Festool PN561438 Adjusting the Guide Rail Gib Cams, Trimming the Guide Rail Splinter Guard

Adjusting the Guide Rail Gib Cams

The guide rail gib cams tighten against the rib of the guide rail to remove any side-play from the saw during a cut. Thumbwheels on the top of the cams permit easy adjustment.

1.Place the saw on the guide rail.

2.Loosen both cams by rotating the thumbwheels counterclockwise.

3.Working with one cam at a time, jiggle the saw side-to-side while turning the cam clockwise until the saw fits snugly to the rail.

4.Repeat for the second cam.

5.Make sure the cams are not over tightened by sliding the saw down the guide rail. If the saw does not slide easily, loosen the cams.

Notes:

►The cams do not need to be very tight for normal operations. A tiny amount of side-play will not impact the quality of a cut.

►The cam action of the gibs allows for a large force to be applied to the gibs from a small amount of turning of the thumbwheel.

►Over tightening the cams or operating the saw in abrasive environments can cause premature wear. Periodically inspect the cams for flat spots, and replace if necessary.

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.

If you have more than one saw that uses the same guide rail system, you want all of the tools to have the same cutting path. Before cutting the splinter guard, use the "Matching the TS 55 to an Existing Guide Rail" procedure described on page 12 to match one tool to another.

1.Set the blade depth very shallow (6 to 7 mm) so that the blade teeth penetrate the strip by about half a tooth, as shown.

2.Set the motor speed to its lowest setting (setting 1).

3.Place the guide rail on a stable surface with the strip hanging over the edge so you don’t cut the table.

4.If necessary, adjust the guide rail gib cams as described on page 8.

5.Cut the strip in a single, smooth, low-speed rip from one end of the guide rail to the other.

8 TS 55 EQ Circular Saw