bought a new saw today

[Chris Friesen]

Well, I just replaced the Rockwell 9" table saw that I've been using. The final straw was cutting some 5/4 oak with a freshly sharpened blade and it was stalling on almost every cut.

I'm now the owner of a General International 50-260. That's the imported 3HP left-tilt, for those who don't follow GI. 50" rails, extension table, mobile base with extra castors for the extension table.

Got it off the truck with the help of a neighbor and a 1-ton hoist over the carport.

No gaping holes in the crate, and from a quick glance the saw appears to be in good shape. I'll be unpacking completely on the weekend.

Chris

[nailshooter41]

Chris: I hope you post your comments. We now have a couple of General dealers in our area and I would like to hear what you think before I go over and get the pitch from them.

Robert

[Connor Aston]

Run that past me again i've just looked up the saw and am confussed as to why they produce a right AND left hand tilt Why? I really cant figure it out? Connor

[bf]

Some people make a huge deal over whether it titls left or right, to the point where it becomes a major part of the purchasing decision. Therefore, some of the manufacturers are offering both options. Personally, I don't think left or right cut makes a difference. Mine tilts right, but if I really wanted to do an angle cut on a rip, and thought Left tilt was safer, I could just move the fence to the other side of the blade.

[bf]

Congratulations.. You'll be really glad you got the 50" rails if you do a lot of plywood work.

[Robatoy]

For pitch, I suggest either a roofing or a pavement contractor. Perhaps a piano tuner. But a General dealer?

*smirk*

r---->that's a small r...

[Connor Aston]

[Chris Friesen]

Some of my reasons:

1) Angle crank is on the right side. I'm right-handed, so this is convenient. 2) Motor cover is on the left side. This allows me to build storage under the extension table. 3) Arbor nut has "normal" threads, and is on the right side of the blade. (Slightly easier than threading backwards with my left hand.)

The bevel rip isn't a huge deal for me, but consider that if you want to rip wide beveled panels you generally only have about 12" of rip to the left of the blade.

Chris

[Stephen M]

In my jet, left/right determines that side that the dust collection port is on.

[Leon]

Unless of course you wanted to make a bevel rip 18" wide.

[Leon]

;~) The single most asked question in this group that I paste this rubber stamp answer to. Both saws will make all the same cuts. Some easier on the left tilt, some easier on the right tilt. Strictly personal preference. But if you need to be steered one way or the other, Advantages: Are you right handed? Get the left tilt.

1. Commonly the Left tilt has the bevel wheel on the right side and is easily turned with your Right hand.
2. Left tilt can rip a narrow bevel with out having to move the fence to the left side of the blade.
3. Left tilt allows the blade arbor nut to be removed with your right hand.
4. Left tilt allows your to remove the arbor nut and turn it in the direction that you would expect.
5. With a Left tilt, when both edges of a board are beveled, the sharp point of the bevel is up on the fence when cutting the second bevel as opposed to the bottom of the fence where it might slip under.
6. RIGHT tilt if you are left handed. The bevel wheel is commonly on the left side of the saw.
7. RIGHT tilt if you "must" use the fence distance indicator when using a stacked dado blade set. The blades stack left, away from the fence. The indicator remains accurate. On the left tilt, the blades stack towards the fence and makes the indicator inaccurate. In this case use a tape measure to set the fence distance.
8. RIGHT tilt allows you to remove the arbor nut with your left hand but the nut must be turned clockwise to loosen. Bassackwards to normalcy. If considering a cabinet saw, with wide 50" rip capacity. The Left tilt will most often afford you the most storage room under the right table extension. The RIGHT tilt has an access door in that location that will demand room to open. The left tilt allows you to have access to the motor and or the insides of the cabinet from the more open left side of the saw with out having to crawl under the right extension table. Very nice if you ever happen to drop the arbor nut inside the cabinet. If you are considering getting a replacement saw and considering going to the opposite tilt this time consider that the miter slots may not be the same distance from the blade when comparing a left to right tilt saw. This may or may not be of concern but something to consider.

[Mark & Juanita]

My opinion, based upon speculation and observation of marketing weanies in action: Used to be that only Powermatic (IIRC) made the left tilt saw. When the "left tilt is safer" idea came along, other saw manufacturers realized they were losing sales to Powermatic so they decided to offer left tilt saws. At the same time, they didn't want to lose the "right tilt is more practical" sales either, so they continued to make right-tilting arbor saws as well. There was little to be lost by continueing to offer right tilt since these other manufacturers already had those designs in hand and produceable. Over the years, they will probably monitor to determine whether one or the other becomes a "niche" item and discontinue offering that choice if the volume becomes so low as to be unprofitable.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Max]

Or a freshly cut pine tree. (keeping in the spirit of woodworking)

Max

[Bob G.]

========================== Unless he has his rails offset...like I do....Mine can handle 20 inches to the left of the blade ......but that does limit me me to about a 43 inch rip or the normal side (ight)

I set mine up this way to make better use of my shop space in my overcrowded 24x24 foot shop... and it works for the work I do...

Bob G

[Bob G.]

================================= Sears I believe had left tilt saws on the market years ago...My dad had one.. I beileve others did too... My 1st was a Rockwell but it was right tilt...took me all of 30 seconds to make the switch.

When I set my own shop up in the mid 60's I honestly could not afford a Powermatic so there was no way Powermatic lost me as a customer...LOL...I was just another the poor guy...

When I purchase my Cabinet saw 15 years ago IF one was 20 bucks cheaper then the other I would have purchased the cheaper of the two...as it was I change blades much more then I make Bevel rips or have to clean out the base so I went with the right tilt...Never looked back... and am still happy... To me the most practical reason for the left tilt is the clean out box is under the short left wing on the outside of the saw allowing cabinets to be built under the saws wide open extenension table...

Bob G

[Leon]

Yeah... LOL. and also some people set their saws up with the side table, rail, and fence to operate totally opposite to the usual configuration.

Gosh Bob what all do you have in there? I operate out of a 18 x 25 garage and have room for the normal configuration with 50" rip cap.

[henry]

I have a Delta contractor saw right tilt. If I were to have a choice I would buy Left tilt., but the used saw price was good.In reference to "6. RIGHT tilt if you are left handed. The bevel wheel is commonly on the left side of the saw." My saw has bevel tilt on the right side. The height wheel is confortable for a righty being on the front right side.

[Leon]

Probably so, that I why I said "commonly". ;~)

[foggytown]

Table saw blades tilt?

FoggyTown

P.S. That WAS a joke, I say, a joke, son

[Robert Bonomi]

SIMPLE!!

Because it is what customers *want*.

(It's all about marketing :)