I screwed up my new Kapex

[kdzito]

I was very excited to break out my new Kapex today.  In my haste i made two very serious mistakes. 

1. Make sure the blade clears the fence.

2. Make sure the material is clamped properly.

So now I have a cut in the fence and a broken dust hood.  I hope Festool takes pity on me.  I wouldn't be surprised if they don't.  I'm very embarrassed about my actions. I also wonder if anyone else has made similar mistakes?

[attachimg=4][attachimg=2]

 

[Birdhunter]

Life is a series of lessons. We can choose to learn from them or to repeat them.

My guess is that you will never repeat this lesson.

You are unhurt and the fence and hood can be replaced.

 

[Sjur]

Heh... This has happened to me as well.

I was making a terrace for my mother and had been working 12 hours shift for some weeks, and worked 6 hours after work on her terrace. I was really-extra tired this day, but I just wanted to get finished. I didn't pay attention that the blade cleared the fence when I tilted the saw, so I cut into the fence, got really sad/angry, but continued on. Half an hour later I made the same mistake and cut into the other fence. I said to myself: "Oh comeon, don't be such a moron!! OK.... - just a few more cuts now and I'm finished."
A few cuts after I managed to get a kickback because I was a little too quick. The deck board flew into the hood and damaged it. I had  one more board before I was done, but I packed it all together as a lesson to myself, and also before I did any more serious errors.

I completed the project the day after in a much better mood. However, my ways around the saw has changed for the better, and a new rule I've gotten is that if I make an error like that again, I quit before I do it over again. Also don't work when tired.

On a positive side, a little cut in the fence is only cosmetic.

 

[sancho57]

Adds character

 

[griffs]

Same here cut fence, also a small offcut shot up into the hood and now the bottom does not return properly, but have not got a good dealer local to fix it. [embarassed]

 

[dltflt]

I chopped that corner off of mine so you are not alone.

 

[peter halle]

Don't beat yourself up.  Stuff happens.  I can certainly admit to having seen some aluminum chips in my CT.  Luckily it wasn't a body part and what you cut wasn't critical.  Your blade is ok also  [big grin].

Peter

 

[kdzito]

Yes, I am thankful that I did not get hurt.  I was a little startled when the boards went flying though and then felt the shock of what the heck happened. 

Thanks for the responses and assurances.  I do feel better in seeing that I'm not the only one.

Also, I will need to get a replacement plastic clip that holds the rubber dust shroud on as both of its tabs were broken off. 

 

[AIPDX]

Festool has a spare parts catalog on their web site. It also has prices for all spare parts. Look up in the catalog which parts you need, and give them a call on Monday to order these parts. It is under Service -> Spare Parts Catalog on the US web site.  For instance, that part of the fence which you cut through is called "stop" and costs around $35. All other parts will likely be less expensive, so it will not break the bank.  I am guessing, you will be able to fix everything for something like $70 including shipping.

If you have hard times figuring out from the drawings which part you need, take a picture and e-mail it to Festool customer service. These guys are good at responding.

I also once cut through an aluminum part of the fence on my MFT/3... That's how people learn, I guess. As long as noone is hurt, it is not an issue.

 

[fin]

i cut into the fence on mine today.,... awful noise. oops haha never mind though.

 

[Ed Bray]

I've got 2 complete pairs of fences, one pair with 19mm Birch ply zero clearance wings (for general use) and one pair without for bevel and compound cuts. Luckily managed to not cut into mine yet.

 

[John H]

kdzito - how did you pay for the Kapex?

One of the reasons why I always try to use my AmEx card is I am pretty sure the damage would be covered under their 90 day "accidental damage" program.  (of course you wouldn't know for sure until you filed a claim"

Something to think about it if you didn't

 

[goyya76]

Hi, i don't have a kapex but managed to mess up the chuck of an almost New pdc 18/4: i was using my diy "drill column" and in the hurry i didnt properly fix the drill, so it shifted a bit back...burnt the rubber ring at the base of the chuck and fused the sliding ring at the base of the chuck so that it could not be removed...ten minutes with a hack saw while blaming myself, a chuck with some added character, lesson learnt (almost)

 

[#Tee]

we all been there time for a new zero fence [tongue]

 

[jmbfestool]

I have cut into my rear fence a few times over its life span.

