ALI Construction
Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2018
- Messages
- 16
Intro: Hi all, my 1st post here thought I've bin reading these forums for few years already.
big festool fan got lots of their stuff alrady: df500, t15 impact with all attachments, 0f1010, ts55 with all rail lengths, trion(hate it), ets125 ec (brushless, love it) ct36, ctMini, bunch of other systainers and sortainers, few router jigs, and misc attachments. also got a kapex 120, with wings.
brief description:
kapex went up in smoke (just like many stories here) i didn't even open it up, knew it was the armature gone, ordered armature and brushes same day, armature came in 4 business days later, brushes took additional 4 days cause they were on back order, but i installed the field with old brushes because i had work to do, and didn't feel like using my old dewalt (temporary saw) any longer then I had to. the whole fix time took mi less then an hour, and that included me realigning the saw with a 5 cut method. (wasn't really necessary but i check it every once in a while)
Longer detailed story:
saw was made in 2014 according to sticker on motor cover, i purchased it from a guy i knew for cash, he originally purchased it from woodcraft at a show, but never used it. he had it sitting for a year. anyways i got it brand new from him because it was still in box, in foam with a big white ziptie holding the head to the table. 2014 was not original purchase date, who knows how long its bin sitting on shelve before 1st sale, the guy just never registered it, hence we had to go by the manufactured date.
when i called festool they could not veryfy any purchase dates via SN or TN, so over the phone they told me we would have to go by manufactured date which put the saw out of warranty automatically cause that was 2014.
I have used the kapex for 2 years so far btw this is my trim/kitchen installation saw only. i frame strictly with skilsaw, and for cutting firewood i use my old dewalt. i keep my blades cleaned regularly and sharp (had woodcraft sharpen my 2 60T few times already) also bought an 80T. always used festool blades, never any other brands. 99 % of time i run this saw thru my CT 36, never thru a generator or any unstable electricity. almost never use speed control (i don't cut metal with this saw)
so roughly 2 years, and armature pops.
since saw is out of warranty (technically) they let me order parts:
armature: ~ $160
brushes: ~ $20
+tax/shipping total came around $230
now i have a spare unopened set of brushes because my old brushes were barely used when i pulled them i measured and they had 5/8" of graphite left in open position, after new brushes came in i measured them as well and they are 3/4" of graphite as NEW.
so since my old brushes only wore 1/6th of their life I'm leaving them in there.
yes during reinstall i've sanded them down around a socket wrapped with 400 grit paper to make new clean radius (socket same diameter as armature) everything works perfectly again, no sparks smells or smoke for 1 week of every day use so far.
reason i've decided to share this story with u guys is because i feel festool should at least acknowledge they have a COMMON problem with these armatures, and at least provide armatures to us as owners free of charge, i will try to upload pics if i can, the way the old armature looks is there's no way this is wear/tear, but clearly a failed design on their end. i mean $1500 saw with only 3 years of warranty and a known time-bomb?
i've bin reading up on armatures and their failures, and this particular failure according to other sources usually happens when windings have too thin of an insulator (urethane most of the time), and during slightest heat it would short within itself making armature electrically unbalanced. again, i'm no electrical engineer, just few things i've picked up researching
I feel like I should at least order another armature just to keep on the truck as spare now? or using the old armature bracket maybe see if its possible to rig up a stronger motor to the shaft, because armature also includes the aluminum bracket and shaft has the spline that spins the 90 degree transfer to blade. aluminum bracket has 4 holes which would allow me to mount anything i rig up to that shaft to existing side mount. (very unlikely option, but possible)
after all these saws are underpowered.
TO FESTOOL: please come up with a brush-less motor for these kapexes and we will all love you for that. you guys already did it for 5" sanders, just give us a larger brushless motor and will love you guys for instant torque and instant blade break (assuming it will act similar to ets125's instant on/off)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Festool Note added by Moderator...............
