How far will a Kapex fly, from a second story window?

[WarnerConstCo.]

Ok, I did not toss it but, I was close to tossing something out the window.

The lasers will not stay where I set them.  After about the third trip somewhere with the saw, the lasers are all out of whack.

This is the first saw that I was happy to have lasers on, the rest of them just add it on at the end as kind of an after thought.  Never worth a darn.

They toe-in, toe-out and move off perpendicular, reall easy to tell with tall crown and baseboards.

Also is the side of the saw supposed to get hot?  On the right side of saw, opposite arbor.  It is pretty hot after a bit of use.

Am I asking too much from a miter saw?  I just dealt with my old makita and Bosch, they were as good as they could get, for what they were.

Edit:  Is it me or, does the factory 60T blade lose its edge fast?  I have cut and installed about 2000' of trim with it and it tears out and chips something horrible now.  I need to send my Matsush!ta to get re-bored.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Darcy, the lasers moving after some travel time has been mentioned here many times. This seems to be something your going to have to live with if you decide to use the Kapex. I never noticed if my Kapex got hot, it could have and I never noticed. You've got choices for other blades, Forrest and Tenryu.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

There is no reason why the lasers should be going out of whack just by moving the saw, so it makes me wonder if the position of the laser(s) was not fully seated at the time you last adjusted it/them. Don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that you did anything wrong, nor that the lasers did not move. You are not the first person to mention this.

What I am curious about is comparable to a comment I make in the manual regarding adjusting the lasers. I specifically tell people to remove the hex key from the adjustment screw before they confirm the laser alignment, but maybe this notation should go a little further.

These adjustment screws are so fine, that even the presence of the hex key will bias the results from actual alignment. I am wondering if the adjustment is not fully seating itself at the time, but doing so only after there is some shaking and vibration from transport.

One way to confirm this would be to compare the mis-adjustment after you bring it to a jobsite, and without readjusting it, see if the same error exists when it comes back to the shop. If the mis-adjustment has not changed after two transports, then it is likely that the original in-shop adjustment just wasn't fully seated.

I am not sure that I am making enough sense for everyone to understand, but maybe an analogy might help. Say for example you are adjusting the height of a jointer's bed to be lower (deeper cut). It is common knowledge (I hope) that when making this adjustment that you always go past the desired depth setting, and creep up on the final setting from below. Doing so eliminates "lash" from the leadscrew threads. While not exactly the same, a similar situation could be occurring with the laser adjustment on the saw.

If the mis-adjustment does not change between one transport and another transport (with no re-adjustment in between) then this scenario would seem to be very likely.

If the mis-adjustment between one transport and a second transport (without readjusting in between) results in an increasing mis-adjustment, then my hypothesis does not appear to be correct.

If my hypothesis is correct, then part of the calibration procedure should include tapping on the motor head's case lightly with the butt-end of a screwdriver to fully seat the laser adjustment screws. This would simulate a transport condition, and once fully seated, they should not vary with use.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I made sure to remove the hex key from the adjuster before determining a final adjustment.

My friend has had his kapex since they came out and has never had to adjust his lasers,
it rides on a bosch stand and goes in and out of his shop and trailer.

If the lasers moving is something that is going to happen no matter what, I would rather not have them there, too big of a temptaion to use.
When they are spot on, they are huge time savers.

Brice-how are your lasers?

I think the blades in the TS saws hold up better than the blade in the kapex, it cuts fine, just lost its edge.
It is a Leitz blade right?

Warm saw normal then?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

My friend has had his kapex since they came out and has never had to adjust his lasers, it rides on a bosch stand and goes in and out of his shop and trailer.

This statement supports my previous hypothesis. Once the lasers are seated and stable, they will not change with transport. (At least based on my hypothesis). My suspicion is that they are not fully seated and stabilized before transport, and it is the transportation that is re-seating them properly.

I think the blades in the TS saws hold up better than the blade in the kapex, it cuts fine, just lost its edge.
It is a Leitz blade right?

