Kapex Users - Do you use a dedicated DC?

[Warrior]

hey all you lucky bunch with Kapii,

Do you use a dedicated vac for the saw or switch back and forth?

If I can afford it I think I will have to get another CT when I purchase the Kapex. Switching back and forth from Kapex to other work stations would aggrivate me.

Thanks,

Eiji

 

[nickao]

Dedicated Fein for the Miter(not a Kapex until July). Dedicated CT 33 for the MFT  table #1. Dedicated CT33 for the  MFT table #2. Jet 1100 for the Delta planer. Grizzly 3 HP cyclone metal piped for all the other large tools. I can't stand re-connecting the collectors for each operation.

nickao

 

[Dan Clermont]

Bill in Seattle came up with a nifty gate system for the CT-22 vac which allows you to switch vac ports without changing hoses, just open the blast gate, power cords were all plugged into a power bar and when you turned a tool on the vac went on with it.

I think you should save the $400 on another vac. I'll build you Bill's system and you can give my the $400 so I can buy a KAPEX  ;D

Dan Clermont

 

[Ned]

I think you should save the $400 on another vac. I'll build you Bill's system and you can give my the $400 so I can buy a KAPEX  ;D

Dan Clermont

You'll accept US currency?  :-\

Ned

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

I've given some thought to this. My thought is, one solution would be to put your miter saw and your MFT/work station back-to-back, and simply place your CT with a Y in between the two? That way you could have a D36 hooked up to the Kapex, and a D27 (or another D36) available for your other tools. Granted, I'm coming from the perspective of a mobile, on-site carpenter, so my needs are different than someone who has a permanent shop. I wonder how much suction you lose using the Y? I would also likely try to use a Dust Deputy or a Clearview with the Kapex, a SCMS can produce a lot of dust in a hurry!!

 

[nickao]

Bill in Seattle came up with a nifty gate system for the CT-22 vac which allows you to switch vac ports without changing hoses, just open the blast gate, power cords were all plugged into a power bar and when you turned a tool on the vac went on with it.

I think you should save the $400 on another vac. I'll build you Bill's system and you can give my the $400 so I can buy a KAPEX  ;D

Dan Clermont

If you can and want to base your entire shop layout on that great. It wouldn't work for my work flow though.

nickao

 

[Warrior]

Tom,
I like your solution, but I would then hate to have to walk around the saw helper wings to get to the MFT and back. No thanks. I always set up (space available) a nice work triangle between MFT, Tablesaw, and Miter saw stations. I work alot on site so that is not always possible. But I would never set up stations back to back. Work flow is more important.
I guess Ill just have to cart along my TurboIII. the darn thing takes up too much space in the ruck though.

Thnks

Eiji

 

[Corwin]

One option could be to install ducting (and boom where needed) dedicated to each workstation where each terminated with a Festool connector conveniently located to connect to the extraction system.  Own one extractor or multiple, just use a short D50 (like what comes w/boom arm) to hook an extractor up to the workstation or tool.  If you have more than one extractor, you might go so far as to install a cyclone atop one for sanding with a D27 hose, and a separator (cyclone style lid) on the another where you could attach either a D36 or go whole hog with a D50 when you want. 

Just another path down the slope.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

    Eiji,  How about setting up the CT at the end or center of your work flow line up , in line with everything else. Have the hoses connect with a Y or other manifold set up. Put blast gates at the CT end. So that when you walk past or to the work station you can just select the proper gate to open on the way by.  You can get 2 1/4" - 2 1/2" blast gates.  It would be a little more convenient to have the gate s at the stations , but that would require more "plumbing".

Seth

 

[Brice Burrell]

  Guys, I didn't want to mention this earlier because I've been pretty hard on Festool lately. But when you take a close look at the Kapex it is going to cost a lot more than the $1300. Like Eiji, I'd really need a dedicated vac to be able to work efficiently. The Kapex doesn't have a dust bag so it has to be hooked to a vac, that means a vac will get a real work out being turned on and off all day. And like Tom said, there is going to be a lot of dust, that means more filter bags or the reusable filter bag. Add the cost of blades, stand/extensions, crown extensions, vac, filter bags and maybe a D36 hose..... I not trying to talk anyone out of buying one of these, I'm just taking a realistic look at the cost.

 

[danrush]

Brice,

I agree, I've already braced myself for a $15-$1800.00 outlay.  Maybe hold off on the vac, I think I can work around that, but certainly a couple of extra blades, hose, crown stops, etc.  I haven't seen pricing on the accessories.  Am I looking in the wrong places?

