Festool Junkie Blog

A friend of ours has graciously allowed me to post his latest creation. “Building a Festool Kapex work center for your shop or studio” has some awesome insight to the latest offering from Festool. If you are on the fence (no pun intended) or have pre-ordered a Kapex, you need to check out Jerry’s latest.

Festool Kapex Workstation

There are many of you that have pre-ordered from Festool Junkie that are planning on putting the Kapex to work in smaller shops. With Jerry’s idea, you can streamline the Kapex into an entity of the shop that is both vital, and doesn’t take up much space at all.

Check it out! Definitely worth the read!

Timmy C

Pre-Order Your Kapex Today On FestoolJunkie

I am honored to have been asked to moderate a section of a new forum out there in the wonderful world of Festool. The forum is called talkFestool.com and has a section called “ask a Dealer” We all know that Festool can be a bit tricky with all the attachments and accessories that are available with many of the Festool tools. The vision is to centralize many of these questions and be able to access answers quickly and confidently.

There is a site up now that can be reached by typing in www.talkFestool.com . Once there, you can click on the TalkFestoolForum link and be directed to the forum itself.

The forum is brand new, and they are anxious to get the information rolling in. Upon perusing the site, it is very functional and already allows for pictures, there are several “off Festool” zones that you can join in on, and overall it is a very nice environment.

One of the cool things about this is watching it grow. I am sure there will be little anomalies that will arise, and frankly, that is truly part of the attraction. It appears that there are already some great minds that are involved, and I am just tickled green to be part of it.

Get over there! Sign-Up and start sharing ideas, concepts, projects, and most of all….Have Fun!

Timmy C

Check these guys out! Local friends of Festool Junkie have started to fabricate these killer inlays designed to go on Craftsman Style Furniture. Cruise over here to www.Craftsmaninlay.com and check out the awesome work. They will be in the “new product offering” section Style 1900 magazine in the next issue. If you hit their site tell them I said Hi!

Ben Brunick and Dean Orsborne have really come up with something here. Their inlays are Stickley reproductions in Pewter and Copper and various woods; quartersawn white oak, cocobolo and dyed veneers to name a few. The pieces come on a sheet ready to throw adhesive on the back and stick to your project.

Based out Lincoln, NE these guys are quick to ship stocking the items posted on their website. Custom work is also available to be had. Lead time on custom work ranges from 4-6 weeks depending on the drawing.

This is high quality schtuff, or it wouldn’t be on the junk.

Timmy C

Here is a quick little video on the ease of the blade change with the Kapex.

Locate the wrench behind the saw in the cord wrap housing.

Turn the FastFix knob clockwise to lock the blade and the saw motor to “off.”

Loosen the Nut Guard.

Take off the Arbor Nut

Take off blade.

Put on new blade.

Put the Arbor Nut back on.

Re-position and tighten the Arbor Nut Guard.

Turn the FastFix knob counterclockwise to off. (The saw will not run if the FastFix knob is in the lock position.

Put the wrench back for next time.

The whole blade change can be done in under a minute. It is generally a good practice to turn the saw off when you do a blade change. How long does it take to unplug, and then re-plug the saw. Take the time dude, it may just save a couple fingers.

I just noticed that we have a D27 hose being used on the Kapex for dust extraction. This is the standard size hose that comes with the CT series vacs. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE KAPEX OWNER USE A D36 HOSE. The air flow when using this larger diameter hose is GREATLY increased. Believe me, we have tried it and there is a marked difference. The D36 is the size of hose that Festool recommends. Sorry if our lack of attention to detail may have confused anyone. Just say NO to D27 on the Kapex, unless of course you are in a pinch; at that point anything is better than nothing when we are talking dust extraction on a miter saw.

