Kapex life span

[Rick Christopherson]

Metabo offer a induction motor model on their 10" SCMS. Not sure if they do that in 110V or just 240V.

Careful what you wish for. I have an old AEG SCMS with an induction motor. I loved it because it was so smooth to start and phenomenally quiet. I still have it and I've re-purposed it for metal cutting.

As nice as it was, an induction motor is the wrong choice for a tool that is constantly started and stopped as frequently as a miter saw is started.

I finally got to the point (after only a few months) of disabling the motor overload because it was tripping so frequently. Yeah, not the smartest thing to do for a motor, but it was no longer serving its purpose for me in the state that it was in.

If done correctly, it could be killer! But it would have to be 3-phase, VFD, soft-start. The drawback to that is the spool-up time that people would complain about because they want the motor spinning within a second of pulling the trigger.

 

[Kev]

Metabo offer a induction motor model on their 10" SCMS. Not sure if they do that in 110V or just 240V.

Careful what you wish for. I have an old AEG SCMS with an induction motor. I loved it because it was so smooth to start and phenomenally quiet. I still have it and I've re-purposed it for metal cutting.

As nice as it was, an induction motor is the wrong choice for a tool that is constantly started and stopped as frequently as a miter saw is started.

I finally got to the point (after only a few months) of disabling the motor overload because it was tripping so frequently. Yeah, not the smartest thing to do for a motor, but it was no longer serving its purpose for me in the state that it was in.

If done correctly, it could be killer! But it would have to be 3-phase, VFD, soft-start. The drawback to that is the spool-up time that people would complain about because they want the motor spinning within a second of pulling the trigger.

Good insight [member=191]Rick Christopherson[/member] , thanks [wink]

That probably addresses another point in my curiosity, which was why Metabo haven't introduced an induction version of their bigger SCMS ...http://www.metabo.com.au/Product-catalogue-halfstationary-and-stationary-tools.24127+M548ebc45c72.0.html

[member=19746]Untidy Shop[/member] .. think you were considering the Metabo 10" SCMS, this could be an interesting tidbit of info for you.

FWIW I was playing with the 10" version of the Metabo a couple of weeks ago ...http://www.metabo.com.au/Product-catalogue-halfstationary-and-stationary-tools.24127+M54d8acbb641.0.html and I really didn't like it, you're fighting the hoses when you're using the sliding motion, not sure if this is something that can be tuned or if it would become a lesser issue over time.

 

[Holmz]

...
...The only one which seems to be the right choice for me now is the Metabo. I'm trying to find the new Metabo 10" dual sliding in the US. So....if anyone knows where I can buy two....please let me know.

If the Metabo motor is capable of 60-Hz AND your are using it in a shop with 220v, or on a 110-220v transformer, then it would be possible to import one in from overseas.

 

[Stephen B]

[size=6pt]

Metabo offer a induction motor model on their 10" SCMS. Not sure if they do that in 110V or just 240V.

Careful what you wish for. I have an old AEG SCMS with an induction motor. I loved it because it was so smooth to start and phenomenally quiet. I still have it and I've re-purposed it for metal cutting.

As nice as it was, an induction motor is the wrong choice for a tool that is constantly started and stopped as frequently as a miter saw is started.

I finally got to the point (after only a few months) of disabling the motor overload because it was tripping so frequently. Yeah, not the smartest thing to do for a motor, but it was no longer serving its purpose for me in the state that it was in.

If done correctly, it could be killer! But it would have to be 3-phase, VFD, soft-start. The drawback to that is the spool-up time that people would complain about because they want the motor spinning within a second of pulling the trigger.

Good insight [member=191]Rick Christopherson[/member] , thanks [wink]

That probably addresses another point in my curiosity, which was why Metabo haven't introduced an induction version of their bigger SCMS ...http://www.metabo.com.au/Product-catalogue-halfstationary-and-stationary-tools.24127+M548ebc45c72.0.html

[member=19746]Untidy Shop[/member] .. think you were considering the Metabo 10" SCMS, this could be an interesting tidbit of info for you.

FWIW I was playing with the 10" version of the Metabo a couple of weeks ago ...http://www.metabo.com.au/Product-catalogue-halfstationary-and-stationary-tools.24127+M54d8acbb641.0.html and I really didn't like it, you're fighting the hoses when you're using the sliding motion, not sure if this is something that can be tuned or if it would become a lesser issue over time.

