On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:38:20 -0500, Swingman wrote:

On 10/21/2010 1:17 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:59:27 -0500, wrote:

The Makita needs it because it is prone to kickbacks as it does not have
a riving knife; and I think the Makita might also cut a bit past 45
degrees (48?), which, both of these issues combined, would make it a
necessity, IMO.

Why on Earth would a circular saw on a RAIL need a riving knife for
kickback protection? Especially when it's primarily used on panel
products which, by nature, don't get the urge to close up like
improperly dried hardwood lumber might.

In my estimation, and use of the saw, and because it's a PLUNGE saw, the
Festool riving knife mitigates the tendency of the saw to kickback
toward the operator upon a plunge cut away from the edges of a panel (a
cut I use quite often now that I have the ability to do it easily).

Do you seriously feel that it does any good whatsoever, Swingy? I
can't see how it could. Panel products don't have the internal
stresses that badly dried woods do.


It is upon the use of this very cut that the Makita's tendency to
kickback is most notable according to its owners.

Well, yeah, that type of cut would give you the most feedback. But
I've never had much (unless I slip) feedback with my old circ saw
doing plunge cuts, rotating the saw off its butt into the panel.
And that with HF blades! The shame...

Speaking of blades, have you Festering owners tried the Oslun brand of
blades? http://fwd4.me/iqB $20.



But if you're hanging the motor off the edge of the rail,
I'd think you'd want both clamps for the rail and a catch on the saw
to keep it more steady.shrug

You would think .. but in actual practice, that thinking goes out the
window and is inoperative.

OK. I guess the balance is better than I thought.


A bit of practical, hands on experience with the Festool TS55 and TS75
would do wonders to remove those erroneous preconceptions.

I got to handle them at the local home center's toolmonger day, but
they didn't have any plugins, so I couldn't hear the DC or cut with
the TS55.


I have to admit that, as a new user, I was very reluctant to forego
clamping the rail down prior to making the first few cuts.

After gaining some experience you learn to trust the system for what it
was designed to do, and you find that you very rarely need to clamp the
guide rails to the workpiece, even on beveled cuts.

Doesn't sawdust mess with the sticky strips on the guide?


It's a new way of working ... and thinking.

So it would seem.

--
Know how to listen, and you will
profit even from those who talk badly.
-- Plutarch