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