bragging rites.....! New Kapex!

[stevelf]

  Just set up my new Kapex that arrived today at my door !. I was comparing it next to my trusty old Makita LS-1013, that I have been happy with as the heart of my mobile tool-shop, coupled with the Sawhelpers... All I can say is I am astonished at the caliber of this exciting new purchase...! The friggin' lasers ( I am not a big laser fan...) are "spot-on", the cuts are magical, everything is scaled up, like, twenty notches...! This saw is going to be such a pleasure to get to know..
The only wrinkle is that the couplers that Tim makes at Sawhelper won't arrive 'til Friday at the latest, so I have no extensions... Anyway, meanwhile, I am ecstatic !!

 

[erikfsn]

Congratulations. You've made a good choice. I use mine almost every day and it is one of those rare tools that often make me smile when I use them.

 

[mwhafner]

When did you order your Sawhelper? 

I have been very disappointed with their service. I ordered mine in October, and haven't heard anything.  My calls and emails have gone unanswered.  It took almost 2 weeks of calling and emailing to even get the order placed.

 

[stevelf]

---I must have gotten my two Sawhelper extensions some 4-5 years ago. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em...!  I know they are spendy, but when has that ever kept us from buying a specific quality product that positively transforms our work...? I can't even imagine not having this product when doing long ( when is it ever short...? ) crown, base, etc., etc., etc.... The stability, the ease, the repeatable performance...  like when cutting a 30- degree scarf joint, and then gluing and pin-nailing, on crown, that when you're done, you'll never even SEE the joint... Just ask Brice-- I'm sure ( I'll bet $100.) , he concurrs !!

 

[mwhafner]

I am not unwilling to spend the money, just expect some level of service when purchasing a premium product. 

As many here have said, cry once.

 

[stevelf]

brother, right now, I am not crying!

 

[stevelf]

I should have said a 30-degree miter, 45-degree bevel scarf joint, which is my joint-of-choice here (crown) .  I choose to pre-assemble this run with matching end-copes or whatever... ( cut,  then
Titebond 3 or FastCap 3P- glue with Senco brads or the AMAZING GREG 23-guage headless pinner...), as opposed to installing the first piece, then matching the mate, which just never seems to quite match up just right...
Tim, at Sawhelper, can be hard to get on the phone, but once you get him, he wants you to be enjoying his product ...( busy people are getting things done ) , but he has always been great with me....

 

[Brice Burrell]

When did you order your Sawhelper? 

I have been very disappointed with their service. I ordered mine in October, and haven't heard anything.  My calls and emails have gone unanswered.  It took almost 2 weeks of calling and emailing to even get the order placed.

Mwhafner, Sawtooth (the guys that make the Sawhelper) are revamping their production so they are not shipping product until things are back up and running, don't know how long it's going to take. At least that's what I've been told. I agree with Steve,  it's a great product. Might be worth the wait because there isn't anything close it on the market.

Steve, I'm glad you're enjoying the saw.

 

[wnagle]

Brice,

Looking for your opinion.  My shop is stationary as I'm a hobby woodworker.  I'm going to set my kapex up on a  foor long wall and leave it.  Probably put some drawers and sliding trays underneath for systainers.  Do you think Sawhelper is the way to go when not being mobile?  I'm trying to compare it wiht building everything and adding a flip stop of some kind like kreg or something similar.  Neither way seems inexpensive... so if the money isn't too far apart Maybe get the stationary sawhelper set up and build some cabinets underneath.  Not sure the best way to go... any thoughts?

 

[nickao]

Well I will step in and answer.

A saw helper may be nice for a guy that is breaking down and setting up all the time.

There are loads of better choices for a stationary setup.

 

[wnagle]

Nick,

What are some of your ideas?  I'm open for sugestion... gonna be a while till I get started.  First I have to clear out that garage wall to a shed this spring.  I figure I'd make it maybe 10 or 12 feet on the left and 8 to 10 feet on the right.  Shop vac will stay dedicated underneath.  Wheel barrel compressor under part on the right end.  Then I may use the rest of the underneath for drawers and systainer sliding trays.  Drawers and trays won't be much deeper than the systainers.  Its kinda tight opening the truck door but I do have room to walk past with the saw at 45 degrees... after I shut the truck door.  In fact I may make the fence fold up to the wall just in the area of my truck door opening.  Then when I'm in the shop I can drop it into place.  That section will probably not have anything underneath to facilitate the truck door.  This way I can make the bed 10 or 12 inches whatever I need and have a pretty substancial bed, yet still be flipped up in the area of the car door. aside for that I'm not sure how else I'll design it... as far as the flip stop etc.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Wayne, I'd have to agree with Nick, at least in part. I don't think there is another stand/extensions at there better than the sawhelper, portable or stationary. Where Nick and I agree is that you may be better served with a different setup, I'd recommend a custom/shop built unit if storage under the unit is important. It could be as simple as making a long shelving unit with a recess for the saw. On the other hand, with a Sawhelper you can remove the extensions and slide the saw out of the way to give yourself more room anytime you needed.

