Help diagnose tracksaw problem

[jack620]

Derek,
those Festool blades are very solid. I just can’t imagine bending one. Can you plunge the blade and measure the runout of the blade? You would normally use a dial indicator. But if the blade is bent enough to produce a 5mm wide kerf, you will easily measure the runout with a ruler.

[derekcohen]

SOLVED!!!

I was convinced by now it was the blade. Taking a closer look at the teeth ... can you spot it?



In case you are blind as a bat ....



I tapped the blade back into position - I probably should be looking at a new blade, but thought that this would be the best way to check that this was the culprit. So ...

Fresh cut off, and look at the MDF kerf ...





Regards from Perh

Derek

[aldav]

Am I right in thinking that that is the result of a single pass of the saw? If so there is definitely a tooth or teeth that are significantly out of whack. You should be able to see it, or if not see it, measure it using very crude tools. A stationary pencil against a tooth, then rotate blade.


Ahh, I see you've solved it.

[GraemeCook]

Ahh, I see you've solved it.

[jack620]

Glad it's sorted, but I'd love to know what caused the damage. So I can make sure it doesn't happen to mine.

[DerekC]

Did the bent tooth chew up the splinter guard in the edge of your rail Derek?

[derekcohen]

Glad it's sorted, but I'd love to know what caused the damage. So I can make sure it doesn't happen to mine.

Jack, this was a result of not tightening the blade nut fully. The blade was able to wobble and it scored the inside of the chassis (those grinding marks seen earlier).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[derekcohen]

Did the bent tooth chew up the splinter guard in the edge of your rail Derek?

Hi Derek

Yes, but not so much "chewed up" as slightly shorter and a little fuzzy. Not enough to send a clear message, but enough to notice later. I shall re-site it. That last clean cut was completed with the existing splinter guard.

Regards from Perth

Derek