Kapex 120 Dust collection issues

[semenza]

I recall that the pics had been the same at first.

Seth

 

[tjbnwi]

If you find that the dust collection degrades, clean the blade. Had issues recently and it was just a dirty blade. There was build up behind the teeth. I believe this was causing the dust to be strewn in all directions instead of back into the extraction stream.

Tom

 

[Toolpig]

Make sure to buy and use a 36mm hose for the Kapex (you're probably using the standard 27mm hose that came with your vacuum).  The bigger hose makes a HUGE difference!

- Jason 

Hi

This is my first post on here

I have a kapex 120 mitre saw and the festool midi dust extractor hooked upto it

I find that it does not collect much dust, i have changed the bag, checked the line hose and all seems well

but when i cut dust is everywhere

there does not seem to be any visible damage etc

it works fine with my ts55 & 1400router

thanks

adrian

 

[joiner1970]

Make sure to buy and use a 36mm hose for the Kapex (you're probably using the standard 27mm hose that came with your vacuum).  The bigger hose makes a HUGE difference!

- Jason 

Hi

This is my first post on here

I have a kapex 120 mitre saw and the festool midi dust extractor hooked upto it

I find that it does not collect much dust, i have changed the bag, checked the line hose and all seems well

but when i cut dust is everywhere

there does not seem to be any visible damage etc

it works fine with my ts55 & 1400router

thanks

adrian

A bit late Jason , if you read the thread he did buy the 36mm hose and it solved the problem

 

[darita]

but what i think i have just noticed is that i think i am missing a part....!

I am missing i think a part called the Dust extraction attachment which goes before the rubber dust collector

[attachthumb=#]

Really would like to know what part you are referring to here?

 

[Acrobat]

me too, what is it that you think you were/are missing?

Looking at the photos earlier it still shows there's been quite a bit of dust thrown out. If this is the best result then frankly it's a little disappointing.
Sorry Peter P, I disagree with your assessment on dust collection for the Kapex,it aint brilliant passable yes, brilliant no.
My own Kapex tosses dust out at least as much, if not more, and I've had it checked recently by Festool service, and they reckon its standard to have it like that.
Apart from that, the saw is a.o.k.

 

[Stone Message]

Sorry Peter P, I disagree with your assessment on dust collection for the Kapex,it aint brilliant passable yes, brilliant no.
My own Kapex tosses dust out at least as much, if not more, and I've had it checked recently by Festool service, and they reckon its standard to have it like that.
Apart from that, the saw is a.o.k.

I know that people judge it on their own setup - some have 27mm rather than 36mm hoses, some do not have a HPLV extractor. I have had a number of previous saws for cross cut work and they all produced tons of dust compared to the Kapex. I accept that some of the larger chips might escape collection but the fine dust gets taken away. I tested the Kapex in my workshop dust study and it produced under a tenth of the UK figure for permanent exposure at a work place.

I would love to know what particular rival saws better the Kapex at dust collection in the sub micron range but I doubt whether anyone has made a comparison using accurate dust measuring detectors.

Peter

 

[Acrobat]

Hi Peter, Festools "thing" if you like is they take dust collection to a new level and yes with the Kapex I would think it does compared to other makes I've used, and the Kapex in general is far better than previous saws I've owned and used so it's a leap ahead in that regard, just some of the opinions I've read on it's dust collection to me seem to be rather overstated and certainly it's nothing like the collection rate from Festools sanders or Domino's where all gets taken away. But I guess the nature of the saw unless radically re-designed provides a major hurdle to eliminate dust completely.
I have all the correct hoses and vacs but am still disappointed with it's dust collection, probably my own fault in taking reviews too literally and having a too high an expectation of it and Festool gear in general. (Another example is the poor table saw "LA fence" alignment for the CMS, it certainly lets the whole kit down. Awkward and fiddly to get square to the blade). It would help to give a more critical review on items that need attention-improvement, but I enjoy your videos and learn something new from each one, keep them going. Very informative.

Peter, on a different note,  I watched your demo on cutting on the cms saw table using two push sticks, that looked slow, awkward as heck and could be a tad dangerous. I suggest trying out the Grr-ripper push blocks, so much safer, I love them and highly recommend them for work like that, and no I'm not an employee of their maker I'm sure once you try them you'll toss out the old sticks!

 

[tjbnwi]

Acrobat, try cleaning your blade. Cleaning mine helped the dust collection. I recently finished one job where we had to clean the blade everyday.

Tom

 

[Acrobat]

I did read that somewhere in this thread I think, I will at some stage give the blade a thorough clean, but since the dust problem has existed from day 1, I doubt whether that will give me any major improvement. Thanks for the tip tho', I'll give it a go eventually.

cheers

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Peter, Festools "thing" if you like is they take dust collection to a new level and yes with the Kapex I would think it does compared to other makes I've used, and the Kapex in general is far better than previous saws I've owned and used so it's a leap ahead in that regard, just some of the opinions I've read on it's dust collection to me seem to be rather overstated and certainly it's nothing like the collection rate from Festools sanders or Domino's where all gets taken away. But I guess the nature of the saw unless radically re-designed provides a major hurdle to eliminate dust completely.
I have all the correct hoses and vacs but am still disappointed with it's dust collection, probably my own fault in taking reviews too literally and having a too high an expectation of it and Festool gear in general. (Another example is the poor table saw "LA fence" alignment for the CMS, it certainly lets the whole kit down. Awkward and fiddly to get square to the blade). It would help to give a more critical review on items that need attention-improvement, but I enjoy your videos and learn something new from each one, keep them going. Very informative.

Peter, on a different note,  I watched your demo on cutting on the cms saw table using two push sticks, that looked slow, awkward as heck and could be a tad dangerous. I suggest trying out the Grr-ripper push blocks, so much safer, I love them and highly recommend them for work like that, and no I'm not an employee of their maker I'm sure once you try them you'll toss out the old sticks!

Yes, I can understand people expecting more from the Kapex given the really good collection from sanders and track saws. I have put a back on my Kapex bench so that no dust goes down the back and underneath the saw bench. As a result I get every bit of dust on the bench surface yet it is nothing like what I used to get with my last Radial Arm Saw.

I used the two push sticks when doing rebates on the CMS. Festool do not recommend the removal of the blade guard and so I had to make it crystal clear that people choose to do this at their own risk and the hands must never go anywhere near the exposed blade - hence the pair of sticks. I have a pair of really good push blocks from Lee Valley which I do use a lot. Not everyone will have these but anyone can make a pair of push sticks if needed.

Before getting the CMS I had a cheap and cheerful table saw from Jet. It did what it said it would do and I thought when I bought it that I could rebate with it. I did not realise that the riving knife stuck up above the top of the blade and I decided against making up a new one - hence the CMS which is a brilliant little table saw.

Peter

 

[Acrobat]

On the CMS Table saw, I wouldn't recommend it personally over a more dedicated table saw. It does a job of being a compact lightweight table that one can double up the use of their TS saw in, but it's lack of a really reliable fence and it's repeatability is a let down, especially from a premium brand like Festool. I guess its trying to be all things but to me never really makes it. I'll persevere with it but in hindsight would not purchase it again. Think I would prefer a more solid and completely flat table saw with a besmeyer type fence, but I work in the one place in my garage and don't need portability which is it's only real strength I feel.