Kapex cuts like crap

[jimabuilders]

Not sure if my motor is going, the saw is out of alignment or the second $140 blade is dull after 15 minutes but this saw cuts like crap.  Don't be fooled by the shiny green.  After spending $1500 on what should have been the best miter saw on earth, I am consistently going back to the truck to grab my 7.5" cordless dewalt to cut the crown molding the Kapex couldn't.  WTF festool.  It would be one thing if the saw was $600 and sucked, but you have some nerve charging this amount and failing to deliver.  Customer service was absolutely zero help as well.  They essentially told me the saw would not perform correctly unless wired directly to the service panel with 00 wire and a 1,000 amp breaker ....not really but close.  Very disappointed in this saw.  I think I'll buy a generator, sit in the parking lot of the tool store and let everyone walking in demo this thing.  Maybe festool will get the point then...but doubt it.

 

[copcarcollector]

So, first time caller, are you here to ask for insight or help that might help you get better results with your saw, or just to stir the pot ....?

 

[bkharman]

Where are you calling from first time caller???

Cheers. Bryan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[#Tee]

ahah these post cracks me up, but mine cuts like a dream. i even use the dulled blade to cut pieces of titanium flat bar on speed 2 with lots of down pressure and my motor didnt burn up.

 

[semenza]

It is never good to see a first post of this type. I am not sure if the OP is looking for help or is just reporting his experience. In any case it certainly seems like there must be something wrong with the saw causing it to cut poorly.

Maybe someone has some suggestions to help get it straightened out?

[member=66167]jimabuilders[/member]  can you provide some detail about your cutting? Or if the saw runs slow? etc?

      Probably a dumb question  but is the speed control turned up all the way?

Seth

 

[Cheese]

i even use the dulled blade to cut pieces of titanium flat bar on speed 2 with lots of down pressure and my motor didnt burn up.

Just curious, how thick is the titanium and what blade are you using?

 

[bobfog]

The Kapex is a terrible tool from a reliability front, but when working is excellent. Would love Festool to publicly acknowledge and rectify so I can buy one.

 

[semenza]

The Kapex is a terrible tool from a reliability front, but when working is excellent. Would love Festool to publicly acknowledge and rectify so I can buy one.

I take it you have had the opportunity to use one for a bit.  Any thoughts on what might be going on with the OP's saw?

Seth

 

[bobfog]

The Kapex is a terrible tool from a reliability front, but when working is excellent. Would love Festool to publicly acknowledge and rectify so I can buy one.

I take it you have had the opportunity to use one for a bit.  Any thoughts on what might be going on with the OP's saw?

Seth

How could I? There's a complete lack of detail in his post.

 

[#Tee]

i even use the dulled blade to cut pieces of titanium flat bar on speed 2 with lots of down pressure and my motor didnt burn up.

Just curious, how thick is the titanium and what blade are you using?

I used whats left of my stock kapex blade which was about 2 yrs old and pretty beat up. the ti was a grade 5 1/4in thick by 2in wide flatbar

 

[DB10]

  My suggestion to the OP is to contact the store that you bought the saw from and ask the salesperson to set up the demo Kapex and then go through with the salesperson all your issues. A decent Festool salesperson would have spent time at Festool being trained on the Kapex and only be too willing to help. Festool invest a lot of time training their salespeople for exactly these situations. If you are still having the same problems with the demo saw, then return your saw under the 30 day money back guarantee.

When I bought my Kapex a few years ago, I like many others I probably spent a couple of hours with the sales person going over the demo saw, trying different cuts and getting to know all the features we also set up the extension wings as I was considering these as future purchase. The salesperson couldn't have been more helpful. After all I was spending $2k Aus on the Kapex and that's more than three times the price I had ever spent on a miter saw, the salespeople are aware of this and after chatting for a while he told me some people take literally months to make a decision popping back regularly to the store before making a decision.
I wanted to be sure of my investment so for me it was a couple of hours well spent.

 

[jimabuilders]

I can see the emotional attachment many of you have to your tools.  My main purpose for posting is to prevent someone from making a $1,500 mistake.  Had Festool support been, well, supportive instead of immediately going on the defensive blaming everything under the sun for the poor performance of the saw instead of entertaining even the most remote possibility of the saw being defective.  To explain the issue further:  The kapex cuts very accurately on all miters and most bevel angles but, power seems limited compared to every other miter saw I've every owned or used.  That's not even the biggest issue as I only intend to use this saw for detailed interior trim work - not framing.  But, the real issue comes on the bevel cuts.  I doubt it's the motor and I'm on my second festool blade.  I'm only cutting 4" pine casing and some 3" crown.  Barely have 200 cuts on the blade and it's done this since day one on both blades.  Another poster mentioned the same issues and made the switch to a Tenryu which apparently solved the problem.  This would aggravate me even more since I would have spent more on blades alone then most miter saws cost.  The Kapex is great for ingenuity, bells/whistles and dust collection which was the only reason I purchased it.  Never had an issue with any miter saw as far as accuracy or power.  This purchase was simply to downsize the amount of tools on the job and take advantage of the festool inter-compatibility which I love.  I have multiple videos showing the exact problem if anyone is interested.  There is another post on here that describes the exact some problem and he has posted a couple pictures as well. 

