My point regarding weight is that it seems to be a major selling point aimed at those who do move their saws around. If it never leaves the shop, who cares how heavy it is? The Dewalt I have is 44lb double compound slider that bevels to about 47 and has a 12 inch blade. It's not ergonomic. I am sure it is not as sweet as the kapex but it cuts accurately so I'm not sold yet. Maybe when I see one. No regrets on any of my other festools but they seem more unique/special/superior than this one and cost half as much. What happens when the laser gets a bit out of whack?
kapex july 1st
- Thread starter billybokay
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Tom the Remodeler
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Hi Porkchop! Regarding the laser, from the review Gary Katz did on the Kapex it looks like you can individually adjust each lasers on two different axis, so even if it does get out of whack over time it looks like you can dial it in pretty easily. I agree that the Kapex doesn't really offer anything earth-shattering, but the more I look at it the more I think about how it can make my working day a little easier. Truth be told, I'd rather spend a little extra and be nice and comfy and relaxed at work than save the money and run around all frazzled. But, of course, it should go without saying that everybody's needs are going to be different. 
Well, that's right, folks. There are two screws for each Laser to set the Axis. One sets parallel to the Blade, the second makes it perpendicular to the Base. This is important because the Laser also shows up at the vertical Side of the Workpiece.
Last but not least there are two more Screws for align the right-setted Laserlights directly next to the Blade.
For more information follow this Festool link:
http://www.festool.de/artikel/artikel_weiterleiten.cfm?id=6673
Last but not least there are two more Screws for align the right-setted Laserlights directly next to the Blade.
For more information follow this Festool link:
http://www.festool.de/artikel/artikel_weiterleiten.cfm?id=6673
Forrest Anderson
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porkchop said:
Agreed. Festool tends to specialise in kit that is designed to be moved around easily. The problem is that you end up paying a premium for the portability. A prime example is the Festool CS70 table saw. This is a table saw that is designed to fit in the back of a car, but has a sliding blade with 70mm cutting depth, a variable speed 2200W motor, splinter guard for chip-free cuts, and has a large number of add-on extension tables (including a sliding table) that can be fitted quickly and accurately. The weight of this 690x500mm dual-height saw is 34kg, but making it so transportable has resulted in an eye-watering price - 1703 GBP incl VAT in the UK, or US$3433 at current exchange rates.
I guess that it's like laptops and desktops. Desktops do a excellent job if you're not going to move them, but if you want portability, then you'll need a laptop. However you will end up paying a premium for all that miniturization, and it won't do some tasks as well as a desktop.
Personally, I reckon the Kapex has quite a lot of unique/special/superior features:
Unique: Although lots of mitre saws have lasers these days, the Kapex has double adjustable lasers - one for each side of the blade. You don't need to start the sawblade running either, like some designs.
Unique: I can't think of any mitre saw that has a built-in angle finder, like the Kapex has stored in the base. Of course, if you have another manufacturer's mitre saw, you can buy an angle-measurer like the Nobex Multifix, but it won't be built-in.
Unique: The bevel scale is very large (14" diameter), allowing the user to accurately set bevel angles.
Unique: The Kapex's bevel adjustment is controlled by turning a handle on the front of the machine, so there's no need to reach round the back, and no need to constantly nudge the saw into the right position.
Unique: The chip deflector funnel is designed to catch more sawdust than other mitre saws, and as far as I know the Kapex is the only one with such a feature.
Superior: Due to the design of the rails, the saw can be placed up against a wall - it doesn't need loads of room behind the saw to slide.
Special: The base is made of magnesium alloy to keep weight down.
Superior: The saw has a stepless trenching adjuster that makes accurate trenches.
Special: If you use the saw on the floor, then you can make a support for long workpieces by placing a Systainer 1 next to the saw. The height of the saw table is the same as the height of the Systainer.
Special. It has a built-in cable tidy, so no more tripping over the cable as you carry it from one place to another. OK, you are not going to buy the saw just for that, but it's yet another feature that makes the saw special.
Hey - even the price is superior!
As Tom and Markus have since said, the lasers are both adjustable.
You might want to check out some reviews and articles about the Kapex, and here is a list of them, taken from the Consolidated List of Festool Links, elsewhere on FOG. Although the Kapex is undeniably expensive, it has a lot of very interesting features that some people will find invaluable.
Forrest
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Seth. love that 150, using it to polish the last coat of varnish. Tingle free all day
Tom the Remodeler
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Hi Eiji, that sounds like a good idea, I'll give it a try
bonesbr549
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- Jan 1, 2008
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- 542
I hear ya. My problem is I watched the dang video want one and I have a project that would be great for one, but I know that JULY 1 date is a ship date, so I doubt I could get one till next christmas. Oh well my project needs to be done before that, so I can't use the project as an excuse to get one. Dang foiled again! (I used this project to justify the domino as well).
Matthew Schenker
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- 2,619
Bob Swenson said:
Hello Mr Swenson, and welcome to the forum!
We've all been gawking at your excellent work for quite some time here, so it's great to have the man himself join us.
So now we get to see where Per learned everything he knows...
Matthew
Per Swenson
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- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 875
Matt,
The staff and I of Slappy Acres will be sure to remind him of the
gracious welcome for you,
in case he forgets where the computer is.
I know this is way off topic, but we are among friends.
A year or so ago we had a misfire on our saw stop and I posted on another
forum the inherent problem, so one would not have the same misfortune.
Never the less some one then posted about the probable lack of experience
of the operator.
I noted to the poster the the operator was a former gunners mate on the Maine,
chased Pancho over the Rio with Teddy, would of caught him if he hadn't volunteered to run
to San Fran to help with rebuilding after the quake.
Oh yeah and had been running a table saw for 60 years.
