How to Make Shaker Cabinet Doors – A Simple Tutorial. Kreg table saw sled

How to Make Shaker Cabinet Doors – A Simple Tutorial

Building Shaker-style doors is easier than you think. Learn how to build shaker-style cabinet doors using only a table saw with this detailed step-by-step tutorial.

Shaker cabinets are very popular right now.

These classic doors, with their clean lines and minimalist design, add a touch of sophistication to any room.

Whether you’re renovating your kitchen, upgrading your cabinetry, or revamping your wardrobe, shaker doors can elevate the overall aesthetic and create a sense of harmony in your living space

However, they can be pretty expensive to buy. I did upgrade my kitchen cabinets with new doors from a company and it was perfect because building 30 doors wasn’t something I was looking forward to.

DIY Shaker Cabinet Doors Video

However, if you need a few doors, the shipping charges add up and could be more beneficial to build.

For my laundry room, I needed only 3 doors so I decided to go ahead and make my own.

Plus, making your own cabinet doors will definitely save you a ton of

There are multiple ways to build a Shaker Style door:

They each have their advantages and disadvantages and I will be posting tutorials for each of them.

In this tutorial, I will show you how to build shaker doors using a table saw. Using this technique, you get clean doors using only a table saw (which you might already have).

My goal is that by the end of the tutorial, you will know exactly how to design and build your own shaker-style cabinet doors.

Shaker Door Design

Shaker-style cabinets have clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic. They have a flat, recessed panel surrounded by a sturdy frame. The frame consists of rails (horizontal pieces) and stiles (vertical pieces) that join together at 90-degree angles to make the frame.

The center panel within the frame is flat, with no intricate carvings or decorations leading to simplicity and utility.

What type of wood to use for Shaker Cabinet Doors

When it comes to choosing the type of wood for shaker-style doors, there are several options to consider. Here are a few commonly used woods that work well:

• Hardwoods like Oak, maple or Cherry: If you are looking to stain the doors, these are a great choice. The final choice will depend on the look and aesthetic you are looking for.
• Pine: Pine is a more affordable option that can provide a rustic look when stained or it can be painted as well. It is a soft wood and can be easily dented or scratched. If you are painting, you can also get pre-primed pine from home improvement stores.
• MDF: If you are planning on painting, you can use mdf which when primed and sealed well gives a super smooth finish with paint.

Ultimately, the choice of wood for shaker-style doors depends on your personal preferences, budget, and the overall design aesthetic you want to achieve. Consider factors such as durability, appearance, and compatibility with your desired finish to make an informed decision.

Calculating the Door Dimensions

Like all things woodworking, measuring accurately and calculating the dimensions and cut list is the most crucial step. Below is the step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Measure the cabinet opening

Measure the opening of the cabinet where the door will be installed. You want to measure the inside edges. Do not measure to the edge of the cabinet.

For accurate results, you want to measure in 3 locations – top, middle, and bottom. This makes sure to get the most accurate measurement. Ideally, if your cabinet is square all three measurements should be equal. But in the case that they are not equal you want to go with the smallest measurement.

Step 2: Determine the overlay

Overlay determines how much of the cabinet frame the door will cover. These apply to drawer fronts as well. Common overlay options include – full overlay, partial overlay, and inset doors.

Full and partial overlay doors are bigger than the cabinet opening and are generally used with face frame cabinets. Partial overlay doors only have a small overlay and can be ½″ or more. Full overlay doors completely overlap the edges of the cabinet and only have a 1/16″ reveal on all sides to allow for smooth hinge operation.

Inset doors or inlay doors are inset within the cabinet door opening and have about ⅛″ gap on all sides to allow for door operation.

At this point, once you have the measurements, you can pop in the measurements in the Cabinet Door Size calculator I created, and it will give you all the measurements you need.

Step 3: Calculate the door size

Once you know what type of door you want, you can add the overlay to the width and height of the cabinet door opening. Be sure to double up the overlay because it will be on all sides.

For example: if the door opening is 8″ wide and you want a 1″ overlay, the door width will be 18″1″(overlay on the left side)1″ (overlay on the right side) = 10″.

I made DIY cabinet doors without a router!

If you are building inset doors, you will subtract ⅛″ on all sides. Therefore, in the above example it would be 8″ – ⅛″ (gap on the left side) – ⅛″ (gap on the right side) = 7 ¾″.

Once you have the final door dimensions, it is time to get ready to calculate the size of the parts of the door and build it!

Cabinet Door Size and Cut List Calculator

You can add the cabinet measurements to the FREE Cabinet Door Size calculator I created, and it will give you all the measurements you need. Be sure to grab that!