 

[nickao]

Beisemeyer makes a miter table and extensions that has been out for years. It is  bullet proof and has a ton of accessories, but expensive!

I used Woodhaven parts to make mine and have been very happy. It is modular, accurate, can take accessories you make or buy. Very durable parts and I will never wear it out.

I have micro adjusters on both sides and use it standard 4 feet on each side, but can add my extensions for up to 16 feet both sides or 32 feet one side in about 5 minutes.

It also has the simple stops and the fancy ones where the wood slips under. Three stops each side. And the fence is heavy metal about 3 1/2" inches high and I have a 3/4 laminated MDF sacrificial fence on the entire thing. Built in tape measures on top and adding bottom tapes pn the face of then fence. The fence can be re- zeroed too, sometimes that helps with cutting many pieces.

Nick

 

[stevelf]

Hey, Brice... a question... did you cut off the center corners of your Sawhelper when you hooked up your Kapex ?? I just ordered the adapters from Tim @ Sawhelper. Did he change those adapters from his originals for some reason ? Is the cutout just so's you can slide the Kapex table extensions, or are there other clearance issues, like cutting at extreme bevels or something...? Thanks!
                     Steve

 

[nickao]

Brice the only thing I can not get past is that short height on the fence, or should I say lack of fence. I don't know why. If that was ever added on the saw helper I might very well get it as I may have to branch  out into the field this spring.

For what the saw helper costs I truly believe with a permanent set up you can do a lot better. I only have maybe 50% of what the saw helper cost in mine. I just do not see it getting better. Actually, I have the incra fences that can click into the one I made, but I have never found it nec yet to put them on.

 

[wnagle]

Thanks to both of you... some very helpful food for thought.  Nick I think I'll check out woodhaven...do you have any pics of your set up to post?

 

[Brice Burrell]

Hey, Brice... a question... did you cut off the center corners of your Sawhelper when you hooked up your Kapex ?? I just ordered the adapters from Tim @ Sawhelper. Did he change those adapters from his originals for some reason ? Is the cutout just so's you can slide the Kapex table extensions, or are there other clearance issues, like cutting at extreme bevels or something...? Thanks!
                     Steve

Steve, I don't think so, but to be honest I don't know for sure. I don't keep the fence extensions on the saw, I don't see it as a problem to remove the Sawhelper wing to slide on/remove the Kapex's extensions since it only takes a few seconds, maybe thirty. I don't need to take the fences on and off but maybe once or twice a day so I don't see how thirty seconds are a problem.

Nick, I feel the Sawhelper is the best tool out there but I do recognize it's not for everyone. What I mean be it being the best is no other unit is as good. I do think one could build a nice stationary unit for themselves with a number of components from different manufactures to suit one's needs.

 

[nickao]

Let me look in the computer real quick.

The saw helper really has no competition right now that I know of so there really is nothing to compare it to. I have used it, a friend has one.

Here is one pic of the micro adjuster. It works just like the Kreg adjuster on there band saw fence. Actually on the other side thats what I use.

I'll keep looking I may have to just take some pics. Okay O found some pics but they are all 1.52 MB I'll try to shrink them down but to 125K may not look that great.

Isn't 125K a little small these days for file size?

I found another. The pocket under the table to the right you can see where a drawer slides in. This is actually my older set up the new looks the same just newer.

I like that the sacrificial fence can be slid all the way over to make a zero clearance fence, with a zero clearance insert in the saw I get really clean cuts on thick lumber, like 4" thick.

 

[wnagle]

Thanks Nick...The pics are giving me some good insight....

 

[nickao]

I'll try to get some pictures of the second setup I currently use.

I kept the curved piece for the table base, I like that.. I have an extension to the right that meets up perfectly and runs across to the right through my Drill press, but I took it down while I organize a bit.

This set up is on a bench with two drawers and two shelves and takes wheels if I ever wanted to wheel out to the drive way. I have nothing in the shop bolted down.