I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with two
55" guides. Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is way
more than I want. But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

Max

On 04/01/2010 01:39 PM, Max wrote:
I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with two
55" guides. Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is way
more than I want. But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

What's keeping you from buying it with the 55" guide and then getting a
second 55" rail and rail connector separately?

McFeeley's has an interesting note about the TS75. Apparently they
recommend the 118" guide rail for ripping sheet goods because two 55"
rails connected together mean that you need to plunge into the workpiece
rather than being able to start off the end.

I suspect the same would hold true for using the 55" for crosscutting a
48" panel...which is probably why they want to sell you the 75" rail.

Chris

"Chris Friesen" wrote in message
el...
On 04/01/2010 01:39 PM, Max wrote:
I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with
two
55" guides. Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is way
more than I want. But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

What's keeping you from buying it with the 55" guide and then getting a
second 55" rail and rail connector separately?

McFeeley's has an interesting note about the TS75. Apparently they
recommend the 118" guide rail for ripping sheet goods because two 55"
rails connected together mean that you need to plunge into the workpiece
rather than being able to start off the end.

Lets see here, 2, 55" rails = 110". Sheeeto of plywood 96"- 110" =14".. I
dont think you will have to plunge cut using 2 55" rails. Cutting from
corner to corner to corner you need 107", maybe a little plunging needed but
then the saw was made to plunge..





I suspect the same would hold true for using the 55" for crosscutting a
48" panel...which is probably why they want to sell you the 75" rail.

Good point considering your comment above but I would assume the 55" which
comes with the smaller TS 55 saw may not need to be as long to not require
plunging.

On Apr 1, 3:39*pm, "Max" wrote:
I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with two
55" guides. *Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is way
more than I want. *But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

Max

Hey Max,
At about the time I bought my 75, Festool allowed their dealers the
option of upgrading the supplied rail with a longer rail ( and the
customer paying the difference). I declined because I would use the
rail from my MFT witht the supplied rail to cut 8 foot sheets but I do
agree with Chris' comments from Mcfeely's; it is a lot easier to
plunge prior to the cut than into the board itself.
I don't know if that offer is current but I would check with Festool
themselves. It seems that if they have a special their dealers would
abide by that even if they are unaware (as my delear was) when it was
running.
One other thing; Are all Festool dealers offering 10% off saws and
blades or just Woodcraft?


Marc

On 4/1/2010 2:39 PM, Max wrote:
I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with
two 55" guides. Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is
way more than I want. But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

If you are going to use the tool with sheetgood's in mind, the 75" and
55" are an ideal combination, for the reason in Chris' post.

Plus it keeps you from needing to install a rear stop on the guide rail
when making the initial plunge ... a step not needed if the plunge is
made before the blade engages the stock.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
On 4/1/2010 2:39 PM, Max wrote:
I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with
two 55" guides. Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is
way more than I want. But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

If you are going to use the tool with sheetgood's in mind, the 75" and 55"
are an ideal combination, for the reason in Chris' post.

Plus it keeps you from needing to install a rear stop on the guide rail
when making the initial plunge ... a step not needed if the plunge is made
before the blade engages the stock.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)



So, if I understand you correctly, for the system to work properly, I need a
guide that will give me more length than 110" to properly use it to cut a
96" long panel.

Max

On 4/1/2010 5:28 PM, Max wrote:
"Swingman" wrote in message


If you are going to use the tool with sheetgood's in mind, the 75" and
55" are an ideal combination, for the reason in Chris' post.

Plus it keeps you from needing to install a rear stop on the guide
rail when making the initial plunge ... a step not needed if the
plunge is made before the blade engages the stock.


So, if I understand you correctly, for the system to work properly, I
need a guide that will give me more length than 110" to properly use it
to cut a 96" long panel.

Not what I said ... if your depth of cut is such that a 9" overhang is
sufficient to fully plunge before pushing the blade into the stock,
fine. If not, you will want to put a "stop" on the guide rail, a ten
second operation.

These are PLUNGE saws ... you are plunging a spinning blade into a
stationary object ... common sense dictates that you do that in a
reasonable and safe manner by using a "stop" on the guide rail to keep
the saw from kicking back toward you.

Once again whatever kind of deal you make, you want to end up with a
minimum of one 75", and one 55".

Go ahead, ignore this advice, but trust me, if you don't do it upfront,
and you are going to use the tool for what it excels at, cutting sheet
goods, you eventually will.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Swingman" wrote in message
...

If you are going to use the tool with sheetgood's in mind, the 75" and
55" are an ideal combination, for the reason in Chris' post.

Plus it keeps you from needing to install a rear stop on the guide
rail when making the initial plunge ... a step not needed if the
plunge is made before the blade engages the stock.

