Looking for space saving miter saw. Kapex worth a try?

[tomktest]

Hi all,

I’m ready to part with my Dewalt 10” slider to find something that I can keep up against the wall in the garage.

I’ve been looking at the Kapex as an option and I’d prefer to stay with a 10” saw because it will handle most of my needs. I do have a few questions for all of you Kapex owners…

1) Do you really ever get used to that inline handle? It feels so awkward how you have to bend your wrist.

2) How is cutting base board on the flat? My DeWalt can just barely cut 5.25” base standing up at 90 deg and can do a 45 degree cut if it’s less than an inch off the end. I don’t think I would mind cutting on the flat with the ease that Kapex can adjust. I would not even attempt on the Dewalt.

3) How accurate are the lasers vs the shadow line? Has anyone added an aftermarket LED to cast a shadow?

4) Can you cut a 4” square post? (3.5” nominal)

5) Are you happy enough with the blade selection? They are a bit pricy but at least can be resharpened.

6) How is the Kapex in the power department. Does she bog cutting hardwood?

Thanks!

 

[ChuckM]

User for 7 years here.

1) It feels so awkward how you have to bend your wrist.
Not for me. The inline handle is a good design because it's how you hold a hand saw. A loose to moderate grip on the Kapex handle is good enough, preventing any unintended deflection of the saw head.

2) How is cutting base board on the flat?

The bevel control is the best in its class, and the 45* bevel cuts are spot-on.

[attachimg=1]

3) How accurate are the lasers vs the shadow line? Has anyone added an aftermarket LED to cast a shadow?
I use the lasers only for ballpark cuts. Precision cuts are done with stop blocks. No experience with shadow lines.

4) Can you cut a 4” square post? (3.5 nominal)

Max. cutting depth at 120mm (over 4.5")

5) Are you happy enough with the blade selection? They are a bit pricy but at least can be resharpened.

Same factory blade since Day 1, and no resharpening has been needed. Still sharp for anything I throw at it (walnut, maple, cherry, oak, sapele, etc.)

6) How is the Kapex in the power department. Does she bog cutting hardwood?
No such experience so far.

Edit - Use a short 36mm hose for the best dust extraction result.

 

[batmanimal]

I sold my 12” Dewalt SCMS and got the Kapex for the same reason. I use my saw a lot more now that I don’t have to set it up out of storage every time. Kapex sits very nicely on a rolling stand at the back of my garage. Takes barely a minute to roll it out and get set for a quick cut or small project.

I never had an issue with the inline handle. I feel like it gives me more control, if that makes sense.

I do miss the XPS shadow line system. That was so simple and genius. Laser on Kapex is OK. The blade falls in between two very fine laser lines. It took me a little getting used to to remember where the blade was going to hit (vs referencing only off a single line)

I do use the Kapex wings for repeatable cuts and they come out perfect every time, rendering the laser less necessary for me.

If you make the switch, try to find the Kapex locally vs having it shipped. There are many reports on here from users who got damaged saws (the packaging is woefully inadequate for consumer shipping)

 

[AofD]

Kapex user for at 8 years.

1) Do you really ever get used to that inline handle?
  --> Like everything done multiple times, you get used to it.  There is no downside to using an inline handle, but I ultimately prefer a side handle strictly from a "feel" point of view.  There are too many other upsides to using a Kapex that, to me, make the inline handle operation a non-factor.

3) How accurate are the lasers vs the shadow line? Has anyone added an aftermarket LED to cast a shadow?
  --> As accurate as the calibration.  Mine was perfectly calibrated out of the factory so no issue.  I've heard very few users say it required some calibration after factory delivery.  The re-calibration process is simple if adjustments are necessary.

4) Can you cut a 4” square post? (3.5” nominal)
  --> No problem.

5) Are you happy enough with the blade selection? They are a bit pricy but at least can be resharpened.
  --> like ChuckS said... same factory blade since Day 1, and no resharpening has been needed. Still sharp for anything I throw at it (walnut, maple, cherry, oak, sapele, etc.)

6) How is the Kapex in the power department. Does she bog cutting hardwood?
  --> I've cut 3" x 3" solid oak with no issue. 

 

[woodbutcherbower]

I think the only way you’re ever going to properly assess the inline handle (the most contentious part of the design for many) is to try it out for yourself. I know that might take some effort and some mileage, but I would personally go that way rather than ordering it, taking delivery, unpacking it, trying it, hating it, repacking it - and then having to pay hefty shipping costs back to where it came from.

