Played with the Kapex Today - thoughts/questions...

[mantonuc]

Hello Everyone,

  I stopped by my local Woodcraft today in Atlanta and got to cut a few pieces of wood on the Kapex...  My immediate impression (before turning it on) was that is looked like a typical Festool product - built very well...  The laser lines are very nice, but the right line was off by more than a 1/16 of an inch.  I understand that is an easy tweak - so no big deal...  When the miter lock is engaged, it very securely holds what ever angle it is set at...  Same seems to be true of the bevel lock.  Both are very nice...

  Those are the immediate things that I noticed before cutting some wood...  However, after a very short while, I noticed that even when disengaging the miter locking lever, trying to reposition the miter angle became very difficult.  The store clerk came over and he was not able to determine what was wrong...  We looked all over the darn saw and could not find any lodged wood pieces, or anything else that might be restricting it's movement...  When trying to adjust the miter angle, we could actually hear what sounded like metal scraping against metal.  It definitely did not have that issue at the beginning when we first started playing with the tool...  We walked into their "training room" and tried another Kapex and its left/right movement seemed much more fluid.

  We also played with the bevel & miter angles simultaneously and noticed it was rather easy to get the dust boot (I guess that is what you call it) caught on the end of the fences.  We even moved the left and right fences as far out as their travel would allow (stopped by a small set/stop screw) and the boot would still get caught.  In fact, even the left/right guide rails would come into contact with the fences at extreme bevel/miter angles...  I guess one could completely remove the appropriate fence to avoid the above issues but I am surprised that it would be necessary?

  One final observation, there is a decent method of changing the bevel by rotating the handle on the right rail.  However, there was no obvious micro adjustment of the miter angle...  Unless the salesman missed something, there is no "fine" method of adjusting the miter - that is a bummer.  In fact, we tried to "transfer" and angle using the supplied angle transfer device and it was nearly impossible to get the Laser to line up on the transfer guide as the tables miter angle was so difficult to adjust that it was impossible to get a smooth adjustment...

  Can anyone who has played with the Kapex for more than 10 minutes shed some light on my comments above?  Thanks...

Matt

 

[Brice Burrell]

Matt, I've had my Kapex for a few weeks now and I'd agree the tolerances are fairly tight. This means precise detents with no slop, but it also means that setting the miter is a bit stiffer than other saws. You need to use your hand to tap the miter setting, I can set the saw to a 1/4 degree no problems. I've been able to set the angle transfer device. The issues with the fence extensions are not uncommon on miter saw. I leave the extension off the saw unless I'm doing crown, then they can be slid enough to miter the saw to 45 both ways. There is no micro adjustment for the miter setting. The dust shroud can hang up, but you do get used to it and learn to work around it. The shroud is removable but the dust collection without it is greatly reduced. Overall I've not really not found it to be much of a problem.

 

[Dan Clermont]

Hi Matt

I played with the KAPEX at the Hendersen training facility and as you can probably guess the saw didn't have any scraping sounds. I'd guess the saw you played with may need some attention in that respect.

The dust shroud can get in the way but is easily removable

I quite liked the bevel adjustment on the right hand rail and found it to have tight tolerances which made adjustments easy compared to my much loved Makita LS 1013 where you are trying to tilt, view the angle and lock while slightly off balance.

The laser can also be adjusted and I am surprised to hear it was out. To adjust remove the sticker on the left hand side of the blade housing and tweak away. Really though it should have been factory set and not need alignment

Dan Clermont

 

[mantonuc]

Thanks Brice...  The funny thing is as I first started using it today, it was fairly easy to adjust the miter angle.  After about 10-15 minutes of playing with it, we definitely began hearing a metal-on-metal scraping sound.  The second Kapex did not exhibit that sound and was not nearly as difficult to rotate left/right.  In fact, the first Kapex was so difficult to adjust that it was actually moving on the stand if we did not hold the base of the miter saw...

Is the only way of locking the miter that level on the front handle?

