After putting it off for four years I have finally picked up a Kapex

[itchy]

After putting it off for four years I have finally picked up a Kapex. Despite having a lot of festool products purchasing the kapex was the most difficult decision. I think it really only came down to the price around here it is three times more then the closest bosch, dewalt, makita or hitachi. In hindsight if I had purchased it four years ago I would have saved myself a lot of money!

I have only had the saw for two weeks so my opinion is based on that timeframe and it has not seen extensive job site use in that time. To start quite simply it is without a shadow of doubt the best sliding miter saw I have ever used, period. One thing that kept me from purchasing it sooner was ‘how much better can it be over my current saw?’ that got the job done, answer, much better. It cuts so smooth at all miters, compounds and at full extension there is no noticeable deflection while cutting. The cuts really are glassy smooth with no burning and they are straight over the full length of the cut.

Out of the box the only thing that was not completely prefect was the right lasers alignment, this was easily adjusted. This is likely something most people would want to adjust anyway as preferences differ. The blade, fence, table were all set perfectly square/flat and I mean perfect. Trust me on that after reading some of the negative comments recently I really tried my best to find a whisper of light through the square. I was looking for a reason not to like it so I could save myself $1,849.00 (before tax) but I couldn’t.

Things I like about the saw and reasons for purchasing:

Weight so much easier to transport to the job site.

Dust collect is so much better than anything I have used before or tried to modify.

Dual lasers, I have always used line of sight before and thought lasers were a gimmick. These lasers
really do work and they are really precise throughout the full movement of the saw.

Forward rail design, for me this is so useful I can work closer to a wall or on a shallower workbench.

I am in awe of this saw at the moment it is early days so I will update after more extensive use.

 

[Davesbuildtips]

I still can't fault mine after 6 months. Early days considering my 2 previous saws, bosch and Makita lasted over 10 years each, but I am a glass half full kinda guy. [smile]

 

[Flatsawn]

I've watched your videos Dave and appreciate them, you do come across that way.

Itchy, I just got mine and felt the same as you. Now let the fun begin [big grin]

Mark

 

[DB10]

Itchy well done,  I was in the same boat as you regarding my Kapex purchase, I ummed and arred over it for so long, which is unusual for me. Most of my tool purchases involve a degree of research and then I make a quick decision.
  My main concern was justifying the price $1800 Aus, as I too was comparing it to the other miter saws that you mentioned and it was hard to justify.
I watched the price of the Kapex go up and then it suddenly went down in price last year, which is rare for Festool Aus. I'm glad I bought it then as the price went back up again down hear in January.
Mine was also easy to set up following the suplementary guide instructions and like others on hear so far I have no regrets apart from I wish I purchased it erlier, Oh well better late than never.

 

[Grakat]

I also like the Kapex. If my Makita was to die tomorrow I would happily replace it with a Kapex. I like the room behind the saw and the cut capacity for the footprint.

Festool only gets dearer, it's one of those things where it's quicker to jump now.

Regards
Graham

 

[itchy]

Yeah I watched it go up in price and wish I had purchased it earlier both for the savings and enjoyment of using it. Because festool prices increase regularly that why their resale value is so good.

 

[Cheese]

$1849...OUCH...throw in the local state sales tax and we're talking a $2000 miter saw without the extras.  [eek]

I feel for you CAN & AUS guys/gals, when they draw blood, they draw it directly from your neck.

And to think I whimpered & winced when I had to fork over $1300 for mine.

 

[BMAC]

Yeah, pricing sucks in Australia and Canada. A Kapex in Canada will set you back $1,920.00 plus if you live in the province of British Columbia they ding you for an additional 5% GST and 7% PST in taxes, so a Kapex ends up costing you $2,150.40 which is nuts!

I bet the the per capita purchase rate for a Kapex in Canada and Australia is totally different than Europe, USA and elsewhere.

 

[Flatsawn]

Itchy well done,  I was in the same boat as you regarding my Kapex purchase, I ummed and arred over it for so long, which is unusual for me. Most of my tool purchases involve a degree of research and then I make a quick decision.
  My main concern was justifying the price $1800 Aus, as I too was comparing it to the other miter saws that you mentioned and it was hard to justify.
I watched the price of the Kapex go up and then it suddenly went down in price last year, which is rare for Festool Aus. I'm glad I bought it then as the price went back up again down hear in January.
Mine was also easy to set up following the suplementary guide instructions and like others on hear so far I have no regrets apart from I wish I purchased it erlier, Oh well better late than never.

WOW! Kapex on the Australian futures market [big grin]

 

[icecactus]

[member=18478]itchy[/member], have you taken any feeler gauges and measured how unflat it is...

I just recently bought one, my table was not level. It was off by .012 on the left side. I sent it to festool service. When I got it back, it now has a .010 (I can easily see light under it) dish across the table instead. Festool says its within spec and told me to make test cuts. I did, my 2nd cut was slightly off. If the table was nice and flat, it would not have been off.