I do a lot of site work, sometimes alongside other carpenters, and I got lucky. I showed up at a job to find a guy using a Kapex, so I set up my 12” DeWalt and we swapped saws for the day so I could give it a proper tryout. It’s a truly lovely saw with some great features. I spent a lot of the day cutting baseboards, crowns, trims etc. The machine’s bevel adjustment is very, very clever, and the cut accuracy is easily as good as anything I’ve used. The dust extraction is class-leading for a mitre saw, and it also has some other distinct advantages, such as less weight - important when the site’s van park is 100 metres away from the job and there are then three flights of stairs to get to where you’re working.

But for me - that handle was a total ‘no’. Based on constant usage for a whole day, I realised that I’d never be able to live with it on an all-day-every-day basis. I also didn’t care for the somewhat flimsy stand, and was also disappointed to discover that the baseplate wouldn’t take the yellow DeWalt stand clamps so I could mount it on my stand. Most of the material I use comes in 3.9m, 4.2m, 4.8m or 5.4m lengths, so the DeWalt stand’s extending wings are mandatory in my world. I also much preferred the shadow line because it shows you exactly where the outer edge of the blade tooth is going to land.

But we’re all different - and that was just my personal experience based solely on the kind of site work I often do away from the workshop. If I was an occasional user and the saw was stationary up against a workshop wall,  it would maybe have been a different story. Blade wear - I have to change blades every two weeks because of the sheer number of cuts I make - I’ve got around 20 x 96-tooth Freuds in a constant cycle of being used or being resharpened.  The other guy hated my DeWalt, which just goes to prove that there’s no one-size-fits-all in the world of power tools. The Kapex has a very strong following on here so it obviously isn’t an issue for its multitude of super-happy users. As said, hands-on is the only way you’ll find out.

I think this guy pretty much sums it up for me;


Hope you get fixed up.

 

[Birdhunter]

I’m a serious hobby guy but I build some serious stuff. I switched to the Kapex for two reasons. One, I could back the saw against a wall rather than have it stick out into the shop. Two, I could use it indoors due to its dust collection.

I use the lasers if I don’t need extreme accuracy. If I am trying for zero gap accuracy, I go with a pencil line. If I am cutting really hard wood, I listen to the saw. I can hear it tell me that I need to ease up on the cut. I’m still getting smooth cuts with the original blade after many years.  It is important to push the blade into the work parallel to the cut. You can get a bad cut if you push the handle off to the side with force. It is important to let the blade stop completely or you can launch a cutoff with amazing velocity. It’s accuracy and precision is awesome.

If I were doing framing or outdoor work that was really hard on a saw, I’d probably buy a big box saw.

 

[semenza]

I thought the handle would take getting used to over my DW with horizontal handle. It did take some getting used to. But in a short time I found that I really like it.

I found that actually using it and just playing around with it in a store are not the same.

One thing that made a difference was building my shop miter station a couple inches lower than I might normally have done. An inch or two on the height makes a big difference. I also discovered that when I use it I stand just a few inches more left or right than when I used a horizontal handle. Not much off center but a little. This makes a surprising difference and is something that I didn't notice when trying it out in a store. There is a tendency ( I think) to stand dead center in front when approaching the handle.

An advantage of the handle design is that I can go left or right handed without as much awkwardness. This difference will depend on the saw being compared to.

I love the lasers and have no interest in the shadow line. I find that I can use them and count them on the for accurate cuts. But this depends as much on the set up and calibration of the miter station as it does on the lasers themselves.

Some likes dislikes will definitely will be different between shop and site use.

Seth

 

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.

I found that actually using it and just playing around with it in a store are not the same.

Snip.

An advantage of the handle design is that I can go left or right handed without as much awkwardness. This difference will depend on the saw being compared to.Snip.

Seth

Both statements are true, and that's why in the context of the DF500 vs 700, I tell people to try it long enough in a store (for example, lifting it up and down 50 times or more) to feel the difference. A 20 kg bag of water softener sounds not much, but when I have to move half a dozen of it from my garage down the stairs to my basement after I turned 65, it's a different story! (That's why some stores sell it in 10 kg packaging.)

Once in a while, I do need to use the handle with my left hand, and the switch position in the center of the handle makes it left-hand friendly, too.

Right handed or left-handed, a loose to moderate grip is all that's required to operate the Kapex. Last week within one hour, I cut over 150 parts, and my arm and wrist were not tired afterwards. Those who cut dovetails by hand know why a tight grip is not a good thing.

Here in my city, I do not know of any contractor (more than a dozen of them, including some I employed to do reno work in the past) using a Kapex as their on-site miter saw. Everyone seems to have a Dewalt, Bosch, Hitachi, etc. Reason? Money/budget. All the local school shops I've been to are equipped with the SawStop, but no Kapexes.

 

[semenza]

A couple important notes on the video above.

