Kapex UG Extensions not level

[cgmojoco]

I have the Kapex mobile station which I purchased about a year ago.

Trying to set it up now that I've made space in the shop.

Can't get the extensions co-planer & level with the kapex & stand.
First, I leveled the saw on the stand; perfect.  Kapex is flat.
Then attached the extensions as they were out of the box.
One side (left) was to low, the other side (right) was/sis to high---both by about 1/16th of an inch.
So I dug in and read up.  You can move the leg around and that changes the angle of the extension/ no brainer makes sens.
You can also loosen up the bolts on the "V" piece that fits into the v-groove---which allows for some adjustment to make the extensions closer or further away from the saw....I fiddled with that but eventually realized it was better to keep the edge of the "V" exactly parallel with the edge of the actual extension extrusion---which is where it was out of the box to begin with...leaving a but of space between the kapex base and the kapex extension is needed.
I've got the extensions attached correctly and locked on correctly.
The only way to get everything both level and co-planer is to raise or lower the side of the extension that is attaching to the saw.
The low side I was able to shim up with a piece of wood.
The high side I don't know what to do---I'm not going to start grinding away at my $825 kapex stand parts am I?  I don't think I have a grinder that can do that even...
The left side shimmed works fine now...perfectly level...no serious complaints other than it took me about 30 minutes to figure out that there was no way to adjust for height there...and a shim was in order.

I fiddled with everything for over an hour and know what's wrong...its not my adjustments...its the saw.  One of the v groove's is slightly to low to fit the extension and one of the grooves is slightly to high.

Any ideas on what to do on the right side?

Christopher

 

[cgmojoco]

images:
Level

LeftExtension

RightExtension

 

[builderbob]

The biggest thing I've found about the UG extensions is that level is out the window. The extensions want to be parallel to the ground. If you're shimming up the left, then the right basically needs to go down further than it will allow. What it seems you need to do is lower the adjustable feet on the UG stand, remove the shim on the left foot and level as necessary. Keep tweaking till you get it!  Should work...keep us informed!

Bob

 

[cgmojoco]

Thanks for the feedback.

Its hard to tell from the photo...but the extension sits higher than the bed of the kapex saw when attached---changing the angle with the leg doesn't change the height at which the kapex exentsion meets the kapex bed.

This image mockup might illustrate better how no swiveling of the extension on any axis will fix my problem:

I only mention that both are level with the floor to rule out the ground being the problem  [cool]

This picture illustrates my problem...no shims on this extension.

 

[builderbob]

I get it...I use the multiblades UG plate to attch to the Kapex so I have crown stops...they sit just below, so my UG is modded, if you will!

I'll check my UG thickness and also the elevation from my Kapex bed to the top of the v groove. Did you happen to check your left and right to see if they're the same?

 

[skids]

Dumb question. Is level really critical with the extensions? I seem to only worry about that they are square to the fence and there is no height differential to the Kapex table.

By the time I am done with a day of slamming workpieces down on them, clamping to them and coping on them, I am sure they are out of wack anyway!

 

[semenza]

Try swapping the mounting plate connectors just to help narrow down where the specific problem  the  lies. 

Seth

 

[ScotF]

I had this exact same issue with mine -- I had to shim one side with business card stock and brought that level and the other side sat too high and so I took my RAS and actually sanded the plate down until it was flush -- it was tedious and took numerous attempts to sand, attach the plate, check and then do it all over again but I eventually got everything perfectly flush left and right and I have had no issues since do it with numerous attaching/detaching the extensions.  FWIW, I had to do something similar to my crown stops too.

Scot

 

[cgmojoco]

Thanks Scot -

Glad to know I'm not crazy...that is the only way I can see to fix it---or send the Kapex into Festool (one vgroove bottoms out slightly higher than the other which is causing the extension to sit proud of the bed).

I'll go ahead and give Festool Customer Service a ring (perhaps should have started there but I can type much easier than find time to make calls here at my work).

Maybe they have a fix that we both missed.

For other posters on this thread...yah I should have named the thread `not co-planer` as opposed to `not level`.

The tool isn't safe with the extension sitting proud.
Also square cuts are going to be a challenge and sliding workpieces over from one side of the saw to the extension side that is proud is going to snag.

 

[Acrobat]

I too have the same issue, in fact the right side UG extension is too HIGH by about 1.5mm so could not slide timber across without it banging into the lip and lifting the timber of the bed. and there is no adjustment, so I ended up taking the UG extension wing  back. Then tried the crown stop extension thingy. Same result and returned it too.
So I can only conclude the v groove on the right of the kapex is too high. I made sure the v groove was clean and free of any dust.
I have a left side full extension wing fitted and that side is too LOW where it fixes to the Kapex. I fixed it by adding some washers to the underside of the clamp to raise the level a tad, so far at least that works and is level that side. So I have a left fence now only. It does me ok,  but I was a bit frustrated over paying a high price, high precision saw to find it isn't. Maybe both the crown extension and the right UG extension were both at fault but after trying each I gave up. Apart from that the actual saw is very good.