Kapex Died!!!!!!

[WoodDr.]

Well I'm working on Saturday, to get a job completed so I can get paid, and my one and only miter saw started sparking and smoking. I've been reading about the problems people have been having with their Kapex saws and was hoping that it would never happen to me. I don't have the time to wait on shipping the saw, repairing, and shipping back. I use the saw every day.
I've also had to send my 2200 router 2 times before and I just printed off a shipping label to send it back the 3rd time. I am also not happy with my TS55. It has been bogging down just cutting through 3/4" plywood.

After my cabinet shop burned in 2014 I had to replace everything. I thought it would be the perfect time to upgrade most of my tools to Festool. I have been proud of my tools since I bought them but, I'm beginning to loose my confidence in Festool. I still think the sanders are the best I've ever used and the dust collection is excellent on them. I'm thinking of swapping to another brand. That's something I would have never thought I would say 2 years ago.

 

[Holmz]

Sorry for the loss.

The clarity of your enlightenment is good.

 

[nickao]

Wait a minute I want to hear about this OF2200. I have had mine for years and use it every single day, not a hiccup.

What's going on with it?

I have never heard of an 2200 giving issues like that. I am thinking you got a lemon. The kapex has known issues and the TS 55 is a dog by my standards, but never broke down on me. If you did the research you would know the TS 55 bogs down in 3/4" plywood, I have been saying that for 8 years at least, that's not a failure, its an under powered saw. The TS 75 would never have bogged on anything you threw at it. So get yourself a Makita track saw if you must stay in that TS 55 size range, it won't bog down.

An OF 2200 going in 3 times, I dont think I have heard of one major failure. That's the only thing that surprises me here, that and that one guy is having so many issues with so many different tools.

There is little clarity at all,  what the  is wrong with the TS other than bogging down and the issue with the Of2200? I wouldn't mind knowing what to look for on my router.

 

[Harvey]

I feel your pain. I would buy a replacement today, then send in the Kapex for repairs (not like you have another option). Once it's returned you can decide to keep both, or sell one. The newly introduced Makita LS1019 looks to have a lot of nice features.

 

[Gregor]

... started sparking and smoking ... I use the saw every day ... 2014 ....

That's ~3 years of daily use, possibly the brushes (accessible for inspection by removing the motor cover, pull the plug first) are just worn and (in that case) you could put in a new pair (in Germany this costs

 

[WoodDr.]

Ya, I thought it was probably the brushes but I don't want to void my warranty.

 

[WoodDr.]

Wait a minute I want to hear about this OF2200. I have had mine for years and use it every single day, not a hiccup.

What's going on with it?

I have never heard of an 2200 giving issues like that. I am thinking you got a lemon. The kapex has known issues and the TS 55 is a dog by my standards, but never broke down on me. If you did the research you would know the TS 55 bogs down in 3/4" plywood, I have been saying that for 8 years at least, that's not a failure, its an under powered saw. The TS 75 would never have bogged on anything you threw at it. So get yourself a Makita track saw if you must stay in that TS 55 size range, it won't bog down.

An OF 2200 going in 3 times, I dont think I have heard of one major failure. That's the only thing that surprises me here, that and that one guy is having so many issues with so many different tools.

There is little clarity at all,  what the  is wrong with the TS other than bogging down and the issue with the Of2200? I wouldn't mind knowing what to look for on my router.

I use the 2200 on a router table 99% of the time. I use it to make doors mostly. It works fine on styles and rails but when I use it for raised panels, it will make a few passes like excpected but then the rpms will slow down very low. After a few seconds it will speed up to regular rpms. It doesn't matter if I set the fence to cut in one pass or three, it still slows down about every 30 seconds.
I thought it might be my circuit but I have one outlet about 5 ft from the breaker box designated for the router only and I have the ct26 plugged into a separate outlet on a different circuit. It's very annoying!
I also have another vacuum attached to the fence to get as much dust collected as possible.

 

[WoodDr.]

where can I find brushes for the kapex?

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi,

You can find them in EKAT:http://ekat.festool.de/login/jsp/ma...-Kunde-FT_US&password=Customer&design=festool

You are looking for: Order/Part# 494785  (20.24 USD excl. VAT.)

I think for ordering you need to call Festool.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[GarryMartin]

where can I find brushes for the kapex?

If you meant where can you buy them from, they are available from Festool dealers.

If you meant where are they on the saw so you can check them, take a look at this threadhttp://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/kapex-brushes/

Have you had the power checked in your workshop?

 

[Gregor]

Ya, I thought it was probably the brushes but I don't want to void my warranty.

As the brushes are defined as a consumeable (even when being covered by warranty, according to the EKAT) I'm confident that changing them yourself will keep your warranty intact (unless you open the housing with a sledgehammer).

But as you'll most likely call Festool anyway to get them quickly (direct instead of them through your dealer should give a speed bonus) you can ask them that question while you have them on the phone anyway.

 

[James Biddle]

I feel your pain. I would buy a replacement today, then send in the Kapex for repairs (not like you have another option). Once it's returned you can decide to keep both, or sell one. The newly introduced Makita LS1019 looks to have a lot of nice features.

I recently sold my perfectly functioning Kapex and bought the Makita LS1019L as a replacement.  The Festool cut dead straight right out of the box, the Makita took me 15 min to fine tune...and the Makita's base and fence were dead coplanar out of the box.

Festool, my stack went down by one, not up.

 

[Arthur444]

Mine too. I've had my Kapex less then two years and it crapped out. I'm semi-retired and I sell on Etsy. This saw has less then a year of professional use and I've changed the brushes twice already. Saw has been sounding a little funny, like the speed adjustment was off. I thought it had to be my imagination because my 1475$ saw could not be going bad so soon. Sure enough it stopped working but would work for awhile if I hit the top of the handle. I was professional woodworker for 30 yrs. and for 25 of those years I had a Dewalt DW708 and I never had to replace the switch. This saw went from the box to a bench and was never moved. With blades that can only be used for this saw I have over 2000$ invested in an unreliable piece of junk. At this point do I want to get it fixed? Will it break down again in a year? I paid for a Maserati and got a Yugo. I should have known better then buy one.

 

[peter halle]

Arthur,

I understand your frustration.  I too make my income with my tools.  If yours was bought new and is under warranty you should make the arrangements to have it sent in.

Peter