What's Wrong With This Picture?

[John McClanahan]

If I had time to waste, I would waste this guy's time to show me just how well this saw cuts. :eek::D

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like the arrow goes one way and the blade the other.

Though my knowledge of power tools is close to nil, it doesn't mean someone doesn't know less.

jtk

[David Falkner]

That saw was meant for the other side of the room. Probably had better light for the photo on this side... :D

[Bill Orbine]

There might be possibility the saw owner did that to cut aluminum or other non-ferrous metal. I note the blade is non-carbide.

[Todd Burch]

If it's the original owner, he might be starting to lose it mentally, so I would give him a brake.

I bought a thickness planer several years ago from such a man. He insisted that boards were to be fed into the out feed side of the planer. He was 80+ years old. He turned it on an even tried, bless his heart. It was a bit past time for him to be selling. An emotional roller coaster for him too. His wife had advertised the tools. He wasn't sure why I was there, so he thought he should demonstrate it to me. Then, he learned I was buying it, and he became VERY upset and his wife had to take him inside. But, after I gave her the cash, she showed him, and he was VERY excited. But, after he saw my trailer loaded, he was VERY upset again. It was awful.

[Dan Hintz]

I remember on my dad's Craftsman the blade mechanism rotated at least 90 degrees for dado cuts and such... could this one rotate 180? Seems like the dust outlet would be better pointed towards the back, so maybe the entire mechanism is just rotated.

[Tom Stenzel]

Super negative hook angle blade?

Actually I had just finished tightening the blade on my chop saw when I found I did this. Ouch. At least I didn't wind it up and burn something before I figured it out.

Never the time to do it right but always time to do it again.

-Tom

[Steve Peterson]

There might be possibility the saw owner did that to cut aluminum or other non-ferrous metal. I note the blade is non-carbide.

I bought a RAS with the worst possible blade mounted in it. Must have been a $5 stamped steel non-carbide blade. It made it through about 2 cuts before I tossed it. He probably put it on just to sell it.

Steve

[Mike Cozad]

If I took a picture of mine right now it would look exactly the same. My last project on it was vinyl siding. It cuts like a dream with the blade reversed... Maybe a similar situation?

[Lee Reep]

With the blade mounted backwards on a radial arm saw (or any saw, for that matter), you are trying to cut with the back side of the carbide teeth. Not only are they not sharpened on the back edges, they could be slightly rounded. That thing would shake/buzz like crazy when it touches the wood.

Mike, seems to me you are getting by because vinyl siding is soft and relatively thin. I'd be curious why you decided to mount the blade reversed.

[Rod Sheridan]

If it's the original owner, he might be starting to lose it mentally, so I would give him a brake.

I bought a thickness planer several years ago from such a man. He insisted that boards were to be fed into the out feed side of the planer. He was 80+ years old. He turned it on an even tried, bless his heart. It was a bit past time for him to be selling. An emotional roller coaster for him too. His wife had advertised the tools. He wasn't sure why I was there, so he thought he should demonstrate it to me. Then, he learned I was buying it, and he became VERY upset and his wife had to take him inside. But, after I gave her the cash, she showed him, and he was VERY excited. But, after he saw my trailer loaded, he was VERY upset again. It was awful.

Probably the nightmare we fear the most, as we can see ourselves in that...........Rod.

[Mike Cozad]

In researching how to hang vinyl siding, 2 manufacturers recommended it to reduce chipping during the cut. The1st 2 cuts did with the blade on normally ended up with a jagged edge. Once reversed, the cuts were nice and smooth.

[Larry Edgerton]

. I'd be curious why you decided to mount the blade reversed.

I am dating myself here, but reversing the blade to cut aluminum siding was just what you did 40 years ago. You would use a HSS plywood blade and it worked like a dream. Negative hook angle before that was something you could just go pick up. If you tried it with the blade the proper way it was actually dangerous as it would snag and do really bad things.

I'm not sure that is what this story is about, but there may well be a reasonable explanation. Or, the guys an idiot......