In advance of purchasing a new circular saw, I have been googling to
understand the pros/cons of blade left vs. right saws.
Can someone confirm that this is the right summary understanding:
For RIGHTIES:
Blade right: easier to hold & balance, potentially safer since
dust and chips don't blow back in your face
Blade left: allows you to see the cut line easier since it is in
your line of sight
For LEFTIES:
Blade right: allows you to see the cut line easier since it is in
your line of sight
Blade left: easier to hold & balance, potentially safer since
dust and chips don't blow back in your face
The takeaway for me is that as a lefty who usually holds the circ saw
in the left hand and to-date has only used blade right saws, I would
probably be best off continuing with a blade-right saw. Particularly,
since like many lefties, I am partially ambidextrous and can hold the
saw in my right hand if need be.
Does that make sense?
Leon wrote:
>
> It does make more since if you also believe that standing in line with the
> blade of a TS makes more since than to the side of the blade. While left
> and right hand saws are understood to many as a convenience it is really a
> personal safety feature.
Not to be a grammar bitch, but "sense" is the word you are looking for.
"Since" is usually used as a measure of time, like.
It's been years since I've seen anyone cut their finger off with a
blade left circular saw.
"blueman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In advance of purchasing a new circular saw, I have been googling to
> understand the pros/cons of blade left vs. right saws.
>
> Can someone confirm that this is the right summary understanding:
>
> For RIGHTIES:
> Blade right: easier to hold & balance, potentially safer since
> dust and chips don't blow back in your face
>
> Blade left: allows you to see the cut line easier since it is in
> your line of sight
>
> For LEFTIES:
> Blade right: allows you to see the cut line easier since it is in
> your line of sight
>
> Blade left: easier to hold & balance, potentially safer since
> dust and chips don't blow back in your face
>
> The takeaway for me is that as a lefty who usually holds the circ saw
> in the left hand and to-date has only used blade right saws, I would
> probably be best off continuing with a blade-right saw. Particularly,
> since like many lefties, I am partially ambidextrous and can hold the
> saw in my right hand if need be.
>
> Does that make sense?
If you live East of the Rockies, sidewinders or prevalent. West, worm
drives rule the roost.
I too am ambidextrous but I find myself cutting with my MAG77 while holding
stock with my left hand and the saw with my right.
Dave
Dave
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>
> If you live East of the Rockies, sidewinders or prevalent. West, worm
> drives rule the roost.
Hmm. I thought the opposite.
I'm kinda sorta ambidextrous. I write with my left hand and throw a
baseball with my right. I hold a circular saw with my left and operate
a mouse with my right.
My circular saw is a right sided sidewinder. However, I'd love to find
a right sided wormdrive. The only one I've seen is the Porter-Cable
trimmer. It's too small.
Cherokee-Ltd wrote:
> 7 1/4" Left Blade PC
> http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/welcome.pl?ref=froogle+page=/a/port/423mag.htm
>
> -Brian
Not quite on two counts. Your link above shows a left bladed
sidewinder. I want a worm-drive, not a sidewinder.
Also, I want a right bladed sidewinder worm-drive becasue I'm left
handed.
My explanation below was probably a bad one. Sorry.
> > My circular saw is a right sided sidewinder. However, I'd love to find
> > a right sided wormdrive. The only one I've seen is the Porter-Cable
> > trimmer. It's too small.
> >
On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:54:08 +0000 (UTC), Roy Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <ENGVe.22254$Qv6.16958@trndny04>,
> Edwin Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>I have the right tilt. I'm sticking with it because it is so hard to find
>>blades for the left tilt.
> You can use your right-tilt blades on a left-tilt saw. You just have
> to feed the material in from the back of the saw.
You people aren't seriously still buying polarized blades, in this
century, are you?
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Teamcasa" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> If you live East of the Rockies, sidewinders or prevalent. West, worm
>> drives rule the roost.
>
>
> And the only reason that those on the east side of the Rockies use the
> predominately left bladed sidewinder is because they want to have al least
> on foot on the shore side of the cliff when they cut too deep and whack
> off the west side of California. :~)
Umm Make that the west side of th Rockies
>
>
"LRod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 17:20:44 GMT, blueman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I would think, given the foregoing, that a left hander would be better
> off with a left blade saw.
>
> Unlike the left tilt/right tilt question with a table saw, it's more
> than just "what you're used to" with circular saws, as was shown
> above.
I think you hit the nail on the head... But given that, those that live on
the far left of the country prefer the left blade saw. :~)
"blueman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In advance of purchasing a new circular saw, I have been googling to
> understand the pros/cons of blade left vs. right saws.
>
I have the right tilt. I'm sticking with it because it is so hard to find
blades for the left tilt.
7 1/4" Left Blade PC
http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/welcome.pl?ref=froogle+page=/a/port/423mag.htm
-Brian
"Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >
>> If you live East of the Rockies, sidewinders or prevalent. West, worm
>> drives rule the roost.
>
> Hmm. I thought the opposite.
>
> I'm kinda sorta ambidextrous. I write with my left hand and throw a
> baseball with my right. I hold a circular saw with my left and operate
> a mouse with my right.
>
> My circular saw is a right sided sidewinder. However, I'd love to find
> a right sided wormdrive. The only one I've seen is the Porter-Cable
> trimmer. It's too small.
>
"Tattooed and Dusty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Leon wrote:
>
>>
>> It does make more since if you also believe that standing in line with
>> the
>> blade of a TS makes more since than to the side of the blade. While left
>> and right hand saws are understood to many as a convenience it is really
>> a
>> personal safety feature.
