Dewalt owner's review of the Kapex + Domino 500 impulse buy (non-pro)

[batmanimal]

Greetings! After finding so much useful info on this forum over the years, I have finally joined and would like to contribute a quick review of the Kapex and Domino, and explain what went into my purchase decision.

Hopefully other lurkers / new people will find the below helpful. 

Background: I am a fairly handy person and love building things out of wood. My projects are typically outdoors (decks, patios, sheds, etc) and not close to the level of fit and finish of what true carpenters post here. My tools therefore have been focused on power and maneuverability vs refinement and dust collection.

About a month or two ago I was outside ripping a sheet of plywood with my trusty Makita 36V rear handle circular saw, in the freezing cold, with wood dust absolutely everywhere. So there I was, trying to keep my Harbor Freight straight edge in place amidst plumes of wood dust, and I realized, “I hate this.” It struck me that there was absolutely zero reason for me to be out there freezing my butt off, getting dust all over myself, and making crappy cuts to boot.

I already knew about Festool and other higher-end tools, but I wasn’t really motivated until that day to research and plan to build a workshop around dust collection and ease of use. My main reservation was that I didn’t believe it was worth the expense since I am only a hobbyist, and it just seemed like buying into a whole new system would be a massive investment that I wasn’t sure my work was worthy of. But when I considered how much my work would be elevated, and how much more work I would actually be able to do, and be motivated to do, I decided to take the first step.

First, I wanted a track saw. I love my Makita circular saw, but for safety, space considerations (I don't have space for a table saw) and ease of use, a track saw was at the top of my list. I bought a Mafell MT55 cordless, which I still haven’t used because I am waiting for the batteries to come in (one of the downsides of going cordless!), but as part of that purchase, I decided to get a Midi and use it for DC with the Mafell. This was my first Festool purchase.

Gosh, the Midi is NICE. It's so perfectly sized, just the right size for a smaller home workshop without sacrificing power or capacity. I love the hose; I have named it the Basilisk. I am a Miele addict, so I have no qualms spending that much on a vacuum. I also considered the CT 26 but it didn't fit as well into my space. However, I do not think you can go wrong with either of these vacs.

Then, I took a look at my other tools. I have a very solid Dewalt 780 miter saw, which is great for outdoor framing projects, but I can never get a truly square cut on anything more than 3/4” thick. A great part of this is my lack of skill, just to be clear. Another factor is that the saw is so large, I cannot have it set up in my very small workspace (I have about half of the front area of 2 car garage, maybe 12’ across by 8’ depth max), so I am constantly folding and unfolding it on the Dewalt collapsible stand, which means I need to resquare it each time after I roll it out from the corner. Dust collection is poor, hooked up to a Rigid shopvac. I had better results using a Rousseau hood, but that thing is massive and I don’t have the space for it to stay permanently attached. All these things are obstacles in my use and enjoyment of the tool.

I had looked at the Kapex before buying the Dewalt, and couldn’t justify it at the time. But having more experience with the saw and better understanding my own limitations (in addition to my space limitations), I decided to go for it.

I found a dealer locally that had one in stock. While there, I saw they had the Domino 500 in stock as well. Something just sort of… came over me. I never considered myself capable of building “real” furniture - my experience is limited to outdoor tables and chairs, and some kids furniture here and there. But I all of a sudden imagined myself building cabinets, bookcases, built-ins! I bought the Domino.

OH MY GOD. The Domino!! I tried it over the weekend. Built a small cart for the Kapex as a first project. It was heavenly. It was powerful and intuitive and FUN. And, connected with the Midi via the plug-it system, it was virtually DUST-FREE. What kind of dark magic is this???

Look. If you are unsure if the Domino is right for you, not sure if you would actually use it regularly, or if you truly need this $1K+ tool in your life and you are in the position to purchase it — my advice is to JUST BUY IT. After I used the Domino, I realized I was in danger. Because now I totally understood the “big deal” about Festool. It made it impossible for me to envision woodworking any other way.

