Buyers Remorse? Cheer me up!

[diydad66]

Hi Everyone,

New to the forums and new to Festool. I've been after a top quality saw and after doing my homework I decided that for my use with quite limited space (keen DIYer and hobby projects) I'd go for a KS60E. Makita 10/1219 was in the mix but had some accuracy concerns and the Dewalt units were just huge with their rear sliding rails.

The saw is fantastic of course, and I love the features and how clean the cuts are. This was a treat to myself and at the top top end/over my budget..but I know it will last.

However what I failed to do - and go easy - was to properly understand the whole ecosystem that Festool has. I blindly thought I could use any mitresaw stand or chuck on a Saxton blade. I did not realise that this did not come with a dust bag.

Now I may be wrong - which is why I am here - but it seems that doing anything third party is tricky, but I took for granted because no power tool I've ever owned had this sort of closed system. That's on me, fair enough. Buyer beware and all that.

£90 for a fine finish blade when high quality options sit at £20-30? But I understand the arbors are different...
£80-100 for a couple of vacuum attachments...
£130 ish just for a baseplate adapter (!!) because their holes are in non-standard place?
etdc.

And then theres the stands. It may just be that there's not many enthusiast YouTubers with the saw but I can find so little about using this saw with third party stands and there's simply no way I am paying the best part of £1000 for what looks like a zimmer frame with arms. Yes I am sure it's fantastic quality, and the stops look excellent, but come on.

I am feeling I have got myself a product that I cannot use properly without spending thousands more and just feel like I am probably the wrong target buyer. I must be wrong.

Set me straight please!

- What third party saw stand can I use? Ideally collapsible with stops (I may just build my own custom stand tbh, I don't take the saw away)
- Am I really limited to Festool blades only?
- I want to use a Henry that I already have for dust extraction - anyone got any plans for 3D printer hose attachment?

Thank you!

Dave

PS I am sure I will get torn apart, but that's ok if I get something out of it

 

[jeffinsgf]

Unless you're looking for portability (and it seems you're not), I would skip all the commercial stands and build something exactly the way you want it. That's what I've done with any cross-cut saw I've ever owned.

Do a Google search on the outer diameter and bore size of the saw blade. I would be surprised if you didn't find several options.

Looks like this will solve your extractor problem for 10 quid. https://henrybags.co.uk/products/henry-power-tool-sander-adaptor?variant=55118266237303

 

[ReneS]

DeWalt has some stands that work with a variety of saws. I don't have a Festool miter saw, so I don't know whether that will fit, but I think it would.

I have the big, heavy DeWalt miter saw (DWS 780), and before I built my MS station, I had several DeWalt stands. They are sturdy and stable, the issue for me was having accurate stops. I now have a home built set of cabinets and the EZ Wings extensions.

Here is a link to Lowes and the DeWalt stands they have: https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=dewalt+aluminum+adjustable+miter+saw+stand

 

[Windows]

I’ve got a Kapex 60 and use a Bosch GTA 2600 stand (or PTA 2400 - almost same thing). Chose this stand because it is quite heavy and relatively cheap. Heavy isn’t an advantage if you plan to move the stand a lot, but I also use as basis for a workbench. Had to buy a couple of bolts and think I ended up using only 1 per side, but it’s solid like that. Saw lives on the stand 95% of the time.

Not sure how much DIY you’re planning on doing, but I also do DIY, I’ve been happy with the blade that came with the saw for 4 years now. Reckon it’ll outlast me.

I do use dust extraction. Festool vacuum is expensive, but it’s the most used DIY tool I own.

 

[Cheese]

I assume you're in Europe...if so, CMT Europe offers several different 216mm x 30mm blades. Freud Europe also offers 216mm x 30mm blades.

 

[peter halle]

As @jeffinsgf wrote, you can easily and relatively cheaply make your own stand. It can be as plain or fancy and as adaptable as needed. I was a portable carpenter for 21 years and had my Kapex for 11 of those years. I never had the Festool stand - or any stand - for all those years. For those years it was either the saw on a few 2 x 8's on sawhorses with blocks of wood or systainers for material support. Once I could afford to retire is when I bought my Kapex stand. Others have addressed your other questions, so welcome to the forum! and good luck.

Peter

 

[Cheese]

As Peter noted, anything works...for a while.
Here's my present stand which is just a modified Milwaukee stand from when I was Milwaukee centric.
And like Peter...now that I'm retired, I'll be purchasing the proper Kapex stand & cart.

 

[peter halle]

As Peter noted, anything works...for a while.
Here's my present stand which is just a modified Milwaukee stand from when I was Milwaukee centric.
And like Peter...now that I'm retired, I'll be purchasing the proper Kapex stand & cart.

That stand - or one similar - was marketed by so many companies. I have one of those for my old Hitachi saw, but again I found for me simplicity was the answer. Prior to that, going back to 1983 all I used was a 2x 12 with what ever size blocks I needed for support - usually 2 2x4's on top of each other or 1 stood up on edge.

 

[Cheese]

Ya, they were manufactured by Fulton under the Stablemate name brand. And then at the time, every tool OEM tweaked them a bit to fit their tools/needs. Milwaukee's claim to fame were the adjustable height material rollers along with the undercarriage saw brackets that could be clamped to any 2x materials if you didn't bring the saw stand to the job site. It's real stable but is also fairly heavy because it's fabricated completely from galvanized steel, no aluminum used here. Just the stand alone was over 50#. The bonus round was that a single stand was rated at 500# capacity, so 2 of these things would hold up a half-a-ton of material.

 

[jeffinsgf]

And like Peter...now that I'm retired, I'll be purchasing the proper Kapex stand & cart.

This makes me giggle. When I retire is when I'll build the elaborate table I want, instead of buying the factory one. Different strokes.

 

[peter halle]

This makes me giggle. When I retire is when I'll build the elaborate table I want, instead of buying the factory one. Different strokes.

I totally understand. My reason was that I am getting older and to just fold and unfold is preferable. I don't have a permanent place for a custom setup. I also will be needing to transport while working on my other house to get it ready to sell.

Peter

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I totally understand. My reason was that I am getting older and to just fold and unfold is preferable. I don't have a permanent place for a custom setup. I also will be needing to transport while working on my other house to get it ready to sell.

Peter

My instant response was confusion too. After thinking on it a second, it makes some sense, especially if you have limited space. But I think I would have purchased it while I was still working, using it the easier way all along.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Totally makes sense if you need to be mobile. That is not easy to shop build or design. Though I do like the knock-down system that contractor out in California designed. Can't remember his name, but he has a bunch of videos on the base and the mounts for all the various Festools.

 

[Cheese]

I totally understand. My reason was that I am getting older and to just fold and unfold is preferable. I don't have a permanent place for a custom setup.

I'm with Peter, as I get older, I want to maximize the time I spend working in a positive environment and working outside on a pleasant day is absolutely the best. Working in a closed-in basement shop away from any meaningful natural light is just...working.

So, set-up shop outside and work... and if bad weather prevails, then fold it up, roll it inside and move indoors.

 

[Doug S]

I used my KS120 on a DeWalt stand for a few years, I'm sure the KS60 could be made to fit that or other stands quite easily.

I often use the cheap and cheerful Saxton blades on my KS120, looks like they do also supply 216mm x30mm blades which should fit the KS60.