Kapex owners

[Eli]

Can someone comment on the table size, preferably someone who has used the saw for a few projects. It looks so darn small.

I have the crown molding extensions and I think they are a must have. Without, it would be small, but usable.

 

[Eli]

Couple of dodgy bits the bevel when in its stowaway blocks the saw from going to 50 degrees on the left and I heard that the rear sliding fences can jam up for no apparent reason but other than that it cannot be faulted.

You typically stow the saw by rotating it away from the bevel gauge, so, not an issue. You do have to pull the gauge out of it's cave when you bevel all the way that way, but I'd hardly even classify that as an issue.

The first saw we used down here did jam the right hand fence. Removing and replacing it we must have made a burr on it. They are not a sloppy fit. When I got mine I carefully pulled them off and rubbed some wax on there. I have had them off plenty and no problem so far. You do want to sink the retaining screws at the outside of the track so you can easily remove the fences if you want to.

 

[honeydoman]

all the saws were on the sawhelper.  he made some special brackets for them and they worked great and very simple to install.  sawhelper stand is top of the line and that is why festool had them on all of their saws at the show.

 

[danrush]

I've been thinking about ordering a sawhelper soon.  Should I maybe wait ubtil the Kapex comes out?  It sounds like I may need different brackets.

Thanks Dan

 

[Norm St.Onge]

Dan - the Sawhelper folks said you can order the stand today with the Kapex brackets. They were offering a 'show special' of $50 off if you purchased a stand at JLC, but there's also $40 off special (on any stand combo, not just the Kapex version) I received via email from them, it's good thru April 1st, use code SST0308.

-Norm

 

[danrush]

Thanks Norm,

You just saved me a whole day of fretting over this one!!  I'm ordering tomorrow.

Thanks, Dan

 

[joiner1970]

God do you actually know how self centred you boys sound all you do is moan because you have to pay $1300 for a Kapex you don't realize how lucky you are we here in the UK have to pay ?856 ($1700) and you get every other tool cheaper than us too.

I spoke to a Festool dealer Friday and he was annoyed how Festool have lowered their prices in the US to make you guys happy and to help crack the US market and done nothing like that anywhere else in the world.

So please stop complaining

 

[joiner1970]

Couple of dodgy bits the bevel when in its stowaway blocks the saw from going to 50 degrees on the left and I heard that the rear sliding fences can jam up for no apparent reason but other than that it cannot be faulted.

You typically stow the saw by rotating it away from the bevel gauge, so, not an issue. You do have to pull the gauge out of it's cave when you bevel all the way that way, but I'd hardly even classify that as an issue.

Not an issue you might say but it is a bit of an oversight by Festool dont you think. Yes you can just remove it everytime you need 50 degrees but surely they should have spotted that.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Thanks Norm,

You just saved me a whole day of fretting over this one!!  I'm ordering tomorrow.

Thanks, Dan

Hi Dan! I own a Sawhelper and it's one of the best tools I own! The more you use it the more versatile you will find it to be. Let us know which kit you plan on buying, and be sure to post your impressions!

 

[danrush]

Thanks, Tom.  I've seen the comments you and Brice have shared, (and nice video, Brice)
Although my 1214, chop shop, and home built table have served me well, it's time to update again.  Like you I'm on the road, so easy hauling and set up are REALLY imortant.

Dan

 

[Dixon Peer]

God do you actually know how self centred you boys sound all you do is moan because you have to pay $1300 for a Kapex you don't realize how lucky you are we here in the UK have to pay ?856 ($1700) and you get every other tool cheaper than us too.

I spoke to a Festool dealer Friday and he was annoyed how Festool have lowered their prices in the US to make you guys happy and to help crack the US market and done nothing like that anywhere else in the world.

So please stop complaining

Oh please.  What's the matter with complaining?  That's what you're doing in you post here.

 

[Brice Burrell]

God do you actually know how self centred you boys sound all you do is moan because you have to pay $1300 for a Kapex you don't realize how lucky you are we here in the UK have to pay ?856 ($1700) and you get every other tool cheaper than us too.

I spoke to a Festool dealer Friday and he was annoyed how Festool have lowered their prices in the US to make you guys happy and to help crack the US market and done nothing like that anywhere else in the world.

So please stop complaining

Joiner, our economy is different. Prices are a relative thing, we do pay much less for all of our tools not just Festool. The price difference between Festool tools and the other brands is probably greater here.

The Sawhelper will have new brackets that utilize the V-shaped groove at either end of the Kapex's table, so if you buy a Kapex and want to connect it to a Sawhelper you can just get the new style brackets. My understanding is that all of the Festool reps displaying the Kapex will have it hooked up to a Sawhelper, I think they realize that the existing Festool wings can't compete.

It will be interesting to see if Festool releases their version stand/extensions here.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

The Sawhelper will have new brackets that utilize the V-shaped groove at either end of the Kapex's table, so if you buy a Kapex and want to connect it to a Sawhelper you can just get the new style brackets. My understanding is that all of the Festool reps displaying the Kapex will have it hooked up to a Sawhelper, I think they realize that the existing Festool wings can't compete.

It will be interesting to see if Festool releases their version stand/extensions here.

