Why are cut off sleds always on the left?

[jim hollenback]

Just about any plans I see for cut off sleds for a table saw are on the left side. Why? Seems the right side would have more room.

[Ryan Baker]

Good question. I expect just because most people spend most of their time working on the left side of the blade. But the larger table on the right gives better support. I am going to move mine to the right side one of these days. Other than the ever-present accumulation of junk on my right table, that will be a better location for me.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm not sure i agree. The piece is supported by the sled, so the length of the saw table to the left or right of the blade is irrelevant.
In fact, since the fence 'in the way' on the right side of the table, if you were cross cutting a long piece, you'd have to slide the fence all the way to the right or even remove it. Having the sled on the left avoids having to do that.

[Jamie Buxton]

Hunh? People build cut-off sleds that are only on one side of the blade? That never occured to me. My sleds are pretty much as big as the top of the saw. The fence at the rear of the sled is full-width too. This gives maximum support for the workpiece and the off-cut, so everything is under as much control as possible.

[Phil Thien]

My cutoff sled runs to the left of the blade because my saw is right-tilt, and I wanted the blade tilted away from my hands when I'm tilting it.

[Leo Graywacz]

My sleds are on both sides of the blade. I don't use it to cut angles. If I need an angle and a sled I'll make another sled for that application. Or I'll use my Osborne miter gauge.

[Prashun Patel]

What about y'all's miter gauges? They run largely from the left, no?

[Leo Graywacz]

Depends on what you are doing and what tilt blade you have. I use it on both sides, whatever it takes to get the task done.

[Bill Huber]

If you build it off set and make the front and rear fence all the way across then you can turn the sled around and cut the 45 in it and you will have 2 slides in one.

[Huck Schwee]

Because the majority of people are right handed, once they push through the blade, they can easily use their right hand to move the cutoff or reposition the wood.

[Cody Colston]

Just about any plans I see for cut off sleds for a table saw are on the left side. Why? Seems the right side would have more room.

My sled straddles the blade with runners in both miter slots. My Osborne miter gauge is set up to use in the left miter slot because it just feels more natural for me to stand to the left of the blade. Plus, the fence pretty much stays on the right side and I often have an auxiliary block straddling the fence to use for registering stock against like for cutting tenons.

My panel cutting jig runs in the left miter slot, too. Again, it just feels more natural for me being right-handed.

If you want to build a cut-off sled to use on the right side of the blade, do it. Just make a mirror image of the plans for left side sleds.

[John Coloccia]

Mine is on the right. I didn't use plans. I just built it.

[Joseph Tarantino]

Just about any plans I see for cut off sleds for a table saw are on the left side. Why? Seems the right side would have more room.

because on right tilt saws, that's the side where the cut line doesn't change when a blade is changed. on a left tilt saw, the opposite is the case so the majority of the sled would be to the right of the blade.

[Leo Graywacz]

This is a sled I have for making angles for picture frame wainscoting. My main sled is is bigger and has a much more substantial fence. And no far side fence, just opened.

http://fototime.com/4C8881C9CF82AAC/orig.jpg

[Bruce Wrenn]

My Dubby fits the left mite slot, and my shop made panel cutter rides in right miter slot. I made drop off supports for both sides of blade. Next drop of support will probably be reversible so I can use it with either.

[Fred Voorhees]

Mine is on the right. I didn't use plans. I just built it.

Same here...mine is on the right side of the blade and I think I prefer it that way.

[Jim Riseborough]

mine is on the right for more support on the table. I am only using it for 90degree cuts, so should be ok hopefully. First one I have built, so we will see.