Kapex base is not level

[eiden]

I really appreciate your tips and advice here. Thanks alot everyone!

Festool will make it right or you can get a refund within 30 days since you just got it.

I'm not sure if Festool offers a the "30 days refund", but it doen't matter. I don't want a different saw, I just want the Kapex to work properly..

On a more positive note, I thought the quality of the video from your cellphone was quite good...

Haha

I don't understand where your gap is.  Can you post a pic?

The red line (the metal next to the kerf plate) is the high point.
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I tried to tighten the bolt under the kerf plate, but the base is still not level.  The whole pivot point seems to be a bit unstable as well:
31012010013.mp4

I flipped the saw around to look at the bottom part. I couldn't see anything unusual there, except for some rust on two of the parts (WTF?)..
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One other thing that I noticed is a problem with the bevel-function. If I set the knob to "47 degrees", and open the bevel lock, the saw tips to the right and stops at around 20 degrees. Seem like the counter balance spring is not working between 0 and 20 degrees on the right side. Is this normal??

Releasing the bevel lock:
31012010020.mp4

Trying to select bevel angle with one hand:
31012010022.mp4

 

[Five Star]

Yeah thats weird , im sure that festool will hook you up with a new saw!! I dont own a kapex yet, and every time i get close to buying one i read about a new problem!!
i know its not every saw thats like this but with my luck id end up with the one thats in need of attention! and like someothers here it wouldnt be the first to be thrown out a 2 story window ;D

 

[Forrest Anderson]

Thanks for posting your second batch of videos. Like JohnDistai, I'm pretty impressed with the video quality of your cellphone, but I'm much less impressed with your Kapex which appears to have multiple faults.

If you were based in the USA, like most FOG members, then I'm sure that you could get your problem machine sorted quickly and efficiently. However you seem to be based in Norway, and that complicates matters.

Where did you get the Kapex? You said in an earlier post that you "paid 1360 GBP for it", and since GBP is British pounds, I wonder if you imported it from the UK? If you did, that complicates things even more, and I can understand your reluctance to exchange it for another machine. Unlike the USA, the UK doesn't have the Festool 30 day money back guarantee where "if you are not completely satisfied, your full purchase price will be refunded".

Forrest

 

[eiden]

Where did you get the Kapex? You said in an earlier post that you "paid 1360 GBP for it", and since GBP is British pounds, I wonder if you imported it from the UK?

Yep. I ordered it online from UK for two reasons.

1.  The norwegian dealer (yes there is only one dealer for Festool in Norway) does not have an online store. Well they do, but only for professional business customers..

If I want to order from them, I have to email or call them just to get prices. The prices are not available on their website for some odd reasion. If I want to order from them, I first have to create an account by filling out a paper form and mail it to them. Then I have to call or fax in my orders. So it's much more convinent and cheaper to order online from UK or Germany.

2. The norwegian dealer target the "professional" user, and not hobbyists like me. They offer unreasonably high prices for me, while they offer discounted/normal prices for their other valued business customers.

If you did, that complicates things even more, and I can understand your reluctance to exchange it for another machine. Unlike the USA, the UK doesn't have the Festool 30 day money back guarantee where "if you are not completely satisfied, your full purchase price will be refunded".

Well, I don't want to keep this saw. But I don't want a DeWalt, Bosch or any other brand. I just want a Kapex that works properly

I'll contact the Festool dealer where I bought the saw on monday morning..

 

[Forrest Anderson]

Thanks for the feedback. I was particularly surprised at the rust on the flat plate underneath the mitre lock lever mechanism.

My Kapex is 2 1/2 years old and it has hardly any discolouration there. What is the manufacturing date on the label on your Kapex? The date is at the left-hand side of the label, at right angles to the rest of the text, and mine says "2007".

Forrest

 

[eiden]

I thought that was a bit odd as well. When I pulled the saw out of the box, it was covered with a fine black dust..

According to the label, the manufacturing year is 2009. I guessed that it was a "newer" model since Festool has made some small modifications to the saw.

The arbor bolt guard is removed, and the blade guard is much shorter:
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[Forrest Anderson]

I thought that was a bit odd as well. When I pulled the saw out of the box, it was covered with a fine black dust..

Any idea what the dust might be? Plastic or metal?

According to the label, the manufacturing year is 2009.

OK.

I guessed that it was a "newer" model since Festool has made some small modifications to the saw.

The arbor bolt guard is removed, and the blade guard is much shorter:
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[eek]  In that case you may have another fault - I cannot imagine that the saw is designed to allow that amount of blade to be unprotected when the head of the saw is fully raised! You could easily injure yourself.

