Are you tired of clamping down on a straight edge or 4' level down to use as a circular saw rail when you need to make long precision cuts in a plate? The good news for you is that you don't need to spend a week or two of your paycheck on a dedicated track saw system! With the new Kreg Accu-Cut 48-Inch Circular Saw Track System, you can turn almost any corded or cordless circular saw into a track system that not only works great, but won't break the bank!
I don't need to make long cuts with a circular saw every day, but when I do (like today with my new cornhole game), I like to get the job done with reasonable precision. While working on this project, I had a great setup as I had two Ridgid cordless circular saws at my disposal. One saw I plan to use with the rails and the other saw for cutting the 2X4. Everything you need to retrofit your circular saw is included in the Kreg KMA2700 Accu-Cut 48-Inch Circular Saw Track System Kit. I also have the optional KMS7520 track clamp. Why they are not included in the track system kit is a mystery to me.
What's in the Box and Setup
Setup is very simple and, for the most part, intuitive. The aluminum rail sections are held together by two steel T-bars and Phillips head set screws. After the screws were fixed, I found no gaps and the track parts fit perfectly.
I had to glance at the instructions to see how to attach the starter block to the track. The starting block is a friction fit for a very tight grip on the track. I suspect there's no real reason it will have to be removed in the future.
track
The track is of aluminum construction. On the edge, there is a blue sacrificial material that won't damage your saw blade when you hit it. As with all track saws, the first cut removes a small amount of material to make it a perfect fit for your saw. Afterwards, your saw blade should accurately track the edge of this material, helping to reduce surface chipping of the workpiece, while also allowing you to precisely align the cut with the marks on the edge of the track. Below the track is a black strip that provides a "grab" as you lay the track over your material and helps hold the track in place.
If you're concerned that your track might move on the material, just use the optional track clamps. They fit the bottom of the track, allowing you to slide them down the length to any position and lock the track to the material.
sled
The next key component of the system is the saw frame. It's surprisingly light. It's all plastic except for the clips and fasteners. For this review, I installed my Ridgid 18V Gen 5X brushless circular saw and found the sled fit like a glove! The clips that hold the sled to the saw are metal, but be careful not to overtighten. Just snuggling the setscrew is enough to hold the sled in place.
I had to adjust the blade alignment a bit. But a quick glance at the instructions will guide you through that.
use track system
Now, back to building my cornhole group! With the track set up and the sled attached to my saw, I was ready to try out the Kreg Accu-Cut 48-Inch Circular Saw Track System. In the past I've usually used some Irwin Quick-Grip clamps and a 4 foot level to give me a fence to rest my saw on. Doing this requires some setup and measuring as you will have to offset the fence from the cut.
practice makes perfect
I did a bunch of practice cuts to get the track system running thoroughly before I did the actual cuts to the gameplay clips. I marked the ends of the cutouts, lined up the blue edge of the track, and locked the clips to the material under the track. A few snips show that on nice, flat material, the track actually stays in place without the clamps.
Since there is not a lot of friction between the saw and the workpiece, if you push in a straight line on the rails, no lateral movement will occur. With a metal track and a plastic saw blade, there is very little resistance as the saw moves along the track. I did find that there was a very small lateral gap (maybe 32 inches) between the track and the sled, but I couldn't find where this had a negative or visible effect on my cutting. My guess is that a small amount of built-in "play" is needed to ensure that the sled moves freely up and down the track.
game time
Now for my cornhole cuts, the boards are 48" wide by 24". Well, this setup is perfect because it can handle these 48" long cuts. I set up my markers, lined up the tracks, and was able to make the cut perfectly straight. Of course, I know this is a backyard picnic game, but if you're going to do anything, you better do it!
Final Thoughts and Observations
Of course, everyone wants to know if this system is as good as a $500-$1000 track saw system. My answer to this is – it depends. If you're like me and do projects here and there, like to build things, and do the occasional repair and handyman thing, then the answer is YES! In fact, the Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System is probably the best bang for your buck you can spend on a track for a standard circular saw.
If you are a high-end cabinetmaker working with high-end plywood in a highly controlled environment, you may find that the system falls short in a number of ways. Remember, you only have 53" of track, no dust collection, and the amount of plastic negates production-level work.
Best of all, for less than $80, you can strap on the Kreg Accu-Cut 48-Inch Circular Saw Track System to your current circular saw and turn it into a track saw for straight, repeatable cuts system.
- Makes rips, crosscuts and miter cuts up to 48 inches wide
- Two-piece saw rail, each 26.5" long for a total rail length of 53"
- Turn your circular saw into a high-performance track-guided system
- Anti-slip/shatter-resistant strips hold the track in place
Kreg Accu-Cut 48″ Circular Saw Track System Specifications
- Product number: KMA2700
- Aluminum Rails: 53" long with dual anti-debris, non-slip rails
- Materials: High-quality aluminum and impact-resistant plastic polymer
- Saw Sled: Accepts left and right blade saws, built-in indexing stop and precision vernier
- Cutting width: up to 48″ (1220mm)
- Includes: Universal Saw Blade, (2) 26.5″ Aluminum Rails, (2) Rail Connectors, (1) Starter Block, (1) Track Indicator Clip, Detailed Setup and Instructions
- Price: $79.00
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Kraig Track Clamp Specifications (Optional)
- Product number: KMS7520
- Compatible with: Kreg Clamp Trak, Universal Clamp Trak Kit and Mini Trak
- Materials: Durable molded construction and steel screws
- Includes: Two Clamps and Mounting Hardware
- Price: $14.99