table saw tilt (left vs right)

[Ivan Vegvary]

What are the advantages of left tilting vs. right tilting table saws. Looking to buy a new one and wonder why they would make two different types.

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

[squarei4dtoolguy]

Hi Ivan,

Personal preference, I like left tilt. Most table saws have the fence calibrated more toward the right side of the blade. When I cut a bevel with my saw, I would like to keep the material on the right side of the blade. The scrap on the left.

That said, when you tilt a saw right, you trap your material between the fence and the blade. The blade is tilted over the top of the material.

ON the other hand, with the blade tilted to the left, the material can be lifted out of harm's way and the scrap sacrificed if all goes wrong in the middle of a cut.

So, for me, it's a matter of safety and convenience. Also, before I make a bevel cut, I rip the material close to the finished width so I don't have as much scrap to manage through the cut.

Tom in KY, with all 8 fingers and 2 thumbs. Just one good cut from a splinter, healing nicely.

[rickluce]

This post has been addressed ad-nauseum. You might want to do a search on the group. Otherwise, I have a right tilt. I wouldn't buy one again. Buy a left tilt tablesaw. Don't ask why just do it.

[JGS]

[DonkeyHody]

Ivan,

I had a right-tilt saw for 14 years. My current saw is left-tilt. The differences aren't worth fighting about, but I prefer left-tilt. I guess that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

DonkeyHody "Don't ever wrestle with a pig. You'll both get muddy, but the pig likes it."

[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.>

[Greg G]

Leon has pretty much covered this subject here. But I've got to throw in my two cents...

One additional consideration that I don't believe was pointed out is that when cutting miters on the edge of sheet goods, a left tilt not only allows the stock to ride along the fence properly without being pinched under the fence edge, and doesn't allow the stock to be trapped behind the tilted blade, but ADDITIONALLY, the outward (good) face of your stock is properly oriented for a more splinter free cut on the face side that generally shows. A right-tilt saw requires that you either have a really long fence rail on the left (unlikely), or cut the material with the good face down (which results in greater tear-out/splintering - especially in light of the pinched stock/blade scenario of the right-tilt).

I am left handed - but I consider the left-tilt to be easier to use. I owned a right-tilt saw before upgrading recently, so I've used both. Perhaps the condition of being left handed forces you to be somewhat ambidextrous when living in a right-handed world, and is what precipitates this preference. Ever seen a left handed pair of scissors? Yeah, you can get 'em, but it's just easier to learn to use the standard implements of construction unless you plan on carrying a box of left-handed tools everywhere you go.

You can just about count on _whatever_ saw you get having different miter slot spacing - sometimes even within one manufacturer's line. This is no small matter when you consider the outlay in time in constructing the many jigs and sleds you may have accumulated. They may all have to be retrofitted/rebuilt.

FWIW,

Greg G.

[Ivan Vegvary]

Thanks everybody for the great response! LEFT TILT IT IS! I assumed that if you buy a right tilt that all of the accessories (fence, miter gauge etc.) will be mirrored on the other side including all of the saw controls.

The first responder suggested that I should have searched the group for previous discussions. How do you do this? I use OUTLOOK and it only downloads 900 messages at a time. After about 4 downloads my server (Verizon) simply runs out and downloads the same last 900. I've tried GOOGLE, but maybe I am using it wrong. I don't seem to be picking up worthwhile threads. Does this newsgroup (rec.woodworking) sit somewhere in its entirety?

BTW, I got some great responses from this group circa 5-6 months ago regarding Craftsman radial saws. Absolutely could not find the thread on Google.

Thanks, and please advise.

Ivan Vegvary

[David]

are you going to Google Groups or Google Web? Use the Google Groups page.

Dave

[Greg G]

Sort of... Try this:

G.

[DonkeyHody]

Go to

Then look just above the search box and click on "groups". Type "woodworking" in the new search box. One of your choices will be rec.woodworking. Save in favorites. Now you can search within rec.woodworking to your heart's content. Merry Christmas

DonkeyHody "I'd rather expect the best from people and be wrong than expect the worst and be right."

[Ivan Vegvary]

Thank you, thank you thank you!!!! (and the replies above) I knew there had to be a better way.

Ivan Vegvary