Timmy C

When we had the Kapex in the shop last week, the one thing I wanted to see above all other features was the dust collection capability of the highly acclaimed Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw. We did a little test with me and my camera behind the Kapex. We then cut some 6/4 Alder board both with the hose on, and with the hose off. Here is what the camera saw:

Amazingly, whether the saw was bevelled or at a ninety, the dust extraction capabilities were the same. Festool recommends that you hook up a D36 hose on the machine and vacuum to get airflow to a maximum. We have indeed tried it on your midi in the shop, and it certainly works, but the increased diameter of a D36, and the CFM of the CT22 or CT 33 do make a difference.

Stay up to date with the RSS feed; there is much more to come as we get closer and closer to July 1st.

Have a great weekend,

Timmy C

Be the first to own a Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw! Pre-Order Today

One of the handy features of the Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw is the ability to set the depth of the cut. This feature allows the user to plow dados into the workpiece. The video below show us here in the shop doing that very thing. With the laser so “dead-on” it is easy to get the side walls of the dado perfectly aligned.

To get a nice smooth bottom, you will notice the backer board against the fence. This allows the bottom of the blade to pass entirely over the workpiece. ***If you leave this step short, you will not be as deep on the back of the cut*** Make sure your backer is wide enough to accomplish this maneuver.

With this feature, it is almost like having a mobile radial arm saw, only different. Now you have dust extraction and accuracy.

Timmy C

July 1st is only six weeks away. To get you ahead of the learning curve for your new Festool Kapex, the Festool Junkie blog is going to be posting frequently as we uncover the Kapex. If you have not already subscribed to the RSS feed please do so. This will ensure that you are notified of all the new posts that come on-line.

The pictures below are of the unloading and unpacking of the Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw. Festool has done a nice job in securing this gem inside the box. Festool Junkie will of course be reinforcing the packaging prior to shipping.

Stay tuned for more Kapex stuff coming, and remember to click the little orange RSS feed tab to subscribe; you don’t want to miss out on some pretty new cool stuff coming on-line about the Kapex.

So here is your shot to PRE-ORDER YOUR KAPEX (click that and guarantee July 1st Shipping)

Timmy C

Can someone help me please. We were inundated with these saws today. The Festool Kapexii have a home here in Nebraska until July 1st. In the weeks to follow we will be updating the site nearly daily with video and pics of this greatly anticipated saw. The Kapex is here and we are ready to rock and roll these beauties out of here come July 1. You thought we were kidding when we said we would GUARANTEE the July 1 ship date. Check out the proof. Pre-Order to reserve one, they will go quickly.

Signing up for a Kapex raffle I think. Or at least signing the bill of lading is my partner Mark E Mark.

The wall of Festool Kapex:

Once again Pre-Order Your Festool Kapex at FestoolJunkie.com

Timmy C

Yesterday we had the privilege of having a Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw
in our shop. There was a bit of video going on, and we got some great footage. The video
below shows off the Kapexs’ hold-down, and the Kapex laser. I apologize for the lack of
audio as this was my first attempt to edit with Adobe Premiere CS3; I’ll get it soon enough.

Notice the beginning of the video where Randy adjusts the hold-down; this was a honkin’
piece of 8/4 Hard Maple that extended well past the saw’s bed on the left side…it didn’t
budge after we adjusted it to the right.

I spliced in the second clip after the cut. I really couldn’t believe that the “laser-beam” (a
person must say that in their best Dr. Evil voice) was that DEAD-ON…right out of the box! This
is one killer saw! Click the RSS feed and subscribe to the Festool Junkie Blog. Now that
we have some kewl tools for video you won’t want to miss out as we begin posting.

Timmy C

Hello all, we just got the new Festool Glasses and the Festool Tape measure in, and they are going like hotcakes around here. THESE ARE A LIMITED EDITION, GET ON IT IF YOU WANT TO SCORE A PAIR OF REALLY SWEET GLASSES!!! (Sorry I had to yell there…I am just so excited!)

Pop the links to order:

Festool Safety Glasses

Festool Tape Measure

Festool Tape Measure and Glasses Bundle

“He or she who hesitates looses.”

Thanks kids,

Timmy C