Kapex 60 undercarriage modifications

[Wesley166]

Hi folks
My workshop is tiny so when I purchased my Kapex 60 I got the undercarriage as well so I could move it around easily. I was a little surprised that Festool had not protected the paint finish at the points they suggest you place your feet to operate the undercarriage.
I decided to rectify this and provide a shelf to place things on when using the saw. I used pipe clamps with a rubber lining to attach the shelf to the undercarriage. I have also used this idea to provide a shelf under my Workmate which I find very useful.
I have attached some photos to show what I did.

 

[Gregor]

Nice. As a sidenote: These are quite cheap and very practical when it comes to attaching sheet goods in a removeable manner (as they clip on and hold fairly well, but can be clipped off by hand) to tubes.

 

[grobkuschelig]

Thank you both!
Great conversion on the UG und nice tip with the quick attachment.

 

[Wesley166]

Hi Gregor
Thank you for your suggestion, in this instance the pipe clips would probably not work as you have to negotiate the shelf around an upright tube before it will sit in place.
However you have sparked an idea to use these clips. If you can convert the clips fixing hole into a threaded one, you could have a threaded hole on any pipe. The thread could be tapped directly into the clip or a threaded insert used, depends on how much material is available.

 

[Gregor]

Hi Gregor
Thank you for your suggestion, in this instance the pipe clips would probably not work as you have to negotiate the shelf around an upright tube before it will sit in place.

Possible. Havn't experimented with that particular geometric situation yet.

However you have sparked an idea to use these clips. If you can convert the clips fixing hole into a threaded one, you could have a threaded hole on any pipe. The thread could be tapped directly into the clip or a threaded insert used, depends on how much material is available.

It should be no big problem to glue (or melt) a hex nuts into these clips, the bolt going in there would just need to be of precise length or it'll push the tube out of the clip (when coming out of the other side of the nut).

 

[Wesley166]

Hi Gregor
Thanks for the comments, the other possibility is to have a threaded stud instead of a threaded hole. You could fit a countersink headed set screw into the clip, it would have to be locked, probably with a nut, to stop it turning.
To modify my prototype shelf and use these plastic clips would be difficult as it is sized for the P clips. There is a packer strip under the shelf edge to stiffen the edge and take up the thickness of the P clip. It would be easier to make a new shelf now I have a pattern to work from.

 

[Gregor]

I wouldn't want you to scrap your build for a new one, just wanted to point the clips out so people with similar problems possibly could get inspired...

 

[Wesley166]

Hi folks
I have the extension trimming attachments for my Kapex 60 and when they are mounted on the undercarriage they do not sit very securely and I was concerned they would come adrift over rough surfaces.
I have fitted a simple support which steadies the trimming attachments, thought this mod might have been complicated but it turned out to be simple, always the best, and used spare items. I used one of the pipe clamps left over from the shelf mod and an old rubber door stop. Gregor suggested using plastic pipe clamps instead of the metal ones I used, you could probably use them for this mod as well.

 

[Gregor]

Gregor suggested using plastic pipe clamps instead of the metal ones I used, you could probably use them for this mod as well.

The things I suggested wouldn't stop the contraption from turning (just keep it on a rod) or sliding, the ones you used can be tightened and the rubber part will fix them in place (position and rotation wise, as long as the forces applied stay within reasonable limits).