Hmm, interesting question Brice, I'm curious if the Festool wings will NAINA? My impression is that Festool won't market the wings here. First of all, it seems like the Kapex is sold in two versions in Europe: one is "just" the saw, and the second is a "kit" that includes the saw, a MFT800 and the wings. Since news came out about the Kapex release here in NA, I've only heard about the saw, and have not heard about the wings. Second, with the Festool reps parading their Kapexs around hooked up to an after-market stand tells me Festool isn't trying to promote their in-house solution.

My guess is Festool is sticking with their design philosophy that they only release products that have significant advantages to what else is available on the market. The Kapex seems like a marvelous piece of engineering (final verdict pending), but the Fes wings seem like an afterthought. Especially compared to the Sawhelper, why would Festool release a product with their name attached to it that would most likely be reviewed unfavorably when compared to other options on the market?

To our non-NA brethren, do many of you have the Fes wings? Have many of you had a chance to compare the Fes and Sawhelper wings head-to-head?

 

[JJ Wavra]

God do you actually know how self centred you boys sound all you do is moan because you have to pay $1300 for a Kapex you don't realize how lucky you are we here in the UK have to pay ?856 ($1700) and you get every other tool cheaper than us too.

I spoke to a Festool dealer Friday and he was annoyed how Festool have lowered their prices in the US to make you guys happy and to help crack the US market and done nothing like that anywhere else in the world.

So please stop complaining

I get where you are coming from on this.  However, I don't think that it is a fair comparison to say that we really get the tools cheaper in relation to you.  This is what I mean, we get paid in us dollars you get paid I assume in pounds.  You have to earn enough (856) to pay for the saw.  Now do you really think that based on the conversions at this time us citizens are going to pay 1700 or over 2400 with accessories for that same saw which requires us to earn twice as much as you have to to buy the same saw.  So, yes we are paying less in conversion but in a way we are paying more because of the position of the us dollar in world market. the number of hours worked to earn the money needed to purchase festool products here in the us is just as much if not more than it is in europe.   If festool didn't lower there prices here in the us I for one would probably own 0 tools as opposed to 9 which i currently have.  At the price that they are at they are worth the investment but if they were 50% or 100% more they would for me not be worth it because of were I am at financially.  there is always more than one way to look at things.

JJ

 

[ccmviking]

Tom,

Isn't that you in the video on the sawhelper site?  Good Job...

Chris...

 

[Eli]

Couple of dodgy bits the bevel when in its stowaway blocks the saw from going to 50 degrees on the left and I heard that the rear sliding fences can jam up for no apparent reason but other than that it cannot be faulted.

You typically stow the saw by rotating it away from the bevel gauge, so, not an issue. You do have to pull the gauge out of it's cave when you bevel all the way that way, but I'd hardly even classify that as an issue.

Not an issue you might say but it is a bit of an oversight by Festool dont you think. Yes you can just remove it everytime you need 50 degrees but surely they should have spotted that.

No, I don't think it was an oversight. There isn't anywhere else in the body of the saw it could really stow. You don't have to remove it or even move it, the action of beveling the saw will bump it out of it's home a few inches.

 

[Eli]

God do you actually know how self centred you boys sound all you do is moan because you have to pay $1300 for a Kapex you don't realize how lucky you are we here in the UK have to pay ?856 ($1700) and you get every other tool cheaper than us too.

I spoke to a Festool dealer Friday and he was annoyed how Festool have lowered their prices in the US to make you guys happy and to help crack the US market and done nothing like that anywhere else in the world.

So please stop complaining

I get where you are coming from on this.  However, I don't think that it is a fair comparison to say that we really get the tools cheaper in relation to you.  This is what I mean, we get paid in us dollars you get paid I assume in pounds.  You have to earn enough (856) to pay for the saw.  Now do you really think that based on the conversions at this time us citizens are going to pay 1700 or over 2400 with accessories for that same saw which requires us to earn twice as much as you have to to buy the same saw.  So, yes we are paying less in conversion but in a way we are paying more because of the position of the us dollar in world market. the number of hours worked to earn the money needed to purchase festool products here in the us is just as much if not more than it is in europe.  If festool didn't lower there prices here in the us I for one would probably own 0 tools as opposed to 9 which i currently have.  At the price that they are at they are worth the investment but if they were 50% or 100% more they would for me not be worth it because of were I am at financially.  there is always more than one way to look at things.

JJ

It's fair I think. They're pretty cheap for you. The TS-55 in a systainer only is AUD$841. That's USD$771. McFeely's sell it with a guide rail, in a systainer, for USD$440. How many products do you want to compare?

 

[Fred West]

Truly I don't want to compare at all. As far as I am concerned I want the best tool at a price I can afford or even have to stretch a little if it is that good. This would be true here in West Chester, PA, the UK, Russia, Germany or wherever I lived. Each one of us as to frame our decisions around cost, usability, need, desire and long term effectivness. I don't understand the desire to worry about who gets what price or whatever. Sure according to what I have read the US may have better pricing but every place else has MANY more Festool options. We joke about NAINA but really none of us can do a darn thing about the pricing or the availabilty so truly who cares??????? Rant off. ;D 8) Fred

 

[Dixon Peer]

You tell 'em Fred!

 

[Fred West]

Dixon, Thank you.  Fred