Are you tired of clamping a straight edge or your 4′ level down to use as a circular saw guide when you need to make long precision cuts on sheet material? The good news for you is that you don’t need to drops a week or two’s paycheck on a dedicated track-saw system! With the new Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System, you can turn just about any corded or cordless circular saw into a track system that not only works great but also doesn’t break the bank!
It’s not every day that I need to make long cuts with my circular saw, but when I do, (like for my new corn-hole game today) I want things to be done with a reasonable amount of accuracy. In doing this project, I have a pretty good set up as I have two Ridgid cordless circular saws at my disposal. One saw I plan to use with the track and one to keep free for cutting the 2X4’s. Everything you need to transform your circular saw is included in the Kreg KMA2700 Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System package. I also have the optional KMS7520 Track Clamps. Why they aren’t included in the track system kit is a mystery to me.
What’s in the box and set up
Set up is pretty straightforward and, for the most part, intuitive. The aluminum rail sections attach together by two T-shaped steel bars with Philips-head set screws. With the screws secure, I find that there’s no play and the track sections perfectly match up together.
I had to glance at the instruction book to see how to connect the starting block to the track. The starting block is a friction fit and fits very snugly into the track. I suspect there won’t be a real reason to have to remove it in the future.
The Track
The track features an aluminum construction. On the edges, there is a blue sacrificial material that will not harm your saw blade when you hit it. Like all track saws, the first cut will remove a small part of the material so that it matches perfectly to your saw. Afterward, your saw blade should track exactly against the edge of this material, aiding in less surface chipping of your workpiece while also allowing you to precisely line up your cuts to your marks with the track edge.Under the track are black strips that provide the “grip” when you lay the track on your material and help keep the track in place.
If you’re concerned that your track might move on the material, just use the optional track clamps. They fit into the bottom side of the track and allow you to slide them anywhere down the length and lock your track to the material.
The Sled
The next key component of the system is the saw sled. It’s a little surprising how light it is. Aside from the clamps and fasteners, it’s all plastic. For this review, I mounted my Ridgid 18V Gen 5X brushless circular saw and found that the sled fits like a glove! The clamps that hold the sled to the saw are metal, but watch out for over tightening. Just snugging up the set screws is sufficient to hold the sled in place.
I had to adjust the blade alignment slightly. But a quick glance at the instructions will guide you through that.
Using the Track System
Now, back to building my corn hole set! With the track set up and the sled attached to my saw, I was ready to give the Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System a try. In the past, I would normally use some Irwin Quick-Grip clamps and a 4-foot level to give me a fence to run my saw against. Doing so takes some set up and measuring as you have to offset the fence from the cut.
Practice Makes Perfect
Before I made my real cuts for the game pieces, I made a pile of practice cuts to give the track system a thorough run. I marked both ends of the cut, lined the blue edge of the track up, and locked the clamps in place under the track against the material. It took a few cuts to see that on nice, flat material, the track actually stays in place without the clamps.
Since there is no major friction between the saw and the workpiece, there is no lateral movement if you are pushing straight on the track. With the metal track and the plastic saw sled, the saw moves with little resistance down the track. I did find there was a very tiny amount of side to side play between the track and the sled (maybe a 32nd of an inch) but I could not find where this had a negative or visible effect on my cuts. My guess is that a slight amount of built-in “play” is necessary to make sure that the sled moves freely up and down the track.
Game Time
Now as far as my cuts for corn hole, the boards are to be 24” wide and 48” long. Well, this setup is perfect since it can handle these 48” long cuts. I set my marks, lined up the track, and was able to make the cuts perfectly straight. Sure, I know it is a backyard cook-out game, but if you are going to do anything, you might as well do it well!
Final Thoughts and Observations
Of course, what everyone wants to know is if this system is as good as a $500-$1000 dollar track saw system. My answer to that is – it depends. If you are a guy like me that does projects here and there, likes to build things, and does occasional repairs and handy-man kind of work then the answer is a most definite yes! As a matter of fact, the Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System is probably the very best bang for the buck you can spend to put a standard circular saw on a track.
If you’re a high-end cabinet maker working in highly controlled environments with high-end plywood, then you will probably find this system lacking on many levels. Remember, you only have 53″ of track, you don’t have dust collection, and the amount of plastic negates production level work.
The bottom line is that for less than $80, you can strap the Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System to your current circular saw and transform it into a track saw system for straight, repeatable cuts.
Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System Features
- Make rips, crosscuts and angled cuts up to 48” wide
- Two-piece saw track, each component 26.5″ long, assembles for 53″ total guide length
- Transforms your circular saw into high-performance, track-guided system
- Anti-slip/Anti-chip strips hold track in place
Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System Specifications
- Item Number: KMA2700
- Aluminum Rail: 53” long with dual anti-chip, anti-slip guide strips
- Materials: High-quality aluminum and impact-resistant plastic polymer
- Saw Sled: Accepts left- and right-blade saws, built-in indexing stop and precision cursor
- Cut Width: Maximum 48″ (1220mm)
- Includes: Universal Saw Sled, (2) 26.5″ Aluminum Guide Tracks, (2) Track Connectors, (1) Starting Block, (1) Track Indicator Clip, detailed setup and usage instructions
- Price: $79.00
Kraig Track Clamps Specifications (Optional)
- Item Number: KMS7520
- Compatible With: Kreg Clamp Trak, Universal Clamp Trak Kits, and Mini Trak
- Material: Durable molded construction & steel screws
- Includes: Two clamps and mounting hardware
- Price: $14.99
