Kapex to Shop DC System

[JayStPeter]

I have read several threads on the subject, but haven't found one with an answer.  I just got a Kapex on the closeout sale for the older models.  It will be connected to my big commercial Oneida DC.  Yes, I understand the physics of DCs and vacs and I will connect it to my Oneida.  I have the Kapex in a slot that has had several miter saws all connected to the Oneida over the last 15 years.  In practice, the Oneida is a beast and it works well.  Sorry for the fact that I'm rejecting the answers I've already seen about how much better it will be to get a Festool CT with 36mm.  My stationary tools use the Oneida and the Kapex will be stationary.  Another vac is just something else in a shop that I'm trying to simplify.
For obvious reasons, I want to connect to the outer 36mm connection on the Kapex.  I prefer not to spend $100 on a Festool hose when I have about 3' of 2.5" smooth hose running from a 6" blast gate ready to be connected to the saw.  But, that might be the final solution if there is not a better one.

Is there a simple and inexpensive adapter that will work?  Do the generic step adapters have a step that will approximately fit the Kapex without duct tape?  Do any of the Bosch 35mm adapters fit?
If not, has anyone adapted a Festool 36mm hose end to standard US hose sizes?  Can a 50mm to 36mm adapter work?
Thanks for any help as I don't have anyplace nearby where I can pick up and see this stuff.  I am not familiar with the 36mm fittings, so I don't quite know what I'm looking at.

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Jay

I have had to play around with junctions to Festool hoses especially when I created my Dust Hub. For that I bought the Axminster 63 mm dust kit linked here:
https://www.axminster.co.uk/63mm-dust-extraction-kit-410063

There is no need to buy the complete set and for less than a few pounds you can get the parts that you need. The blast gates and some of the other bits accept the large end of a Festool hose.
https://www.axminster.co.uk/blast-gate-for-63mm-dust-extraction-kit-410067

Also from Axminster you can get adapters to go from 63 mm to 100 mm which is probably what you need as well:
https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hose-adaptor-100mm-63mm-103626

I cannot guarantee that this is exactly what you need but it is very close and not very expensive. There may be some of this kit available in the US but ordering direct from Axminster means prices drop as the 20% European sales tax is removed and delivery is very cheap.

Peter

 

[kevinculle]

My Kapex is hooked to an 1100CFM collector through a short length (perhaps 5' or 1.5m...enough to allow for full travel movement of the saw throughout it's range) salvage hose from an old howler shop vac.  I think the hose is 2" nominal ID and the end connector mates nicely to the Kapex fitting.  At the other end it connects to a transition fitting that sizes it up to a blast gate then to 4" PVC.  It works very well.

 

[JayStPeter]

My Kapex is hooked to an 1100CFM collector through a short length (perhaps 5' or 1.5m...enough to allow for full travel movement of the saw throughout it's range) salvage hose from an old howler shop vac.  I think the hose is 2" nominal ID and the end connector mates nicely to the Kapex fitting.  At the other end it connects to a transition fitting that sizes it up to a blast gate then to 4" PVC.  It works very well.

Sometimes it's good to be lucky.  [big grin]

 

[JayStPeter]

Inspired by kevinculle, I spent some time in the shop and my storage shelves in the garage looking for an old vac hose that would fit, or at least give me an adapter of some sort.  I noticed that some of the fittings were just a little too big, but close.  In the corner of my shop I have a bunch of stuff to install a new sump pump and backup that I've been working on.  I found a PVC 1 1/2" to 1 1/4" adapter that fit perfectly.  It is just slightly loose but seems like it will stay on.  If not, the hose clamp that came on it will seal it on nicely.

[attachimg=1]

Here it is attached to standard Rockler dust hose

[attachimg=2]

And the big picture.  You can see I am no stranger to using plumbing fixtures for DC.  I still need to reconfigure the miter saw station a bit.  It had the Bosch glide in it.  That is a huge saw and touched the cabinet above.  The Kapex fence is about an inch further from the wall though.  I'm not sure there was any point in connecting the Bosch to the dust collector.

[attachimg=3]

View attachment 3

 

[kevinculle]

That looks very workable and should get the vast majority of the dust, and a shop-built blast gate to boot!

 

[JayStPeter]

That looks very workable and should get the vast majority of the dust, and a shop-built blast gate to boot!

Ha, I built those blast gates 15 years ago out of some old Ikea bookshelves.

 

[southrider]

Curious to see how much "spillage" you get around and behind the saw. My Bosch glide is setting in front of a huge rockler collector that I mounted flat below and behind the saw. I think it was intended for turning on a lathe. I split the 6" line and sent one leg to the saws hose and the other to the rockler fitting. The Bosch just throws stuff everywhere. I never did get a satisfactory connection to the Bosch inlet (they all fall off with movement).

I too bought a Kapex on sale recently, and so far it's mounted in an old Ridgid miter saw SUV for portability. I wondered if I put it where the Bosch is if I would no longer need the "hopper" to catch all the flying debris. The short 36 mm hose with a CT26 works pretty well for out of shop jobs.

Please update on how well this works for you.

 

[Thompmd]

I Three just bought a Kapex as well and I’m just setting up my shop and I’m ready to start DC.  I was thinking about getting the 36mm hose and running it directly to my PVC. I also just bought a CT36, RO150, TS75 & Carvex to date and my thinking was if I could hook the Kapex to the mainline it would be 1 less thing to mess with?? Seem reasonable to you guys?

I would use the CT36 for the other tools mentioned.

Does Festool make a 36mm hose shorter than 3.5m?

 

[JayStPeter]

Curious to see how much "spillage" you get around and behind the saw. My Bosch glide is setting in front of a huge rockler collector that I mounted flat below and behind the saw. I think it was intended for turning on a lathe. I split the 6" line and sent one leg to the saws hose and the other to the rockler fitting. The Bosch just throws stuff everywhere. I never did get a satisfactory connection to the Bosch inlet (they all fall off with movement).

I too bought a Kapex on sale recently, and so far it's mounted in an old Ridgid miter saw SUV for portability. I wondered if I put it where the Bosch is if I would no longer need the "hopper" to catch all the flying debris. The short 36 mm hose with a CT26 works pretty well for out of shop jobs.

Please update on how well this works for you.

The Bosch glide is the 3rd saw I've had on that station.  It was by far the worst with dust collection, not even close to average.  The Festool seems to be the best, but not perfect.  There is some stuff behind the saw when I use it, but the Bosch would spray stuff against the wall and just trash the entire area.  I tried several things with the Bosch and it just doesn't have a good design to stop the spray.  I probably would've built one of those big boxes around the back of the Bosch if it didn't have other problems.

 

[John Stevens]

Sorry for the fact that I'm rejecting the answers I've already seen about how much better it will be to get a Festool CT with 36mm. 

Congratulations, Jay,  on your new Kapex, on finding a good fitting among your spare parts, and  on keeping this thread on topic.

—John

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.

and  on keeping this thread on topic.

—John

;D [big grin] [tongue]

 

[Bugsysiegals]

Did you compare the DC to a Festool Vac?  I was going to buy a larger hose for my CT 36 but I've 3HP DC and wondered if it would capture more dust than the CT 36.