How loud is a Kapex?

[live4ever]

Not that I'm thinking of getting one or anything...

Obviously it's a miter saw, but is there a slightly more pleasing sound compared to the average miter (I have a Hitachi CMS)?  Say, for example, comparable to the difference between my TS55 and my old Skil?  Still darn loud but not as much of a scream?

I can't really tell from online vids and don't foresee being able to get to a Festool dealer anytime soon, which is why I'm asking this silly question. 

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Give Tom Bellemare a call.  He'll let you listen to the sound of any and all Festool tools for only $1.99 / minute.  For $2.99 / minute he'll let you hear what the different sandpapers sound like on your choice of sander.  [tongue]

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Yes! It is an incredible difference. After having my Kapex for a couple years, I started my DeWalt 708 for the first time in years and it made me cringe. I had forgotten just how loud a normal miter saw was.

 

[live4ever]

Ken, I won't hold that suggestion against you as you had no way of knowing I'm a happily married man.  [tongue]

Thanks Rick.  Would you say it's actually quieter, or just less grating?

 

[Tim Sproul]

It is more quiet.

My comparisons:

Delta 10 inch cheapo miter saw.

Delta 12 inch dual bevel miter saw.

Dewalt 708.

But this isn't to say it is quiet like the dust extractors.  But I think the Kapex makes less noise than the Domino.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

It's drastically quieter. Granted, a lot of that impression comes from the fact that it is also variable speed, and I rarely use it at full speed. Nevertheless, at full speed, it is significantly quieter than my DeWalt (which is arguably one of the best saws before DeWalt cheapened them down with the 718 model).

 

[tbellemare]

The Kapex has a pleasantly confident sound.

Tom

 

[fdengel]

They are a lot more quiet than my Ryobi, that's for sure.

 

[Kev]

Much quieter than Hitachi too !

(though my Hitachi has become very quiet of late!)

 

[Timtool]

To crank up the scientific level of the conversation here   i used the sound meter app on my phone and tested the noise of some tools.

First i needed something not very noisy to which many could relate as a comparison, so i tested the ETS150 with CT22 vac

Then i tested the more noisy Kapex, and after that i tested the most noisy tool of my shop; the 3hp panel saw.

results are as follow

ETS150:      85db
Kapex  :      84db
Panel saw: 78db

[eek] The results are the opposite of what i expected! Those are the measured peaks, measured several times at head level. I also measured while cutting or sanding which didn't alter the results.
I think it could have something to do with how high pitched the sound is, i always thought my panel saw was the most noisy but i now suppose that comes from the fact that the sound is so high pitched and more irritating. While funny enough the ETS which i saw as silent creates more decibels.

 

[semenza]

Much less of a scream than my 20 year old DW, but I wouldn't call it a quiet tool. Still warrants hearing protectors in my opinion.  But I pretty much put the protectors on for everything.

Seth

 

[semenza]

To crank up the scientific level of the conversation here   i used the sound meter app on my phone and tested the noise of some tools.

First i needed something not very noisy to which many could relate as a comparison, so i tested the ETS150 with CT22 vac

Then i tested the more noisy Kapex, and after that i tested the most noisy tool of my shop; the 3hp panel saw.

results are as follow

ETS150:      85db
Kapex  :      84db
Panel saw: 78db

[eek] The results are the opposite of what i expected! Those are the measured peaks, measured several times at head level. I also measured while cutting or sanding which didn't alter the results.
I think it could have something to do with how high pitched the sound is, i always thought my panel saw was the most noisy but i now suppose that comes from the fact that the sound is so high pitched and more irritating. While funny enough the ETS which i saw as silent creates more decibels.

I'd be curious to know what measurement you get for the CT22 at say.....  eleven feet away?

Seth

 

[live4ever]

To crank up the scientific level of the conversation here   i used the sound meter app on my phone and tested the noise of some tools.

First i needed something not very noisy to which many could relate as a comparison, so i tested the ETS150 with CT22 vac

Then i tested the more noisy Kapex, and after that i tested the most noisy tool of my shop; the 3hp panel saw.

results are as follow

ETS150:      85db
Kapex  :      84db
Panel saw: 78db

[eek] The results are the opposite of what i expected! Those are the measured peaks, measured several times at head level. I also measured while cutting or sanding which didn't alter the results.
I think it could have something to do with how high pitched the sound is, i always thought my panel saw was the most noisy but i now suppose that comes from the fact that the sound is so high pitched and more irritating. While funny enough the ETS which i saw as silent creates more decibels.

