Kapex Adjustment Question

fpsnyder

fpsnyder

Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Messages
45
I just got my Kapex out of the box tonight and noticed that it is quite a struggle to change the miter angle. It took considerable force to move it from 60 degrees to 0 degrees. Is this normal "out of the box" behavior or is mine in need of adjustment?
 
Please disregard this question. The problem is that I'm an idiot. I just now read the part in the manual about pulling UP on the lever instead of pushing the button down. Saw works fine now. Next time I'll consult the manual first.
 
Hey Frank....

Were you like me as a kid?  Build the model first and then check the instructions to see if we did it right? 
;D ;D ;D ;D
 
Make sure that you don't move it repeatedly like this or a bur will form on the angle ring indicator making it worse each time you move it. Mine had this problem and i had to pull it apart and polish the bur off. Not to hard to do but kind of makes you mad to have a 1300 saw crap out on you the first day you own it.
 
Interesting that you posted your question here... BEFORE looking for the answer in the manual...

Chris
 
Chris - Do you read the owners manual before you drive off the lot in a new car? No. Why? Because you know how to drive a car and you'll eventually figure out how all the rest of the stuff works later. Same with SCMS...I've used 5 different brands and not once did I need to consult the manual to figure out how it works until now. I had also read a few posts prior to owning my Kapex that users were experience stiff movement with the miter adjustment, so I thought that this was what I was experiencing. So please excuse me for posting my question here first before reading the manual. Fortunately, this forum exists and users can get information quicker here than in most other places.

Jakeg - Thanks for the warning. I only moved it once like that and figured something wasn't right. I'll check to make sure I didn't create a burr.

 
Hey Frank - I don't think that Chris meant that as an insult. Instead, I think he was pointing out what an amazing resource this forum is, and how we've come to expect that we'll find a quick and accurate solution to our problems here. Basically, it's more convenient than a manual!

In any case, glad you solved your problem. You know we're here for you if anything else arises!
 
poto said:
Hey Frank - I don't think that Chris meant that as an insult. Instead, I think he was pointing out what an amazing resource this forum is, and how we've come to expect that we'll find a quick and accurate solution to our problems here. Basically, it's more convenient than a manual!

In any case, glad you solved your problem. You know we're here for you if anything else arises!
Click to expand...

Ditto.  That's exactly how I read it too.  Frank, I hope you like the saw.  I just got mine a few days ago and it is a pleasure to use.
 
I saw a demo at Woodcraft on Sat.  Interesting development.  Seems when the saw is tilted to the right, the fence gets in the way of the right rail and it can't tilt all the way over to the 45 deg.  No prob to the left at the fence has a cutout to allow it to swing that far.  Our collective solution was get an allen wrench (as us yanks say per an earlier thread  ;D ) and lower the stop screw until the fence could be moved all the way over to allow clearance.  What's up with that?
 
Howard,

If you buy the Kapex one of the first things you should do is lower those little fence retaining screws all the way and leave them that way. Now the fences can be removed and installed  in the matter of seconds. I usally have them off and cut on the flat. The bevel operation on the Kapex is so easy and accurate that I actually prefer to cut on the flat with this saw. It is also much easier to handle the trim flat on the saw instead of standing up and wiggling around or acting as a sail in the wind. I might even prefer to cut crown on the flat with this saw since using the bosch angle finder makes finding those bevel/miter settings a no-brainer.

On many brands of saws you have to remove the auxilary fences to cut on the bevel. The makita saws have a flip out fence on the left side and you have to remove the fence on the right to bevel.

I dont see this as an issue at all. The Kapex is no different than any other CSMS except that it is incredibly accurate, has excellent DC, no deflection on bevel cuts, a very usable and accurate laser system, very light, has a smaller foot print, amazing bevel controls, has a genius hold down clamp, and more. All these benefits you simply cannot have with other saws. BUT there will always be something to complain about.

IMO this Kapex is worth 2600.00 easy. For me all the benefits that I listed above are worth at least double the sticker price. For those that do not need all those benefits than it is not worth the price to them and shouldnt buy the saw.