Matt

 

[Warrior]

Sounds like a defective saw. It may have been dropped which would explain the laser being out of adjustment.

When you get your own Kapex it is easy to adjust the tightness of the turntable by tightening or loosening the turntable bolt at the very center of the saw. I have had my Makita start to grind and get hard to adjust along the miter. I just took the table off, cleaned and lubed the bushing with some teflon.

Eiji

 

[Brice Burrell]

Thanks Brice...  The funny thing is as I first started using it today, it was fairly easy to adjust the miter angle.  After about 10-15 minutes of playing with it, we definitely began hearing a metal-on-metal scraping sound.  The second Kapex did not exhibit that sound and was not nearly as difficult to rotate left/right.  In fact, the first Kapex was so difficult to adjust that it was actually moving on the stand if we did not hold the base of the miter saw...

Is the only way of locking the miter that level on the front handle?

Matt

Yes the miter only locks with the lever/handle on the front. I should have mentioned this in my post above, my Kapex does have a metal on metal scrapping on the bevel and on the miter. On the miter its the detent pin riding along making a very slight metal scrapping sound, and I mean very slight. On the bevel its the locking mechanism causing the sound. Again it scraps along the detent flange. It both cases I don't see this as a problem, it doesn't seem to be causing damage or affecting the saw's performance. My saw is still new and I'd expect these thing to brake in oner time.

 

[jo041326]

Hi,
I have my Kapex for a few months and that metal sound during miter setting is normal (as Brice said). But the front handle is doubled and the upper part ease the friction after pressing and that sound nearly disappears. If you add some teflon you are able to set the mitter angle with 1/4 degree precission with no problem.
I have my both stop screws on the fences screw out a little and use the fences just for beams or thicker material.
Josef

 

[tbellemare]

I noticed the same scraping sound and extreme tightness on my KAPEX, and only after using it a few times. It was smooth as silk in the beginning.

I played with the handle a little and with the main stop (the big part of the handle) all the way up, it is almost completely stopped. If I tease it part of the way up, it releases and is smooth as silk again.

This tells me that it has come out of adjustment and the cam or whatever stops the miter turntable has maladjusted. I loaned it to somebody for the day and should get it back tomorrow so I will investigate further then.

Tom

 

[hamsey]

I noticed the same scraping sound and extreme tightness on my KAPEX, and only after using it a few times. It was smooth as silk in the beginning.

Tom

Noticed that this started to happen to my saw over the weekend. It is getting worse the more I use it. Hopefully there is a fix that does not require sending it in.

Norm

 

[Brice Burrell]

Noticed that this started to happen to my saw over the weekend. It is getting worse the more I use it. Hopefully there is a fix that does not require sending it in.

Norm

Norm, are you talking about setting the miter is stiff?

 

[tbellemare]

I understand there is already a quick fix for this problem. I should get my Kapex back tomorrow and can tell you more then...

Tom

 

[Brice Burrell]

I understand there is already a quick fix for this problem. I should get my Kapex back tomorrow and can tell you more then...

Tom

Yes, there is a fix, however, it isn't necessarily quick and it's doesn't always fix the problem. If your saw is having this issue call Festool's service dept.

 

[Spike]

All,

Yes there is a fix for this. Call 888-337-8600. Apparently the powder coat on a few saws is a bit too thick beneath the miter locking lever. As I understand it, you can either scrap some of this powder coat off or replace the metal plate directly under the locking lever with a slightly thinner plate?? I might be wrong but that's what I interpreted. It's a quick fix from what I hear.

 

[mantonuc]

Hey guys,

  So I actually got my Kapex and got to really use it this weekend a bit...  I was going to write up something when I get a free minute.  But, as I can see from the most recent post on this thread, it is also happening to others...  My saw was perfect when I first got it.  However, in the course of working with it this past weekend, it started to get ugly to adjust the miter...  It definitely is not acceptable the way it is!!!  In fact, I was able to literally slide the entire Kapex by just trying to adjust the miter.  I can clearly hear a definite scraping sound...