End of story right?
Nope.
I get a serious P/M from a Historian, not just a historian but one with a Doctorate,
who has never posted on the board,
suggesting that my math was a little screwed up, could Bob possibly
be 120 years old? If so, could he set up a interview?
Kid you not.
So I wrote him back, tongue fully inserted in cheek,
explaining we weren't quite sure of his actual age as the birth records were destroyed
in the great Chicago Fire, but Bob is always open to a interview as long as the, "waiting
tables at the last supper" part is officially off the record.
I say its gotta be the internet.
Per
The staff and I of Slappy Acres will be sure to remind him of the
gracious welcome for you,
in case he forgets where the computer is.
I know this is way off topic, but we are among friends.
A year or so ago we had a misfire on our saw stop and I posted on another
forum the inherent problem, so one would not have the same misfortune.
Never the less some one then posted about the probable lack of experience
of the operator.
I noted to the poster the the operator was a former gunners mate on the Maine,
chased Pancho over the Rio with Teddy, would of caught him if he hadn't volunteered to run
to San Fran to help with rebuilding after the quake.
Oh yeah and had been running a table saw for 60 years.
End of story right?
Nope.
I get a serious P/M from a Historian, not just a historian but one with a Doctorate,
who has never posted on the board,
suggesting that my math was a little screwed up, could Bob possibly
be 120 years old? If so, could he set up a interview?
Kid you not.
So I wrote him back, tongue fully inserted in cheek,
explaining we weren't quite sure of his actual age as the birth records were destroyed
in the great Chicago Fire, but Bob is always open to a interview as long as the, "waiting
tables at the last supper" part is officially off the record.
I say its gotta be the internet.
Per
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 184
Thanks Matthew, I am glad he didn't mention that I was a deck hand on the Ark or that I don't
know any thing about the battle of Gettysburg because I was in the mess tent cooking, or that I
taught him everything that I know and he still doesn't know anything. One must be great full for the little things in life :
Bob
know any thing about the battle of Gettysburg because I was in the mess tent cooking, or that I
taught him everything that I know and he still doesn't know anything. One must be great full for the little things in life :
Bob
I love me some festool, but at $1300, and the fact that I plan on using any crosscut/mitering solution in a stationary position in my shop, I will be on the lookout for an OMGA radial arm saw, nothing wrong with the kapex, but for that much dough I'm going to go with 23"+ crosscut capacity and the ability to use a dado blade.
Tom the Remodeler
Member
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- Dec 30, 2007
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- 1,106
gemorris said:
I very much agree that it sounds like a radial arm saw will probably work best for you, particularly if you are looking to use a dado blade. But, I would like to point out that crosscuts of 24" are relatively easy on a SCMS with the right equipment. For myself, I've found that when I use the flip-stop on my Sawhelper Ultrafence, I can produce perfect, burn-free cuts, crosscutting plywood and melamine shelving. Just jamb the material into the flip stop, cut, then flip the material over, jamb into flip stop, and cut the remainder. If you have your SCMS properly dialed in it should work perfectly. I can't speak for other stop/rail systems, but the Sawhelper system works really slick! Again (I've mentioned this before), for purposes of transparency, I am the fella in the new Sawhelper video wearing the blue shirt mumbling and stuttering. It was an unpaid testimonial though, so I have no financial stake in the product, I'm just really geeked-out over it ;D
I realize that with an MFT you can also achieve really wide cross-cuts, but I do not yet own one, and I like that with the Sawhelper the wings have a ruler on them, so you just set the flip stop without having to mark the work, or line up the guide rail with a pencil line. Anyways, I couldn't resist putting in a plug for one of my favorite non-Festool products, thanks for your patience!! :
www.sawhelper.com
Per Swenson
Member
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- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 875
Awright,
This may sound redneck and silly here but ya see
all my compound saws have adjustable height on the blade.
Dial it to the right height, use a 3 inch block or so away from the fence.
and with a 1/8th inch blade and with the speed and will born of hunger plus one
very sharp chisel ( I have a sawhelper too) I can cut flat bottomed dados all day long.
This is not a practice I recommend to the perfectionist or the skittish but frankly the clients
I make stuff for could care less if I cut it out with a axe.
As long as form follows function and the work is pleasing to the eye.
Hold on I realize we have two schools of thought here.
The careful and precise shop work... well, sure we have dado blades on both the
the table saw and radial arm.
What I am talking about is in the trench's on the job feedin the family home by 4 pm
kinda stuff.
They both must come out beautiful.
Hope I am making a little sense here.
At the end of the day speed counts.
Per
This may sound redneck and silly here but ya see
all my compound saws have adjustable height on the blade.
Dial it to the right height, use a 3 inch block or so away from the fence.
and with a 1/8th inch blade and with the speed and will born of hunger plus one
very sharp chisel ( I have a sawhelper too) I can cut flat bottomed dados all day long.
This is not a practice I recommend to the perfectionist or the skittish but frankly the clients
I make stuff for could care less if I cut it out with a axe.
As long as form follows function and the work is pleasing to the eye.
Hold on I realize we have two schools of thought here.
The careful and precise shop work... well, sure we have dado blades on both the
the table saw and radial arm.
What I am talking about is in the trench's on the job feedin the family home by 4 pm
kinda stuff.
They both must come out beautiful.
Hope I am making a little sense here.
At the end of the day speed counts.
Per
nickao
Member
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- Feb 24, 2008
- Messages
- 4,617
Per Swenson said:
I found you could get pretty good results like that and it is acceptable for many things I think. I have not used that method since I was teen building decks. All I had was a circular saw and a miter box and everything was hand nailed together with cedar or green treated lumber. I had no money for a dado blade let a lone a table saw or radial arm.
