Sticky Kapex (rotating the base)

[Kev]

Has anyone experienced their Kapex base getting a little (or a lot) stiff/sticky to turn?

Mine is not very old at all - seems to have got hard to move very quickly.

Kev.

 

[festooldude]

lube it with WD40 [cool]

 

[ajones]

Hi I think this is one of the many faults with the kapex and has been discussed here many times you should be able to find some threads on the subject.

 

[ajones]

lube it with WD40 [cool]

No not  [cool] wd40 damages rubber and plastics.. only use to release rusted/siezed metal parts where it is unlikey to come into contact with plastic/rubber

 

[Kev]

Hi I think this is one of the many faults with the kapex and has been discussed here many times you should be able to find some threads on the subject.

SO WRONG !!!

In fact - now that I've got over my initial stupidity, I've come to realise the handle design is quite elegant. My error was not realising how the handle operated and it only became clear to me after taking it apart. Yes, there could be something a little more intuitive in making the user aware of how the handle works ... but now that I understand it I feel humbled a little (If fact, if both parts of the handle were "I'm an adjustment or trigger Festool green" I would have got it from the start).

It's actually a double release mechanism and I should have read the manual. One part of the action clamps on the calibrated guide, the other releases the pin for the pre-set steps.

DOH.

Sorry Festool - to make up for it I'll go and buy another tool this weekend ... maybe the daddy ROTEX (150).

Kev.

By the way - don't lube it - there's no need or reason. Both the calibrated guide and the clamping metal are obviously wear parts and would be easy to replace (and hopefully relatively cheap if you need to).

[ Edited for language - Shane ]

 

[Kev]

OOPS !!

 

[festooldude]

lube it with WD40 [cool]

No not  [cool] wd40 damages rubber and plastics.. only use to release rusted/siezed metal parts where it is unlikey to come into contact with plastic/rubber

Uhuh! I know.. My kapex completely dissolved..
Is your wd40 mixed with acid or something? I know
it can damage some weak rubbers, but industrie quality rubbers
Can easily resist it.. Or else every car would fall apart, since ALL
car repair shops use WD40!!!

 

[mastercabman]

lube it with WD40 [cool]

No not  [cool] wd40 damages rubber and plastics.. only use to release rusted/siezed metal parts where it is unlikey to come into contact with plastic/rubber

Isn't the spray tube made out of plastic? ;D

 

[Kev]

Think there was a typo ... not WD40 - he was thinking WOMDx40. A totally different outcome if you spray them on your KAPEX.

 

[jdm]

I bought the Kapex as soon as it was available, in 2009 I think. I had a problem with the saw binding (severely) and required attention from the dealer, actually the distributor.
I'm pretty sure that a replacement "shim" of some sort was required due to improper tolerances in the handle mechanism.
This was not a lubrication issue.
Hope this helps.

 

[mshull]

Hi.  I had the same problem.  I installed the replacement parts.    This improved the swing some, but it is still annoyingly stiff.