Festool - almost persuaded !!

[Lons]

Got so very close to buying a grey & green machine today, almost but not quite.

I have an old DeWalt 705 mitre saw, never been a problem, works very well but for a while have lusted after a similar quality dual mitre, sliding jobby so Festool rep demonstrating the new Kapex KS 60-set today was a great excuse for an Axminster visit.

The KS 60 was disappointing, solid but tiny, looked like a toy and definitely not for me as I don't do site work now, however the KS 120 is a very different animal and I loved it. I compared in store with models from DeWalt, Makita and Bosch and had the price difference been a hundred quid less my credit card would have been out in a flash but no matter how hard I tried i couldn't extract a discount from the rep and only a promise of price match from Axi so my head took charge and I left to think about it.

I'll be sending an email to Festool to see if any future offers planned otherwise no matter how much I want the Festool I'll be buying elsewhere as the £250 difference can buy something extra instead

Bob

 

[katellwood]

One of these is worth considering

https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/info/news/ ... v-72-xact/

larger capacity than a 60 kapex, unique system as the fences move to facilitate a mitre

led light and twin laser lights for accuracy and similar sliding bar setup as a kapex

Brushless motor as well (inc variable speed)

 

[Lons]

Thanks, had looked at that on line but too small really as looking at the KS 120 and DeWalt DWS780 etc. I'm not a fan of Metabo though no recent experience.

Bob

 

[PAC1]

A lucky escape :wink:
If you search the internet from time to time some of the sellers are much cheaper than the official price. I got mine here http://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk/saw ... aws-kapex/
If you do not need the laser and angle finder the 88 is an option.

 

[Alexfn]

A lucky escape :wink:
If you search the internet from time to time some of the sellers are much cheaper than the official price. I got mine here http://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk/saw ... aws-kapex/
If you do not need the laser and angle finder the 88 is an option.

i have the 120 and have never seen the 88 in person. does anyone know why the 120 is listed as having the ability to cut skirting up 120mm in height while the 88 doesn't? in pictures they look identical


@bob just get the 120 for the extra £250 your lungs will thank you for it, to me its the best mitre saw ive ever used,

alex

 

[PAC1]

If you pull the saw forward there is a spring loaded metal clip that locks the head about 50mm further forward than fully retracted. The blade casing is such that you can then cut a piece of 120mm board which is stood upright against the fence so that the cut uses the back of the blade avoiding the spindle to make the cut. There are videos on YouTube.

 

[Lons]

If I bought it I'd prefer to buy from Axminster to support my local store and they would price match so can get for around £888. Will look at the 88 as hadn't considered it. I'd want the dual laser feature though.

I've sent an email to Festool asking about possible offers, bemoaning my poverty and confirming loss of a sale to the competition. Will fall on deaf ears but shy bairns don't get anything do they. :lol:

Still, if they want another Festool convert they may offer something, you never know, otherwise it won't be grey and green I buy.

Bob

 

[chris-a]

You will not regret it! I uhhmmed and aaahed about it for a while and received mine yesterday...some of the best money i ever spent. It was perfect and I mean perfect straight out of the box (aside from the laser needing a very slight adjustment) put it on 30degrees and cut a perfect hexagon with zero gaps and also zero tearout. The blade is amazing, I'm getting one for my table saw as they share a 30mm arbour hole. Can't say enough good things about it \/

 

[Lons]

You will not regret it! I uhhmmed and aaahed about it for a while and received mine yesterday...some of the best money i ever spent. It was perfect and I mean perfect straight out of the box (aside from the laser needing a very slight adjustment) put it on 30degrees and cut a perfect hexagon with zero gaps and also zero tearout. The blade is amazing, I'm getting one for my table saw as they share a 30mm arbour hole. Can't say enough good things about it \/

Argh bu**er. Don't post comments like that. :lol: #-o

I know I want one but just can't bring myself to spend quite as much as that! I can be persuaded but need some incentive from Festool.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The blade is amazing, I'm getting one for my table saw as they share a 30mm arbour hole. /

Just be careful. I don't know for sure, but many SCMSs use a negative rake blade, and you don't want one of those on your TS, it will try to push the wood up off the surface of the table. By all means buy the same make and no. teeth etc, but make sure that they are positive rake.