Parts of the Shaker cabinet door

The Shaker doors are made of three parts:

The rails are the horizontal pieces and the stiles are the vertical pieces that join together at 90-degree angles to make the frame. This can be built with any size lumber based on your preference but the most commonly used size is a 1×3 or a 2.5″ wide and ¾″ thick board.

In this tutorial, we will be using 1×3 boards to show all the calculations and tool setup.

If you are using a different size of the board, you can adjust it accordingly. The key is to understand how everything works.

The panels within the frame are flat and are usually made of either ¼″ hardwood plywood or ¼″ mdf.

Calculating the rails and stiles dimensions

Dimensions of the stiles:

This one is super easy – it is the length of the door itself.

Length of the rails = width of the door – (2 x 2 ½″) ¾″

How to make a simple cross cut sled for your table saw. DIY

The 2 ½″ is the width of the boards being used. In this case we are using 1×3 boards hence it is 2 ½″ wide.

The ¾″ comes from 2 x ⅜″. ⅜″ is going to be the width of the tenons that we will be creating.

Length of the panel = length of the door – (2 x 2 ½″) ¾″

Width of the panel = width of door – (2 x 2 ½″) ¾″

Essentially, the panel will be ⅜″ larger than the door frame opening on all sides. I highly recommend not cutting the panel just yet. Once the door frame is assembled, you can double-check the dimensions and make the final cuts.

The Cabinet Door Size calculator also calculates the sizes of the rails and stiles for you! So be sure to grab that with the above link.

Now that you have all the dimensions figured out, it is time to collect the tools and get to the building!

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Safety equipment

Safety is extremely important when using the table saw – especially to build these doors where you will be making small and precise cuts.

• GRR-Ripper safety block (very highly recommended!)
• Table saw cross-cut sled. Your table saw would have come with one. If not, this is a great one.
• Dust mask
• Eye protection
• Hearing protection. I love using my IsoTunes Free 2.0. You can get 10 with code ANIKA10

How to build DIY shaker cabinet doors

Once you have the door size and board sizes figured out, you can easily build these doors. Here is a step-by-step tutorial:

Step 1: Make the cuts

Cut the rails and stiles per the dimensions you calculated according to the guide above (or from the Door Size Calculator). The miter saw is the best tool to make these cuts quickly and precisely.

Remember, do not cut the center panels to size just yet.

Also, additionally, you want to save at least two 8″ long pieces of scrap board from your cuts to use for the trial cuts.

Step 2: Cut the grooves

The first goal is to create grooves in all the rails and stiles to accommodate the ¼″ thick panel. Now, you can usually use a Dado blade for this. But like me, if you don’t have one, don’t worry! I have you covered. It takes a few more passes but it works just fine. Here is how to do it.

Note: Always run the test piece through first.

• Set up the blade height to ⅜″ high. I like using my multi-mark for this. Make sure you are measuring from the edge of the blade tooth.
• Set up the table saw fence at ⅜″.
• Run the boards through to make the groove
• On all of the boards, make sure to mark the fence side.

Note: be sure to use the GRR-Ripper to keep the boards aligned and pushed up against the fence while also keeping your fingers at a safe distance.

Now, you have a groove but it isn’t wide enough to accommodate the ¼″ panel. With a dado blade, this would have created a wide enough groove. But we a regular blade, you will need a couple more steps.

• Move the fence by 1/16″. It can be moved in any direction.
• Run the scrap board through and double-check to make sure the groove is well-defined.
• Run all the other boards through.

Remember: Keep the fence side (that you marked earlier) towards the fence.

At this time, you can check if the groove fits the ¼″ panel. If it does, great! But it probably will not. We need to make one more pass.

• Move the fence by ⅛″ in the other direction.
• Run the scrap piece of wood through and double-check to make sure the groove is well-defined and the ¼″ board fits nicely. If it is too tight or too loose, adjust the fence for it.
• Run all the other boards through.

Important: You want to run all the boards through the blade at every step to ensure you get the exact same width and placement of the groove on all the stiles and rails.

Step 3: Cut the tenons

Once the grooves are cut in all the boards, it is time to cut the tenons (or tongue) at the end of the rails.

DO NOT make these cuts without a crosscut sled (also called a miter gauge). This usually comes with the table saw but you can also buy one.

First, we have to set up the table saw. We will be using a test piece for this.

• Set up the fence at ⅜″
• Set the height of the saw blade to the height of the groove.
• Hold the board against the cross-cut sled with the end up to the fence.
• Slide the board through the table saw and then make multiple cuts, slightly sliding the wood away from the fence each time.
• Flip the board over and repeat to complete making the tenon.

Test this piece with the grooves you make in the previous step to ensure it fits snugly. If it doesn’t make adjustments to the table saw accordingly and try another scrap piece until it works.

Note: Make small adjustments at a time.

Once you get it dialed in, you can go ahead and make the tenons on both ends of all the rail pieces.

