Another Kapex Bites the dust. Again.

[Rsrflooring]

So my 2.5 year old saw has blown smoke out of the motor and stopped working for the second time in 2 years. To Festools credit the unit was repaired free of charge. They tell me this is isolated. I can see here on fog that they are noy beimg forthcoming. I highly recommend if you do work in the hardwood industry to buy something different. You'll save yourself money and a headache. I own many other festool products i am happy with. I cant find a bad initial review about this saw anywhere. Seems the issues come about 1 year later.

 

[PA floor guy]

I too install wood floors for a living.  This past week while installing some 5" white oak, I noticed the saw starting to bog down.  Keep in mind I baby this saw, really baby it.  I would be very disgusted if it burnt up.  It's about 2 years old. 

 

[jeh]

So my 2.5 year old saw has blown smoke out of the motor and stopped working for the second time in 2 years. To Festools credit the unit was repaired free of charge. They tell me this is isolated. I can see here on fog that they are noy beimg forthcoming. I highly recommend if you do work in the hardwood industry to buy something different. You'll save yourself money and a headache. I own many other festool products i am happy with. I cant find a bad initial review about this saw anywhere. Seems the issues come about 1 year later.

I blew all these reports of Kapex failure off as bad luck for several years thinking the users just got a lemon or may have been working them to death. Luckily it has never happened to me, but mine was purchased the day they were released in the US. I think it is time to move onto other brands for mitre saws. There are several other manufacturers to pick from. Write it up as a loss and move on. As an installer you can't afford to be without your saw.

 

[Rsrflooring]

I have already decided to sell it and biy the new makita LS1019 when its available. My 7 year makita is still running strong. The new one one has gotten much better dust collection with forward rails like the kapex.

 

[Rsrflooring]

Anyone else have problems let me hear it on instagram. Use #brokenkapex

 

[ChuckM]

As a Kapex owner (since early 2015), I am increasingly alarmed by this and other similar reports. I wish I had known about this forum before I bought my saw! As a saw, it is, however, excellent in all aspects, from dust collection (no one else is better) to angles to clamping (I don't have any issues with its ergonomics).

 

[Rsrflooring]

I to wish i had known. I do like the saw. Just not willing to keep sinking money in it when the warranty is up.

 

[Naildrivingman]

Oh boy...mine is coming three years old and has been babied like the OP's. I'm starting to get worried. Please pray for my saw. Thx.

 

[ChuckM]

Praying for yours and mine!

Happy Canada Day!

 

[Paul G]

I have already decided to sell it and biy the new makita LS1019 when its available. My 7 year makita is still running strong. The new one one has gotten much better dust collection with forward rails like the kapex.

Interesting new Makita

 

[Oldwood]

I have already decided to sell it and biy the new makita LS1019 when its available. My 7 year makita is still running strong. The new one one has gotten much better dust collection with forward rails like the kapex.

I have been looking to replace my old Hitachi miter saw and the new Makita looks like a contender. I would never consider the Kapex although I own a lot of Festool tools. The fact that Festool continues to say this is not a problem makes me wonder what kind of a company they are. [unsure]

 

[Rsrflooring]

Whats upsetting to me is that almost every comparison of mitre saws puts the KAPEX at the top. For intial testing, ease of use, dust collection yheu are right. For the ones using the saw to make money every day making hundreds of cuts in hard material, it just can't keep up. Being that is has faulty internals or is underpowered, we can only speculate because its all isolated incidents.

 

[peter halle]

Whats upsetting to me is that almost every comparison of mitre saws puts the KAPEX at the top. For intial testing, ease of use, dust collection yheu are right. For the ones using the saw to make money every day making hundreds of cuts in hard material, it just can't keep up. Being that is has faulty internals or is underpowered, we can only speculate because its all isolated incidents.

I have no idea where Festool is in their investigation on the Kapex.  I also believe that silence on this issue will hurt them long term.  But they are a large enough company to devote resources and hire consultants to do what they need to do.

That being said, I have had my Kapex since 2010 and have made a bunch of bucks with it.  If it were to die - which I don't think that it will - I would have to get an old Hitachi out of storage to get me thru.  If I had to buy a new saw would I look at a Kapex?  Possibly.  But other brands would be considered primarily and heavily.