Note: To get started using it, I highly recommend Peter Parfitt’s detailed guide to the Domino ( ), and the "4 laws of the Domino joiner" video on the SedgeTool YT channel.

I believe the Domino is an ideal first Festool purchase for many people, it's that good.

Now for the Kapex! Overall, I love the saw. the precision, and the design details - like the little angle finder, and the clamp to hold your workpiece is fantastic. I even like the handle - I feel like I get better control with it centered and did not find it uncomfortable at all (I am 5’4 and had it on a 34”h table). I also appreciated the attention to safety that is designed into the saw (and seemingly into all of Festool’s products).

I found the dust collection to be underwhelming, to be perfectly honest. Noticeably better than my Dewalt setup, but not amazing. I tried the Kapex before the Domino, which was a good thing or else I might have been really disappointed since the Domino was virtually dust free, and it's really not a fair comparison btw a miter saw and a joiner when it comes to dust.

I will try moving up to the larger hose size (speaking of, does anyone know if the wider anti static hose is offered in a shorter length, or is 3 meters the shortest option?).

Also, the kickback of the off-cut is real! I will need to make a zero clearance fence that also serves as a sacrificial fence bc I also noticed a surprising amount of tear out on the back of the work piece (I was cutting cedar 2x4s).

Regardless, I am very happy with the Kapex and relish getting square cuts with zero need to calibrate, re-square, etc. But it was not “life changing” in my experience in the same way as the Domino was, even though I plan to use the Kapex much more for projects, the Domino is just magical. It makes me believe that I can build things that I really have no business building.

To summarize: I have no hesitation recommending the Domino to anyone considering adding it to their workshop. The Midi is also a no brainer. For the Kapex, it really depends on what you're after and what you value and prioritize. If you have a good miter saw already but need something with a higher level of precision, I would recommend upgrading to the Kapex. But I would not upgrade solely for dust collection. If you are getting perfect cuts with an existing MS, and have the space, you might be better served setting up a better dust capture system (and buying a Domino with your cost savings - have I mentioned I love this thing).

Questions for the group:

• Hose upgrade to 36 for the Kapex: How much did this improve DC for you? And does Festool offer a shorter hose for this application?
• What should I get next? I am thinking router bc I do not own a router, whereas I already own a sander and jigsaw (both cordless; Milwaukee). I am eyeing the 1400 since my next set of projects will be cabinet work. Any other recommendations?

Thank you all, and have a great day!

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.
What kind of dark magic is this???
Snip.

Welcome...you already know about the slippery slope.

It's not dark...just GREEN. [big grin]

To answer your question about dust collection, a 36mm dia. SHORT hose will make a good difference. (Festool does not offer any short hoses of 36mm dia.) If even more improvement is desired (say, for indoor cutting), add a sawstache to the rubber shroud.

Yes, the Domino Joiner has proved to be a game-changer for many (but definitely not for all, as I know of one who sold his DF500 after going back to his router/jig and dowels routine). When you build outdoor pieces, you have the option of using sipo dominoes that are resistant to insects and mould attack and perfectly suited for outdoor use

 

[afish]

I agree with the Kapex vs. dewalt.  The 780 is a workhorse and hard to beat for the money.  The new Makita SCMS's look very nice too.  Dont think you can go wrong with either.  I hardly ever cut in a finished house so the DC is kind of wasted on me since 98% of the time Im cutting outside. For me the Kapex just doesnt bring enough to the table to justify the cost difference for me. 

The Domino was also my first Festool and really like it (after a paddle tune up) I do expect slightly better tuning in a 1000 tool but...After some fine tuning its as close to perfect as you can get.  (The TSO bigfoot) is a must have just FYI makes a huge difference.  I bought the senca plate and never use it anymore so I would suggest to skip that accessory.

 

[squall_line]

Festool sells short hoses, it's just that you have to assemble them yourself by cutting down a longer hose and transferring the ends or buying new ones.