Step 4: Cut the central panels

Once the rails and stiles are cut, it is time to get an accurate measurement of the panel needed to complete the door.

• Do a dry fit of the rails and stiles to make a frame.
• Measure the inside opening of the frame – both the height and the width.
• Add ¾″ to the width and height. This is because it will go in about ⅜″ on all sides into the groove.
• Cut the panel using a table saw. A circular saw will work as well.

Now that the panels are cut up, you can quickly do a dry fit to make sure everything is working well.

I found that there were wood splinters stuck inside the grooves that wouldn’t allow the plywood to go in all the way. A little bit of cleanup with a chisel worked wonders and made it easy to put it all together.

REMEMBER: I have the Cabinet Door Size calculator to make all the calculations super easy!

Step 5: Glue-up

We are now ready to put it all together.

Set up a clean flat surface to assemble the door.

• Apply wood glue to the tenons and also add some to the grooves.
• Start by assembling a stile with rails on two sides to make a C.
• Slide the central panel into it. If it is too snug to slide in, you can also attach each side to the panel and then into the tenons.
• Add the last side (the stile). You may need a rubber mallet if the joints are a little snug. This is totally fine… better to have a snug joint than a loose one!
• Once it is all assembled, add clamps. You want to ensure you squeeze all the sides together until flush.
• This is a good time to make sure that the doors are square. Learn more about how to do this here.
• Wipe away any excess glue and allow to dry overnight.

Step 6: Finish

Once the glue has dried, you can unclamp the boards.

• Fill any gaps using wood filler or caulk. Caulk is great for getting clean seams but only when you are painting.
• Give the entire door a sanding with 220 grit sandpaper (150 if using stain).
• Use primer and paint or stain in the color of your choice.

To mount the doors, you can use a concealed hinge jig to make the hinges easy to install. Also, this cabinet door installation jig is a great help in attaching the doors to the cabinet frame.

There you have it! You can easily build shaker-style doors for your next cabinet project. Apart from the table saw, you can also router bits to make the grooves and mortise and tenon joints for the door frame.

If you want something simpler, you can use holes and hole screws to assemble the frame while still making the grooves.

If you don’t own a table saw and want to make doors, you can easily make those as well. Just that the inside of the doors will not be the prettiest! That is how I made the large door in my laundry area to hide the water softener. A simple tutorial coming up for it soon.

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Kreg Accu-Cut Circular Saw Guide

At this year’s National Hardware Show, Kreg introduced the Accu-Cut, an accessory that allows you to turn nearly any standard circular saw into a cross-cutting track saw.

The Kreg Accu-Cut consists of a universal sled, a pair of 26-1/2″ aluminum guide tracks, and a starting block that extends the length of the rails and prevent cords from snagging. The guide tracks have anti-splinter strips and can be connected end-to-end for cross cuts and angle cuts up to 48” long.

The sled attaches to the base of the saw with couple of set screws, and I’m told it is the same base that comes with the Kreg Rip-Cut accessory we covered a few years back.

However, you can tell that a couple of pieces were added—an indicator to show how to position the sled on the rail for left- and right-blade saws, and an indexing stop that butts to the edge of the saw’s shoe. The stop is adjusted during the initial alignment and ensures that the saw is placed at the same location every time it’s installed on the sled.

The extruded aluminum rails are similar to those used with plunge-cutting track saws, with raised areas that mate with the sled and anti-splinter strips along either edge of the bottom.

The first time you use the Accu-Cut, the saw blade will cut through the anti-splinter strip, trimming it to size. The anti-splitter strip helps to prevent splintering by pressing against the material at the edge of the cut. Once trimmed, the strip can be aligned with the cutline on the material, and you know that’s where the blade will go.

The bottoms of the strips are grippy enough to prevent the track from sliding on most materials, though when cutting slippery stuff like melamine it’s best to secure the track with optional clamps. If or when the strips wear out, they can be purchased from Kreg as replacement parts.

The Accu-Cut Circular Saw Guide (KMA2700) is scheduled for release in early July 2017 and will come with a universal saw sled, two 26.5” aluminum guide tracks, a starting block, two track connectors, and a track indicator clip.

First Thoughts:

If you can’t afford the 400-650 it costs to get a name-brand plunge saw with guide rails, then 80 for the Accu-Cut is a very good deal. All you need is a circular saw to use it with. The adjustable indexing stop makes it possible to remove the saw, use it without the guide and then quickly reattach it to the sled; the alignment is automatic.

If there’s a downside to Kreg’s system, it’s the limited length of the assembled rail, which is too short for ripping 8′ sheet goods. I asked a Kreg representative about this and he said that for now you would need to use their Rip-Cut edge guide (KMA2675).