Thanks for doing that!  I was hoping someone would but I wasn't going to ask for it because I thought I was the only crazy that goes around measuring my tools with a smartphone app!

Those are interesting results.  Does your app allow you to change between A-weighting and C-weighting?  Basically the methodologies differ in how they prioritize pitch - for example I believe A-weighting basically ignores low frequency sounds.  I use an app for iPhone called SPL Meter (I think it is $2) and find much more believable results with C-weighting.  By believable I mean that sound level measurements correspond to how loud my ears find them. 

Either way, I'm pleased to hear the Kapex may be in the 80s range.

 

[Alan m]

a collage lecturer of mine carries around an infored thermometer in his pocket to randomly check things. very strange seeing him pointing it at random parts of buildings we were visiting or eating at on house visits

 

[live4ever]

a collage lecturer of mine carries around an infored thermometer in his pocket to randomly check things. very strange seeing him pointing it at random parts of buildings we were visiting or eating at on house visits

Are you calling me strange?  ??? [blink] [unsure] [huh] [crying] [mad] [big grin]

 

[greenMonster]

When I got my laser range finder, I was measuring everything too  [cool]

a collage lecturer of mine carries around an infored thermometer in his pocket to randomly check things. very strange seeing him pointing it at random parts of buildings we were visiting or eating at on house visits

 

[zapdafish]

I have a non insulated garage for my workshop and have maybe 20ft separation between my house and my neighbor to either side of me.

It's quiet enough that I dont mind running it in my garage during daylight hours and worry that it's bugging my neighbors.
I would equate the kapex noise disturbance level to running lawn equipment, if you hear it, you don't care.

I would equate non kapex miter saws to running a lunchbox planner in noise disturbance levels.

It's not quiet enough that I would run it after it got dark.

 

[live4ever]

I have a non insulated garage for my workshop and have maybe 20ft separation between my house and my neighbor to either side of me.

It's quiet enough that I dont mind running it in my garage during daylight hours and worry that it's bugging my neighbors.
I would equate the kapex noise disturbance level to running lawn equipment, if you hear it, you don't care.

I would equate non kapex miter saws to running a lunchbox planner in noise disturbance levels.

It's not quiet enough that I would run it after it got dark.

Bingo!  Exactly the language I needed.  We have a townhome...well not technically but it's attached on both sides.  So distinguishing "hear it and don't really care" from "lunchbox planer levels" is very important for me! 

Things I THINK are in my "hear it and don't care" category:
bandsaw
jointer
drum sander
router table with sound insulated cabinet
ETS 150
compact router

Things in my "hear it and bothersome" category:
lunchbox planer
cabinet saw, extended use
Hitachi miter
TS55, extended use

Things I will run briefly after dark, but before 9PM:
drill press
spindle sander
Fein vac (lowest setting)

Basically, if it's over about 90db, it's in my bothersome category, and I'm much more shy about using those tools. 

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I have a non insulated garage for my workshop and have maybe 20ft separation between my house and my neighbor to either side of me.

It's quiet enough that I dont mind running it in my garage during daylight hours and worry that it's bugging my neighbors.
I would equate the kapex noise disturbance level to running lawn equipment, if you hear it, you don't care.

I would equate non kapex miter saws to running a lunchbox planner in noise disturbance levels.

It's not quiet enough that I would run it after it got dark.

Bingo!  Exactly the language I needed.  We have a townhome...well not technically but it's attached on both sides.  So distinguishing "hear it and don't really care" from "lunchbox planer levels" is very important for me! 

Things I THINK are in my "hear it and don't care" category:
bandsaw
jointer
drum sander
router table with sound insulated cabinet
ETS 150
compact router

Things in my "hear it and bothersome" category:
lunchbox planer
cabinet saw, extended use
Hitachi miter
TS55, extended use

Things I will run briefly after dark, but before 9PM:
drill press
spindle sander
Fein vac (lowest setting)

Basically, if it's over about 90db, it's in my bothersome category, and I'm much more shy about using those tools. 

What about using sound deadening or even XPS insulation in your garage and on the inside of the garage door to reduce noise levels even further?

 

[live4ever]

What about using sound deadening or even XPS insulation in your garage and on the inside of the garage door to reduce noise levels even further?

I've thought a lot about that without actually researching what the process and cost might be, and whether I'd need to do the entire garage (it's all open studs and joists) or whether I could get away doing just the wall/ceiling corners where my neighbors' living spaces are (don't really care if their garages can hear me).  If I could put soundboard at those spots and know it would make a considerable difference I'd definitely do it.