Thread: Best sliding compound mitre saw

Originally Posted by Ratbag

Sitting forlornly at home, in a corner under a dust sheet, where it's remained for the past 2 years. Just too dangerous to use.

Total usage? Less than 2 hours! Did I mention it's an overpriced lemon?

If your Kapex really is such a dangerous, under-utilised and overpriced lemon as you say, then I could relieve you of all worries and risks for $200. Just PM me.

Fair Winds

Graeme

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

I could relieve you of all worries and risks for $200. Just PM me.

After struggling with cutting some bevels by hand today I'll happily raise that offer to $300.

My inbox awaits you

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

If your Kapex really is such a dangerous, under-utilised and overpriced lemon as you say, then I could relieve you of all worries and risks for $200. Just PM me.

Fair Winds

Graeme

Originally Posted by Jone5y

After struggling with cutting some bevels by hand today I'll happily raise that offer to $300.

My inbox awaits you

Ratbag, ill give you $400 and pay postage

Ratbag, I'd give you $500 but I already have one.

woodbe.

See my earlier thread on the crappy Kapex limitations here.
I particularly liked this post

Originally Posted by JillB

See my earlier thread on the crappy Kapex limitations here.
I particularly liked this post

Me too:

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Would I buy one again? You betcha! It's a great, great saw.

Regards, Brett

Its pretty clear that kapex cannot be all saws to all people, and like any machine it has limitations. What it does do (which is a lot btw) it does very well.

As usual, it's far easier to knock a tool and blame the manufacturer for not making a perfect saw just for us than to understand that any tool embodies compromises that may make it unsuitable for some specific uses and users. Being high priced, Festool probably makes itself a bigger target too.

At least by reading threads like this and more appropriately JillB's thread, the real limitations come to light so that future SCMS shoppers make the best choice for their own situation.

woodbe.

Re the Bosch 12" Glide saw.

Gettoolsdirect have them for $ 1099 + postage.

Have bought from them in the past and have very cheap prices on some items, much cheaper than I can get locally.

Originally Posted by woodbe

Me too:



Its pretty clear that kapex cannot be all saws to all people, and like any machine it has limitations. What it does do (which is a lot btw) it does very well.

As usual, it's far easier to knock a tool and blame the manufacturer for not making a perfect saw just for us than to understand that any tool embodies compromises that may make it unsuitable for some specific uses and users. Being high priced, Festool probably makes itself a bigger target too.

At least by reading threads like this and more appropriately JillB's thread, the real limitations come to light so that future SCMS shoppers make the best choice for their own situation.

woodbe.

You are so right. Essentially it is a saw first. Found out the hard way about trenching limitations myself but you can use other tools for trenching and if you had a few to do a router would be quicker.

But what about the special cutting position! This turns it into a docking saw for multiple cutting of floor/deck joists saving lots of time compared to any of the opposition.

I'll go to $550.00 without the cover.

Kapex

Originally Posted by woodbe

Being high priced, Festool probably makes itself a bigger target too.

Woodbe

You have hit the nail on the head. If they charged $800, it wouldn't even rate a mention.

Regards
Paul

I think our mate Ratbag is having a lend of us. This is what he posted in this thread, right?:

Originally Posted by Ratbag

Sitting forlornly at home, in a corner under a dust sheet, where it's remained for the past 2 years. Just too dangerous to use.

Total usage? Less than 2 hours! Did I mention it's an overpriced lemon?

Noticed that he was also making recommendations about aftermarket saw blades for the kapex a couple of months ago:

Originally Posted by Ratbag

I've used Freud blades for a while now. I'm particularly impressed with their 260mm. thin-kerf 60 tooth x-cut for the Kapex. However, others have questioned my recommendation and basically stated that they're c##p.

Nevertheless, I've found them to have very good cut qualities (speed, cleanliness & lack of "snatch"), and are capable of about 3 resharpenings.

They're definitely better value for money as a general purpose blade than the original.

I've also used a thin kerf rip blade in my cordless saw (36v), and have positive initial impressions.

Not bad to be able to recommend blades for a saw that he stopped using 2 years ago because it was too dangerous to use...

Ratbag, you're a ratbag

woodbe.

If you get the Kapex you won't be sorry. My only gripe is that the dust guidance chute somehow got sliced in half and fell off but that hasn't affected its ability to do the job- just a bit of extra dust flying about. The Bosch looks pretty good but I'd be concerned about the plethora of linkages involved in the sliding mechanism. Lots of potential for slop to develop. Just a thought.

I just read Ratty's posts about his Kapex.
I assume its the KS120 (not the trade one introduced later).
I had a problem with the blade guard not returning and contacted the Kapex distributors in Melb. They sent me an enormous custom built Kapex Saw box to pack it in and they shipped the saw to Melbourne, checked out the slight mod i made to the guard, serviced the machine and sent it back to me at no cost.3 week turnaround (l was living in the bush so that was pretty good - door to door too). Having said that...if you read this Ratty your saw is still under warranty - or so it seems. Just contact them and they'll fix everything. I'm also not a big fan of the horizontal handle but the other attributes of the saw far outweigh that for me at least. I junked the cheapo plastic cutting plate thing and made my own zero clearance plate out of 5 ply. Still use it. All in all I've given it a fair old flogging over the few years I've had it and I'm still happy enough that if I had to I'd buy the same model. I did find though that when cutting sappy wood like crapiata pine the "sticky" dust tends to build up inside the blade shroud and will eventually cause the blade cover to stick up. This can't be blamed on the design but probably suggests that the shroud should get a good clean out every now and then.
Cheers
Sheddy in the (BIGGG) shed.

Originally Posted by Shedhand

If you get the Kapex you won't be sorry. My only gripe is that the dust guidance chute somehow got sliced in half and fell off but that hasn't affected its ability to do the job- just a bit of extra dust flying about. The Bosch looks pretty good but I'd be concerned about the plethora of linkages involved in the sliding mechanism. Lots of potential for slop to develop. Just a thought.

I believe that the linkages are adjustable for any free play that might develop but stand to be corrected there as it is only something I dimly recall. I would be more concerned about rail type saws which they all are developing wear in the bushes that ride on the sliding bars. Saw dust is abrasive stuff and it will get into those bushes over time. I think the Bosch is a far sounder system mechanically, far better than rails/bars/tubes. Festool rely on their dust collection as a selling point and a bit broke off?

Any sliding saw using tubes etc will have deflection, it is impossible not to. It will be interesting to see if the Bosch is any better, that I think will be one of its big selling points if it does not deflect as much.

Originally Posted by Mini

I believe that the linkages are adjustable for any free play that might develop but stand to be corrected there as it is only something I dimly recall. I would be more concerned about rail type saws which they all are developing wear in the bushes that ride on the sliding bars. Saw dust is abrasive stuff and it will get into those bushes over time. I think the Bosch is a far sounder system mechanically, far better than rails/bars/tubes. Festool rely on their dust collection as a selling point and a bit broke off?

Any sliding saw using tubes etc will have deflection, it is impossible not to. It will be interesting to see if the Bosch is any better, that I think will be one of its big selling points if it does not deflect as much.

Don't know about deflection. I use mine a lot for trenching and its dead accurate. Anyway no one machine is perfect. I thought my 10" Hitachi belt drive was a dream until I had a test run with the Kapex. PS: and I just repaired and refitted the dust chute (mainly to see if I could. It did and its back to normal...no stray dust.
PPS: and I give my Kapex a really good clean once a month without fail.