Festool ts55 advice

[kingkiki]

Hi,

not sure if this is a silly question, i have the option of buying the ts55 in 110v but I want 240v, could I buy the 110v ts55 and just buy the 240v lead? Or is there something different with the machines?

Thanks in advance

Adam

 

[HappyHacker]

The 110 V needs a transformer and is usually used for site work. The yellow transformers are often available second hand, there is not much to go wrong if they have not been abused.

 

[Bojam]

Hi,

not sure if this is a silly question, i have the option of buying the ts55 in 110v but I want 240v, could I buy the 110v ts55 and just buy the 240v lead? Or is there something different with the machines?

Thanks in advance

Adam

Probably not worth the faff when you'll need to use it with a transformer.

Out of interest, is the option to buy it second-hand or in a sale for a bargain price?

If not, I'm personally not convinced that the premium you pay for a new TS55 is warranted over some of the "mid priced" competition. I know some people swear by Festool, but I use the Bosch GKT55 and have no complaints at all. It doesn't have a riving knife (which the TS55 does) but I use it to cut tropical hardwoods all the time and have never found this to be a problem. It's 1400W motor gives ample power, it is accurate and with decent (Freud) blades installed gives a very clean cut. The Bosch tracks are well made and easy to lock together when required.

Can't speak for the Makita plunge saw but it also seems to review well.

Just my 2p worth.

 

[Orraloon]

Check out the cost and availability of a transformer add that to cost of the saw and see if it still looks to be a bargain. I would not bother with 110v stuff myself but some do if the price is right. A dont know if it happens in the UK but here in Australia amazon try and push 110v tools whenever you search for something so I wonder how many people buy without checking.
Regards
John

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Hi,
not sure if this is a silly question, i have the option of buying the ts55 in 110v but I want 240v, could I buy the 110v ts55 and just buy the 240v lead? Or is there something different with the machines?

Of course the machines are different electrically and with the electronic components. The physical components are mostly the same.
If you want to see the magic smoke escape and have a rather expensive door stop then plugging a 110v machine into a 240v supply is the way to do that, the experience can be rather costly and exciting.

I have firsthand experience from my time in Taiwan where both voltages are available in wall power sockets.

So silly question? No. But thinking that just the power cable is the difference shows a lack of electrical knowledge.

 

[DBT85]

Out of interest, is the option to buy it second-hand or in a sale for a bargain price?

Likely just the 110v new because the 240v ones are short supply and 110v are not and that short supply has driven prices up. Right now the best I can find is about £120 over the £400 I paid for a TS55 with 1400 rail maybe not quite 18 months ago.

One reason to drop the extra for the Festool is the 3 year full warranty (includes wear items like bearings etc) and an element of theft cover baked in. If it goes walkabout inside the 3 years you give them the crime number and £110 (I think plus VAT) and they send you a brand new tool, bearing in mind you'd also likely be claiming on whatever your insurance is. That's versus a 1 year on I think all of the competition apart from I think Triton who also offer a 3 year guarantee.

My other thought is that I would expect to replace a blade for a better one on a cheap saw like the Titan I bought from screwfix, but not on something as high up the range as the Bosch, Makita, Festool etc.

But you'll get good repeatable cuts on all of them, as I did on my Titan.

 

[kingkiki]

Thank you very much for the answers guys very much appreciated … I will forget the 110v version and wait for a 240v then.

I have considered the mafell as most reviews and yt videos seems to claim it’s the best.. I think from a lot of my research the way forward which ever saw I go for is to invest in the 2.5 or 3m rail for that saw rather than relying on the jointing strips. Does anyone have issues with jointing 2 tracks?
Thanks

 

[Adam W.]

I join two festool tracks without any issues. The system has been well designed and manufactured and I've been using the same Festool tracks and saw for nearly 17 years.

 

[DBT85]

I opted to get a 3m rail rather than an extra 1400 rail and joining it to the one I had or buying 2 rails to join together. Plenty do exactly as Adam does and just join 2 with no issues.

 

[Blackswanwood]

There have been heated arguments on here before about Festool or Mafell!

I got to try both before buying (loaned by a joinery firm I'm friendly with) and went with the Mafell. Comparing results quickly got into the realm of a score draw but the Mafell seemed to have more oomph plus the track joining was easier and felt better.

