Festool Kapex KS120 Instruction Manual page 28

is thrown off the blade at a steep angle, this angle throws it right into the dust shroud. Two inch
stock wider than that produces more dust and some of it can swirl around on the top surface of
the wood and not get sucked up. The percentage drops to around 80%-90%. Cutting miter and
compound angles more stock is being removed, so while the percentage may stay about the
same, you'll have more dust left behind. With quarter round or shoe the 10%-20% not collected
doesn't amount to much, where as 10¿-20¿ of the 8/4" stock does.
It's the airborne dust that causes the biggest problems when using a saw inside. Different
materials produce more or less dust. The good news is most of the fine dust gets collected be the
Kapex. MDF when cut produces a fine dust, most of it is collected, but, since it is fine, more of it
goes airborne than with wood. Again, thicker MDF, like ¾" stock will produce more dust than
cutting MDF crown since much less material is being removed per cut. The point being, take look
at the type of material being used and weigh it against the
standard of cleanliness for the job. I think you'll find you will be
able to set up the Kapex inside for more than with your old saw.
If most of the dust not collected isn't going airborne, where is it
going? On the top of the stock, on the saw and on the MFT for the
most part. Yes, some ends up on the floor, but not much. It's pretty
well confined to these areas so clean up is easy.
bevel to 45°, this is the case with all miter saws. The bevel gauge (scale) also can get in the way
Brice Burrell, copyright 2008
Festool Kapex
Here are some other
things discovered during use. When cutting stock
standing up in the saw, using the portion of the blade
above the arbor, you're limited to about 7/8"
thickness. You can see from the picture part of the
saw gets in the way of thicker stock being cut on a 45°
miter to the right.
With the saw's fences extensions on the saw won't
of the fence extension
when mitering to 60°.
Sometimes the dust
shroud can interfere
with aligning and
making a cut, moving
the saw back a little
gets the shroud out of
the way and chopping
through the cut
works.
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