kapex and pre-painted wide trim

[GarryMartin]

Are you pulling the head all the way forward, letting the blade get up to speed, then lowering the head into the wood and pushing toward the back of the saw to make the cut? The tearout and burn pattern looks like you might be just dropping the blade into the piece without sliding...

 

[rizzoa13]

I get very similiar burning on the same type of mouldings. Are the sides almost glass smooth? Mine is so smooth that I need to rough it up by hand with 40 grit paper because I'm worried about goue adhesion when glueing outside corners.

Very interested in how this thread turns out.

 

[JimD]

I do not own a Kapek and do woodworking as a hobby but I sometimes build furniture including out of maple.  I also use oak, cherry, and walnut.  Maple and cherry both burn more than softwoods or oak or walnut.  I'm not sure why but they do.  If my blade is not completely clean, I will get burning.  I am normally using a table saw but also use my non-slider 12 inch CMS and RAS for crosscuts.  So I think part of the issue may be the wood.

I know it wasn't you but painting maple is a terrible idea.  Birch or poplar or softwood are cheaper and take paint at least as well.  But you got what you got.

Your saw may be part of the issue or the blade.  But I also wonder if part of it is not the paint.  I paint softwood moldings before I put them up in the houses I've lived in but I used latex paint.  It cuts find and does not gum up my blades.  But I wonder if this is not oil based or another type of paint that reacts differently to being cut.  It my be gumming the blade really quickly resulting in the burning.  Do you know anything about the paint?

 

[dirkgently]

Thank You for the info above on the maple burning more than other woods when cut. I am hoping the issue is with the stock and not the saw blade.
I agree that the paint may be the issue with the blade gumming up.......BUT even when clean the wood burns. By comparison my 100 tooth freud blade in my Dewalt saw has no burn marks.
And YES to above poster, the cuts may be burned but are very smooth.......the Freud blade not as smooth but no burns......Hmmm....possibly something to learn here.

So I sent the saw in for service on other issues (This saw is still brand new with stickers on it....but over 30 days old) I included a cut off sample of the wood in the box when I shipped it back to them. I got a call from a Festool rep saying I need a NEW blade at $150.... [eek]
The guy making the call to me had now idea why I should need a new blade after completing a 1/2 kitchen project and several cuts in Melamine shelving......but did offer that "Well Melamine is tough stuff".....Really I am not making this up.

Saw should be back to me any day now....great turn around time.....If other saw issues are fixed I will likely try an 80 tooth blade and see if the painted maple cuts better.

 

[rizzoa13]

I'm going to guess the 80 tooth cuts nicely for a bit but then does the same thing. I use an 80 tooth tenryu blade and it does that on bevels. It also slightly does it on crosscuts.

I'm wondering if a lower tooth count wouldn't actually be helpful. The face of the cut is perfect even with the burning. Maybe a lower tooth count could still produce a perfect finish but wouldn't burn the wood and strain the motor in the same way.

 

[dirkgently]

got the saw back.
One of the issues I sent it in for is fixed  (It was not cutting square bevel left or right).
The other issue of grinding sound when tilting is still present....(I really thought all 3 issues would end up being same problem)
I am very hesitant to invest any more money in purchasing a new blade for a new saw.

I have a bunch of the same prefinished white maple trim to install as baseboard/toe kicks coming up soon as the floor is done.....I really want to use this saw for that. 

 

[dirkgently]

Happy to Report
I WAS WRONG!
the saw is now cutting perfect 90 when bevel to the right. and nearly perfect when bevel to left. It is consistant to what another member (Reno III) had posted on his kapex problem. I will be fine with the grinding issue...so I will go purchase a new 80 tooth blade and send this one out for sharpening.
I will report back on how new blade cuts next week. since I am headed for the mountains.

 

[RKA]

???  So what changed between the first and second post?

 

[justinh]

I do not own a Kapek and do woodworking as a hobby but I sometimes build furniture including out of maple.  I also use oak, cherry, and walnut.  Maple and cherry both burn more than softwoods or oak or walnut.  I'm not sure why but they do.  If my blade is not completely clean, I will get burning.  I am normally using a table saw but also use my non-slider 12 inch CMS and RAS for crosscuts.  So I think part of the issue may be the wood.

I know it wasn't you but painting maple is a terrible idea.  Birch or poplar or softwood are cheaper and take paint at least as well.  But you got what you got.

Your saw may be part of the issue or the blade.  But I also wonder if part of it is not the paint.  I paint softwood moldings before I put them up in the houses I've lived in but I used latex paint.  It cuts find and does not gum up my blades.  But I wonder if this is not oil based or another type of paint that reacts differently to being cut.  It my be gumming the blade really quickly resulting in the burning.  Do you know anything about the paint?

It's likely not paint.  Cabs and associated trim are sprayed with a catalyzed tinted finish.  Most of what I install is finished with conversion varnish.  Maple is used for its density and tight grain which resists popping when coated and the fact the grain is much tighter than poplar resulting in less transfer.

 

[dirkgently]

RKA.....Sorry I am a dope....I did 2 cuts on bevel left side (side with grinding sound starting at 42 degrees when tilted) found them off about 1/64" over 11.25" and freaked out. There has been a lot of stress associated with this saw (cost and problems). I posted while I was on telephone hold for a Festool before they went home for the day (failed attempt, thankfully).
When I checked the Right bevel side and found it square......I re-checked the left side and found it to be acceptable. Clearly the festool techs DID do some tweeking to the saw....and I am very grateful to them for this. 

I will modify my above message to save on confusion I have caused about that particular issue.

 

[dirkgently]

Justinh....thanks for the explanation of the paint on the trim.
What brand of blade do you use for your cuts? How many teeth?

 

[justinh]

Justinh....thanks for the explanation of the paint on the trim.
What brand of blade do you use for your cuts? How many teeth?

I use a FS Tool SM6300 12" 100t on a DeWalt 716.  An 80t will do the job well but the tension and stability of that particular blade is amazing.  The only time I will switch is if the finisher who shot the trim laid it on too heavy.  CV gets really chip prone when mil thickness is exceeded and I switch to a FS LM6301 H-ATB to keep the touch up to a minimum. That grind runs hot, dulls quickly, and is loud but does a pretty good job of minimizing finish chips.