They considered offering longer rails, but it would complicate shipping and in-store displays. Kreg has put more than two rails together and it worked for them in testing. If it seems like it will work for customers they may offer rails and joining pieces for separate purchase, but no decision has been made yet.

It would be great if the option existed to make straight accurate cuts by joining three, four, or more rails, because it would make for a more portable setup. I would rather do this than use a rip guide, because rip guides can hang up on the edge of your work material, and they only work if one edge is already straight. On the other hand, rip guides can make it easier for repeated cuts, as you only need to set the fence once.

Assuming it won’t be possible to get longer Accu-Cut rails or join more than two of them together, then the next best thing would be to align a saw on the sled and switch back and forth between guide rails and the fence from a Rip-Cut. I’m told this will work because the sleds are the same; you’d simply have to adjust the cursor on the rip guide. It’s a reasonable solution in that it allows you to rip and cross-cut with a single saw and sled.

37 Комментарии и мнения владельцев

I like it. I would like to see a full review and feedbacks from users in the field. But definitely look to be well made. By the way welcome David. Is this your first article on Toolguyd?

Yes, it’s my first. I’ve been a fan of Toolguyd for a long time and am pleased to have the opportunity to work with them.

Definitely buying this when it comes out. Been considering building my own track but can’t find the time, so this will be a day one purchase. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Looks interesting – and seems to offer a few features like anti-splinter strip that get it closer to a real track saw. With a high-quality (low runout) circular saw it should produce a good cut. Not exactly a plunge track saw but cheaper. Veritas has also come out with a saw/tool track system – but it doesn’t seem to give you the ability to position the track edge along the cut line: http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=75664cat=51ap=2 A homemade jig – made of Masonite and a straight-edged length of 1x stock is very easy to make – and costs less. BTW – the rail connection issue is one of my pet peeves with my Festool Track saw. The Festool connectors (482107) were 17 when I bought them (19 today) – and in my mind they were not one of Festool’s better efforts. Even taking your time in the shop – using them and getting the rails to align properly and stay put through multiple cuts is a frustrating chore. In the field – setup on a lawn – it is a cause for much cursing. I ended up buying Festool’s 2700mm (8.8 foot) rail (491937) for 295 (340 today). To the point that was made about concerns about shipping longer rails, after reading some horror stories from Festool users – I ended up ordering my long Festool rail from Amazon who shipped it via a small freight company – packed in a long crate made from oak and plywood. I still use the crate to store the rail.

I should have also said that after I bought my FS 2700 rail – Betterley (the folks who make great laminate trim tools) came out with a connector for Festool rails. I haven’t tried one – but it sells for 99 http://www.festoolproducts.com/betterley-slc23-straightline-connector-for-festool-guide-rails.html

i tell you what,i am pretty impressed.i already have a Makita track, and i wish there was a decent saw adapter that would fit.well, maybe there is, and i just do not know.if you guys know of a decent one, let me know.otherwise, i think this looks pretty solid for the price.always love your post, and thanks…now if only Bosch would hurry up and release the new colt router. i have been waiting some time now.

Color me intrigued. I’ve been looking at versions of this for a while since I have need of a tracksaw like device – but I don’t want to drop that coin. vs getting a new quality circ saw – multipurpose – a good blade – and a good collapsible guide system. I need to be able to store the setup easily. I don’t have tonnes of space. I like their idea but I would like to get another track to join – or have them make another track size. LIke say a 47.5 or such. So you could have your 2 – 26’s and one 47. or whatever. Good review

I was very intrigued by this post: just lat night my dad and I were discussing the need for a system like this. However, the limited length is a deal-breaker: I can pull down a shop-made 8-footer (like Fred describes) for the long cuts, but a 60″ sheet of Baltic Birch is the most common sheet good I need to break down in my work. I think adding a 47 would be better to avoid dealing with connectors, and allow a total 8′ length. We all manage to carry 48″ levels… Also, I am trying hard not to be annoyed about this line:

Really? Governed by shipping and display, not users’ need? That strikes me like a DIY-level move right there: I cannot imagine a pro-brand would admit this, even if it were true.

I think those are valid concerns. Costs would likely be high, and damage to a guide rail would likely affect accuracy, functionality. or both, leading to high returns and higher costs. Demand for longer rails would be lower, leasing to higher costs even, and inventory that demanded more shelf or floor space. All these things might potentially lead to cost prohibitive pricing. It’s Smart of them to gauge user interest and then possibly reconsider and work toward a solution in response, rather trying to tackle all the challenges at once. I think this results in a nice complement- a rip guide for longer cuts, and this new system for 48″ cuts. If a user really needs greater cutting capacity, there are other solutions, such as Festool’s. I think my Festool guide rails came from Festool directly, as did some of my other Festool tool and accessory purchases, which would help to minimize the risk of damage due to improper storage or warehouse handling.