I have also had small pieces of wood or when I quickly make some wedges fly up behind the guard.

Actually it was only two weeks ago a wedge shot up and blew my guard of completely. The rear retractable dust guard had also been wedge up.  Which took me a lot of force to pull back down.

I have since been using the saw with out a guard which is very naughty just haven't got round to taking it all apart and attaching the new guard on.

[attachthumb=1]

 

[Ed Bray]

I have cut into my rear fence a few times over its life span.

I have also had small pieces of wood or when I quickly make some wedges fly up behind the guard.

Actually it was only took weeks ago a wedge shot up and blew my guard of completely. The rear retractable dust guard had also been wedge up.  Which took me a lot of force to pull back down.

I have since been using the saw with out a guard which is very naughty just haven't got round to taking it all apart and attaching the new guard on.

[attachthumb=1]

Have you lowered your blade position? I have not had one kickback or bit of wood fly out from the blade since I lowered my blade a few mm.

There is a thread on here mentioning exactly how to do it, but basically there is a bolt on the rhs of the machine that you adjust which sets the maximum depth the blade can go.

 

[Tinker]

I have a couple of scarred rails, a MFT fence that are still in good condition other than the scars.  I have one of the scarred rails set up on my MFT so I can see the booboo every time I make a cut.  It is a good reminder.  The end of my fence is under the rail, but every time i raise the rail, i can see the cut.  Of course, since I NEVER make mustics, I just made those cuts for demo purposes.
Tinker

 

[Ed Bray]

I have a couple of scarred rails, a MFT fence that are still in good condition other than the scars.  I have one of the scarred rails set up on my MFT so I can see the booboo every time I make a cut.  It is a good reminder.  The end of my fence is under the rail, but every time i raise the rail, i can see the cut.  Of course, since I NEVER make mustics, I just made those cuts for demo purposes.
Tinker

Does that mean you haven't ever tried anything new?  [tongue]

 

[Timtool]

Consider it baptized now, that first mark takes the stress away of trying to keep it pristine, which is a lost cause anyway.
I did it on my kapex as well, but the worst was cutting into my 1 week old Felder slider. A piece of wood jammed between the fence and blade and pushed the blade against the slider and made a notch. I guess it was bound to happen, i think it's worse if it happened after managing to keep it pristine for several years. that would have been a bigger bummer.

 

[jmbfestool]

I have cut into my rear fence a few times over its life span.

I have also had small pieces of wood or when I quickly make some wedges fly up behind the guard.

Actually it was only took weeks ago a wedge shot up and blew my guard of completely. The rear retractable dust guard had also been wedge up.  Which took me a lot of force to pull back down.

I have since been using the saw with out a guard which is very naughty just haven't got round to taking it all apart and attaching the new guard on.

[attachthumb=1]

Have you lowered your blade position? I have not had one kickback or bit of wood fly out from the blade since I lowered my blade a few mm.

There is a thread on here mentioning exactly how to do it, but basically there is a bolt on the rhs of the machine that you adjust which sets the maximum depth the blade can go.

No I haven't.

Might try that.

Never bothers me to much....makes me jump but that keeps me awake.

It did bother me when my guard was sitting on top of my hand in a split second.
I looked at it thinking how the heck did you get there stupid guard.

Then I was thinking crap I got about 600 cuts to do which were same repetitive cuts.
Which is when I have the chop saw running on constant and chop move chop move chop move.
Having the blade completely exposed really slowed this job down. I didn't like crossing my arm past the blade while it was running the draft from the blade made me shiver.

So I would like to avoid damaging the guard again when I get round to attaching it. T