Kapex and Sys1 not the same height?

[baldguy]

I have an older kapex that I built a miter saw station for a few years ago and have been using it happily since.  A few weeks ago, my shop's mini split decided to take a dump all over that cabinet, so it is currently taken apart awaiting replacement of the mini split.  I need to use the kapex, though... so I put it on my bench and picked up a couple of empty SYS1 systainers to use as work support.  This is a temporary solution, but the systainers should be useful later for other purposes. 

So I plop those brand new SYS1s down on either side of the saw... they are decidedly not the same height.  Laying a straight edge across, there is about a 1/16" or 3/32" gap across the kapex table.  Obviously this would throw off any cuts I make with this setup, taking everything out of square.  This won't work.

What am I missing?  The entire internet says they are the same height.  But they are sitting right in front of me, very different heights.  What to do?

 

[peter halle]

I can't tell you why they are not the same height.

What do you do?  Put your hand on the work or use the clamp and flatten the work on the table.

Peter

 

[baldguy]

I think that much is obvious, no offense. It still results in an inaccurate cut, though.  The boards I am trimming are 9-10 feet in length so support is necessary.  I want at least one end to be square.  I didnt need the sys1 boxes, but I drove 45 mins each way and paid almost $200 for the pair, so I really want them to work.  I thought the festool system was designed to work this way, it just isnt.  Perhaps it never was supposed to?  Is the height equality of these two tools just a very popular myth?

 

[Frank-Jan]

At the time of the introduction of the kapex, the systainers were a different design. The current systainers are called systainer T-loc, and the older are called systainer classic since the introduction of the T-loc design.

And alltough the height of both versions of the systainer 1 are described as 105 mm; this measurement excludes the height of the feet of the systainer (because when stacked, the feet sink into the systainer below, so a sys 1 will add 105 mm to a stack)

Apparantly the feet of the new systainer are higher than those of the systainer classic, and the "system" advantage of the kapex bed height is gone. (I just found this out reading an old thread while searching for the systainer height of the classic).

 

[peter halle]

I think that much is obvious, no offense. It still results in an inaccurate cut, though.  The boards I am trimming are 9-10 feet in length so support is necessary.  I want at least one end to be square.  I didnt need the sys1 boxes, but I drove 45 mins each way and paid almost $200 for the pair, so I really want them to work.  I thought the festool system was designed to work this way, it just isnt.  Perhaps it never was supposed to?  Is the height equality of these two tools just a very popular myth?

No offense taken.  Please also do the same.  Move the Systainers further away is another way.  Again, I am not saying that the situation is correct, or right.  Just trying to give you advice on how to get your project done with what you have.

Peter

 

[baldguy]

Ahh so they did change things up.  FWIW I did try flipping the systainers and putting the straight edge between the feet, but then the kapex is higher than the supports.  I think these will be returned, unfortunately.  Thanks for the feedback, guys.  I can still get this project done, I was just really hoping to stay as close to my usual workflow as possible while the miter saw cabinet is out of commission.  Oh well.  Thanks again.

 

[awil66]

Shim the kapex up a 1/16” ?

 

[Master Carpenter]

I find it hard to believe someone with a wood shop would drive 1.5 hours and buy $200 worth of plastic boxes to use as miter saw supports, then post on the internet about a 1/16" height discrepancy.

You have a wood shop. Do you have a scrap bin? Any off cuts around. In 15 minutes I could build a couple temporary supports out of my scrap bin that are the perfect height and then get the job done. No money spent and minimum time wasted.

Where has common sense gone?

 

[baldguy]

I needed something from woodcraft anyway but thanks for your concern.  I could build whatever, that wasnt the point.  I grabbed these because the system is supposed to work and give me accuracy without fidgeting with a perfect fit.  I already did that once when I built the miter saw station.

Sometimes you might just say things out loud before posting them.  Maybe then you will realize how much of a turd you are being and post something constructive instead.  Or maybe that's just who you are, I dont judge.

 

[semenza]

First .......... take it easy guys.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Yes, the Classic Sys align with Kapex height. The T-Locs are a bit high, which is too bad. I have often grabbed them for a few quick cuts myself.  Oddly this is a good reason for me to keep some Classic Sys- I in my site work tool set up.

Seth

 

[yetihunter]

Whoah, I did not know this about the systainer height thing.

 

[grobkuschelig]

Fun fact: T-Loc SYS1 and Kapex KS-60 are a perfect match...

Not much help, I know. I just wanted to make sure this info is available for someone stumbling across the the thread.

So:
Kapex 120: Classic SYS 1
Kapex 60: T-Loc SYS 1