So as not to often any Festool fans ... I'm not saying the Festool machine is inferior or that the track joining is any less effective ... but my personal preference was Mafell and I have no reason to regret the decision I made.

The reality is probably that you will not be disappointed with either.

 

[Ollie78]

Just get a battery one, then it doesn't matter about the voltage, if necessary you can have 2 chargers.
Personally I suggest the hkc 55 as you can use it as a regular circular saw as well and do cross cutting. I hardly get my ts55 out much now unless doing a load of panelling at once.


Ollie

 

[kingkiki]

Thanks guys very informative, appreciate it.

 

[kingkiki]

Sorry to keep asking questions, does anyone have any experience with the dewalt 240v tracksaw? As I’m looking and can get that with a 1.5m track and buy the seperate 3m track for less than the festool or mafell. I don’t mind spending on the festool or mafell if they are way better machines, I have a lot of dewalt stuff and always been impressed just some of the reviews don’t rave about the track saw. Thanks

 

[Doug71]

I have a 3m rail, it is handy because it saves having to keep joining and splitting the tracks.

As Ollie suggested I would be looking at battery power these days.

 

[Ollie78]

I suspect its fine, the problem with reviews is if you are comparing everything to a Maffel then everything else will be rated lower. I suspect any tracksaw from a known brand will be very good these days.
Note that the tracks are sometimes compatible like festool and makita are the same pattern. The bosch is the same as the maffel I think.
Whatever saw you get make sure to get good blades it makes a huge difference, and you will want a low tooth count blade for ripping hardwoods if you do that.

Ollie

 

[sometimewoodworker]

I have a 3m rail, it is handy because it saves having to keep joining and splitting the tracks.

the long rail is only of value if you have a place to keep it (it’s also very expensive)

I have considered the mafell as most reviews and yt videos seems to claim it’s the best.. I think from a lot of my research the way forward which ever saw I go for is to invest in the 2.5 or 3m rail for that saw rather than relying on the jointing strips. Does anyone have issues with jointing 2 tracks?

the 2.5 metre total length is too short for a full sheet.
I have 2 x 800, 1 x 1010 with holes and 1 x1400, those along with the Betterlly jig give me any length I need, for a full sheet rip I will join 3 rails, they are always perfectly aligned.

Just get a battery one, then it doesn't matter about the voltage, if necessary you can have 2 chargers.

I completely disagree with a battery one as for sure I would have had to buy several batteries in the 14 years I’ve had my TS55. IMHO They are only of real value if you are not the one paying for the batteries.

Sorry to keep asking questions, does anyone have any experience with the dewalt 240v tracksaw? As I’m looking and can get that with a 1.5m track and buy the seperate 3m track for less than the festool or mafell. I don’t mind spending on the festool or mafell if they are way better machines, I have a lot of dewalt stuff and always been impressed just some of the reviews don’t rave about the track saw.

There is a reason that it is not as expensive as the Festool or Mafell and that is that it isn’t in the same class as those 2.
If you can afford the Festool or Mafell you will not regret the purchase in 10 years time, I certainly haven’t. Is the same true for the Dewalt? I am not so confident that the same will be the case.
I have Festool tools as Mafell doesn’t have the same range and nothing as good as the Domino.

 

[kingkiki]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to go with the festool or mafell. Just need to find the best deal. Thanks

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to go with the festool or mafell. Just need to find the best deal. Thanks

If you decide on the Festool my strong recommendation is to swap whichever rails are offered for the holly rail version. This is because the cost difference is minimal, and the holly rails function exactly the same with the saw, but if you ever want to drill cabinets for shelf pins or euro hinges the LR32 system is the bees knees. When I got my rails the FS1400/2-LR32 was not made so I got the standard FS1400/2

 

[TRITON]

The only real difference between 240 and 110 is you can happily use 110 in the garden on a damp day and not risk being electrocuted.

 

[Doug B]

I’d ask where you intend using the tracksaw @kingkiki i have the 240v Festool ts55 in the workshop & it’s great when the power cable is suspended from the ceiling & not left to trail & snag on the track & anything else it can.
On site I have the cordless Mafell mt55 which makes life so much easier & the dust bag catches an amazing amount so much so it’s very rare I hook it up to the dust extractor.
The Bosch/Mafell track joining plate is far superior to the old Festool joiners so much so Festool have just released new track joiners, I’ve had a look at them but not tried them yet but they do look much better than the old ones.