Kapex- Calibrating

[btracey1]

Hello all,
My Kapex got out of calibration, and I have been trying (with the help of the on-line manual) to recalibrate it. All of the cutting tests are fine for telling if the saw has gotten out of square, and by how much, but getting it back to square is trial and error as far as I have experienced.
My problem (after extensive efforts to fix the problem)is that my 90 degree setting is as close to exact as can be, but now my 45 degree miter cuts are off by an appreciable amount. How can I get the 45s back in calibration without messing up the 90 degree?
I know I've missed something in the process but what, I don't know!
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Brian Tracey

 

[peter halle]

Brian,

I don't have a Kapex so any advice I give would likely lead you astray.  You mentioned using an online manual, if you aren't using Rick's supplemental manual here is the link:  Supplemental Kapex manual

Peter

 

[Mike B]

Did you engage the miter lock before you loosened the three screws? It helps ensure the miter guage plate can then only move in the same arc as the saws pivot point when you adjust it.

Otherwise dues to the play in the screw holes, if the guage plate moves in/out or left/right it in relation to the pivot point can mean that although your 90 degrees mark is right the other angles will be skewed.

Are both left and right 45 degree angles out by the same amount?

 

[btracey1]

Thanks Peter,
That is the manual I was referring to.
Brian

 

[btracey1]

Mike,
I believe that in all of the many attempts to get the 90 degree mark correct, I must have not locked it down. That would explain my mistake. The question is now how do I go about getting back to accurate at 45 degrees?
Thanks,
Brian

 

[btracey1]

Mike,
Sorry I missed your question about if the 45 degree cuts are off by the same amount in both directions. I belive they are but I will have to verify that. I'm not where the saw is at the moment.
Brian

 

[Rick Christopherson]

If one side is coming out long and the other side is coming up short, then you need to rotate the miter gauge. If both are coming up short, then push the miter gauge straight back. If both are coming up long, then pull the miter gauge forward.

If your 90 is still accurate now, then put the saw at 90 and use the detent stop to help you keep the center of the miter gauge at 90 while you jockey it about to fix the others. Just remember that there is nothing actually holding the saw at 90 while the gauge is loosened, so don't bump it.

 

[btracey1]

Rick,
Thanks for your help.
I will try what you suggested.
Brian

 

[peter halle]

Thanks Rick,

I was hoping you would stop by!

Peter

 

[Michael Kellough]

If one side is coming out long and the other side is coming up short, then you need to rotate the miter gauge. If both are coming up short, then push the miter gauge straight back. If both are coming up long, then pull the miter gauge forward.

If your 90 is still accurate now, then put the saw at 90 and use the detent stop to help you keep the center of the miter gauge at 90 while you jockey it about to fix the others. Just remember that there is nothing actually holding the saw at 90 while the gauge is loosened, so don't bump it.

Clamp blocks to the workbench on both sides of the miter arm to prevent it moving
while you adjust the miter scale. Then remove one block to make a test cut at 45 degrees.
Put the block back before removing the other block to test 45 on the other side.
You should re-test 90 if you do move the miter scale but it should still be good
if the detent remained securely engaged.

 

[btracey1]

Peter, Mike B, Rick, and Michael,

I am happy to report that the Kapex is once again cutting 90 degree and 45 degree miters perfectly.
I was cutting a 45 on the right side of the saw while holding the wood in place with the Kapex clamp, not realizing that the clamp was in the way of the saw body itself. I found out the hard way that that can't be good. If anyone needs to know how to knock their saw out of alignment I can show them!
Oh well, look at all I've learned about Kapex adjustment and fine tuning!

Thanks too all of you for your help.

Brian Tracey

 

[peter halle]

Brian,

Glad it worked out for you.  Please stick around and post.  This community is about people with all sorts of experience levels.  You probably have something to say that will help another!

Peter

 

[EcoFurniture]

Peter, Mike B, Rick, and Michael,

I am happy to report that the Kapex is once again cutting 90 degree and 45 degree miters perfectly.
I was cutting a 45 on the right side of the saw while holding the wood in place with the Kapex clamp, not realizing that the clamp was in the way of the saw body itself. I found out the hard way that that can't be good. If anyone needs to know how to knock their saw out of alignment I can show them!
Oh well, look at all I've learned about Kapex adjustment and fine tuning!

Thanks too all of you for your help.

Brian Tracey

I'm glad to hear you got it fixed!
I noticed quite early that the downhold clamp and the miter angle device (in it's stow away spot) would be in the way for certain miter cuts. As I don't use the miter angle finder (or what ever that thing is called) I took it out and up on a shelf. The clamp on the other hand has to be removed ones in a while.

 

[gstuartw]

Brian,

I don't have a Kapex so any advice I give would likely lead you astray.  You mentioned using an online manual, if you aren't using Rick's supplemental manual here is the link:  Supplemental Kapex manual

Peter

Is this calculator no longer working? I have tried inputting my results and when I click on the Calc Error button it remains 0.00. I even tried putting in dramatically different values and it stays on 0.00 when I click the button. My saw fell on the ground from a height of 30" and I'm concerned it is not calibrated any longer.

 

[peter halle]

Brian,

I don't have a Kapex so any advice I give would likely lead you astray.  You mentioned using an online manual, if you aren't using Rick's supplemental manual here is the link:  Supplemental Kapex manual

Peter

Is this calculator no longer working? I have tried inputting my results and when I click on the Calc Error button it remains 0.00. I even tried putting in dramatically different values and it stays on 0.00 when I click the button. My saw fell on the ground from a height of 30" and I'm concerned it is not calibrated any longer.

You should download the manual and then use Acrobat Reader locally.  If you are using the PDF viewers in browsers there likely will be problems.

Peter

 

[gstuartw]

Brian,

I don't have a Kapex so any advice I give would likely lead you astray.  You mentioned using an online manual, if you aren't using Rick's supplemental manual here is the link:  Supplemental Kapex manual

Peter

Is this calculator no longer working? I have tried inputting my results and when I click on the Calc Error button it remains 0.00. I even tried putting in dramatically different values and it stays on 0.00 when I click the button. My saw fell on the ground from a height of 30" and I'm concerned it is not calibrated any longer.

You should download the manual and then use Acrobat Reader locally.  If you are using the PDF viewers in browsers there likely will be problems.

Peter

Thanks, that worked!