I am sure they are finding way to connect multiple rail together that still stay true. I find that totally reasonable for the price point. Shipping a long long rail require a crate to protect it. Then there are a lot of risk of them to get damage during unpacking at the store so that will get added to the cost. In store display is a premium, unless it’s a hot sale, it’s hard to justify something with a odd shape that would require the rearrangement of other items that’s already there. As far as shipping it directly to the customer that’s even more expensive since that mean one crate per track. Now ask yourself, if there is a longer track version, how much are you willing to pay for it? Again I am sure if this thing is selling like hot cake I am sure more place would be happy to stock them. Personally I don’t see this as a fast moving item. There will be enough demand for it but I doubt it’s enough to command premium instore display and special crate for the longer version.

The number one recurring comment I’ve seen is that they need to add longer rails. I don’t think accuracy will be an issue, even using 4 of the 26.5″ sections. I managed to get perfect accuracy out of mine after using a 4′ level to set up the connection, rather than using the manual’s method. Without using the level for setup, I determined my track had a 0.010″ bow across the 53″ length – not an issue for plywood cuts, but I was using mine for edge jointing stock for a panel glue-up. After readjusting I managed to get absolutely no gaps between two 50″ boards.

This is very interesting, but I won’t buy until there is at least a 48″ rail. It should sell with a 48, then the option to buy another 48. I might buy the 26 separately later for a shelving type project. But there is no way I’m trusting the accuracy of 4 26″ pieces joined together

It’s pretty accurate – I had only 0.010″ bow across a 50″ board when setting up using the Kreg manual’s instructions. I tweaked it using a 4′ level as a guide, and managed to get perfectly straight lines out of it – good enough for a panel glue-up.

I have the Rip-Cut system, and I bought it specifically to save the money from a table saw. It works well, but you definitely need to spend a short amount of time familiarizing and dialing in. Once that is done, it works well as long as you can effectively hold the alignment across the entire piece. For this product, I also feel that it’s use is limited without being able to go 8′. But, I can also see that the middle of that run will flex and ruin your cut if you aren’t careful. That track does’t look like it can be effectively secured over that distance without any clamping system. I really do like that the sled is the same – and that may be enough for me to purchase it. I don’t take the sled off my saw today, and having an easy guide would be helpful in a lot of situations. But I’d like a lower price since I don’t need the sled.

That indexing stop looks interesting. I have the Kreg Rip-Cut, and my biggest gripe is getting the saw placed on the same exact spot on the plastic shoe, then clamped down precisely. It means the cursor is never precise, and it’s often not worth adjusting the cursor when I only have a few cuts to make. Besides, for this, it seems far easier to make a “doorboard” out of 1/8 or 1/4 plywood and a very straight edge glued onto it.

Years ago I made a sled and track using a 48″ aluminum miter slot. The sled has the corresponding 18″ miter bar. It’s fine for making precise, straight cuts when I’m too lazy to use the table saw but dust collection on non-Festool circular saws is virtually non-existent.

I love that it integrates with the Rip-Cut. I’ve had one for years and love it. For 80 though…. I’ll probably still buy it, but that seems the top of the price point for something like this.

a few of the kit products I’ve seen – that come with everything like this does – cost more than that. They do however cover a full 8ft though. And none of these have a anti-chip guide that I recall

A lot of you are talking about 8 foot rails you really need about a 10 foot rail. You need an extra foot to start need a good 6 inches at the finish and then if you want to do any kind angle cut on A 4×8 sheet you’re going to needs little more. This coming from a track saw user. Just my 2 cents.

The Festool long rail is 2700mm – or 8.8 feet and it gets the job done because you plunge the saw. With using a circular saw a foot to star and a foot to follow-through on the cut – as you say – would be better.

Isn’t this the same as the Bora system. Except the Bora system is expandable, can cut a 8′ sheet and is cheaper? By comparison it doesn’t seem like a good deal.

Maybe. The Bora Guide get some pretty awful reviews on Amazon (50% as 1 star) https://www.amazon.com/Bora-542001-Clamp-Track-Circular/product-reviews/B0045UBFR8 and Stuart recently responded to a post of mine saying that his experience with the Bora rails/clamps was not so good. Woodcraft also sells an alternative system – a base #149146 (32.50) that lets your saw ride along a track (2 x 56 inch with a connector sold as kit #150006 for 79.99.)

Can you confirm if this updated guide can be used with the M12 and M18 circular saw without modification?