So I am left with accepting a sub par saw, or use the 30 day return policy and pay $70 to ship it back.  [mad]

 

[Davesbuildtips]

[member=18478]itchy[/member], have you taken any feeler gauges and measured how unflat it is...

I just recently bought one, my table was not level. It was off by .012 on the left side. I sent it to festool service. When I got it back, it now has a .010 (I can easily see light under it) dish across the table instead. Festool says its within spec and told me to make test cuts. I did, my 2nd cut was slightly off. If the table was nice and flat, it would not have been off.

So I am left with accepting a sub par saw, or use the 30 day return policy and pay $70 to ship it back.  [mad]

As we all know nothing can be perfectly flat. Even a beam of light is bent by gravity. I am curious to know what tolerance you would see as acceptable.

 

[peter halle]

[member=18478]itchy[/member], have you taken any feeler gauges and measured how unflat it is...

I just recently bought one, my table was not level. It was off by .012 on the left side. I sent it to festool service. When I got it back, it now has a .010 (I can easily see light under it) dish across the table instead. Festool says its within spec and told me to make test cuts. I did, my 2nd cut was slightly off. If the table was nice and flat, it would not have been off.

So I am left with accepting a sub par saw, or use the 30 day return policy and pay $70 to ship it back.  [mad]

I doubt in real life that will cause you an issue performance-wise but it might be an idealogical issue.  At least you have a choice.

Peter

 

[itchy]

[member=18478]itchy[/member], have you taken any feeler gauges and measured how unflat it is...

I just recently bought one, my table was not level. It was off by .012 on the left side. I sent it to festool service. When I got it back, it now has a .010 (I can easily see light under it) dish across the table instead. Festool says its within spec and told me to make test cuts. I did, my 2nd cut was slightly off. If the table was nice and flat, it would not have been off.

So I am left with accepting a sub par saw, or use the 30 day return policy and pay $70 to ship it back.  [mad]

I don't own feeler gauges, if i'm being honest my table is not 100% perfectly flat but it is close and I have not seen any indication of it in my cuts yet. The saw cuts beautifully, I understand you want it perfect especially given the price. Maximize your 30 day trail period and use the hell out of it to make sure you're happy. The first 30 minutes on the saw required me to get used to the feel of it and the motion as I was coming from a D handle grip saw. Keep making cuts as many as you can to get use to the technique and feel of it. I will say that clamping and holding the the work piece firmly does make a difference to cut quality, especially in miters as the direction of the cut can want to pull the piece away (nothing unique to the kapex). Good luck!

 

[glass1]

.01 mm or inches 

 

[Lbob131]

Icecactus    is from the USA  so its likely  inches.
Which is  0.3mm.

If its  from  the  table insert  to  the side of the saw  that's  0.3mm  over  300mm.
That would make the cut  about  0.12mm  inaccurate  over the maximum  depth of the cut. Which on the kapex  is 120mm.
Calibrate  the machine  using the  4 cut method and adjustment screws  if you want too split hairs.

My Makita  doesn't have that  level of accuracy. Nothing near it.
So when  I'm doing finer work I just hone the cut  on a shooting board.

 

[Corwin]

Yeah, I put off getting a Kapex for years too. Should have left it that way, I guess. It is still in my shop waiting to be returned and the cart, wings and hose are not getting any response in the classifieds. Lot of money gone to waste.  [crying]

 

[itchy]

It's so easy to get caught up analyzing the kapex with feeler gauges and straight edges and I really do understand why there is a tendency to do it. Try to look past that and use the saw extensively, read the supplementary manual, practice technique. It is a unique saw and handles differently to any other saw, technique is everything if you are trying to achieve accurate cuts.

 

[Shane Holland]

It's so easy to get caught up analyzing the kapex with feeler gauges and straight edges and I really do understand why there is a tendency to do it. Try to look past that and use the saw extensively, read the supplementary manual, practice technique. It is a unique saw and handles differently to any other saw, technique is everything if you are trying to achieve accurate cuts.

Well said.  [smile]

Still, everyone has their own ideas of what constitutes acceptable, as they should.

 

[danbox]

[member=18478]itchy[/member], have you taken any feeler gauges and measured how unflat it is...

I just recently bought one, my table was not level. It was off by .012 on the left side. I sent it to festool service. When I got it back, it now has a .010 (I can easily see light under it) dish across the table instead. Festool says its within spec and told me to make test cuts. I did, my 2nd cut was slightly off. If the table was nice and flat, it would not have been off.

So I am left with accepting a sub par saw, or use the 30 day return policy and pay $70 to ship it back.  [mad]

First I don't have a Kapex have also never used one, I do currently own both the top model compound mitre saws from Bosch and DeWalt. If your not happy with the tolerances you have mentioned what saw are you going to replace the Festool with? also what sort of carpentry work are you using it for?

 

[glass1]

If it's .01 inches than its .254 mm or about 2.5 sheets of paper or 1/6 of 1/16" of an inch. That's a lot less than the one I got and returned and the many store samples I have looked at.