Kapex any good or no power

[CumminsDiesel]

Darren1972, just curious but what type of cuts require so much power?

Yeah +1,

Darren,if you need more power get a chainsaw!

 

[Darren1972]

Darren1972, just curious but what type of cuts require so much power?

Maximum depth cuts lots of them in treated wood not oak or anything was just thinking more power the better realy

 

[Darren1972]

Darren1972, just curious but what type of cuts require so much power?

Yeah +1,

Darren,if you need more power get a chainsaw!

A chainsaw huh very helpful

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Darren

It was 3 months of market research, just over 4 years ago, that led me to my first Festool purchase - the Kapex120. I use it every day, it has starred in countless videos and it is certainly not under powered.

If you do buy a Kapex I would recommend using a short 36mm hose attached to a decent extractor (I use the CTL 26). Also, let the blade come to rest before lifting it after a cut. You will find the results stunning.

It is easy to adjust for square. Mine was perfect straight from the box but I accidentally hit it with a huge piece of maple and knocked it out of square. The US Supplemental Manual is a must.

I have not had a single day or even a single second when I regretted buying this saw. I have owned various Radial Arm Saws before and used several mitre saws and none of them compare to the Kapex.

Peter

 

[ifit]

I have had a 110v kapex for a couple of years and find it a very smooth and accurate saw and combined with the ug cart is an excellent site tool

Power wise it is a bit underpowered but i believe it is to do with the electronics not the motor, If it starts to bog down you have to take the pressure off a bit or it will bog down to almost a stop. there is a bit of a technique to it and when you get used to it its fine but often others will use my saw and they always grind it to a halt.

Its not a 1st fix saw - not enough power and too much plastic for big timbers but for 2nd fix you can't beat it

 

[Birdhunter]

Darren72, thanks for the response. I use my Kapex to cut hardwoods and exotics. Some cuts are 2" or more inches deep. I have cut what seemed like tons of Ipe (extremely hard). I slow the feed rate on cuts through thick hard wood, but have never lacked for power.

I do hear my TS55 modulate itself as I make a rail guided cut but never the Kapex.

If all I was doing was hacking through nasty treated wood outside, I wouldn't bother with a Kapex. If I was cutting anything indoors, I wouldn't use anything but a Kapex.

 

[Darren1972]

Ok thanks everyone its mostly first fix i do so still on the fence a bit Aboout it seems a bit more off a scalpel than an knife maybe a bit too pecise for my needs lokks awsome though

 

[Scott B.]

I find every Festool saw I've tried so far underpowered.

...it has starred in countless videos and it is certainly not under powered.

[unsure]

 

[AlexThePalex]

I guess expectations matter.

When I see my 1500 W DeWalt DW65 saw cut through everything I feed it up to it's cutting depth of 65 mm, and then see my 2200 W CS70 struggle to cut a 20 mm strip of hardwood and have burns all over, then yeah, I call that a bit underpowered. It is not what you expect from a saw of that wattage. Same for the TS55, it's perfect for sheet material, but put it on 22 mm meranti and you have to take it reeeaally slow.

I stay with the Festools because my TS55 and CS70 mostly get to see softwood and sheet material, which they do just fine. I really don't look forward to cutting hardwood with any of them and in the rare occasion I have to do that all day, the DeWalt takes over.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'm another one that feels the Kapex is under powered.  It's not a deal breaker for me though.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Something to keep in mind - with conventional motors in saws it is easy to overload them by pushing the cut too hard. The result is that they overheat and cook the windings eventually go up in smoke. The electronically controlled motors like Festool limit the max power that you can get out of them to protect the motor, to stop them overheating and damaging the windings.

If you are one of those that regularly pushes the limits then these motors may appear to be weaker but in fact they are just well protected and performing within their rated specs.

There are plenty of people here in the States that would disagree after the motor/electronics on their Kapex saws have burned up from normal use.