This is where Sedge would make a joke like "only Festool scissors and razors will work to cut through the hose and sleeve", but those things aren't as ubiquitous as Festool screwdrivers.

Depending on your needs and on the starting length, you may get two usable hoses out of one longer one, just add a sharp tool and a few new ends.

 

[batmanimal]

To answer your question about dust collection, a 36mm dia. SHORT hose will make a good difference. (Festool does not offer any short hoses of 36mm dia.) If even more improvement is desired (say, for indoor cutting), add a sawstache to the rubber shroud.

Thanks, ChuckS!

My conundrum is that I would like to share the Midi with the Kapex and more mobile tools (i.e. things that I'll need a longer hose for so I can move around) like the track saw, Domino, and future "dream sander" (ETS EC 150/5).

Would the full-length 3.5M 36 hose provide noticeable improvement for the Kapex, or should I plan to dedicate the Midi with a short hose to the Kapex and get another one for the smaller tools?

I really do not want to have to disconnect the hose at the base of the vacuum every time. I am OK with disconnecting the tool-side end of the hose to switch between tools, but I don't want to have multiple hoses that I'm switching out on the vac-side. It's a quirk of mine, I guess. Regardless, this conversation is getting more and more expensive as I type.

I did see that sawstache somewhere on here but had forgotten about it. I will look that up!

I'm very excited to get my hands on some of the sipo dominos. The possibilities seem truly endless.

 

[batmanimal]

I agree with the Kapex vs. dewalt.  The 780 is a workhorse and hard to beat for the money.  The new Makita SCMS's look very nice too.  Dont think you can go wrong with either.  I hardly ever cut in a finished house so the DC is kind of wasted on me since 98% of the time Im cutting outside. For me the Kapex just doesnt bring enough to the table to justify the cost difference for me. 

The Domino was also my first Festool and really like it (after a paddle tune up) I do expect slightly better tuning in a 1000 tool but...After some fine tuning its as close to perfect as you can get.  (The TSO bigfoot) is a must have just FYI makes a huge difference.  I bought the senca plate and never use it anymore so I would suggest to skip that accessory.

Totally agree with your reasoning here. TBH I feel a little ridiculous having the Kapex and the Dewalt, when really just one would do, esp given my small shop space. That said, there is no way in hell I'm giving up either of them.

Of course, I have already ordered the Seneca "domiplate" after watching a demo on the 10min workshop YT channel (Peter Maillard), so will give it a try and probably resell or keep it as a back up if I don't end up using it.

What do you like about the Bigfoot over the domiplate, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[afish]

The big foot gives you so much more stability when plunging vertically. which it kind of lacks out of the box.  The domiplate limits adjustability and makes using it upside down a little more awkward. I prefer using the fence (make sure the fence clamp is adjusted so it doesnt drift) 

 

[mino]

If you do not have a router, that is the absolutely most obvious next purchase.

A router is the most versatile tool in a wood shop. Unfortunately it is not so common, so hobby users often skip it.

Just get the new OF 1010 REBQ (not the older EBQ) and some 8mm bits and you will be served.

You may eventualy decide to add some trim routers, or a more powerful router for a router table. But OF1010 can do trimming and general routing and is strong-enough for the occasional heavy work too. Even for folks with many routers it is usually the "go to" tool.

A thing you will want to check is some parallel guide system for your tracksaw..

Ref. shorter hose
You can buy hoses by the meter, but they are kinda expensive. If you have just the hose that came with the Midi, best add the 36mm 3.5 meter hose. It gives about 60% more air volume compared to the 27/32 hose.
You want a 36mm hose around for use with the tracksaw and any other tools where you need to push high air volume anyway. The 36mm and 27/32 hoses can also be "chained" (without any additional adapter) so it gives you a long 7m hose for those rare scenarios it is needed.

I would go for a dedicated "Kapex" hose only after having at least the 27/32mm + 36mm hoses for general use.

One last, do get the Bluetooth remote for the Midi ... you will love it.