To the best of my knowledge, all of the blades are made by Leitz, so you should not be seeing a difference between Kapex blades and TS blades. All Festool blades use a low-angle grind so they should not be susceptible to rapid dulling. High-angle blades perform better, but they dull faster, so they perform great out of the box, but quickly drop performance with use. If you are making "chop-cuts" instead of "push-cuts" the blades might seem dull, but it is actually due to the wrong choice of cut style that is to blame.

 

[chrisrosenb]

The right laser on my Kapex moved after the first ride in the truck. I never readjusted it & it has not moved since.
Was the 2000 ft of trim unfinished, primed or prefinished?

Chris

 

[erikfsn]

Reminds me of a funny cartoon, Shoe. The strip I'm remembering shows a couple of birds in a tree and one asks the other about their computer. The answer is the computer is "down". Upon further clarification, it turns out the computer is "down" on the ground as a result of having been thrown there.

I've been very tempted to do likewise with numerous computers, but not my Kapex. But then the lasers have been okay and I travel around a bit with mine. It does ride shotgun and belted in (new truck, so it beeps otherwise).

If I was having a problem like yours with mine it would be heading back to the dealer.

Erik

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Chris, It is my right laser as well.

The trim was a mix of pre-finished and pre-primed and painted poplar.  
Stain grade was a mix of oak and radiata pine (I despise that stuff but, it is so hard to find select american grown pine)

I guess it could well be the finishes dulling the blade sooner but, I did not have that problem with my matsush!ta blades.

Rick- Are you saying I need to make a sliding cut in tall nested crown (can't because of the lock for that cutting position).
Even in verticle base boards or window and door casings?  I have never had to push/slide cut that stuff before.

I will clean the laser plastic thing, reset my lasers and tap on it with a rubber mallet and see what that does.  Or I could just strap her in the front seat of the suburban and take her for a ride!!

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Reminds me of a funny cartoon, Shoe. The strip I'm remembering shows a couple of birds in a tree and one asks the other about their computer. The answer is the computer is "down". Upon further clarification, it turns out the computer is "down" on the ground as a result of having been thrown there.

I've been very tempted to do likewise with numerous computers, but not my Kapex. But then the lasers have been okay and I travel around a bit with mine. It does ride shotgun and belted in (new truck, so it beeps otherwise).

If I was having a problem like yours with mine it would be heading back to the dealer.

Erik

I about sent a hammer through a wall last week.  I have been dealing with a bunch of trim work,
4 1/4 and 6 1/4 crown in a track house that was built in 5 months time.
Ceiling corners were so far off it was rediculos!!

It can be frustrating when they move around but, they are soo nice when they are spot-on.
I don't want to deal with having the saw serviced or looked at.  It gets used almost daily and I have no back-up, that is how confident I am of it.  Ok I have back up but it is a hand miter box!! [big grin]

 

[erikfsn]

It's possible your dealer may have a demo unit you could use while yours is being serviced, or, like in my case, they may give you a new one.

 

[chrisrosenb]

Chris, It is my right laser as well.

The trim was a mix of pre-finished and pre-primed and painted poplar.  
Stain grade was a mix of oak and radiata pine (I despise that stuff but, it is so hard to find select american grown pine)

I guess it could well be the finishes dulling the blade sooner but, I did not have that problem with my matsush!ta blades.

Rick- Are you saying I need to make a sliding cut in tall nested crown (can't because of the lock for that cutting position).
Even in verticle base boards or window and door casings?  I have never had to push/slide cut that stuff before.

I will clean the laser plastic thing, reset my lasers and tap on it with a rubber mallet and see what that does.  Or I could just strap her in the front seat of the suburban and take her for a ride!!

Cutting a large amount  of painted & prefinished wood is as bad on a blade as cutting a few nails The last new house I did with my Dewalt saw with a 12" Forrest Chopmaster blade, I used 3 blades. I always take several blades to a large job & keep a spare under my truck seat just in case forget to take a spare.  When I start getting tearout I change the blade. A dull blade will also drift to one sjde or the other.