Does Makita make a guide that works with various circular saws? The one I know about (#196953-0) costs 56 on Amazon and works with their 6-/12 inch cordless saw (XHS03). You need a rail to go with it – the Makita 194367-7 rail is 118 inch long – sells for about 284 on Amazon (210 at Tool Nut) – or you can buy two 55 inch rails (194368-5) for 70 each at Amazon – and add a connector (P-45777) for 27 at Amazon

If Kreg were Smart (and I don’t mean to imply they’re not)….the saw sled would be universal – which they’ve done, and they’d offer one-piece tracks in 48-50″ and 96-98″ leaving it to the customer’s decision as to which best suits their needs. Would 96-98″ tracks be a PITA to stock and ship, and and carry around, plus potentially cause a warranty issue if they were damaged in shipment? Certainly, and I’m sure the selling price would reflect those additional costs and still be hugely less than Company X’s tracksaw system. Were they available, I would not hesitate to buy at least one additional saw and attach a sled to it permanently for use with the tracks, and make a protective carrier out of 1/2″ or 3/4″ plywood or 1X stock and a piano hinge to safely carry a long track. The value of being able to make long, straight cuts without a table saw would be of sufficient value for me to get a full set of guides. And, note, “long, straight cuts” does not necessarily mean “parallel to the factory edge,” which is where the Company X track system outclasses a table saw. I can set up any degree of angled cut (eg., non-parallel cuts) on panels with the track system in seconds, doing it with a table saw takes at least several minutes and extra hands.

I would steer clearof this- I have the Kreg Rip Cut circular saw guide; https://toolguyd.com/kreg-rip-cut-circular-saw-guide/. The clamping mechanism is junk. This system uses the same clamp – its crap and WILL break. Save your money and get something betterHep

I absolutely love this and I’ll be searching Home Depot’s website regularly for it to hit shelves. But a couple of thoughts from my couch…. 1) Shipping and displays are big deals for producers and retailers. Shelf space is limited, more than ever before, and shipping is a major expense these days, especially since more and more companies are eating those costs to increase business. Somebody mentioned something about a “pro brand” not doing this, which brings me to my next point. 2) Kreg isn’t a “pro” brand. And watch any woodworking video on YouTube that includes holes, you’ll see the smug, pompous, snarky Комментарии и мнения владельцев about “amateur hour.” Kreg is a very good, reliable company that produces some very, very good and useful products. And while there are certainly parts of their line that belong in the belts, pouches and trucks of skilled tradesmen and women, at the end of the day, the brunt of Kreg’s line is geared toward the weekend-warrior/DIY type. Types like myself who have limited time, limited space and limited tools (though, my now former CEO/CFO will dispute the latter). Their products make woodworking simple, time efficient and approachable for beginners. And that brings me to …. 3) A lot of people are complaining about the size limitations. But go to Home Depot or Lowe’s on a Saturday morning and swing by the panel saw. You’ll find a line of younger people, couples, first-time home owners, etc waiting for somebody to break down a 4×8 or 4×4 sheet of 3/4 ply to sizes that will fit into their Prius or whatever. They’re not going home with stacks of 4×8 sheets to build entire cabinet sets (….yet); they’re trying to have the store cut as many of the pieces to their.inspired project as they can and at home, they’ll use their consumer-grade circular or jig or handsaw to do the final pieces. For those people, this will be an immense upgrade from using a big rafter square, an extra 1×4, or even the Kreg Rip Cut. Those are the things that immediately popped into my head when I saw this: it’s great for people like me, who don’t have full-blown shop space and only do projects occasionally. That’s also the one flaw I’ve found with Kreg: a lot of their items are priced above the level of consumer they’re geared towed. Yes, the basic hole jig at 40 is a tremendous deal (especially if the clamp is included); but the HD jig, the bigger jigs, this, the etc… priced a little higher than one would think. I love it. I can’t wait to get my hands on one.

Your points are well taken. Of course Kreg tools (and some other brands too) get touted – almost shamelessly IMO – on PBS TV shows like the American Woodshop – with Scott Phillips (WBGU). That not to say its a bad thing entirely – because like Norm Abrams and others on TV shows, Scott has probably introduced thousands to the joys of woodworking. Its just that you should know that there may be better work methods and tools available – sometimes at different price points (lower or higher.) Another PBS show (Woodsmith Shop) often suggests how to make and use homemade jigs suited for hobbyists. BTW – while I’m not a.hole joinery aficionado, they have simplified face frame construction – and made lots of joinery in reach of budget-minded and many other home woodworkers who might otherwise not undertake a project because mortise and tenon or other joinery was out of their skill set or too costly to undertake.

I’m pretty new to woodworking, about a year as a DIY-er. I’ve observed that people are very polarized regarding Kreg products, especially when it comes to hole joints. Being new, I really have no preference. If it makes it easier, then I’m good with it.

