Kapex setup.... and that's all it took

[LandonJW]

I downloaded and printed off the supplemental manual yesterday, took it to work, and used it to set up my saw.  Very few and slight (and I mean slight) adjustments to bevel alignment needed.  I tightned everything back up and this saw cuts perfectly.  It's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing now!

Still not sure why....  doesn't matter though!

Thanks for the input guys.  I'm a 26 year old carpenter that's probably quite green compared to a large percentage of those in the group.  LOTS to learn!

I started 'career' woodworking at 19 building guitars for Dingwall Guitars (www.dingwallguitars.com    check it out.  Neato stuff!)  So I'm actually a luthier first, and carpenter second.  After four years of that I decided to get into commercial and residential construction to broaden my skills with tools and math. 

Got into fulltime finish work about 8 months ago, so learning lots about mitre saws.  The Kapex is the first mitre saw I've ever owned.  I wanted the best one I could find, so after months of research I decided to spend my year's budget for tools on the Kapex. 

Worth every penny. 

Now that I see the saw works perfectly fine, I'm sure I was just doing something wrong.  I actually apologized out loud to the saw for ever doubting it after seeing some sweet cuts.

 

[tjbier]

Congrats on the saw!
One hell of a first miter box, lol.  Glad it is as advertised for you, can't wait to get one of my own.

 

[Alan m]

i think you should buy a cheapish normal brand chop saw and use it for a week. after that you will apreciate the festool one for ever.

 

[LandonJW]

Believe me, Alan, I've used many types and makes of mitre saws in my short carpentry career.  They weren't all bad, but usually one trick ponies.

After getting the Kapex to do what it's supposed to do, and using it for a couple days at work, NO other saw could possibly compare.

NOW

Routers were and are a big part of my life.

I've got a 'nice' Bosch.  Does alright.  A Makita trimmer (cough 'junk' cough).  GOING to make some upgrades once I recover from the Kapex bill!  I want to setup to build guitars again, and I think a Festool shop would be alot of fun to work in.

 

[ccarrolladams]

Landon,

Before I pre-ordered my first Kapex, I had had the chance to use a few belonging to friends while visiting Europe. I realized the Kapex was too large for a Systainer, so some shipping maladjustment was to be expected. One of my European friends had his Kapex shipped the others took delivery at dealers.

Between placing my pre-order and the day Festool allowed dealers to open at Midnight for first deliveries, I knew that employees of Eagle Tools of Los Angeles, my dealer, had received training on the set up and adjustment of Kapex. Sure, that midnight the parking lot and street leading to Eagle Tool looked like a auto show of detailed pick-ups. This did attract the attention of the officers from the police station sharing that side street. All worked out because several of them are now devoted Festool fans.

My first Kapex had been unpacked and lovingly adjusted. I swaddled it in moving pads for the 20 minute drive from Eagle to my condo, where friends were waiting to help me carry it from the elevator to my unit. Since then I have made friends with several Festool reps so I have been taught how to set up Kapex. My subsequent two Kapex were received in their cartons. Neither required much adjustment and in all these years none of my Kapex have required a trip to Indiana for service.

Many local woodworkers have asked for my help setting up their Kapex and doing so is always my pleasure.

When two people exchange a dollar, they still only have a dollar.

When those same two people exchange ideas, each has gained the others ideas. This is Synergy. There are no secrets in woodworking. We all learned from people and I believe it is our obligation to pass along our experience to others.

 

[peter halle]

Landon,

Before I pre-ordered my first Kapex, I had had the chance to use a few belonging to friends while visiting Europe. I realized the Kapex was too large for a Systainer, so some shipping maladjustment was to be expected. One of my European friends had his Kapex shipped the others took delivery at dealers.

Between placing my pre-order and the day Festool allowed dealers to open at Midnight for first deliveries, I knew that employees of Eagle Tools of Los Angeles, my dealer, had received training on the set up and adjustment of Kapex. Sure, that midnight the parking lot and street leading to Eagle Tool looked like a auto show of detailed pick-ups. This did attract the attention of the officers from the police station sharing that side street. All worked out because several of them are now devoted Festool fans.

My first Kapex had been unpacked and lovingly adjusted. I swaddled it in moving pads for the 20 minute drive from Eagle to my condo, where friends were waiting to help me carry it from the elevator to my unit. Since then I have made friends with several Festool reps so I have been taught how to set up Kapex. My subsequent two Kapex were received in their cartons. Neither required much adjustment and in all these years none of my Kapex have required a trip to Indiana for service.

Many local woodworkers have asked for my help setting up their Kapex and doing so is always my pleasure.

When two people exchange a dollar, they still only have a dollar.

When those same two people exchange ideas, each has gained the others ideas. This is Synergy. There are no secrets in woodworking. We all learned from people and I believe it is our obligation to pass along our experience to others.

Shane!  Here is a way to describe the FOG - thanks to this post - "Festool Synergy"  or "Festool Synergy - one byte at a time".

Carroll, thank you for your posts and stories here.

Peter

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

When two people exchange a dollar, they still only have a dollar.

When those same two people exchange ideas, each has gained the others ideas. This is Synergy. There are no secrets in woodworking. We all learned from people and I believe it is our obligation to pass along our experience to others.

Shane!  Here is a way to describe the FOG - thanks to this post - "Festool Synergy"  or "Festool Synergy - one byte at a time".

Carroll, thank you for your posts and stories here.

Peter

Yeah, great post and even better quote at the end, Carroll.  [thumbs up]

 

[ccarrolladams]

My late father was a fairly respected professor of chest surgery. Dad had not inherited the woodworking gene from his dad, my Apa. Still in his own fields, surgery, playing polo and flying airplanes dad was confident.

I remember he described learning surgery as: Watch one; Do One; Kill One; Teach One.  This made me hope I was not that third one.

The best part of woodworking is that unless we are really foolish, nobody is killed. We can practice using less expensive materials so when we do work with the best materials we are confident.

We know to measure twice or more so as to cut once and not the other way around.

Unless the cut is in the appropriate place, it makes no difference which blade we are using on which saw!