 

[afish]

If you are going to start doing cabinet work you will need a router and the LR32 is HIGHLY recommended. Im not a huge fan of Festool routers its similar to the Kapex for me just not enough benefit over the others to justify the price difference and the non centering copy ring irritates me on such an expensive tool it just seems like for the money these basic bugs should be a non issue. For me my favorite plunge router is the Dewalt DW 621 the trigger is a little to get used too but otherwise its a solid machine and was way ahead of its time with the built in dust collection.  However it wont bolt up to the the LR32 base plate without getting creative.  So the 1010 is ideal for the LR32  MAfell makes some nice stuff but not sure I like it.  I dont like how the anti chip feature works mainly.  Otherwise it looks like a great saw.  However if you had went with the Festool you could have already had the LR32 track as part of the package.  Not sure how flush you are but if budget is an issue I would have kept the 780 return the kapex and get the LR32 & 1010 instead. Unless you have a crew or need a saw for at a site and shop 2 SCMS is overkill.  As I said though it really depends on budget and space. You will also need a good as large as possible cutting station. Its a process to develop a system that works for you and typically not cheap.  There is a whole list of accessories on your horizon. parallel guides, track hinge, MFT drilling systems, edge banding equipment, guide rail squares, and on and on. Good luck.

 

[mino]

... the non centering copy ring irritates me on such an expensive tool ...

Not to detract from the general post, but it needs to be said that "the non-centering copy ring" allows the copy ring position to be precisely calibrated/centered.

I am not aware of any "centering" system that would also allow manual calibration and not sure that is even possible. Calibration needs wiggle room which is what you do not want in a "centered" setup and vice versa. That coin has two sides.

IMO the non-centered setup allows a slightly wider range of applications at the price of being less efficient to work with.
And being able to do things where an OF1400 /or other/ will simply not work out is IMO more important for the first-possibly-only router in a home shop. Beyond the time-efficiency value for specific tasks.

The second huge plus of OF1010 is the scope of specialist task accessories available for it. That it fits in the LR32 plate being just a small blip, however useful.

Disclosure: I presently have the OF1010 on order and one of the sells was the possibility to precision-calibrate the copy rings.

 

[afish]

... the non centering copy ring irritates me on such an expensive tool ...

Not to detract from the general post, but it needs to be said that "the non-centering copy ring" allows the copy ring position to be precisely calibrated/centered.

I am not aware of any "centering" system that would also allow manual calibration and not sure that is even possible. Calibration needs wiggle room which is what you do not want in a "centered" setup and vice versa. That coin has two sides.

Disclosure: I presently have the OF1010 on order and one of the sells was the possibility to precision-calibrate the copy rings.

So, how is the copy ring "centered/calibrated" on the 1400?

 

[DynaGlide]

I had a different experience with the 780 from Dewalt. Mine was deadly accurate and I had to pull it out every time I needed it. Absolutely nothing wrong with that saw in terms of accuracy and many high end trim carpenters use it.

Now that you have some cool stuff, take a beat and practice making some real cabinets before proceeding. It's an eye opener. IMO Domino is overkill for most cabinetry where screws are used to assemble. I use it because I have it when building boxes but it sure isn't necessary.

You'll soon find you need or want a lot of stuff like the previously mentioned parallel guides, a small table saw, routers, a router table, shelf boring jigs, finishing equipment. I've been down your path and I'm speaking from experience. I went out and acquired a bunch of Festool then had to teach myself all the cabinetry and remodeling skills to use them. I'm not knocking the idea, but if you're coming from the occasional outdoor project to wanting to make nice stuff to go inside your house there's a lot of reading, YouTubing, researching, and thinking ahead of you.

[2cents]
Matt

 

[squall_line]

Just get the new OF 1010 REBQ (not the older EBQ) and some 8mm bits and you will be served.

Easier said than done in North America.  If we see the new model before Q1 2023 I'd be shocked.