>
> Not to be a grammar bitch, but "sense" is the word you are looking for.
> "Since" is usually used as a measure of time, like.
How about you work on a plug in that lets the spell checker read my mind.
> It's been years since I've seen anyone cut their finger off with a
> blade left circular saw.
Or perhaps a left handed circle saw.
"Teamcasa" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> If you live East of the Rockies, sidewinders or prevalent. West, worm
> drives rule the roost.
And the only reason that those on the east side of the Rockies use the
predominately left bladed sidewinder is because they want to have al least
on foot on the shore side of the cliff when they cut too deep and whack off
the west side of California. :~)
"blueman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In advance of purchasing a new circular saw, I have been googling to
> understand the pros/cons of blade left vs. right saws.
>
> Can someone confirm that this is the right summary understanding:
>
> For RIGHTIES:
> Blade right: easier to hold & balance, potentially safer since
> dust and chips don't blow back in your face
>
> Blade left: allows you to see the cut line easier since it is in
> your line of sight
>
> For LEFTIES:
> Blade right: allows you to see the cut line easier since it is in
> your line of sight
>
> Blade left: easier to hold & balance, potentially safer since
> dust and chips don't blow back in your face
The above is correct. There is an indicator mark on the front edge ff the
foot of the saw. This is what you SHOULD use to align the saw and guide the
cut.
Although like most people that do not use a blade guard with a TS many also
like to watch the blade and line being cut. Neither method is correct.
>
> The takeaway for me is that as a lefty who usually holds the circ saw
> in the left hand and to-date has only used blade right saws, I would
> probably be best off continuing with a blade-right saw. Particularly,
> since like many lefties, I am partially ambidextrous and can hold the
> saw in my right hand if need be.
>
> Does that make sense?
It makes since but is incorrect. Regardless of which hand you use, the
motor of the saw should be between you and the blade.
"Stephen M" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> For me, a left-saw seemed to make somuch more sense, any was not
> "burdened"
> by much experience with a hand-held circular saw.
>
> -Steve
It does make more since if you also believe that standing in line with the
blade of a TS makes more since than to the side of the blade. While left
and right hand saws are understood to many as a convenience it is really a
personal safety feature.
> The takeaway for me is that as a lefty who usually holds the circ saw
> in the left hand and to-date has only used blade right saws, I would
> probably be best off continuing with a blade-right saw. Particularly,
> since like many lefties, I am partially ambidextrous and can hold the
> saw in my right hand if need be.
>
> Does that make sense?
Absolutely. This subject has been beaten to death in the past. I am a
rightly who really likes his lefty saw. One of the things that I took away
from prior discussions is that it's tough for alot of people who are
well-seasoned right-handed right-saw users to make the switch. "what you are
used to" seems to be the big tie-breaker.
For me, a left-saw seemed to make somuch more sense, any was not "burdened"
by much experience with a hand-held circular saw.
-Steve
In article <ENGVe.22254$Qv6.16958@trndny04>,
Edwin Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"blueman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> In advance of purchasing a new circular saw, I have been googling to
>> understand the pros/cons of blade left vs. right saws.
>>
>
>I have the right tilt. I'm sticking with it because it is so hard to find
>blades for the left tilt.
You can use your right-tilt blades on a left-tilt saw. You just have
to feed the material in from the back of the saw.
Dave Hinz <[email protected]> writes:
> On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:54:08 +0000 (UTC), Roy Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
> > In article <ENGVe.22254$Qv6.16958@trndny04>,
> > Edwin Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >>I have the right tilt. I'm sticking with it because it is so hard to find
> >>blades for the left tilt.
>
> > You can use your right-tilt blades on a left-tilt saw. You just have
> > to feed the material in from the back of the saw.
>
> You people aren't seriously still buying polarized blades, in this
> century, are you?
So what if anything is the difference between a "right-tilt" and a
"left-tilt"? I would have thought that you just flipped the blade
around... what am I missing?
On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 17:20:44 GMT, blueman <[email protected]> wrote:
>In advance of purchasing a new circular saw, I have been googling to
>understand the pros/cons of blade left vs. right saws.
What I find interesting in this discussion is that virtually no one
takes into account the kind of work environment the saw will be used
in, which explains why the right blade sidewinder is so prevalent.
On a framing job, many cuts on 2x materials are made either on a set
of horses, or on the deck of the house over the edge or stair opening.
The work sits on the support and the waste hangs over the edge. For a
right handed user, the most logical work position has the left hand
(and often a knee) holding down the work, while the right hand (and
right bladed saw) cuts to the line and the cutoff falls away. The
weight of the saw is supported by the work.
Now, while it seems logical that a right handed operator would be
better off with a left handed blade, that's only true if the work AND
the waste are supported, as the weight of the saw is primarily on the
cut off.
I have both left and right blade saws, and for work on framing in a
framing environment, a right blade saw is definitely more convenient
(I'm right handed). However, if I'm in a situation where I can support
the waste as well as the work, the left blade saw is easier.
I would think, given the foregoing, that a left hander would be better
off with a left blade saw.
Unlike the left tilt/right tilt question with a table saw, it's more
than just "what you're used to" with circular saws, as was shown
above.
--
LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
http://www.woodbutcher.net
Proud participant of rec.woodworking since February, 1997
"blueman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> So what if anything is the difference between a "right-tilt" and a
> "left-tilt"? I would have thought that you just flipped the blade
> around... what am I missing?
A very dry sense of humor