Need a miter saw for a large jobsite project, would you buy a Kapex?

[Joe Jensen]

I'm a serious hobbyist furniture maker with a full workshop including a large sliding table saw.  I use a Dewalt 14" radial arm saw as my cut off station.  I don't currently own a miter saw.  I put all new base and casings in the current house and I just bought a dewalt 14" compound miter saw, used it, and then sold on Craig's list.  Net cost was about $40.  We bought a new house and I will be installing A LOT of wainscotting.  Maybe 250 linear feet.  It will be MDF and moldings.  I will rip all the parts to width in the shop which is just a mile away and I will be able to cut a ton of stuff in the shop, but I need a sliding compound miter saw.  And, I hate how loud and coarse most sound.

The Kapex is compelling as it's compact, relatively light weight with nice accessories.  But there have been so many issues reported.  Would you spring for a Kapex?  I have three daughters who will be buying houses over the next few years and expect to be working a lot on them so long term I will need a miter saw.

 

[CrpntrFreak]

Over and over and over again. It is not worth the price, but it absolutely IS THE BEST miter saw on the market. However, I use my saw to make me money. So I imagine I could justify the cost a little better. I have achieved great results from other saws, but the steps to get there are much less with the Kapex.

 

[Joe Jensen]

looks like I could buy new, use for a month, and resell of maybe $100-200 less.  Might be what I do

 

[antss]

Lots , repeat , lots of other mitersaw will do what a kapex will do at a fraction of the cost.  And they don't have even the slightest reputation of burning up motors.

If you're moving from jobsite to jobsite weekly or daily , then the lighter weight and the UG cart might be worth the added expense and risk.  The less portability you need the less compelling the argument.

The other selling points like dust collection and ease of settings are now matched by other makes. Ones that use standard sized blades you can get anywhere.  Today.

 

[tjbnwi]

Yes.

Tom

 

[Joe Jensen]

Its just the unrefined nature of the Dewalt that bugs me.  Super loud annoying pitch sound, no soft start so the saw jumps when you start.  But it's way cheaper.

 

[antss]

Makita, Milwaukee and Hitachi all make saws that will give accurate cuts with a good blade.

 

[CrpntrFreak]

DeWalt, Hitachi, and Bosch, I have used them extensively and owned them also. No they CAN NOT cut like the Kapex. The Bosch came close. So either I have bought many duds or I happen to have the very best Kapex ever made. Once again, I have achieved great results from other brands but the steps to get there are much less with the Kapex.

 

[yetihunter]

Personally, I'm waiting for the KS60 to come to the states so that I can inevitably buy a KS120.  [big grin]

 

[McNally Family]

[member=62308]CrpntrFreak[/member]

My mistake.  When I typed my response, I was thinking you were the original poster.  I am old, sorry!

Having said that, I do think the OP has made up his mind to get the Kapex.....

 

[Joe Jensen]

I actually have  Dewalt on backorder from Amazon.  I'll probably cheap out but I'll check out the Kapex again for the 50th time..OP...Joe

 

[nms]

The DeWalt 780 is big, but should do you just fine.

I wouldn't consider one myself due to the size & weight (as portability ease is crucial for me), but if not for my circumstances I might.

The Makita 10" LS1019 would be my second choice to a Kapex, and first choice if considering price.

I gave up and vetoed a miter saw purchase though. I'm about to do 3 weeks of work abroad without one, using my TS55, MFT, & bench dogs instead! No crown molding in my line of work.

 

[Gregor]

Kapex 120 (with laser), UG cart with wings, autostart VAC - IMHO best combination for onsite work: moved to workspace, setup and adjusted in

 

[aloysius]

You say you've an pretty big old DeWalt Radial Arm Saw in your stable.  Apart from the lack of easy portability, it's probably one of the best, most accurate, biggest capacity & quietest compoundmiter saws available.  Why look elsewhere?

It won't cost you a red cent,  & it will still be going strong, cutting quietly & accurately when all alternatives are but a distant memory & your daughters have children (or even grandchildren) of their own!

 

[antss]

1. in the shop which is just a mile away and I will be able to cut a ton of stuff in the shop, but I need a sliding compound miter saw. 

2. radial isn't exactly fast and easy to set for compound cuts.

3. Daughter's house is further away.

 

[jeh]

Get the Dewalt Cordless Compound Mitre saw (DHS790T2). Works great and an adapter to switch to 120V is included in the box. It's currently cheaper than the version that does not include the AC adapter. Home Depot has it for $699.99. I have had mine since the summer and am 100% happy with it. I also have a Kapex, but that never the leaves the shop. I don't see any noticeable cut difference between the two.

 

[jeh]

Lots , repeat , lots of other mitersaw will do what a kapex will do at a fraction of the cost.  And they don't have even the slightest reputation of burning up motors.

If you're moving from jobsite to jobsite weekly or daily , then the lighter weight and the UG cart might be worth the added expense and risk.  The less portability you need the less compelling the argument.

The other selling points like dust collection and ease of settings are now matched by other makes. Ones that use standard sized blades you can get anywhere.  Today.

I have the UG cart and it is less than desirable. It's an indoor only item and is very flimsily built. I believe you can buy a Bosch or Dewalt stand that are universal and much more durable.

 

[aloysius]

If it's portability you're after, then the sheer versatility of smaller SCMS certainly take a lot of beating.  Esp. the cordless variety.  There's excellent examples around now from the likes of DeWalt & Makita which come highly regarded & favourably reviewed.

I personally despised my own Kapex, which I considered an unreliable, expensive white elephant.  I replaced mine a decade or so ago with a Bosch glide saw, which is was (is) bigger, heavier, more capacious & reliable.  I also have an old 10" DeWalt RAS, which is still used.  But my current "darling" is a very compact, featherlight (in comparison), Metabo 8 1/2" cordless SCMS.  For me it's super portable (read one-hand carry), relatively powerful (for a mere 18v & 7.0AH) & capacious (2 1/2" x 12 1/2").  Plus it was remarkably inexpensive.  A mere AU $270 as a naked tool!  The Kapex, in today's prices, would be SEVEN TIMES more! 

I'm not as young or fit as I once was, & the sheer convenience & portability of contemporary cordless SCMS that use the latest, far superior "supercell" battery technologies makes a just about irrefutably persuasive argument in my opinion & for my own personal circumstances.

 

[kevinculle]

I would not hesitate to buy an older used Kapex on a UG cart with extensions.  I have the strong impression that most of the failures reported here have been on recent (last few years) Kapexes and I've never seen an oldie reported as letting out the smoke.  I have one approaching 9 years old that I bought used with UG for just over the price of the new Kapex.  With the recent reported troubles I suspect used Kapex prices are suffering some.  The production date is on the saw label and I would look for pre-2013 builds...mine is a 2009.

 

[Steven Owen]

Its just the unrefined nature of the Dewalt that bugs me.  Super loud annoying pitch sound, no soft start so the saw jumps when you start.  But it's way cheaper.

It depends on the version of Dewalt you get.  The 780 is pretty solid.  It’s actually the simplicity of the Dewalt that makes it more accurate than many of the competing miters saws on the market.  They don’t put a lot of toys and complicated features on the Dewalts.

With the expedition of Makita, not many of the other Miter saws review as well as the 780.