      He says the lasers are not working. OK, but if they were working he would not need to lower the blade to the wood very often to see where it is going to cut. 

      Also, Kapex is opposite many (most ?) miter saws in regards to lowering the head without turning it on. He is doing it wrong and backwards for Kapex. If you depress only the safety button the head will not lower. If you press both safety and trigger it will start the saw. If you pull just the trigger on Kapex the head releases and lowers without the saw starting. He clearly does not know this and based on other saws would not expect it to be this way. If he did that negative would be removed from his negatives list. It is a non-existent problem.

    The blade lowering is important to note because the way he is doing it by pressing both slightly, a user might accidentally fire it up while playing around with the wood under the blade. Plus there is no need to do it that way. Just to reiterate ...... on Kapex it is trigger only to lower the head.  At least on the model he us using.

    Can anyone with a new model Kapex chime in on the head lowering procedure ?

  Seth

 

[MikeGE]

Can anyone with a new model Kapex chime in on the head lowering procedure ?

The trigger on my 2021-07 Kapex 120 has two positions.  The first position releases the head, and no matter how much I squeeze it, the motor will not turn on.  If I press the thumb button, the trigger can move to the second position and the motor will turn on.  The safety button on the top of the handle prevents the trigger from starting the motor unless it is held down long enough for the trigger to get past the first stop.

For what it's worth, I replaced my DWS780 with the Kapex solely for the dust control.  I hate the LASERs with a passion and miss the LED shadow line.  The KS 60 has a LED option, so why not one for the KS 120?

I never had a problem with the Kapex handle, and don't think I had any transition issues.  Except for the shadow line.

 

[ChuckM]

Can anyone with a new model Kapex chime in on the head lowering procedure ?

The trigger on my 2021-07 Kapex 120 has two positions.  The first position releases the head, and no matter how much I squeeze it, the motor will not turn on.  If I press the thumb button, the trigger can move to the second position and the motor will turn on.  The safety button on the top of the handle prevents the trigger from starting the motor unless it is held down long enough for the trigger to get past the first stop.

Snip.

Based on such description (and memory), the EB and REB have the same trigger design.

 

[Cheese]

I've owned mine for the last 7 years...couldn't be happier. I didn't know how well I was going to like the handle so I kept both of my Milwaukee sliders for a year just in case.  [tongue]

I originally picked up the Kapex because of its light weight so it was easy to move it outdoors when I needed it for framing or siding.

The lasers are ok for general use, however for repetitive cuts I prefer to use some type of positive stop.

The hold downs are fantastic and I have one installed on each side of the saw but you must NEVER use both of them at the same time. One on each side but only use ONE at a time.

The dust collection is great and the accuracy is outstanding, better yet I've never had to readjust the saw. Once aligned...it stays aligned.

I'm still on my original saw blade and I also have an aluminum blade that works well.

The saw really is a joy to use.

 

[FestitaMakool]

Sold the very good Bosch I mention below for two reasons: Space demands behind the saw, which was huge. And I needed better capacity for crowns, baseboards and the odd cuts that makes upright feel better or easier. Didn’t want a monster like most 12” saws.
Portability matters to me - with the UG cart it’s a new world.

1) Do you really ever get used to that inline handle? It feels so awkward how you have to bend your wrist.
- # Having only had inline handle saws from DeWalt (15 years) and a Bosch GCM 8 SDE before the Kapex - I find the occasional side/horizontal handle odd. I embrace the fact that our muscular system are better suited to inline handles. Kapex 120’s handle is steep and odd the first times you use it.

2) How is cutting base board on the flat? My DeWalt can just barely cut 5.25” base standing up at 90 deg and can do a 45 degree cut if it’s less than an inch off the end. I don’t think I would mind cutting on the flat with the ease that Kapex can adjust. I would not even attempt on the Dewalt.
- # Presumably, it’s a matter of taste and difficulty - learning not to alter the saws in-line motion makes accurate cuts for most saws. Kapex is pretty stiff, but non good technique can mess up even on the Kapex.

3) How accurate are the lasers vs the shadow line? Has anyone added an aftermarket LED to cast a shadow?
- # Use the lasers only for rough cutting. Don’t think there is a shadow light option, even 3. Party. Tooth on/beside the pencil line only - except some crowns that need sneak up to the line.

4) Can you cut a 4” square post? (3.5” nominal)
- # European 98x98mm - Barely with spacer forward of the fence. So absolutely, and that was a relief!