Traditional joinery included hand or machine cut mortise and tenons, doweled joints, dovetails, bridle joints, lap joints and dados to name the most common. Glued butt joints were eschewed because they were inherently weak. Adding long screws did not help much – because screwing into end grain is not as strong as screws into cross grain. Then taking an idea from toe-nailing the hole was invented – with screws at an angle pulling the joint together. I made not only joinery simpler – but measuring less fussy – because you were essentially butting the joints together – with no need to figure for depth of overlaps, length of tenons etc. Dowels and loose tenons also made joinery faster – but required more skill, jigs and/or machinery to do effectively. My Festool Domino machine – as an example – has changed the way I work – but nobody would claim it was an inexpensive joinery tool. Why hole joinery gets used in face frames – is that its fast – strong as it needs to be for something that isn’t subject to a lot of stressing forces – and the s are concealed from view. Building a table entirely with hole joinery – is possible – but you may need to be clever to conceal all the s and the skirt board to leg connections might not be as strong as you would get from mortise and tenon joinery. For purists – the hyde-glue afficainados – guys who adhere to traditional hand tool techniques (a la the Woodwright’s Shop TV Show) – the use of screws is anathema. My own thought is that hole joinery has its place – and if it lets you build a table (as an example) versus building no table – why not try it out – see how the table fares – then see what you want to learn and do for the second or third table that you build.

If I were retired, didn’t have family obligations, etc — and, most importantly, if money were no object — I would love to sit at a beautiful. hand-crafted workbench in a spacious, climate-controlled shop and carve out hand-cut dovetails all day. But, because I work for Satan, have a soul-sucking ex and my shop is cluttered with boxes of crap, I’ll gladly turn to a 40 hole jig to slap together a shop-class level bookshelf in a rare free hour of shop time.

Even when you are retired – sold-up your businesses – are very well off financially – your time is still very precious – perhaps even more so as you realize that there may be so little of it left. Speaking from experience in this matter – you try to use tools that are practical, within your skill level, are appropriate to what you wish to accomplish and are conservative of your time. Nothing at all wrong carving, hand sawing or chopping dovetails if that’s how you wish to spend your time – but the last ones I did, for some cabinet drawers for my daughter’s basement, was with my old Porter Cable Dovetail jig and a router – and the face frames on those cabinets used hole joinery.

Kreg Rip Cut Review

We all know Kreg for their hole jigs, but what about some of their other innovations? Cutting plywood can be difficult no matter what your experience level is. Outside of getting a massive panel saw you’re left with a lot of measuring, marking and praying. Kreg comes in with the Rip-Cut, their solution to the common struggles of cutting down plywood or paneling and doing accurate cuts that are simple to repeat on them as well. So, lets investigate and take a look at the Kreg Rip Cut Review.

Kreg Rip Cut Review Overview

The Kreg Rip Cut, model number KMA2685, comes neatly packaged with pictures on the back showcasing the features of the Rip Cut. Once opened you find only a few simple items:

The instructions were incredibly simple to follow, and the photos were well thought out for easy set up.

Kreg Rip Cut Review Features

The Rip-Cut’s track cuts up to 24 inches. With a standard plywood sheet being 4 feet by 8 feet, it quite literally allows you to cut it in half. Obviously if they had made the track a full 48 inches it would satisfy more needs, but for the bulk of consumers 24 inches is likely sufficient.

One other thing I felt could use improvement is that the track felt like it should be weighted on the free edge to counterbalance the jig, as it would improve stability when making smaller cuts.

The edge guide was simple to set up. Two screws set easily while two other plastic spacers insert into the unused slots for maximum stability.

The edge guide can be easily flipped to allow for left or right-hand use. I actually tried this assembled both ways, and I could use the Rip-Cut either direction. It truly became a matter of preference and application. The edge guide stayed flush against the plywood while cutting and felt solid and secure to the track.

Prior to attaching the sled, a filler strip can be adjusted to suit your saw. It is packaged with an angle to support saws with an angled front saw base as the DeWALT in the photos had. Should you have a flat saw base, a flat head screwdriver is needed to wedge the strip out and a simple flip creates a flush base. I felt this was a nice touch and indicative of a well thought out tool.

Also, there is a recommendation of using a minimum of 40 tooth saw blade and to increase the depth adjustment on your saw blade to be sure the blade protrudes at least an 1/8th of an inch through the plywood.

You have a simply designed index stop that during set up is removed and reinstalled after adjustments are made. This creates a sort of memory system for the following uses of the circular saw.

The base plate clamps were easy to configure as well. Once you loosened the clamps they were simple to set for maximum security of the circular saw.

The track system slipped into the sled easily. Although at times during adjustments it did stick a little, it wasn’t cumbersome. The sled and track locked together by a plastic lever on the top of the sled and I had no issue with the track slipping when locked.

