Right-Tilt vs. Left Tilt Table Saws

[Bill McNutt]

Gentlemen, The crappy, inaccurate Craftsman 10" is beginning to gasp as I ask it to rip 2" thick red oak.

I've crammed many a board-foot throught he old boy over the years, but the writing is on the wall.

Dad is muttering about maybe it's time for a new tablesaw, and I agree.

So I've started the research. And I've run into something I never new. (I guess that's why they call it "research," eh?

Anyway, there are both right aend left tilt table saws.

Why? What's the difference? I could understand if you wanted one thast tilted both ways, but why buy a right-tilt saw? What will it do that a left-tilt saw won't?

Thanks, Bill

[RickS]

They say that left tilt saws are less prone to binding and kickback than right tilt, since material does not become "trapped" between the blade and fence when the blade is tilted for bevels. I believe this safety issue is the foremost difference.

However, remember that saws that lean to the left tend to be designed more for the common worker. You will find that such saws attract more social behavior and so you may be obliged to share it more frequently. Left leaning saws are also very flexible and will permit you to do almost anything imaginable without getting in your way.

On the other hand, saws on the right tend to have smaller cabinets and less infrastructure to assist your labor, but they are nonetheless more rigid and less taxing on your work.

Such saws, known as moderates, tend to be very flimsy; I have heard they are difficult to rely upon. Nonetheless, if you are lucky enough to find a very special one, you will find it will take much abuse, and will assist your undertakings delicately but with great determination.

/rick.

[Tom]

Man, oh, man. Are you in for a treat.Only about 2200+ hits. Tom

it'll all be over....

[Tom]

Sorry about that, but the link didn't work properly. I'll try again:

it'll all be over....

[Tom]

Crikey! Try a google search with "right or left tilt table saw" in the mix. Tom Someday, it'll all be over....

[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. Left tilt has the bevel wheel on the right side and is easily turned with your Right hand.

1. Left tilt can rip a narrow bevel with out having to move the fence to the left side of the blade.

2. Left tilt allows the blade arbor nut to be removed with your right hand.

1. Left tilt allows your to remove the arbor nut and turn it in the direction that you would expect.

2. 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.

1. RIGHT tilt if you are left handed. The bevel wheel is on the left side of the saw.

2. 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.

1. 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.

[Unisaw A100]

Because Powermatic had always made their cabinet saws left tilt and Delta wanted to have something that was the same.

One tilts right and the other tilts left.

white space added for emphasis...

UA100

[FMB]

Or you can try

which will get you where you wanted to go. If you do this often (post long URLs), it may be worth while going to and reading a bit. I did the 'add tinyurl to the toolbar' thing. Works great.

BTW, I picked up a 3 HP RT Delta Cabinet saw in March, have yet to set it up. I have opened up an account at EBay to help clear out the garage so I can set up my saw.

[Eric Anderson]

I have seen all these arguments hundreds of times. My problem is: I bought a circular saw with the blade on the left. Seemed like a good idea. You could see the cut easier. Well, I forgot that I held the board I was cutting with my left hand for almost everything. That meant that the saw rested on the part that was cut off.

Damn

I sure wish I could try each for a while before I make my decisi> >Why?