Go ahead, ignore this advice, but trust me, if you don't do it upfront,
and you are going to use the tool for what it excels at, cutting sheet
goods, you eventually will.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)


I'm not about to ignore your advice as an experienced user but I think I may
be missing something.
Let me describe my present operation.
I have a guide that's 108" long. I use a left blade saw. The shoe/foot of
the saw goes against the guide and on *top* of a 1/2" piece of BB Ply. (The
portion of the shoe that runs *on* the plywood is 4-9/16" wide)
Here's the set-up:
http://picasaweb.google.com/contrari...24085940802930
I place the saw on the guide with the blade about 1" from the piece I'm
about to cut, "pull the trigger" and proceed thru the sheet of plywood and
have about 6 inches or so of guide left at the end. The blade doesn't
completely clear the end of the plywood but I "rock" the saw against the
heel of the shoe and clear the cut, wait for the blade to stop spinning and
I've completed my cut. What I'm not clear about is why I need 130" of
guide. Having said that, I'll go with your advice and get the TS75 with the
75" guide and also order a 55" with connectors.

Max (in appreciation for your patience) {:-)

On 4/1/2010 7:05 PM, Max wrote:

Plus it keeps you from needing to install a rear stop on the guide
rail when making the initial plunge ... a step not needed if the
plunge is made before the blade engages the stock.

Max (in appreciation for your patience) {:-)

Well, I think this has somehow gotten blown out of proportion with
regard to the real world.

If you put a stop on one end of the guide rail and just leave it there,
it becomes a moot point and you can indeed use two 55" guide rails to
cut a full sheet easily.

My personal preference is to not keep a stop on all the time and the
only way to get away with that, with full regard for safety, is to let a
bit of the guide rail hang over the workpiece and plunge the saw before
moving it forward.

In practice I don't think you will have a problem doing it either way.

It is really not a problem to leave the stop on.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:02:11 -0500, the infamous Swingman
scrawled the following:

On 4/1/2010 5:28 PM, Max wrote:
"Swingman" wrote in message


If you are going to use the tool with sheetgood's in mind, the 75" and
55" are an ideal combination, for the reason in Chris' post.

Plus it keeps you from needing to install a rear stop on the guide
rail when making the initial plunge ... a step not needed if the
plunge is made before the blade engages the stock.


So, if I understand you correctly, for the system to work properly, I
need a guide that will give me more length than 110" to properly use it
to cut a 96" long panel.

Not what I said ... if your depth of cut is such that a 9" overhang is
sufficient to fully plunge before pushing the blade into the stock,
fine. If not, you will want to put a "stop" on the guide rail, a ten
second operation.

These are PLUNGE saws ... you are plunging a spinning blade into a
stationary object ... common sense dictates that you do that in a
reasonable and safe manner by using a "stop" on the guide rail to keep
the saw from kicking back toward you.

Once again whatever kind of deal you make, you want to end up with a
minimum of one 75", and one 55".

Go ahead, ignore this advice, but trust me, if you don't do it upfront,
and you are going to use the tool for what it excels at, cutting sheet
goods, you eventually will.

Have you tried it at trimming tubasix (or composite) deck ends
straight?

--
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change.
-- Charles Darwin

On 4/1/2010 11:37 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:

Have you tried it at trimming tubasix (or composite) deck ends
straight?

Not personally ... but in a video there is a shot of a Festool plunge
saw being used to trim composite decking ... it looked like "ChoiceDek",
but could have been Trex.

That would be a function of the blade, and Festool has appears to have
blades for most any material, from wood to metal.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Max" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with
two 55" guides. Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is way
more than I want. But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

Max


Look at it this way. With the 75" guide it will only over hang 13.5" on
both sides if making a 90 degree cut. if you make an angle cut you will
need more guide on the table. It would not concern me in the slightest. I
would rather be a little long than short.

On Apr 2, 10:51*am, "Leon" wrote:
"Max" wrote in message

...

I'm trying to buy a Festool TS75 *without* the 75 inch guide *but* with
two 55" guides. *Seems they don't sell it thataway.
If I use the 75" plus a 55" connected I get a 130 inch guide which is way
more than I want. *But I want the 55" for cross cutting a 4X8 panel.

What kinda deal is that!!!

Max

Look at it this way. *With the 75" guide it will only over hang 13.5" on
both sides if making a 90 degree cut. *if you make an angle cut you will
need more guide on the table. *It would not concern me in the slightest.. *I
would rather be a little long than short.

I can't imagine a 75" guide being any more difficult (knocking over
beer) to handle than a 55". So for me, a long one ( 105?) and a 75
would be perfect.