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Festool TS55 Saw Review (& TS75)
Read on for our Festool TS55 saw review (plus Festool TS75 saw). These two power saws in the range of Festool saws are put through their paces by Andy and Kevin to see how they perform. See Our Other Festool Power Tool Reviews
Festool TS55 Saw Review (plus TS75 Saw Review)
The first thing we realise during this Festool TS55 saw review (also applies to the TS75) is that these track / plunge saws are amazingly versatile and on many occasions can do away with the need for a small table saw. You take the saw to the wood, not the wood to the saw. One of the many advantages they have over saw tables is the ability to easily cut tapered panels.
If you're cutting an infill panel for a kitchen unit or built in wardrobe that is not square, and for example let's say it measures 200mm wide at the top and tapers out to 208mm at the bottom. The Festool track saws cut exactly where you lay the track / guide rail. So all you need do is mark your 200mm and 208mm top and bottom, lay the track down between your marks and away you go, perfect fit.
With the blade cutting on the up stroke, and the track having a rubber anti splinter guard, with well maintained blades chip free edges are easily achieved top and bottom of the work piece.
It is also worth mentioning that compound cuts (blade angled up to 45 degrees) are also easily achieved to the same quality. These machines have no blade guard, the blade is tucked away inside the body of the saw and only protrudes when plunged down.
They do however have a riving knife. A neat little design that allows the riving knife to do it's job, but is also telescopic so it simply retracts away when the saw is plunged.
The depth of cut can be adjusted up to 55mm on the TS55 and 75mm on the TS75. Though both machines can take a standard side fence (optional extra) they are best used in conjunction with the Festool tracks, sizes available from 800mm up to 5000mm or tracks can be joined together using Festools joining bars.
A system that some have criticized as they say you cannot get a smooth transition from one track to another and that a 'kink' is noticeable in the cut. We dispute this, all you need do is take a bit of extra care when joining the tracks and make sure they line up well. For the sake of spending a few extra seconds joining them together properly you need never have a problem.
The model numbers can be quite baffling to the uninitiated. The Festool price list shows five different models for the TS55. The most popular being the TS55 EBQ-Plus-FS GB. Below is a quick reference as to the meaning of the codes that appear with the majority of Festool machine model numbers.
TS = Plunge Saw not Track Saw as you would naturally assume, the phrase gets somewhat lost in translation from German to English.
55 = Depth of cut.
E = Electronics (allows variable speed, soft start and protects against over heating, the soft start is actually a feature designed in to protect the machines bearings, not the user)
EB = Electronics with brake (the brake quickly stops the blade rotating when the saw is switched off, a safety feature which also enables you to put the saw down quicker and safer)
Q = Plug-it lead system (detachable mains cable and plug for ease of storage)
Plus = Comes in a Systainer carrying case.
FS = Comes with a guide track.
GB = Uk spec machine fitted with 240 volt plug
Fastfix = Saw blade changing system.
So the popular TS55 EBQ-Plus-FS GB is a 55mm depth of cut plunge saw with electronics, brake, plug-it lead in a systainer carry case with a guide track Uk specification. It also has 'Fastfix' but maybe they decided the model number was too long already!
If you're a kitchen or bedroom fitter or have a need to cut sheet material accurately and cleanly then the Festool TS55 or 75 range is a must have. Not only for their versatility, but also their build quality. They are designed to do a job, and do it as efficiently as possible.
They are not the cheapest power tools on the market; far from it some might say. But the old adage applies 'you get what you pay for'. Festool tools are not designed with a price conscious attitude; they are designed to be the best. Any designer will tell you that you cannot produce the best product with one eye on the cost sheets. They feel and look just like they are, well built.
The aluminum castings are nicely finished and the attention to detail is obvious. In a market that is dominated by massed produced cheap power tools it is nice to see a company that has not gone down that road and is selling quality. So are they expensive 'NO' not for what you get.
We hope you have found our Festool TS55 saw review of use. Please let us know if you have any comments by contacting us.
Andy Chapman
See Our Other Festool Power Tool Reviews.
