Unisaw question

[Robert Salz]

I am interested in a unisaw. What are the advantages of left tilt, right tilt? thanks. Robert

[Woodcrafter]

Hi there...

This page might offer some advice:

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[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.

[RonB]

As Leon suggested this subject gets more discussion than George W's National Guard record.

All I would add to Leon's good summary is this. I used a left tilt contractor saw for about 25 years. When time came to upgrade, Grizzly had just introducted the left tilt version of the 1023, but I did not want to be among the first in line for a new design. After generating a fair amount of stomach acid I ordered the right tilt 1023s.

After using it for a week or so, I forgot about the difference.

[Mike Hide]

I never saw the difference, but then I have a biesmeyer fence and can use either side. plus my unisaw has a mitre slot on both sides of the fence .....mjh

[Leon]

Snip

plus my unisaw has a mitre slot on both sides of the fence

How does that work, if say the fence is 24" to the right of the blade? ;~)

[Gary]

Reason above all resaons, Norm's is right tilt. teehee

Gary

[patriarch]

"Leon" wrote in news:bDo0d.5$ [e-mail]:

Didn't you get the adjustable miter slot option, Leon? ;-)

Patriarch

[Mike Hide]

Ah it does get complicated at times and no I did not get the adjustable mitre slot. All in all it seems to work both sides of the fence.

If I had a left or right tilt fence it seems it wouldn't make any difference as far as I am concerned, probably not scientific but I usually just flip the work piece over and do the reverse cut. Seems to work.

I guess it is another option, and lets face it more options sell more saws I suppose......mjh

[Greg G.]

There are many reasons for left tilt, but the number one for a cabinet maker who uses mitered corners on sheet goods is that you can cut miters on wide material while using the fence in it's normal 50" configuration and the tearout occurs on the inside (face down) of the miter cut. Also, when you reverse to cut the miter on the opposite side of the panel, the just mitered edge doesn't slip under the fence.

FWIW,

Greg G.