HELP, My Kapex is so under powered

[DANIELKARL]

I bought my Kapex and UG with extensions back in May. I love being able to cut to the mm without measuring. But if is so under powered, I have done everything I can think of, I run it without a vac, alone on the circuit and I still have to pause and let it catch its breath on anything bigger than door casing. It will hardly go through three quarter baltic birch. Three Quarter oak flooring smokes like the blade is in backwards. It speeds up like it going to cut but bogs down in the first inch. Anything I cut on a miter has to be clamped down hard or slow speed of the blade pulls on the wood. I am so discouraged with the saw's power and I don't know what to do I have been telling myself I was being over aggressive with the saw but I was using a friends Bosch and it had power like I am used to. Does anyone know how to squeeze  a little more power out of this saw?

 

[semenza]

Well since you mentioned it, the blade is in forwards, right?

Is the speed dial turned up to max?

I would call Festool service if I were you. 

Seth

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Still on the original blade?  Ever been sent to the sharpener?

I cut large chunks of Ipe and the likes with mine, never has a problem

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

There's definitely something wrong because it should have plenty of power for those tasks. I know it'll cut wide pieces of 8/4 maple with no issues.

Check the direction of the blade and the speed dial like Seth recommended.

If those are good, then contact service and let's get it in to be checked. We pay shipping to and from our repair center the first year. From your location, it's probably only one day shipping to Indianapolis. Give us the opportunity to check it out and get it working right. Service department number is below in my signature.

Shane

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Try plugging the saw into a different circuit (if necessary, a different room). Also describe how you have it plugged in now. Your symptom of it coming up to full speed but dropping off with even the slightest load has me wondering if you don't have excessive voltage drop in the circuit.

 

[green fever]

as rick said it could be power, also did you try it along side your friends Bosch ? i am sure there was a similar post regarding a faulty mains electrical supply to a home owners property, i am sure festool will sort it out, i have two kapex 120's with small issues but none of what you have stated and i have a 110v UK model and one 240v and they both cut very well , perhaps you could post the outcome , regards, green.

 

[DANIELKARL]

RESOLUTION?
I sent my Kapex back to Festool and was told that the blade was dull.
Festool replaced the blade and paid the shipping which is generous given that the blade is doubtlessly a consumable. But here is the rub: That blade did not have a five hundred feet on it. The blade on my ts 55 has thousands of feet of three quarter plywood and Styrofoam insulation board and it is still cutting well. I have no idea why the blade was dull or how long the new blade will hold it's edge. I will have to get a second blade and switch it out and resharpen it as soon as it starts to drag. I hope the original blade was bad and this new blade will function more like the blade on my ts55. I imagine both blades are made by the same manufacture so the should wear the about the same.
So my Kapex is back and working well with its new blade. With any luck it will keep cutting well for thousands of feet to come.

 

[green fever]

good to read it was only the blade, and festool all credit to them for supplying a new blade, i would think the oak may have helped dull the blade a bit but you would expect a longer run on that more yards etc , always good to have extra blades though, i have two kapex and four  blades for various materials although not cheap they are necessary .

 

[rickets]

I have the same problem when cutting 2x12s.  Think the pesticide treatment made the lumber really moist, hindering the cut.  So I would have to make multiple passes to cut all the way through.  Mind you, the blade had just been resharpened.

 

[Tinker]

I am wondering where the original logs came from.  If from deep woods, there wood probably be no problem. Today, a lot of logs are cut from trees that were a part of clearing for new homes (or other construction).  Such clearing might include roadside trees.  In northern areas where sand and salt may be spread along roads for ice control, a lot of grit gets thrown up against trees.  The sand gets caught in the bark, especially on the side towards roadside.  Some of those grits will end up imbedded in the solid wood as the tree grows.  Not all, but enough to create a problem that you are describing with your saw blades.  I have harvested a few logs from roadside trees and learned my lesson about sand the hard way.

I have run into nails and other small hardware with my TS 55 and a couple of my Festoy router bits and had no problem with dulling.  There is some tough carbide in those Festoy blades and bits.  Sand is another level of problem.  Some types of wood naturally have silicon particles within the wood.  You might find a clue by researching some of the hardwoods you have used in your WW'ing.  I think Teak is one of those woods.  I have used Black Locust hat had some very minute shiny specks throughout the lumber. In the right lite, i could see them.  I have been told that is silicon that collects naturally in that (Locust) wood.  I have not read anything to that effect, but it was a cabinet maker who told me this.
Tinker

 

[rickets]

Locust wood is definitely now on the radar!