Dan

 

[greg mann]

Many of those add-on costs would apply to any well set up miter saw. If you feel you need a dedicated CT for the Kapex then you need a dedicated CT for a Bosch, etc., at least to be objective.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Many of those add-on costs would apply to any well set up miter saw. If you feel you need a dedicated CT for the Kapex then you need a dedicated CT for a Bosch, etc., at least to be objective.

  From what I understand the only miter saw on the market at the moment worth attaching a vac to is the Hitachi, and that is debatable. The chop shop hood allows you to control the dust for around $130, its far more affective than a vac on the saws currently available. I only bring up the Chop Shop to make a fair comparison of dust collection to the Kapex and other saws. In other words, its an added cost to running my Makita.

  Let's throw out opinions, objective or otherwise, my Makita 1214, Sawhelper U55, ChopShop hood and a couple of blades costs less than the Kapex (just the saw). I'm putting this out to offer some perspective. (This assumes the Kapex's is going to be the rumored $1300 USD.)

 

[festeringtool]

I'll agree with that - there's loads of other options out there that need serious consideration.
We are wordworking here not on a catwalk!

 

[greg mann]

I have no problems with your opinions or observations, Brice. I have a Bosch that benefits greatly with a DC hooked up to it, so at least for me, you can add the Bosch to those that warrant the addition.

It seemed to appear to me that you were implying that the Kapex needed dust collection, therefore a DC needed to be added to the cost. Whereas the Bosch, Makita, Hitachi did not need DC, perhaps because it was ineffective or perhaps because they already came with a dustbag (which are almost universally recognized as useless). I am sure you were not saying that they did not need DC because they would be as effective without it as the Kapex is with it. Your point about the cost of a fully equipped, other than DC, alternative brand is cheaper than the Kapex is very valid. I just think that saying one needs to add DC to the cost of a Kapex was misleading since to compare saws on an apples-to- apples basis you would need to add the cost of DC to any other saw as well. I don't think that was intentional on your part at all. I just think it might be confusing the issues that directly affect accurate comparisons of performance and cost.

There is no question the Kapex is very expensive. Since there are other saws of the same type it will be a much greater leap of faith than, say, the Domino, which is unique.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Brice, do you bring your chop shop hood back and forth from on site to home to use in evening and on weekends?  It looks like an awkward item to transport.  I saw Gary Katz using it in one of his videos and it looked really nice.

 

[Eli]

A dedicated CT22 would bring me to well over 3k for the whole Kapex setup ($2694 for the Kapex set, and it went UP after the first of this year!). I can use one vac for everything for the time being. Don't get me wrong, it would be great to have another. If I was to run out and get another right now, I'd make it another CT22. I think when I have some time to fiddle, I'll be building a blast gate setup. Needs room for at least three hoses, CMS, Kapex, and powered hand tools.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Greg, I do mean to say the Kapex needs a vac since a dust bag is not available. It is my experience that attaching a vac to commonly available miter saws is a waste of time, read no appreciable difference in collection.. I don't agree that the dust bags on the commonly available miter saws are useless. My Makita's bag only catches about 30-40% of the dust produced, however, without the dust bag attached the amount of airborne dust is much greater than with the bag. The Kapex out of the box collects 0%. I think we can all agree that one would be wasting their money getting a Kapex and not using a vac, so the its cost must be factored in. Not necessarily in terms of up front cost (buying a dedicated vac) but running the tool. (I think I'd have to have a dedicated vac so it would be up front cost.)

.....I just think that saying one needs to add DC to the cost of a Kapex was misleading since to compare saws on an apples-to- apples basis you would need to add the cost of DC to any other saw as well.

  Since it is my opinion that adding a vac to other saws is not effective I felt it didn't need to be added to the cost. I didn't bring up the added cost of my ChopShop hood in place of the vac in my last post. 

I don't think that was intentional on your part at all. I just think it might be confusing the issues that directly affect accurate comparisons of performance and cost.....

  The Kapex and other saws are hard to compare accurately. The Kapex with a vac greatly reduces the amount of airborne dust, but it leaves dust on the floor. The my Makita with ChopShop hood can't get all of the airborne stuff but collects all of the dust the Kapex throws on the floor. They we have the biggest discrepancy of all, the price. The Kapex cost more than my entire setup. And remember it is the overall cost that determines the value and that will be different for all of us.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brice, do you bring your chop shop hood back and forth from on site to home to use in evening and on weekends?  It looks like an awkward item to transport.  I saw Gary Katz using it in one of his videos and it looked really nice.

Eric, I'll post some opinions and pics of the ChopShop in its own thread.

 

[festeringtool]

Am I missing something????

Is the Kapex awsome or something?