I might be a Moderator here but I shop with my dollars.  Hopefully someone at Festool has set up a notification for when I post and they will see this.

Head slap.

Mike drop.

Peter

 

[Doug S]

Well timed post this, my Kapex just smoked for the second time in 5 years. I wasn't going to post about it because everyone gets fed up of the Kapex bashing but since it has started up again I will join in.

Mine first burnt out when it was less then 2 years old, fixed under warranty. It has now just reached its 5th birthday, I was using it on Thursday, it made a funny noise, big puff of smoke out of the back and a really bad acrid smell just the same as the first time.

My Kapex is only used by me, normally in the workshop and certainly never pushed or used hard.

It is a great saw when it comes to extraction, accuracy and portability but the motor is certainly not fit for purpose, Festool should be fixing these saws free of charge even when out of warranty.

It's a 240v UK model so the problem is not just with the 110v American version.

I shall be calling Festool tomorrow for a chat.

Doug

 

[Rsrflooring]

Good luck with your phone call. My last few calls to repairs I spoke with Brett. After disscussing my issue and asking for some sort of resolution I?would be met with silence on the other end. Almost as he was unwilling to say anything. I asked for the tech to call me when my tool was on the work bench so I could inderstand what was happening. He took my repair order number and said they would call. Of course i was not surprised when the tool was returned fixed without getting a phone call.

I was asked the same questions. What environment i use the tool in?

How do I power the tool?

How do I make cuts?

What I am cutting?

What blades and how sharp?

I was also told this issue would likely not happen again. After that my local store got involved. They were told the issue is me not keeping the blade sharp. I have 3 that i rotate and have sharpened.

After answering all the questions and hearing that I am using the tool correctlty I was tranferred to applications. They tell me If using a higher tooth count blade , plug it into the wall and not the Ct 36. Dont cut anything wider than 3 inches.  Goodbye.

 

[ChuckM]

Dont cut anything wider than 3 inches.  Goodbye.

Seriously?!

Did you place your call on ... April the 1st?

I am much impressed with what Peter, the G.M., wrote above. He wrote from his heart...something a lot of people won't do these days to avoid upsetting someone higher up.

Festool has been burying its head in the sand for so long on this big eye-sore, and it is time it came up with a solution for all Kapex owners, before pushing any new tools. Divert and focus any new tool development resources to curing this cancer before its reputation is damaged beyond repair.

 

[Jaybolishes]

It's time everyone demands instant action by festool on  these motors.  There's no denying it, the kapex motors have a good percentage of them being made poorly.  These last few posts have more than irratated me, and I don't even own a kapex, simply because of these issues. I tried a cut with a kapex and the motor is a weakling.  It's no wonder these things burn up.  It should be noted kapex saws are suitable only to cut balsa wood at a slow rate of cut.  What a joke this has all become.  Smh. Festool ruined their brand with this saw. It isn't happening, it happened. And I'm a guy always promoting how awesome festool tools are, but not the kapex.

 

[Rsrflooring]

Same here. All the other tools I own from Festool, I really like.

 

[Oldwood]

The real mystery here is why they have not gotten out in front of this and done right by the people who bought these saws. I think the the cost would be less than the bad publicity this is going to cost them in the long run.

I don't know how you can equate the cost to the Festool name that this is causing but the longer it is left unresolved the harder it is going to be to overcome. [eek]

 

[peter halle]

It's time everyone demands instant action by festool on  these motors.  There's no denying it, the kapex motors have a good percentage of them being made poorly.  These last few posts have more than irratated me, and I don't even own a kapex, simply because of these issues. I tried a cut with a kapex and the motor is a weakling.  It's no wonder these things burn up.  It should be noted kapex saws are suitable only to cut balsa wood at a slow rate of cut.  What a joke this has all become.  Smh. Festool ruined their brand with this saw. It isn't happening, it happened. And I'm a guy always promoting how awesome festool tools are, but not the kapex.

Jay,  thank you for causing me to go and look something up! [big grin]

In an effort to be helpful  to others smh = Acronym for 'shake my head' or 'shaking my head.' Usually used when someone finds something so stupid, no words can do it justice.

Peter