Festool TS 55 EQ User Manual

The TS 55 is equipped with a depth stop for setting the 

depth of the blade during a plunge cut. Using the correct 

blade depth improves cutting safety, cut quality, and motor 

efficiency. 

Instruction Manual 

13 

► 

Higher drag on the sawblade, requiring more power and 

effort to complete the cut. 

► 

Increased chance for kickback. 

► 

Increased chipping and splintering on the underside of the 

cut, especially with melamine and veneers. 

► 

Increased burning of the cut, especially in certain 

hardwoods like cherry and maple. 

► 

With the exception of underside chipping, all of these 

effects are greatest with finer-toothed blades. 

► 

Increased danger with more of the blade exposed below 

the workpiece. 

► 

Increased sawtooth marks in the cut. 

► 

Increased top-side chipping and splintering, especially 

without using the guide rail and splinter guards. 

Blade Depth Recommendations 
There are no set rules for 

setting the depth of the 

blade with respect to the 

underside of the cut. 

However, a common 

industry guideline is to 

have the gullets of the b

workpiece. This will therefore be used as a baseline to 

describe optional depth settings. 

► 

If a material is prone to burning in the cut, increase the 

depth slightly. This includes ripping hardwoods such as 

cherry and maple. 

► 

Using a combination blade in solid wood may perform 

better with a slightly deeper setting. 

► 

Using a coarse blade in sheet materials may be improved 

with a shallower cut. 

► 

Cutting dense and/or hard materials may require a deeper 

setting to decrease heat and load on the tool. 

► 

Cutting fragile or shatter-prone materials such as plastics 

or countertop laminates is best with a shallow setting (and 

low speed). 

► 

Cutting aluminum may be improved with a semi-shallow 

setting, but not too shallow. 

► 

When Used with the Multi-Function Table (MFT) you may 

wish to keep the blade 

depth shallower. 

► 

Cutting non-fragile, non-

shattering plastics such as 

polypropylene or solid-

surface countertops may 

be improved with a deeper 

cut.  

► 

More aggressive blades, 

such as the Panther 

ripping blade, can be used 

at a shallower setting. 

► 

Press in on the index 

pointer and slide it up or 

down to the desired 

setting. 

lade even with the underside of the 

► 

When used with the guide r

depth to account for the guide rail thickness. 

ail, add 5 mm to the desired 

The TS 55 has electronic speed control with soft-start 

otor 

al 

e 

circuitry. The electronic controller will maintain the m

speed even as the load changes. The speed control is 

infinitely variable from  2000 to 5200 RPM. The optim

speed of the saw is predominately determined by the typ

of material being cut. 

Soft wood products and veneer plywoods 

6 

Hardwood products 

3-6 

Plastic laminate countertops 

6 

Hard plastics 

3-5 

Soft plastics 

1-4 

Masonry and cementitious hardboard 

1-3 

Aluminum 4-6 

shown in the table to the left. 

When you first turn on the saw and there is no load on the 

he 

 motor controls the motor speed 

 

 

sawblade, you may notice a slight “growling” sound from t

saw. This is normal, and is a result of the motor’s gears 

reacting to the speed control. 
The electronic controller in the

by turning it On and Off very rapidly. This form of speed 

control is called "Pulse-Width Modulation" (PWM), and is 

common in most power tools with a variable speed control.

When there is no load on the sawblade, the pulsations of the 

motor cause the gears to rapidly engage and disengage (called

backlash), and this is the sound you are hearing.