 

[custard]

The blade is amazing, I'm getting one for my table saw as they share a 30mm arbour hole. /

Just be careful. I don't know for sure, but many SCMSs use a negative rake blade, and you don't want one of those on your TS, it will try to push the wood up off the surface of the table. By all means buy the same make and no. teeth etc, but make sure that they are positive rake.

+1

Steve's right. Mitre saw blades have no place on most table saws. Some industrial operations use negative rake blades on table saws because the cut is so clean, but only with automated power feeds, in a home workshop they'd be a serious risk.

 

[Doug71]

Get the KS 120, the KS 88 doesn't have the fine adjustment for the bevel which I would miss.

The Kapex stand and wings are great if you need to move it around, another few hundred quid though.

The festool blades are made by Leitz, they are good quality.

 

[Beau]

Got to say had a good look in Axminster and various mitre saws and thought the Dewalt was the most sturdy and potentially accurate (didn't get to use it). It had the least deflection on the runners of them all. Festool KS 120 was neat and light and if space was at a premium would be my second choice. Went to look at the big Bosch but too much play in all them bearings plus weighed a tonne.

 

[Distinterior]

I'm sure you are aware Chris-a, but just in case,.....be aware that the blades for the Kapex 120 are 260mm in Diameter, not 250 or 255 like a lot of table saw blades. It may not matter on your paticular table saw, but best to check you have the clearance necessary!! I know its only a couple of mm difference, but you dont want issues when you raise up the blade height and it starts cutting into your table saw insert....

Tim.

 

[Homers double]

A couple of years ago I purchased a makita LS1216 as I needed a bigger chop saw, from day one I really didn't like it, it just didn't feel right, there was nothing wrong with the saw per say, it was a tad inaccurate on the mitres,it just wasn't for me, after a lot of thought I had a on site demo of the kapex 120 and it was in a different league I didn't want the rep to take it away, it was way above what I could afford, but sod it, it went on a 12 month interest free offer from my credit card,I paid it off ovef 6 months, and I really do love it, I couldn't get the underframe and extension arms at the time but there are coming next month thanks to my nectar card and being able to spend the points on eBay.
Regarding offers from festool, I've just received the first of two free batteries from them thanks to the free battery offer for 18v stuff purchased between January and March, early in February I treated my self to a carvex psbc 420 and am getting the Hkc55- fsk420 set next week. I've been told by the manager in one of my local tool shops that festool will be doing a discount on their extractor range shortly,
I'm extremely lucky that in Milton Keynes we have 2 big tool shops ( not on Axminster scale though) both do all the big names and I do use both most weeks for consumables, i am very cheeky, always asking for a deal and manage to squeeze a few quid off almost every thing I buy, as Lons said shy Bairns don't get anything.

 

[Lons]

I've been told by the manager in one of my local tool shops that festool will be doing a discount on their extractor range shortly,

It's on now. Download a voucher from the website to get £75 of any dust extractor. http://www.festoolpromotions.co.uk/

 

[chippy1970]

One of these is worth considering

https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/info/news/ ... v-72-xact/

unique system as the fences move to facilitate a mitre

Festool have had this same system on a saw for years. If I remember rightly it's called a symmetric or something similar.

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[chris-a]

The blade is amazing, I'm getting one for my table saw as they share a 30mm arbour hole. /

Just be careful. I don't know for sure, but many SCMSs use a negative rake blade, and you don't want one of those on your TS, it will try to push the wood up off the surface of the table. By all means buy the same make and no. teeth etc, but make sure that they are positive rake.

+1

Steve's right. Mitre saw blades have no place on most table saws. Some industrial operations use negative rake blades on table saws because the cut is so clean, but only with automated power feeds, in a home workshop they'd be a serious risk.

Thank you both!! I had not realised that, so thanks for making me avoid a silly mistake - thats why I appreciate the wealth of knowledge on here. Back to trying to find a high quality blade to replace my Freud with...

 

[katellwood]

One of these is worth considering

https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/info/news/ ... v-72-xact/

unique system as the fences move to facilitate a mitre

Festool have had this same system on a saw for years. If I remember rightly it's called a symmetric or something similar.

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

Thanks

Hadn't seen that version of a Kapex,

I've got the Metabo, can't fault it, However was fortunate enough to pick it up at a local auction at a greatly reduced price. (believe it originated from FFX)