Chris

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Chris, It is my right laser as well.

The trim was a mix of pre-finished and pre-primed and painted poplar.  
Stain grade was a mix of oak and radiata pine (I despise that stuff but, it is so hard to find select american grown pine)

I guess it could well be the finishes dulling the blade sooner but, I did not have that problem with my matsush!ta blades.

Rick- Are you saying I need to make a sliding cut in tall nested crown (can't because of the lock for that cutting position).
Even in verticle base boards or window and door casings?  I have never had to push/slide cut that stuff before.

I will clean the laser plastic thing, reset my lasers and tap on it with a rubber mallet and see what that does.  Or I could just strap her in the front seat of the suburban and take her for a ride!!

Cutting a large amount  of painted & prefinished wood is as bad on a blade as cutting a few nails The last new house I did with my Dewalt saw with a 12" Forrest Chopmaster blade, I used 3 blades. I always take several blades to a large job & keep a spare under my truck seat just in case forget to take a spare.  When I start getting tearout I change the blade. A dull blade will also drift to one sjde or the other.

Chris

I think that may be happening.
My Matsush!ta's would last me quite a bit longer. 

It is so much easier for me to pre-spray all my painted trim.  Then it only takes me 2 trips around to finish it up.

So now I need to buy another blade, send my festool blade to be sharpened, have my one heavy duty matsu re bored and re-calibrate my lasers.

Oh, and persuade it with a rubber mallet. [cool]

 

[Inner10]

So now I need to buy another blade, send my festool blade to be sharpened, have my one heavy duty matsu re bored and re-calibrate my lasers.

Oh, and persuade it with a rubber mallet.

Hmmm, sounds like you got that "Slower, Harder, Less Smart" Model.

Better get your wife to stuff it and put it in the over because you got yourself a turkey. ;D

 

[Holzhacker]

I love to spend money on Festool but not that over-priced, over-hyped piece of crap. Based on the various problems guys have repeatedly reported I'm amazed that thing still sells for the price. My too big, too heavy Bosch cuts beautiful. Never have used the lasers on it, I prefer looking at my pencil mark. My old 'I want to take your arm off' Hitachi also cuts real nice, no lasers.
As much as I love bashing the Kapex, I am sorry that you are having tool problems. I know how that can really screw up a days productivity. Good luck.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

It is really about screwing up productivity during the day.

I got frustrated the other day with my ts-55 and really wanted to let it go for a little ride too.
It is also this time of year, this is the worst time of year to be a carpenter, everyone wants their crap done, last week.

I will mess with the saw tonight and see what comes of it.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I have no issue with the lasers if they were not designed to stay in place, I think they were.

Why make a saw that only weighs 47lbs., very portable but, not make lasers that stay still.

The real issue lies with me using the angle finder and having the lasers keep moving.  Really screws things up.

I never liked/used any other saws lasers, they were all horrible. 

I have no issue with sighting my cuts but, why should I with this saw?
Like I said earlier, I rely on the lasers for the angle unit as well.

 

[TOOLMAN169]

Hey guy's I just have a kapex question. Who make festools kapex blades. Are they the best choice for this saw and how much are replacement blades for keeping a spare on hand

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Leitz.

They are pretty good.  Forrest and Tenryu make blades, I think most require special boring, or to be re-bored.

 

[Dan Clark]

I have the Kapex 60T and 80T blades, and a Tenryu 80T and a Forrest Chopmaster (rebored for Kapex).  I did a quick review here:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/kapex-saw-blade-review/msg84188/#msg84188

For general work, the Kapex 60T is a very good blade.  However, for the finest quality cuts, I found the Tenryu 80T to be the best blade for the Kapex.  My test results didn't match my going-in biases, but that's what happens when you test things - sometimes you need to change your mind.

Regards,

Dan.

p.s., I'm very happy with my Kapex.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I am verry happy with mine.  It is just the lasers that bother me as of now.

80t for a 10" blade is too many teeth IMO.  You get burning faster.