5) Are you happy enough with the blade selection? They are a bit pricy but at least can be resharpened.
- # As others here, very happy with original blade (Mostly softwood though)

6) How is the Kapex in the power department. Does she bog cutting hardwood?
- # Sharp blade + let the saw do the job - it’ll cut anything.
As an addendum to that above: I have a KS 60 too, with blades that cuts very nice visually judging by the cut ends. But; slight smell of burnt wood and I feel slight resistance lowering the head.. these blades are dull, even though they look and feel ok.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

It's always interesting and entertaining to read informed debates like this. Over here in the UK we have a product called 'Marmite'. It's a thick, black, sticky gloop in a jar which has been manufactured since 1902 in a town called Burton-on-Trent - which also happens to be England's #1 brewing town. Burton beers have quenched the nation's thirst for over a century - to the extent that whole trainloads of beer would leave Burton every single day during the 19th century behind a steam locomotive, and head down to London, to be unloaded and temporarily stored in a huge specially-built undercroft (like 688 huge cast-iron columns huge) under St.Pancras railway station in London. Those southern guys must have drank a LOT of beer;

[attachimg=1]

Marmite is essentially a waste product from the brewing industry - it's the yeast-rich sludge and general mess which is left over after the beer's been siphoned out of the brewing vessels. It's this sludge - mixed with salt, vegetable extracts and other stuff, then put in a jar. It's spread thinly on bread or toast - an iconic British product which elicits one of two reactions - you either think it's amazingly delicious and you run to the store to buy it in bulk - or you just throw up and take a cab to the nearest poison centre. You either love it or hate it. No in-between. Marmite have cleverly used this divide to their advantage, running £multi-million 'Love It Or Hate It' advertising campaigns which, in the UK, have become as famous and well-liked as the Budweiser 'Whassup' commercials. There are also a multitude of 'Americans react to Marmite' videos on YouTube.

So imagine the ad below - but delete the Marmite jar and Photoshop in the Kapex handle instead;

[attachimg=2]

Enjoy your saws guys - whatever they might be.

Postscript = I LOVE IT  [big grin]

 

[kitfit1]

I actually hate it on toast. The odd thing is though, put in gravy when you cook a slow cooker shoulder of lamb................and it totally transforms it. Beef though......................nah, it ruins it  [wink]

 

[woodbutcherbower]

I actually hate it on toast. The odd thing is though, put in gravy when you cook a slow cooker shoulder of lamb................and it totally transforms it. Beef though......................nah, it ruins it  [wink]

100% agree [member=76994]kitfit1[/member] - although Marmite on toast is my personal #2 breakfast choice, bettered only by Weetabix and raisins. Look at the jar instructions and it says 'adds a tempting richness to soups, stews and gravies'. Works really well with slow-cooked belly pork too. Add half a jar of Patak's plum sauce and you've got heaven in a stewpan. Visit the forum's 'General Friendly Chat' section and hit up the 'What's Cooking' thread. Some brilliant chefs on here. Hope you're keeping well in Stourport mate, and that the Severn hasn't boiled away in the heatwave. All the best.

Apologies to the OP for the temporary Brit hijack. So anyway - the Kapex ...........

 

[MikeGE]

Marmite = bin juice

You are correct, you either love it or hate it.  I hate it.

 

[semenza]

Based on the description I can totally see Marmite as an additive to stews , meat cooking, and the like.

Probably not a good choice to lubricate the Kapex turn table.  [huh]

  Seth

 

[kitfit1]

I actually hate it on toast. The odd thing is though, put in gravy when you cook a slow cooker shoulder of lamb................and it totally transforms it. Beef though......................nah, it ruins it  [wink]

100% agree [member=76994]kitfit1[/member] - although Marmite on toast is my personal #2 breakfast choice, bettered only by Weetabix and raisins. Look at the jar instructions and it says 'adds a tempting richness to soups, stews and gravies'. Works really well with slow-cooked belly pork too. Add half a jar of Patak's plum sauce and you've got heaven in a stewpan. Visit the forum's 'General Friendly Chat' section and hit up the 'What's Cooking' thread. Some brilliant chefs on here. Hope you're keeping well in Stourport mate, and that the Severn hasn't boiled away in the heatwave. All the best.

Apologies to the OP for the temporary Brit hijack. So anyway - the Kapex ...........

Keeping very well in Stourport thanks "Butch". In fact went into "town" earlier on tonight for a very rare Donna Kebab covered in chillie sauce.....................more chance of me boiling away now than the "Severn"  [eek] [eek]
Will defo look up the "what's cooking" thread  [thumbs up]

 

[Lincoln]

It's a great saw, if you don't mind the handle. (Doesn't worry me at all)
I thought dust collection was just 'ok', until I made a couple of cuts without it - it's really very, very good, for an exposed blade tool.
Super accurate, quality build. I replaced a Bosch Glide, which had an unacceptable amount of play in the angle detents due to plastic components.
The laser sucks!! I joke, it's ok, but I rarely use it.