Readers should note that the instructions shown in this thread were developed solely by the writer, and without any input or approval from Festool. Anyone choosing to attempt the aforementioned repairs on their own should be aware that such an attempt will, in all likelihood, void any remaining warranty on their tool and could possibly lead to safety issues, along with other performance-related problems. Festool always recommends that repairs of this type be undertaken only by qualified technicians in a certified Festool repair facility.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
big festool fan got lots of their stuff alrady: df500, t15 impact with all attachments, 0f1010, ts55 with all rail lengths, trion(hate it), ets125 ec (brushless, love it) ct36, ctMini, bunch of other systainers and sortainers, few router jigs, and misc attachments. also got a kapex 120, with wings.
brief description:
kapex went up in smoke (just like many stories here) i didn't even open it up, knew it was the armature gone, ordered armature and brushes same day, armature came in 4 business days later, brushes took additional 4 days cause they were on back order, but i installed the field with old brushes because i had work to do, and didn't feel like using my old dewalt (temporary saw) any longer then I had to. the whole fix time took mi less then an hour, and that included me realigning the saw with a 5 cut method. (wasn't really necessary but i check it every once in a while)
Longer detailed story:
saw was made in 2014 according to sticker on motor cover, i purchased it from a guy i knew for cash, he originally purchased it from woodcraft at a show, but never used it. he had it sitting for a year. anyways i got it brand new from him because it was still in box, in foam with a big white ziptie holding the head to the table. 2014 was not original purchase date, who knows how long its bin sitting on shelve before 1st sale, the guy just never registered it, hence we had to go by the manufactured date.
when i called festool they could not veryfy any purchase dates via SN or TN, so over the phone they told me we would have to go by manufactured date which put the saw out of warranty automatically cause that was 2014.
I have used the kapex for 2 years so far btw this is my trim/kitchen installation saw only. i frame strictly with skilsaw, and for cutting firewood i use my old dewalt. i keep my blades cleaned regularly and sharp (had woodcraft sharpen my 2 60T few times already) also bought an 80T. always used festool blades, never any other brands. 99 % of time i run this saw thru my CT 36, never thru a generator or any unstable electricity. almost never use speed control (i don't cut metal with this saw)
so roughly 2 years, and armature pops.
since saw is out of warranty (technically) they let me order parts:
armature: ~ $160
brushes: ~ $20
+tax/shipping total came around $230
now i have a spare unopened set of brushes because my old brushes were barely used when i pulled them i measured and they had 5/8" of graphite left in open position, after new brushes came in i measured them as well and they are 3/4" of graphite as NEW.
so since my old brushes only wore 1/6th of their life I'm leaving them in there.
yes during reinstall i've sanded them down around a socket wrapped with 400 grit paper to make new clean radius (socket same diameter as armature) everything works perfectly again, no sparks smells or smoke for 1 week of every day use so far.
reason i've decided to share this story with u guys is because i feel festool should at least acknowledge they have a COMMON problem with these armatures, and at least provide armatures to us as owners free of charge, i will try to upload pics if i can, the way the old armature looks is there's no way this is wear/tear, but clearly a failed design on their end. i mean $1500 saw with only 3 years of warranty and a known time-bomb?
i've bin reading up on armatures and their failures, and this particular failure according to other sources usually happens when windings have too thin of an insulator (urethane most of the time), and during slightest heat it would short within itself making armature electrically unbalanced. again, i'm no electrical engineer, just few things i've picked up researching
I feel like I should at least order another armature just to keep on the truck as spare now? or using the old armature bracket maybe see if its possible to rig up a stronger motor to the shaft, because armature also includes the aluminum bracket and shaft has the spline that spins the 90 degree transfer to blade. aluminum bracket has 4 holes which would allow me to mount anything i rig up to that shaft to existing side mount. (very unlikely option, but possible)
after all these saws are underpowered.
TO FESTOOL: please come up with a brush-less motor for these kapexes and we will all love you for that. you guys already did it for 5" sanders, just give us a larger brushless motor and will love you guys for instant torque and instant blade break (assuming it will act similar to ets125's instant on/off)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Festool Note added by Moderator...............
Readers should note that the instructions shown in this thread were developed solely by the writer, and without any input or approval from Festool. Anyone choosing to attempt the aforementioned repairs on their own should be aware that such an attempt will, in all likelihood, void any remaining warranty on their tool and could possibly lead to safety issues, along with other performance-related problems. Festool always recommends that repairs of this type be undertaken only by qualified technicians in a certified Festool repair facility.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
