Do you work on the left or right side of the table saw blade?

[Larry Feltner]

I thought this would be an interesting topic to get feedback on. Most of the time I work on the left side of the saw blade. However, I just purchased a new table saw that is left tilt. The fence capacity is built into the right side of the saw blade. So does the design assume the operator will work on the right side of the blade. Do most of you work on the side of the blade away from the blade tilt? In other words if the blade is right tilt, you work on the left side, if it is left tilt, you work on the right side. I'm curious what everyone else does and why. Maybe there are safety considerations that should be considered that would suggest one side is better than the other. Since I'm not real experienced, I'm curious what everyone else does and why.

[Ellen Benkin]

Left tilt; right side.

[Myk Rian]

Left tilt.
Being right handed I am usually on the left side. There are times when the cut is more comfortable being on the right. Usually with sheet goods.

[Bruce Page]

When ripping I usually stand to the left of the blade & workpiece.

[Mark Woodmark]

Both, depending on what I am cutting

[Van Huskey]

Left tilt, left side for most cuts. being to the right of the blade seems very awkward to me.

[Mark Woodmark]

Both, depending on what I am cutting

I forgot to mention, sometimes I work on top, in and under the table

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I forgot to mention, sometimes I work on top, in and under the table

I thought I was the only one who did weird things like that.;);)

[David G Baker]

Left tilt, right side 90% of the time.

[glenn bradley]

I stand to the side with the larger piece of material on it, generally. Cutting a small strip with the larger piece against the fence = stand to the right. Cut a small strip with the smaller piece against the fence = stand to the left. Cross cuts with the miter gauge = stand to the left. There are always variations to these.

[Bob Carreiro]

...though not at the same time!

[Bill Huber]

When I am using the miter gauge on the left I stand on the left when I am ripping I stand on the right.

To me when you look at table saw the kick switch is always on the left. To me when I am going to have a problem it will be when I am ripping so I have my switch on the right.

[Robert Malone]

Right handed and both sides.

[Joe Wiliams]

I'm on the fence with this topic.....:p

[Tony Bilello]

and work on the right side of the blade except for small cut-offs using the miter gage or my cut-off jig. It has nothing to do with which side the blade tilts when using the blade in the 90*position, its all about being a rightie.

[Jay Allen]

My first thought is
"If you are used to cutting from the left side....why would you buy a saw that works backward of your preference?"

And the second thought...."Why would you saw that way on a regular basis?"
Even though I am left-handed, I can't see working from the "wrong" side being comfortable... I have done it on a few occasions, when required, but it seems very awkward.



In other words if the blade is right tilt, you work on the left side, if it is left tilt, you work on the right side. I'm curious what everyone else does and why. Maybe there are safety considerations that should be considered that would suggest one side is better than the other

To my knowledge, this is not the case. It is not like right-tilt saws are intended for left handed users...The fence systems are all off-set to mount the rip fence to the right of the blade, with a minor concession to the other side.

Personally, I do not understand the point of right tilt saws? Why would you want the blade to tilt toward the rip fence? Seems like a serious kickback rocket launcher to me.

I work in a commercial cabinet shop and over the years I have worked with dozens of guys. Left handed or right, 99.9% of all cuts are with the rip fence to the right of the blade. In all of these years, I have not seen a right tilt saw in any of these shops.

[Lloyd Kerry]

left tilt, right side.

[Rod Sheridan]

Right tilt sliding saw, rip fence can only be on the right side of the blade.

Most work is done on the left side of the blade since it's a slider.

Regards, Rod.

[Chris Kennedy]

When I am cross-cutting, provided I don't need the extra table length, I am on the left hand side of the blade. This allows me to operate the miter gauge with my right hand, support the stock with my left, and have a clear view of the blade.

If I ripping, usually I am on the right hand side of the blade, because that is where my fence is.

Cheers,

Chris

[David Thompson 27577]

>>"Do you work on the left or right side of the table saw blade?"<<


Yes.

[Howard Klepper]

I thought this would be an interesting topic to get feedback on. Most of the time I work on the left side of the saw blade. However, I just purchased a new table saw that is left tilt. The fence capacity is built into the right side of the saw blade. So does the design assume the operator will work on the right side of the blade. Do most of you work on the side of the blade away from the blade tilt? In other words if the blade is right tilt, you work on the left side, if it is left tilt, you work on the right side. I'm curious what everyone else does and why. Maybe there are safety considerations that should be considered that would suggest one side is better than the other. Since I'm not real experienced, I'm curious what everyone else does and why.

The point of left tilt is not to work on the opposite side of the blade. It's to have the blade tilt away from the fence so that the work is less likely to bind on a rip cut. If you move the fence to the left of the blade you defeat the whole purpose.