There is an adjustable cursor that allows you to ensure maximum accuracy. The instructions are simple to follow for this, but I found slight adjustments were still needed to be made to ensure maximum accuracy. This seems to be standard with most jigs or fence devices, and once the adjustments are made you are good to go without interruptions. I always keep scrap wood just for times like this when you want to test something out before getting into a project. Whether leftovers, or a find while raiding the Home Depot clearance rack, scrap is always a necessity for me.

Kreg Rip-Cut Review Performance

The Kreg Rip Cut actually exceeded my expectations for performance. You can see here that once the jig was set up accurately the cut was right on the money. Ultimately the claims Kreg made in terms of what the Rip-Cut could do were met and it absolutely does simplify the task of breaking down plywood sheets. Where this tool really shines though, is that once set you can make accurate and repeated cuts which comes in handy in a lot of fields. The jig overall was simple to set up and use, and I imagine it will just continue to get easier with continued use.

I did find that supporting the wood improved the quality of the cut greatly and made the saw and Rip-Cut combo more comfortable to use. This is generally true with all saws though, so that is to be expected. I have a list of projects that I have coming up that will be simplified by the Rip-Cut’s use such as board and batten, bookshelves, and when I start new cabinet doors for our master bath, this will definitely be a lifesaver.

Kreg Rip Cut Review Value

Honestly the value in the Kreg can be seen from several points of view. Coming in at 39.99 it isn’t an overwhelmingly expensive addition to your tool chest. For the homeowner or DIYer the Rip-Cut is a small investment to make that allows a circular saw to be multi-functional, especially if you don’t own or aren’t comfortable using a table saw. Being able to make consistent and repetitive cuts also appeals to professionals alike as it simplifies the workspace and saves the use of a portable table saw.

Kreg Rip Cut Review Final Thoughts

Kreg is Kreg, they seem to be infinitely tapped in to consumer needs and are constantly coming to market with new innovations or in this case improving upon past models. For the small investment in this tool, you get a lot of pay off and superior results. There are dozens of homemade jigs I have seen people come up with to do exactly what the Rip-Cut does, however Kreg has a way of simplifying and streamlining jigs to achieve superior results. Kreg doesn’t disappoint with the Rip-Cut.

Kreg continues their long history of innovation with the Rip Cut. Kreg has made the task of cutting plywood sheets or making repetitive cuts as easy as possible using only a circular saw. The Rip Cut saves time, money, and a whole lot of effort.

Kreg table saw sled

Coming soon, the Kreg Accu-Cut circular saw guide track system helps to make cleaner, straighter, splinter-free cuts with your circular saw. Designed to be used for rip cuts, cross cuts, and angled cuts up to 48″ long, the Accu-Cut is ideal for use with plywood, MDF, and other large panels.

How Does It Work?

The Accu-Cut works as a guide track for your circular saw. Basically, you would mount your saw to the universal sled, which then fits into and runs along a straight aluminum track. You would only need to make a couple marks on the desired panel, and line up the straight edge to where you want your cut line. After placing the sled on the track, the system then guides the saw in a straight line. The Accu-Cut virtually eliminates the need to see the cut path.

Kreg Accu-Cut Key Features

With portability in mind, Kreg crafted the Accu-Cut system from a lightweight, aircraft-grade aluminum. Ideally, this system can be taken to the panel, rather than having to take the panel to a table saw.

Clamps are generally unnecessary. The Accu-Cut features dual guide strips to hold the track in place, as well as an anti-slip coating. It also has an anti-chip feature; because the guide track keeps the saw in straight line, splintered cuts just don’t really happen. An included Starting Block allows sawing to begin quickly and easily.

Almost any circular saw works with the Accu-Cut system. The Universal Sled houses either right or left blade saws. As an added feature, the sled is also compatible with the Kreg Rip-Cut.

Final Thoughts

The Kreg Accu-Cut system seems like a useful tool, especially for a novice like myself. I wouldn’t have to physically guide the saw along the cut line. And, since the saw is held to a straight line, wobbles and splintered edges are eliminated. Cleaner and straighter cut lines would make me look like I know what I’m doing, which is pretty cool.

I can also see the benefit of this tool for the professional craftsman. Simplicity never hurt anyone, and this system seems like it would save a lot of time. Rather than drawing out a cut line with a straight edge and then trying to guide a saw down that line, you would mark the panel in a couple places, plop the Accu-Cut down, and cut away. The price point seems a little steep, but the system seems simple and helpful.

Kreg Accu-Cut Specs

Chris Boll

You’ll find Chris behind the scenes at Shop Tool Reviews. When he doesn’t have his hands on tools himself, he’s often the man behind the camera lens making the rest of the team look good. In his free time, you might find Chris with his nose jammed in a book, or tearing out his remaining hair while watching Liverpool FC. He enjoys his faith, family, friends, and the Oxford comma.