Left tilt TS question

[Tom Godley]

I have my PM 2000 up and running now - very solid and smooth TS.

When I ordered the tool I also ordered an Incra 5000 - This is the miter with the sled attached. In putting it together I started to think about a few things because of the left tilt (being right tilt centric)

When making a bevel cut using a regular miter I would think it should be made from the right of the saw blade?

I also think that I should set up the Incra 5000 sled to work on the right of the blade - Am I correct?

What should I be thinking about - that I may not be - about this left tilt.

Thanks for any help!

[Eric Haycraft]

There should be instructions in the 5000 that show how to convert it to right side use. If not, check their website. You are correct that it needs to be used on the right for a left tilt saw (unless you never do bevel cuts).
Cuts not using the 5000 can be made on either side..whatever works for the particular cut.

[Chris Padilla]

Tom,

I thought about this for several minutes and I don't think it matters. It comes down to personal preference.

For starters, you'll "lose" your zero-clearence if you use the miter sled with the blade tilted. Unless you plan to have several extra sleds on hand for various miters, mostly the sled is meant for the blade to be at zero degrees (straight up).

Am I reading you correctly? :confused:

[Greg Hines, MD]

I would agree with Chris, that I do not use my cutoff sled at bevels. However, anyone familiar with David Marks knows that he uses numerous sleds, and has some built specifically for bevel cutting. You would just lose the zero clearance when you do that, if it matters.

I did read about a miter sled design that had replaceable 1/4" hardboard inserts for just that problem, where you could have zero clearance regardless of the bevel, but if I had an Incra 5000, I would keep it at 90 degrees.

Doc

[Bill Wyko]

actually with a left tilt you want the fence on the right of the blade otherwise you will cut the sliding table.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, in general your "good" part of the workpiece should be to the right of the blade when cutting bevels on a left-tilt saw.

[Tom Godley]

Thanks all:

I did go over the instructions -- first setting it up on the left. Then... about to cut the sled ... stopping ... then rebuilding the thing on the other side -- and still not sure of myself.

Chris: I think you are correct -- I will never use it with a bevel - but you can by getting other sections from Inca. I believe this is where I started to think too much :))

So should I plan on making my cuts using the miter from the right of the blade.


I am making an issue of this only because I will be doing more cutting now that I am getting back into the hobby - and I think that I should just relearn the correct way on this saw. In the end it will be the safer thing to do.


S

[Chris Rosenberger]

When I had a Unisaw I used the Incra 5000 on the left side of the blade. After changed to a Powermatic 66 I set it up on the left side of the blade. That was the way I was used to using it.