Initially I began this topic as a review of the Kreg Mobile Project Center & Kreg Track Horse, however I purchased the Bora Centipede (2’ x 4’ model) after seeing in a local Home Depot so I have decided to combine my impressions and experiences in a single post.
I have owned the Kreg Mobile Project Center and Track Horse for about three years now. These have not been my primary work surfaces/saw horses but I often set them up as a compliment for unique situations and secondary work area as needed. This is primarily due to the height limitations of the Kreg Project Center. The 31 1/2” height is my single biggest complaint and detraction of the Project Center. I recognize I am abnormally tall (6’5”), so take this complaint with a grain of salt.
Disclaimer- I purchased these with my own money, the Track Saw in store at Lowe’s, the Bora at Home Depot and the WorkCenter thru Amazon. I have not been compensated in any way and these opinions are my own based on my experience.
I am not sure exactly what structure will work best for this post, so apologies if this format is a bit confusing/inconsistent.
HEIGHT:
Reiterating and expanding on the height on the Project Center. It is not adjustable. The height on the track saw is adjustable. This renders the adjustability of Track Horse useless when paired together with the Project Center to form a larger work surface. I think this was a big miss by Kreg. Making the legs adjustable would’ve added a bit more weight, but I can’t imagine it would be enough to be a detraction.
As noted, the Track Horse height is adjustable and I find it comfortable to use at its highest setting.
The Bora Centipede isn’t adjustable; however Bora offers 6” risers which I purchased and the total height of the work surface sits at a very comfortable height. I would have to look, but I don’t think they make any other size risers (say 3” and 9”)- and I would recommend Bora consider manufacturing a solution for other potential applications/user heights.
WEIGHT and WORK AREA:
The project center is by far the heaviest of the three solutions. While this is not an apples to apples comparison, as obviously the Track Horse is a saw horse footprint; while the Bora is a 2’ x 4’ and the Kreg is just over 2’ wide (27.5”) x just over 2.5’ wide (31.5”), the Project Center it is the heaviest of the three. Additionally keep in mind, the Project Center and Track Horses are one piece where as the Bora is two- the top separates from the base.
FEATURES:
All of these solutions are packed with features and there are too many to list so I am going to focus on those I use or find to be innovative. On the Project Center and Track Saw, the immediate features that stand out are the clamping options. The Project Center and Track Saw offer a track, running the width, but they also offer a “key hole” slot on the sides allowing for vertical clamping. This feature is great for working on the edge of boards.
The Project Center has dog holes and pre drilled holes to install the M4 pocket hole jig. I also use the pre drilled holes to mount and unmount a lightweight vise when the situation requires it. The Bora Centipede also offers a work surface with dog holes.
I want to pause here and perhaps clear up what I may have assumed is known about the Centipede. The Centipede is a collapsing base. Bora offers manufactured work surfaces to be paired with the base or you can use sheet goods you may have on hand. However, a work surface isn’t required to use the centipede. There are 2x4 brackets that can be attached to create a partial surface, say for cutting larger materials or using as an out feed or saw station.
Back to the features. The Track Horse does not have dog holes. It goes without saying, this is not a knock on the Track Horse. It’s not designed to be a full work surface. At its core it is an adjustable height saw horse. The Kreg Project Center and Track Horse can each function individually or be combined into a pair of saw horses. I supposed, untraditionally, the Centipede is also a sawhorse in a different construct.
The Project Center and Track Horse also come with connectors enabling the addition of a sacrificial piece of wood (2x or other) so as not to cut through the aluminum track. The Centipede affords a similar arraignment, albeit differently. Using the 2x4 brackets you could simply add a 2x4 and cut through those.