  This seems to be a problem that is affecting multiple people so leads me to believe that there is something going on with the quality of production of the saw.  The really bad thing is that it started out fine and got worse as time went on...  The same was true with the saw that I was playing with at the local Woodcraft store (which prompted this thread)...  I will call tomorrow to see what they say, but it is a bummer that something that cost $1300 is having this many problems after two years of production (at least on the other side of the pond)...

Matt

 

[Warrior]

The problem is that the spring detent does not clear the scale when the button is pushed. It rides at an angle and creates a bur on the inside edge of the stainless steel miter scale. That is what is causing the scraping noise. Look under the handle to see what I am talking about.

I had the same problem with my saw. I have a new plate on the way that will push the detent spring up higher so that it clears the scale when the button is pushed. I needed the saw to work in the meantime so I sanded the bur off the scale while still installed on the saw. DO NOT REMOVE THE SCALE TO DO THIS repeat DO NOT REMOVE THE SCALE OR LOOSEN THE SCALE SCREWS. I then pushed the inside of the scale down a bit so that the pressure on the spring detent/plunger was lessened. Voila no more scraping and the adjustment came back to normal. The adjustment of the miter is still a bit stiff and I am hoping that the new plate will solve this. If not I may loosen the center bolt a smidge.

Eiji

 

[Warrior]

Still worth every penny and more IMO.

Eiji Fuller

 

[rmoursund]

I received a Kapex in a damaged box.  Damaged to the point that I was really afraid to look inside, but after taking it out the box there was no apparent damage.  After setup and testing, everything appeared okay except for two things.  The left laser was about a thirty-second off mark (no big deal) and the miter was very difficult to adjust, and adjustment was accompanied by scraping and grinding noises.  I thought this second problem was a result of damage received to the saw due to rough treatment in delivery.  However, it looks like there is a problem going on here as referenced by this thread that needs to be addressed by Festool.

By the way, after using the miter adjustment numerous times, the stiffness, as well as the grinding sounds, went away and the saw operated correctly.  However, the problem occasionally returns only to start working correctly again.  When the problem does reoccur it is usually only for a short period of time, and then it returns to normal operation again.  I guess there is no damage being done?

 

[hamsey]

Norm, are you talking about setting the miter is stiff?
[/quote]

Brice,

I am getting the scraping sound. Funny thing is I used it last night and all seemed fine, then it started to scrape. If I didn't have the saw clamped down (thanks to your review about using the quick clamps) the saw would definitely move (almost moved anyway clamped and bolted). Seems to scrape the most around the 30? to 30? on the miter. Hopefully the problem is solved with the fix mentioned above.

Norm

 

[tbellemare]

I just talked to the Festool service guys...

I was told that the problem is the plate below the clamp lever is bent too much. The tolerances are very tight (clearance should be about .2mm) and they had a little mishap. They are sending me a new plate with the correct bend.

I was also told that there could be some burrs where it has been rubbing (depending on how much it was forced) that will need to be removed.

The number for the Festool service desk is 800-554-8741. If you're in central Texas, I'll be glad to help you out in person; just call me at 512-428-9140.

Tom

 

[Brice Burrell]

Guys, I've been in contact with a few people with this issue, there is a number of problems here. Like Eiji said there can be am issue with the detent pin. As Tom Bellemare mentioned Festool is sending new clamping plates as a first attempt to solve the problem. Replacing the clamping plate hasn't fixed the problem for the people I've talked to. The issue seems to be the tab for locking the miter setting on the base (the part of the base that rotates). Spike posted about removing the powder coating, that is what Festool recommends, this doesn't always fix the problem.

Step one in the procedure is to remove the clamping plate under the locking handle then the handle itself.
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Step two, remove the miter scale.
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Step three is to scrap off the powder coating off the bottom of the locking tab.
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Step four, reassemble and make sure the saw is cutting square.

Do not do this without first contacting Festool's service dept.