Eiji
 
For me, being a hobbyist, I need a specific project in mind to justify purchasing a major tool like this.  I did that on the Domino and the OF 1400.  I have a deck project coming up in the fall, it's too blasted hot in Texas at the moment to do anything outside, so that will be the perfect time to be able to use the Kapex.  After watching a few demonstrations, I'm sold, as usual.  It does need the 36mm hose for sure.  They had the 27mm hooked up to it and it left more dust than desireable behind.  I guess this means I'll have to rearrange the garage again to find a place for it...
 
I finally got to spend some quality time with the Kapex yesterday. What a sweet little saw. The only adjustment I made was with the left laser which was about 1/32? off the cut line. Easy fix.

Some observations?

It feels like it cuts without any resistance (very good blade).

It is so much quieter than any other saw I?ve used (DeWalt, Makita, Bosch and Hitachi).

Very easy to lift and move around.

I love that the saw doesn?t flop over during bevel adjustments.

Easiest bevel adjustment I?ve ever used.

The lasers work beautifully.

The dust collection is the best I?ve ever seen and I?m even using a Dust Gorilla which isn?t supposed to work well (2-1/2" hose graduated to 7" intake)

I adapted to the handle and trigger sequence in a matter of hours.

The small footprint is really, really nice.

The mounts for my Stablemate fit perfectly (had to drill both my Bosch and Hitachi).

Overall, this saw meets and exceeds all of my expectations (including the price), but it is worth every hard earned penny.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]

 
Ok, Frank, where do I start? First of all, don't you ever clean your shop? You have your DC going right through your cabinets. And, those levels look like they are ready to fall next time you breath on 'em.

All kidding aside, that is one sweet setup you have going there. Cleaner than a hospital OR! Did you need to do anything special to get the table height to match up for the Kapex or were you just lucky? It IS interesting that you have the DC going into your cabinet. It sure hides the ductwork nicely. Would you like to comment on your thought process there. OT, I know, but I expect to run a DC system soon in a finished basement and I am looking for ideas.

Edit: Went back and looked again. I see that you shimmed the saw. Cool. Beats having to go the other way.
 
Greg - Thanks for the cleanliness compliment. When I made these cabinets about a year and a half ago, I got the dimensions for the Kapex and planned accordingly. The Hitachi C12LSH that I had prior to the Kapex also had the same height base and could also be parked against a wall with its unique sliding action. I only had to shim both bases 1/16" to bring them into plane with the countertops. The duct work takes a vertical run through one cabinet and feeds a bunch of 2-1/2" hook-ups for benchtop tools, including the Kapex. The cabinets are Melamine carcasses with MDF face frames and doors. Cheap to build and surprisingly durable.

[attachthumb=1]

Dave - Those cranks are the mounts for my Stablemate saw stand. They allow me to quickly transfer my saw from the countertop mount to the Stablemate stand, and vice versa. The mount on the counter top is 2" of MDF with the inverse bevel profile to mate with the mount jaws. With just a few turns of each crank, the saw comes off. Fortunately, the Kapex had pre-drilled holes which were perfectly parallel with each other so I didn't have to make any holes in the base (as was the case with my Bosch and Hitachi). If the holes aren't parallel, then the mounts don't work right.

Here's some more pictures of my shop. I built it back in '06...

[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
[attachthumb=4]
[attachthumb=5]

 
A few more pics...I can't seem to fit all of them in a single post.

[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
[attachthumb=4]
 
And the last few pics...

[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
[attachthumb=4]
 
Holy shop dude! I love it. Envious is me.

how much space for infeed and outfeed do you have for your tablesaw?

I noticed only one mft and no other assembly areas/tables do you build mostly small pieces?

Eiji
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Kapex Handle
Replies
2
Views
1K
mitch22
M
I
Kapex calibration question
2
Replies
21
Views
427
ChuckM
C
K
Preset pin not engaging on KAPEX KS 120 REB
Replies
0
Views
196
Klup
K
johnbro
Kapex 120 EB not square at 45 degree bevel
Replies
0
Views
567
johnbro
johnbro
S
Kapex center of miter angle rotation?
Replies
16
Views
573
smorgasbord
S
Back
Top