[size=13pt]For me the attraction to the Metabo is both the manufacturer and the fact that there are no bushes in induction motors. If the spool up time is minimal I see little disadvantage. Even now with my Makita, and with a Rail saw at work, I pause before commencing to cut, if for no other reason than to recheck, particularly with the rail saw, that I am not going to cut off any fingers.  [eek]

Looking at this link, the reader might note that this saw in any case has soft start.
https://www.metabo.com/com/en/tools/sawing/mitre-saws/kgs-254-i-plus-0102540200-mitre-saw.html

[member=191]Rick Christopherson[/member]  [member=13058]Kev[/member]

50HZ. [member=40772]Holmz[/member]

 

[Bohdan]

I have been using an ELU 10" drop saw which has an induction motor for many decades and it has never caused me any problems. Lately I have been cutting up an old hardwood building for firewood where the saw stops and starts for several hours and when cutting 4"x3" I sometimes push it too hard and it stalls.

I have it connected to a CT36 and I find that I tend to pause at the start of a cut to enable the CT to get the air flow around the blade up to speed as the dust collection is not great.

I have had the saw since the 70s and the only maintenance it requires is to have the blade sharpened. That is the sort of life expectancy I wish Festool could guaranty for its Kapex then I might consider it.

 

[Holmz]

I have been using an ELU 10" drop saw which has an induction motor for many decades and it has never caused me any problems. Lately I have been cutting up an old hardwood building for firewood where the saw stops and starts for several hours and when cutting 4"x3" I sometimes push it too hard and it stalls.

I have it connected to a CT36 and I find that I tend to pause at the start of a cut to enable the CT to get the air flow around the blade up to speed as the dust collection is not great.

I have had the saw since the 70s and the only maintenance it requires is to have the blade sharpened. That is the sort of life expectancy I wish Festool could guaranty for its Kapex then I might consider it.

That level of reliability is ELU'sive  [wink]

 

[Rollin22Petes]

Well I had posted some time back that my 1 year old Kapex had to be sent in for a burnt motor. So they repaired it and sent it back to me that was 2 months ago today the motor burned up again needless to say at this point I'm pretty pissed off. I called Festool and they said send it in and we will have a look at it and get it repaired at this point with all the problems reported with this saw that's not good enough. Festool needs to get there head out of the sand and acknowledge there is a problem with this saw how long is this repair going to last 2 months 6 months maybe as year who knows. I am a professional cabinet maker so I depend on my tools to make me money and at this point the Kapex is costing me money in down time as far as I'm concerned this is an over priced piece of junk I wish I had never purchased my china made Dewalt has never failed in all it's 8 years of service and it cost a third. Sorry for the rant but this really has me upset and looks bad on Festool as a company who advertises there tools as professional grade for the toughest depends I guess the Kapex is excluded from that

 

[Kev]

Well I had posted some time back that my 1 year old Kapex had to be sent in for a burnt motor. So they repaired it and sent it back to me that was 2 months ago today the motor burned up again needless to say at this point I'm pretty ticked off. I called Festool and they said send it in and we will have a look at it and get it repaired at this point with all the problems reported with this saw that's not good enough. Festool needs to get there head out of the sand and acknowledge there is a problem with this saw how long is this repair going to last 2 months 6 months maybe as year who knows. I am a professional cabinet maker so I depend on my tools to make me money and at this point the Kapex is costing me money in down time as far as I'm concerned this is an over priced piece of junk I wish I had never purchased my china made Dewalt has never failed in all it's 8 years of service and it cost a third. Sorry for the rant but this really has me upset and looks bad on Festool as a company who advertises there tools as professional grade for the toughest depends I guess the Kapex is excluded from that

That's really bad. I agree, based on the circumstance you've explained .. another cycle of repair and return would seem unsatisfactory. Personally I think this sort of situation may deserve a refund as the tool is simply not able to meet what seems to be a reasonable expectation.

I would really like to know the specifics of your first repair and this issue the second time round ... particularly if it's the same problem repeating or something introduced as a result of the first repair.