 

[DB10]

Ok thanks everyone its mostly first fix i do so still on the fence a bit Aboout it seems a bit more off a scalpel than an knife maybe a bit too pecise for my needs lokks awsome though

If I was mostly doing 1st fix, I wouldn't have splurged on a Kapex. I now only use the Kapex for finish work and in the workshop with dust extractor. That's not because the Kapex can't handle 1st fix, it can but because the nature of that type pf work usually means i'm working outside and I don't need dust extraction.  So for 1st fix I use a Metabo which is just more suited for this type of work and a lot cheaper.

 

[CrazyLarry]

Darren1972, just curious but what type of cuts require so much power?

Yeah +1,

Darren,if you need more power get a chainsaw!

A chainsaw huh very helpful

If most (all) your work is first fix it's not an unhelpful suggestion; the swordsaw is really an evolved chainsaw afterall and excels at cuts in large timbers. There's a lot to be said for picking the right tool for the right job!

 

[VesaS]

When I see my 1500 W DeWalt DW65 saw cut through everything I feed it up to it's cutting depth of 65 mm, and then see my 2200 W CS70 struggle to cut a 20 mm strip of hardwood and have burns all over, then yeah, I call that a bit underpowered.

You are most probably better with machines than me, but this sounds like something what I can't believe.
No offence, just don't believe.

Regards
Vesa

 

[Scott B.]

All of this is why it is important to remember that with tools, everyone's mileage will be a little different depending on the type of tasks you do with the tool, and the way you work.

It is definitely interesting when some of the forum's most accomplished experts have opposite opinions about the performance of the tool.

It is hard to form conclusive opinions based on other people's opinions. So, it is best to consider multiple sources and then find out for yourself what fits best in your project life.

 

[Stone Message]

I cut more oak than anything else both with the Kapex and the TS 55 (usually in the CMS-TS for ripping). I do not consider either saw to be under powered.

I do occasionally get a bit of blade burn which is not, in my case, connected with saw power. With the TS 55 in the CMS it used to occur because I was using the (supplied) fine blade for ripping - I now use the Universal blade which is a great improvement. With the Kapex it is either because I have not cleaned the blade for a while, it needs sharpening or the wood moves slightly due to stress release but sometimes it is poor operator control.

I have used both saws to cut Perspex, MDF, various grades of plywood, tons of oak, a lot of walnut and, to my horror, a nail (nice clean cut it was too). Both saws cut to perfection for all of my woodworking needs.

Peter

 

[AlexThePalex]

When I see my 1500 W DeWalt DW65 saw cut through everything I feed it up to it's cutting depth of 65 mm, and then see my 2200 W CS70 struggle to cut a 20 mm strip of hardwood and have burns all over, then yeah, I call that a bit underpowered.

You are most probably better with machines than me, but this sounds like something what I can't believe.
No offence, just don't believe.

So why can't you believe that? Do you have experience with these machines, and do you think I would have any reason to falsify my observations?

Simply looking at the wattage doesn't tell the full story. For instance, the DW65 has a standard AC motor, while the CS70 (and the Kapex also) has an induction motor. Induction motors have reduced torque while running.

Go try the CS70 with hardwood and report back to us please.

 

[weekendwarrior]

We want video!

 

[Brice Burrell]

All of this is why it is important to remember that with tools, everyone's mileage will be a little different depending on the type of tasks you do with the tool, and the way you work.

It is definitely interesting when some of the forum's most accomplished experts have opposite opinions about the performance of the tool.

It is hard to form conclusive opinions based on other people's opinions. So, it is best to consider multiple sources and then find out for yourself what fits best in your project life.

This is another one of your great posts Scott. [thumbs up]

 

[tiralie]

It is hard to form conclusive opinions based on other people's opinions. So, it is best to consider multiple sources and then find out for yourself what fits best in your project life.

Well said. Completely agree. Research, and opinions are a good start and help you to think about things you may have not considered. Actually using the tool personally (which Festool let's you do) is the only way to actually know for sure.

Tim