In a dilemma about what chop saw to buy.. Dewalt DCS365, or Festool KSC 60 (DIY'er)

[jgodwin]

I know how stupid that sounds, but I'm having real trouble with this..

My workshop got broken into at Christmas, but luckily, most of my tools were in my house while I was doing some work. They got away with my circular saw (low range Dewalt XR), my chop saw (DCS365), and my table saw (7458), plus a few other bits. The chop saw is my specific issue..

So I had a DCS365 and it was OK. I didn't love it or hate it. It did it's job, and had it's limitations, obviously, but they were overcome by the other tools I had.

Now, I think it's probably a fair time to just upgrade the saw for something better. If I buy the 365 again, it effectively means I've paid 900 quid for an entry level product, so I'm in the mind to just spend more, since I would have eventually upgraded anyway.. My dealbreaker is this time it has to have a depth stop, and it must be cordless.

I'm looking at all my Dewalt options, and every model I look at has something I don't like about it. The only one that really fits for me is the DCS727n...

Problem is, that's almost the exact same price as the Festool KSC 60 Kapex, which ticks all my boxes, and more. Neither come with batteries, so I'd have to buy some 9ah for the Dewalt, since I only have the standard XR batteries, which adds another couple of hundred quid. I already own a 36v Festool tracksaw, so the batteries are already here..

Am I being mad by spending this amount on a chop saw, or is this justifiable? Projects involving timber happening this year are:

New workshop.
New garden room.
New wood store lean-to.
New bedroom wall
Garden table
New cabinetry throughout the house
built in wardrobes

Nothing below the DCS727 comes with a depth stop, and everything that comes with a depth stop is the same price as the Kapex.

So it seems my options are, stupidly, either getting another 365 (since I don't care about a saw being bigger or "better" if isn't double bevel, and has a depth stop), or just spending double and getting a Kapex.

Let me now what you think - it feels like the Kapex is actually reasonably priced compared to everyting offered by DeWalt, unless there's something I'm missing?

 

[ETAF]

sounds like as the depth stop - is 100% required and you already have festool batteries the Festool is the solution and I suspect if you save a few quid buying somethign else you may regret it and wish you went for the festool every time you use it ... especially if you can afford it... I have done similar where i wish had purchased an XXXXX , only to 1 year later buy it in the end , so i have learnt that.
nothing but good reviews on some of the youtube videos who use the festool SMS

 

[big-all]

as an aside
with the use off cams made from 12mm mdf i can do trenching on my DCS365 its not my main saw for trenching as its more like + or minus 2mm but ok for all but joints

 

[jgodwin]

Thank guys. I think I'll bite the bullet and get it. I can't believe there isn't a decent saw in the middle price range between the 365 and the 727. I know I could probably find a Bosch or Makita, but I really can't be buying into brand new systems at this point.

Dewalt need to release a 215mm saw with double bevel and a depth stop for the 500 quid mark. Bonus points if they can keep it within the XR platform. Seems like a no brainer.

Thanks for the tip on the MDF stop, but I do unfortunately want it for joints