Right/Left Hand Tilting Table Saw

[Holly Mosser]

Hi everyone, just a quick question. Right or Left Hand Tilting Table saw. What is the pros and cons on deciding which tilt is right for you and also the safety aspects.

I am new at wood working and this will be my first purchase of a table saw and am looking at the General 650-T50 M2M but can not decide on the tilt.

I will thank everyone for their imput and look forward to the responses.:confused:

[Greg Mann]

Holly,

Are you looking for something you can use at the drilling site or for when you get home? I have a left-tilt Bosch4000 which is a tabletop saw. It is no cabinet saw but has gotten me by, especially since I break down sheetgoods with a guided circular saw system. I like left tilt because the blade tilts away from the fence in most applications, lessening the chance of entrapping a thin rip. This can be accomplished with many right tilts by moving the fence to the other side but that seems cumbersome to me. There are other fellows, whose opinions I respect, who will tell you they prefer the right tilt. For some reason I have not been able to grasp their explanations as to why and that is probably my limitation. Read everyone's opinions and take your best shot. It seems left-tilt is becoming more popular. FWIW.

Greg

[Chris Padilla]

Why I like a right-tilt blade:

(1) Stacking dados won't change the zero-point of your fence since the blades stack away from the fence. For a left-tilt, stacking the dados messes up the registration since the blades stack towards the fence. Depending upon how you measure your dados, this point may be moot.

(2) My particular style of fence (Incra TS-3a) allows a quick change to move the fence to the other side of the blade thus giving a psuedo right-tilt effect to the blade albeit at a very limited ripping range (~20"). This point is only good for fences that can easily move to the other side of the saw blade.

(3) Most sliding tables are not designed for left-tilt so you are limited in sliders if you want one. This is a reason why the Euro sliders remain right-tilt.

(4) Left-tilt puts the "good side" of sheet goods up instead of down on a bevel cut. I think if your table saw surface is clean, this doesn't really matter however it might be nicer seeing the line you want to cut to.

(5) Bevel cuts on left-tilt are safer since the blade is away from the fence and can't capture pieces between the blade and fence thus launching dangerous pieces of wood at you (kickback). Overall, I'd have to say that left-tilt are safer simply for this reason.

(6) What are you used to and what do you like? Lefty vs. Righty comes down to a personal choice.

I have a right-tilt mostly because the brand I bought at the time (Grizzly) only had right-tilt available. Also, right-tilt is what I grew up with so it seemed natural for me.

[Greg Mann]

I thought it was Chriss that liked the right tilt. See what I mean Betsy? Now I'm going to have to print out all his reasons and study them in my spare time so I can understand both perpectives, excuse me, tilts to this question.Greg

[Frank Pellow]

Why I like a right-tilt blade:
...

(3) Most sliding tables are not designed for right-tilt so you are limited in sliders if you want one. This is a reason why the Euro sliders remain right-tilt.

...
Chris, you meant to say not designed for left-tilt

Those are good reasons that you listed. Thanks.

[Chris Padilla]

Chris, you meant to say not designed for left-tilt

Those are good reasons that you listed. Thanks.
Gee, Frank, that is what I said! ;)

(thanks for catching the mistake...I updated it)

[Greg Mann]

Chris, you meant to say not designed for left-tilt

Those are good reasons that you listed. Thanks.
Frank' I always suspected Chris didn't know right from left. I guess we should be glad he knows right from wrong.;)

Greg

[Joe Mioux]

Hi Holly:

Having gone through this decision making process earlier this year, I can tell you that I am happy with my left tilt General contractor saw. I echo earlier comments about the safety factor.

Good Luck

Joe

[Dennis Peacock]

Holly,

I have BOTH and I use the left tilt almost 100% of the time. If you use a miter jig, like the Smart Miter? the left tilt keeps the registration point the same not matter if you change blade kerf sizes. Of course Chris has already mentioned about stacked dado sets on the left vs. the right tilt. But that is nothing to deal with. I like the left tilt better....safer and I just like it better. It's all a personal choice and I'm glad I have experienced both and settled on one that suites me best.

I'm a right-hander that likes his "lefty" TS.... :D

[Holly Mosser]

Hi Greg, thanks for your imput and no this is a saw for home. I am limited to my scroll saw here on the rig. I might on my days off have a look at a mini lathe.
Holly,

Are you looking for something you can use at the drilling site or for when you get home? I have a left-tilt Bosch4000 which is a tabletop saw. It is no cabinet saw but has gotten me by, especially since I break down sheetgoods with a guided circular saw system. I like left tilt because the blade tilts away from the fence in most applications, lessening the chance of entrapping a thin rip. This can be accomplished with many right tilts by moving the fence to the other side but that seems cumbersome to me. There are other fellows, whose opinions I respect, who will tell you they prefer the right tilt. For some reason I have not been able to grasp their explanations as to why and that is probably my limitation. Read everyone's opinions and take your best shot. It seems left-tilt is becoming more popular. FWIW.

Greg

[Shelley Bolster]

Hi Holly. Six weeks ago I bought the very saw you mentioned in your post - General 650 (left tilt). The main reason why I chose the left tilt was because my old 20 year old Craftsman was a left tilt so that was what I was comfortable with. Also, to me, it just seems safer having the blade tilt away from the fence particularly when ripping a narrow piece. However, that said, the T-fence on the General does slide to the left of the blade but once again, to me, seems unnatural. After years of having a really crappy fence, I am so used to using a tape to check alinement that measuring for a stacked dado doesn't bother me - I'm still having a hard time believing that a fence can be so accurate and have to stop myself from "double checking". If you are used to a right tilt then I would recommend you go with it but if this is your first saw then a left tilt would be my choice. Either way, if you are planning to go with a General, I'm sure you will be really happy - it's a terrific saw.

[larry merlau]

:D i too reccommend the left tilt general, from the research i have done and listening to others on here. one thing that is a con for them as of right now is that the general 650 doesnt accept a biesmeyer splitter :( but the bies-company says that one is coming out at the end of the year. from what i saw the general is built exceptionally well and it is from your home country too :) got the maple leave too on there machines. good luck and hope you can show us your pic's of it when it arrives what ever yu choose. alot of the others are using asian motors and lesser quality workmanship.