kapex 120 cutting dados good or bad

[andyman]

Hi guys I am still trying to justify buying a kapex 120, I have been wondering when using the depth stop is there any flex when trenching, my makita has the stop but you don't get consistent depth with the saw blade as it may flex about 1mm between cuts, this maybe a way to justify my purchase.
Thanks [embarassed]

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Andy, I've not seen any fluctuation in depth on the Kapex when trenching but others can chime in. You may need to put a piece of scrap lumber between your material and the fence so that it doesn't leave the cut rounded on the back side. Think there are a couple of YouTube videos that show it in action.

 

[sgryd]

You can get the Kapex to flex if you push it hard. But it's no problem to make a bunch of cuts with the exact same depth if you care for putting the same amount of preassure on it.

 

[andyman]

The piece of wood on the back of the fence isn't a problem, but I would rather have an equal cut, I know with Mak it is so sensitive to the pressure that you struggle to get consistent cuts.

Not good if your work is not painted

 

[Martin Johnson]

Andyman,

I've used it for successful lap joints...no problem at all...it worked great.

Martin

 

[andyman]

Did you have any flexing issues?

 

[Martin Johnson]

nope

 

[Frank-Jan]

I have a kapex and an old makita ls1013. The trenching function on the makita is less easy to dial in to an exact depth, and has a bit more flex, but also has a wider range. The trenching function on the kapex is more limited in height, so you can't use it to do halflap joints in thicker material. (This has frustrated a few people, there are topics about this that can be found with the searchfunction)

I mostly use my cs70 for those type of cuts, zero flex because the blade remains at the same height, and you don't need to put a scrap piece behind it, because the fence is adjustable.

There are plenty of advantages for the kapex over other scms's, but if the trenching function is your main reason to get it, you might end up dissapointed.