I have seen the same thing in saws where an offcut of wood has jammed in the guard's mechanism and has stopped the guard from returning fully to the "rest" position, ie fully covering the blade. Can you have a look up into the gap between the blade and the body of the saw, where the lasers are, and see if there's anything stopping the guard from moving? (Make sure the saw is not connected to the supply before investigating, of course).

Forrest

 

[eiden]

I have no idea what kind of dust the saw was covered in..

EDIT: It was not wood or metal.

The blade guard was like that when I took it out of the box. I removed the blade to have a closer look at the blade guard, and there is nothing jamming it. It's just ... short !
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[MiterMaster]

In reference to your saw not staying in position while beveling - I believe the weight of the motor is the cause of the bevel not staying in place - my Kapex does the same thing.  The micro bevel dial is nice because it does support a lot of the weight of the motor, but I do not feel it is intended to carry all the weight.  Once you dial in your bevel angel, you should either hold the saw's head, or hold the micro bevel dial until you lock down the bevel lock.

Why is the arbor bolt guard removed, was it just missing? 

When my saw's head is upright, my blade guard covers the entire blade, from your picture, it seems your blade guard is not installed properly, it seems to be too high.

Mike 

 

[Forrest Anderson]

By comparing a photo of your saw with one shown in the Festool Video...

[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2]

...it looks as though the head of your saw might not be fully returning to its upright position. This would stop the guard returning to the position where it fully covers the blade (note how the guard covers almost all of the blade in the above official photo)

If you push the guard out of the way, and raise the head of the saw, what is the distance between the top of the mitre table and the bottom of the blade (shown by the red arrow)? On my saw, the gap is approx 150mm.

Could someone else with a Kapex measure the distance on their saw as well?

Forrest

 

[harry_]

In reference to your saw not staying in position while beveling - I believe the weight of the motor is the cause of the bevel not staying in place - my Kapex does the same thing.  The micro bevel dial is nice because it does support a lot of the weight of the motor, but I do not feel it is intended to carry all the weight.  Once you dial in your bevel angel, you should either hold the saw's head, or hold the micro bevel dial until you lock down the bevel lock.

Why is the arbor bolt guard removed, was it just missing? 

When my saw's head is upright, my blade guard covers the entire blade, from your picture, it seems your blade guard is not installed properly, it seems to be too high.

Mike 

Keeping in mind that I do not own, nor have I ever used a Kapex:

I find it hard to believe that the head dropping in the first 20 degrees is "by design". Having used virtually every other SCMS out there, it is usually within the first 20 degrees that the head does not want to 'just drop'.

As for the guard,.. that seems to be a lot of blade showing. More than I think I would like if I were the owner. Maybe it is something that I could get used to, but I think I would prefer not having to. I know with my Bosch, if it starts to show me that much blade, it is 'clean & lube' time!

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

20 degrees on the rest of them?  The rest of them flop all the way over when you release the bevel lock. [big grin]

 

[eiden]

If you push the guard out of the way, and raise the head of the saw, what is the distance between the top of the mitre table and the bottom of the blade (shown by the red arrow)? On my saw, the gap is approx 150mm

Mine is 120mm. There is a small plastic piece that prevents the saw head from getting any higher. Do you have that on your saw Forrest ?
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[MiterMaster]

By comparing a photo of your saw with one shown in the Festool Video...

[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2]

...it looks as though the head of your saw might not be fully returning to its upright position. This would stop the guard returning to the position where it fully covers the blade (note how the guard covers almost all of the blade in the above official photo)

After seeing the side-by-side comparsion, I believe Forrest is correct, it appears your saws head is not fully upright?
Mike

 

[eiden]

I figured it out. The small plastic piece was loose, so I pressed it back into it's groove, and now the head moves to a fully upright position.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I think that saw got dropped in tranist.

I wonder how often something like that is the real cause.

 

[eiden]

That's what I suspect as well. It takes a considerable amount of force to dislodge that small plastic piece.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

I figured it out. The small plastic piece was loose, so I pressed it back into it's groove, and now the head moves to a fully upright position.

Good. I had just taken some photos of the head in the 120mm position and the 150mm position, but don't need to upload now.

Does the guard cover the blade properly now?

Forrest

 

[eiden]

Does the guard cover the blade properly now?

Yes, it covers almost the entire blade now, just like the official photos from Festool

 

[jonny round boy]

Just for clarity, I'd like to state that the "arbor bolt guard" referred to in some of the above posts was (as far as I can tell) a modification made to the US model.

I don't believe it was ever present on UK models. I think there was an older thread about this difference that I posted on some time ago - I'll see if I can find it, and post a link.