One last, do get the Bluetooth remote for the Midi ... you will love it.

So many times this.  It makes using dust collection significantly easier and makes post-work cleanup a breeze.  As a bonus, it can help stop the caked-up dust inside the port connections from getting everywhere when you unhook a hose.

 

[mino]

So, how is the copy ring "centered/calibrated" on the 1400?

It is not. You rely on the accuracy of the manufacturing of the router and the copy inserts.
If it is enough for the task, which it mostly is, great! But if it is not accurate enough, tough luck. Use a different tool..

 

[Cheese]

• • Hose upgrade to 36 for the Kapex: How much did this improve DC for you? And does Festool offer a shorter hose for this application?
    
  • What should I get next? I am thinking router bc I do not own a router, whereas I already own a sander and jigsaw (both cordless; Milwaukee). I am eyeing the 1400 since my next set of projects will be cabinet work. Any other recommendations?

  
  The 36 mm hose is a huge benefit. Just keep it as short as possible. I keep a MIDI underneath the Kapex and use a 36mm hose that's 2 meters long. Next to this I have a another 36mm hose that's 7 meters long with a blue tooth button on the hose. I can easily swap between the hoses for Kapex cleanup and the long hose for shop cleanup. It works well.
  
  My personal favorite is the 1010 router. It's small and light weight yet it still has enough power for most tasks. I have a 1400 but only use it 20% of the time. The 1010 gets used 70% of the time while the 2200 gets used 10% of the time.

 

[guybo]

... the non centering copy ring irritates me on such an expensive tool ...

Not to detract from the general post, but it needs to be said that "the non-centering copy ring" allows the copy ring position to be precisely calibrated/centered.

I am not aware of any "centering" system that would also allow manual calibration and not sure that is even possible. Calibration needs wiggle room which is what you do not want in a "centered" setup and vice versa. That coin has two sides.

Disclosure: I presently have the OF1010 on order and one of the sells was the possibility to precision-calibrate the copy rings.

So, how is the copy ring "centered/calibrated" on the 1400?

Hi, pic one shows the tabs to which lock onto the copy ring,pic 2 shows the release if adjustment is needed the tabs on the copy ring need to be closed just a tap.guy

 

[afish]

so you are saying to adjust the copy ring for center you bend the ears on the ring ?

 

[guybo]

Hi, only if movement is noted by normal pressure during use. it self centers by the opposing tabs on the copy ring @2 points

 

[Svar]

Hi, only if movement is noted by normal pressure during use. it self centers by the opposing tabs on the copy ring @2 points

No, it does not. If the ring is coaxial with the motor shaft from the factory, then great. If it's not (which is often the case) there is nothing you can do to adjust it without modifications (filing, drilling). This issue has been discussed in depth on this forum.

 

[batmanimal]

If you do not have a router, that is the absolutely most obvious next purchase.

A router is the most versatile tool in a wood shop. Unfortunately it is not so common, so hobby users often skip it.

Just get the new OF 1010 REBQ (not the older EBQ) and some 8mm bits and you will be served.

A thing you will want to check is some parallel guide system for your tracksaw..

One last, do get the Bluetooth remote for the Midi ... you will love it.

Thank you for your guidance!

I will try the 1010 at the dealer's this weekend (seems the new REBQ is not yet available in these parts, but the EBQ looks great anyhow). I had assumed I should go for the 1400 since it is "most versatile", but I am not in favor of overdoing it (well, except for the matter of having 2 perfectly good SCMSs, but I digress) when a more compact tool will do.

I am looking at the Dashboard system for my track saw set up, but with the Mafell/Bosch rails. I know Rob is a member here, and I learned about his products through this forum - the main issue is that the table size is too long for my space, but he's going to be offering a smaller size soon (mentioned it and showed an early version on instagram) that I plan to get. I can't find the MFT locally here anyway, so I figured if I have to get something shipped, I might consider the dashboard instead.

I 100000 percent will get that bluetooth remote once it comes off backorder!