 

[Kev]

I can see the emotional attachment many of you have to your tools.  My main purpose for posting is to prevent someone from making a $1,500 mistake.  Had Festool support been, well, supportive instead of immediately going on the defensive blaming everything under the sun for the poor performance of the saw instead of entertaining even the most remote possibility of the saw being defective.  To explain the issue further:  The kapex cuts very accurately on all miters and most bevel angles but, power seems limited compared to every other miter saw I've every owned or used.  That's not even the biggest issue as I only intend to use this saw for detailed interior trim work - not framing.  But, the real issue comes on the bevel cuts.  I doubt it's the motor and I'm on my second festool blade.  I'm only cutting 4" pine casing and some 3" crown.  Barely have 200 cuts on the blade and it's done this since day one on both blades.  Another poster mentioned the same issues and made the switch to a Tenryu which apparently solved the problem.  This would aggravate me even more since I would have spent more on blades alone then most miter saws cost.  The Kapex is great for ingenuity, bells/whistles and dust collection which was the only reason I purchased it.  Never had an issue with any miter saw as far as accuracy or power.  This purchase was simply to downsize the amount of tools on the job and take advantage of the festool inter-compatibility which I love.  I have multiple videos showing the exact problem if anyone is interested.  There is another post on here that describes the exact some problem and he has posted a couple pictures as well.

[member=66167]jimabuilders[/member]

Why do you find the need to take a dig at people? Your second post and you're calling people "emotional". Criticise the too all you want and everybody can make their own mind up whether the issue is you or the tool ... but don't start criticising people [mad]

 

[tjbnwi]

I use 2 Kapex's, own 6 Festool blades for them. Fence issue with one saw years ago, Festool sent the parts at no charge, blades hold up just fine.

Tom

 

[Holmz]

I can see the emotional attachment many of you have to your tools.  My main purpose for posting is to prevent someone from making a $1,500 mistake.  Had Festool support been, well, supportive instead of immediately going on the defensive blaming everything under the sun for the poor performance of the saw instead of entertaining even the most remote possibility of the saw being defective.  To explain the issue further:  The kapex cuts very accurately on all miters and most bevel angles but, power seems limited compared to every other miter saw I've every owned or used.  That's not even the biggest issue as I only intend to use this saw for detailed interior trim work - not framing.  But, the real issue comes on the bevel cuts.  I doubt it's the motor and I'm on my second festool blade.  I'm only cutting 4" pine casing and some 3" crown.  Barely have 200 cuts on the blade and it's done this since day one on both blades.  Another poster mentioned the same issues and made the switch to a Tenryu which apparently solved the problem.  This would aggravate me even more since I would have spent more on blades alone then most miter saws cost.  The Kapex is great for ingenuity, bells/whistles and dust collection which was the only reason I purchased it.  Never had an issue with any miter saw as far as accuracy or power.  This purchase was simply to downsize the amount of tools on the job and take advantage of the festool inter-compatibility which I love.  I have multiple videos showing the exact problem if anyone is interested.  There is another post on here that describes the exact some problem and he has posted a couple pictures as well.

A guy with good sense would probably return the saw within the 30 day window...

Is that what you are intending on doing?

 

[BJM9818]

I've had my kapex since fall 2012. Trimmed out 9 houses plus tons of other projects. It's definitely not acting 100%. Have two more houses to do soon so we will see if it lives through it. My guess it will.

Dust collection-its horrible but mostly because somebody tried to cut 4" PVC pipe, it shattered and blew out most of the plastic parts the rubber dust collector attaches to.

Cuts are ragged and rough- oh wait my floor guys were using it to cut the bottoms off old spindles that had nails in them. I haven't changed the blade in a looong time.

When this one dies I will buy another. Not because I'm blinded by green but because even if it doesn't last as long as other brands this is the first miter saw I have owned that is a pleasure to carry around to job sites and the precision is the best.

Everything in life is a trade off. Personally I'm willing to chance a blown motor because I value the other features so much.

 

[copcarcollector]

"But, the real issue comes on the bevel cuts.  I doubt it's the motor and I'm on my second festool blade.  I'm only cutting 4" pine casing and some 3" crown.  Barely have 200 cuts on the blade and it's done this since day one on both blades."

Sorry, did I miss the part where you explained the actual issue? Done what exactly since day one? Maybe it's just me but I don't understand the actual problem you are having. And your initial post blasting festool service where they told you to use such and such wire gauge and such and such a breaker.... what does that have to do with making a bevel cut?

You are not happy with your saw, got it. Are you within the return window? If not sell it and move on....

 

[semenza]

  I  think  jimabuilders is referring to the saw not having enough power to make those bevel cuts and / or the blade dulling rapidly and not being able to make the bevel cuts well.

Seth

 

[Stone Message]

There are a number of lessons to be learnt from this....

If you have a problem with a tool, particularly a Festool one, then go back to your dealer in the 30 day period and get it sorted or ask for a refund.

Be polite and you will achieve far more - if you start with a rant then things will not get better at all.

Why go on to any forum, especially as a first or second post, complaining about something that is easy to sort out.

I have my doubts about any professional who would switch to a second blade if the first one is wrecked without finding the root cause - perhaps it is technique.

I want to hear the Festool side of this story - so, who was the dealer and who did the OP speak to at Festool?

Peter

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

[member=66167]jimabuilders[/member] - If you provide a bit more detail, I'll try to help you with this. What issues are you having with your bevel cuts? Does it happen with every cut or is it inconsistent?

(Tyler)