 

[Rollin22Petes]

Well on the first repair they replaced the Armature, brushes, and bearings again at that point the saw was only a year old. I agree that this situation is unsatisfactory and I haven't got any reasonable explanation from Festool. At this point I have lost all confidence in the saw. I will post the outcome as soon as have some more answers   

 

[ear3]

2 months seems like an unusually and unacceptably long time for Festool Service.  That's how long Home Depot took to repair my Ridgid router covered under their Lifetime Service Agreement.  My misunderstanding.

Well on the first repair they replaced the Armature, brushes, and bearings again at that point the saw was only a year old. I agree that this situation is unsatisfactory and I haven't got any reasonable explanation from Festool. At this point I have lost all confidence in the saw. I will post the outcome as soon as have some more answers 

 

[peter halle]

2 months seems like an unusually and unacceptably long time for Festool Service.  That's how long Home Depot took to repair my Ridgid router covered under their Lifetime Service Agreement.

He wrote that he got it back from service two months ago - not that it took two months to fix.

Peter

 

[ear3]

Thanks for the clarification.

2 months seems like an unusually and unacceptably long time for Festool Service.  That's how long Home Depot took to repair my Ridgid router covered under their Lifetime Service Agreement.

He wrote that he got it back from service two months ago - not that it took two months to fix.

Peter

 

[peter halle]

I saw a post about another Kapex needing to be sent in for service and I am:

just bumping a reminder that if anyone owning a Kapex is having an issue or has had an issue that it would be helpful if they send an email to Kapex[member=6061]festool[/member].com (don't click on the highlighted words - type them as an email address in your mail program) and provide them with details including your usage patterns.

I know that some will balk at this, but after reading that thread and other posts here about innovative technology in tools it came to me that perhaps despite all the advanced testing done prior to the launch of a product there is something that happens in real life usage by some that is not being simulated in the testing and that is information vital to rectifying / improving / preventing further the situations occurring.

I am not:

trying to inflame or resurrect this discussion, nor
saying that there isn't an issue,nor
even defending the manufacturer or the tool

Peter Halle - Moderator

 

[Rollin22Petes]

Just thought I would give an update on my saw repair. If you read my previous post (#546) then you know it only lasted 2 months from the last burned that up motor. Well they replaced the exact same thing as last time the armature and brushes. What I'm disappointed about is the lack of communication from Festool about this obvious problem when I talked to the gentleman at Festool I received no useful info from him or anybody at Festool at all. I'm not even sure at this point if I will ever use the saw as it is to delicate for real world work. As peter just mentioned I filled out and sent info to Festool as they requested on my first repair. Not sure if Festool even cares but I will be rethinking all of my future purchases as this has really tarnished my image of Festool.

 

[rizzoa13]

My kapex is showing signs of it's old ways already after it's repairs. The motor is feeling underpowered and it is bogging down with the same type of motor sounds as before. This isn't a normal bog down and actually sounds like the motor is struggling to wind back up once cutting pressure is removed. How long is the warranty on repairs again?

 

[ajones]

[member=20320]rizzoa13[/member] If there is a marked drop in performance of your saw since you have had it repaired I would say it is already faulty and should be returned to festool for repair.. don't wait for it to pop..

 

[Alan m]

My kapex is showing signs of it's old ways already after it's repairs. The motor is feeling underpowered and it is bogging down with the same type of motor sounds as before. This isn't a normal bog down and actually sounds like the motor is struggling to wind back up once cutting pressure is removed. How long is the warranty on repairs again?

there is no warranty  issue on repairs.
all repairs have to be permanent.

send it in and get them to fix it properly this time

 

[rizzoa13]

I'm pretty sure there's a limited warranty on repairs. I'm thinking 6 months or a year. Either way if it keeps acting up its going back again.

 

[Alan m]

I'm pretty sure there's a limited warranty on repairs. I'm thinking 6 months or a year. Either way if it keeps acting up its going back again.

they will say its 6 months or what ever they like but under (EU . not sure about US) law a repair has to be permanent. if it breaks after 2 years then it has to be fixed again  free of charge or you could push for a refund

 

[Holmz]

I'm pretty sure there's a limited warranty on repairs. I'm thinking 6 months or a year. Either way if it keeps acting up its going back again.

they will say its 6 months or what ever they like but under (EU . not sure about US) law a repair has to be permanent. if it breaks after 2 years then it has to be fixed again  free of charge or you could push for a refund

Is Britain part of the Eu?
Did Ireland vote? or just Scotland?