The Kreg options provide an ability to expand the work surface dimensions, at the expense of half of the Project Center table surface. This can be set up by adding a 3/4” thick piece of ply, mfd or other, which is supported with 2x4’s and the Kreg 2x4 brackets between any combination of 2- Project Centers, 2- Track Horses or one of each. I often don’t bother with the runners and just put a ~quarter sheet of 3/4” ply between the Project Center and Track Horse as I am not putting a lot of weight on that expanded work surface. I have not seen a solution to combine two Centipedes into a singular larger work surface; however Bora makes a 4’x8’ version for those regularly needing a larger foot print.
One real annoyance I have with the Bora Centipede is the storage bag. Let me say that I called Affinity Toolworks, parent company of Bora, and they said they are working on a solution to this. Anyway the annoyance is that the provided bag cannot accommodate the installed 6” risers and presently no bag is available for purchase. And while they’re working in a 45” ID bag to accommodate- I will remain dissatisfied for the simple reason that I don’t want to spend $20 or more on a carry bag. As it is, the kit I purchased the Centipede 2’x4” top with did not come with a carry bag for the folding top. That bag costs $45 on Amazon as I write this review. $45 for a carry bag…… Instead I am exploring 45” ID carry bags for tents on Amazon which cost approximately $20.
A huge plus is all come fully assembled, which in today’s day and age is welcomed. Also the rocker handles to depress the locking detents on the Track Horse are my favorite style. The Project Center opens and closes in seconds and its operation is intuitive.
USAGE:
All of these work as you’d imagine. The base of the Project Center combined with its weight make it very stable. Same for the Track Horse. The Centipede is also very stabile, however as the top isn’t affixed and similar to what happens if you expand the Kreg solutions and don’t secure the larger work surface to the 2x4 support, bumping the Centipede can move the work surface out of place. I haven’t had it fall off entirely, but that is a definite possibility. To solve this, I affixed some non slip carpet underlay to the tops of my risers and there are other solutions. In fact Bora makes a hold down clamp that comes with some of the kits to secure the work surface. I find that the camel gets in my way and so I like my solution.
WARNING:
Kreg has warning labels all over the Project Center and yet I have on several occasions still managed to pinch my hand and fingers in the folding top. They could add a lock of some kind, or I could bungee the table tops shut, but when I have laid the Project Center down flat and then picked it up, I have on numerous occasions pinched my hand very, very unpleasantly. Kreg, could solve this but I won’t knock them as it is clearly user error at this point.
VALUE:
Shipped with features: Kreg comes with clamps, dogs, brackets for the expanded work surface. The Bora can be purchased by itself, however I regularly see it offered with “bonus accessories” at no or little additional cost. These Bora accessories included non slip pads, clamping solutions and cord holders.
COST:
The Project Center and Track Saw comes as a single unit. The Bora Centipede, due to its versatility can be purchased a just the base and used with a standard sheet of plywood or other, or can be used with the 2x4 clamps (accessory) as a modified surface
CONCLUSION:
So if I could only choose one…. Well suffice to say that the modularity, features and accessories of these solutions makes this a difficult choice. The Centipede is lighter weight than the Project Center. It also affords a larger surface area (Bora manufactured or homemade). The Kreg offers a more stable base, but it is lower in height. Cost wise, the Centipede (without top) is ~70% the cost of the Track Horse and ~50% of the cost of the Project Center. The Centipede is easier to transport, but lacks a vertical clamping solution (without modification). The Centipede bag situation leave me miffed. Also the Centipede accessories, and I could have touched on this a bit earlier, are as “universal” as the Kreg’s accessories are. By that I mean I can only use them with the Centipede- where as Kreg makes an accessory Clamp Base that allows you to attach and use the Kreg clamp on any work surface (so long as you don’t mind making a hole in that surface or it already has dog holes).
All in all you can’t go wrong but I won’t be the person to subject anyone to a lengthy summary and not offer a definitive opinion and so I would choose the Centipede, every so slightly, over the Kreg Project Center because of the work surface height, ease of transport and because you can purchase it on its own for 50% of the cost of the Kreg Project Center and adding your own work surface (or none at all).