Why Right Hand Blade on Most Track Saws?

[Ron Selzer]

It is mostly person preference which comes from what you started on and are more familial with.

I agree 100% with you Tom. Just don't understand the people who say right hand only for sidewinders and left hand only for worm drive. I run both right handed 100% of the time, also try hard to keep the motor of the saw on the piece that I am keeping.
Ron

[mike stenson]

I think it’s a conspiracy created by the same people that use metric for woodworking!

I prefer to do non-professional math doing multiplication, addition and subtraction, including calculating the multiples needed to get to 0 while consuming beverages and throwing pointy things.

professionally, I end up mostly doing it in hex.

[Michael Burnside]

Don't forget to take a look at the Milwaukee track saw. I did a lot of research and asked for the Milwaukee for Christmas. By golly, I got one. Now if I can just find some track...

You still don’t have a track?!?

[Jim Dwight]

I agree with the "doesn't make much difference" and "left hand on the track" points of view. I own a DeWalt and use an "Evolution" at church. Both are blade on the right. I use DeWalt track clamps sometimes (they are the best, I believe) but usually I just stabilize the track with my left hand. It seems like that would be harder if the blade was closer to me than the track. The DeWalt cuts in both directions, however, so you can set it up the way you want. The blade is on the right but if you use the other edge of the track the blade would be closer to you. But it feels more natural to use my left hand on the saw if I cut in that direction. I am right handed but left eye dominate and can do simple things with my left hand. Cutting with a track saw is pretty simple.

[Jack Frederick]

Jim, like you I am Rt hand, Left eyed. Never knew that until in my 20’s a Rangemaster stood behind me and said I was crossing over. As to the track saw, I’ve had the TS55 for a long time. It does not matter to me what side the blade is on as I only use it on the guide rails. Once the rails are set and clamped you simply pull the trigger and follow along either R or L handed. My biggest issue is clearing the cord and vac hose. I do use the clamps all the time now as some years ago I decided at about max reach I could just lift the saw off the rail, modifying the rail.

[andy bessette]

I never clamp the rail.

[Holmes Anderson]

Not really a learning curve but the right side tracksaw blade may feel awkward. I have right and left side circular saws and am right handed. A Right side blade is more comfortable for short cross cuts (1xs and 2xs) with the off-cut falling to the ground. A left side blade is more comfortable for long cuts that require you to move your entire body, like breaking down sheet goods. I have the Makita track saw and I would prefer that it had a left sided blade because it is almost always used on sheet goods. The track should not have to be held down with your free hand.

[Edward Weber]

I have right and left side circular saws and am right handed. A Right side blade is more comfortable for short cross cuts (1xs and 2xs) with the off-cut falling to the ground. A left side blade is more comfortable for long cuts that require you to move your entire body, like breaking down sheet goods.

I agree and was hoping someone would address this.

[Alan Lightstone]

I never clamp the rail.

I always clamp the rail. Oh, and growing up in NYC I learned never to touch the 3rd rail. Just sayin...

[Jim Becker]

I rarely clamp the rail on long cuts, but do clamp on short and "creative" cuts, especially with my short rail since it has less mass to keep it in place.

[Tom Bussey]

I Answered this post because of the right or left hand position of the blade. I will say be up front and say that I still do not own one. There are still two issues for me and one is the right hand feed for me. The other is money.

First off it is hard to just change your ways of doing things one way for 50 plus years and plus of doing it a different way. The only reason I can see for a track saw put a straight edge on a board effortlessly. I go to the saw mil and buy it rough cut or skip planned two sides. When I break down plywood I do it out side. It seems work out well that way and I could also do it that way with a track saw.

I have looked at the Kreg track saw At Wood Craft and to me I like that it was to me a right hand feed. It never occurred to me that I could stand on the other side of the operation. So I never really though if it fact it could ne uses as a right hand feed.

If I were to get a track saw I would like to have a battery saw and loose the cord. that rules out Kreg. I am also heavily invest in Makita battery tools I have more than enough batteries to use the tools continuously and never run out of power so that brings me the fact I have to spend $459 plus track plus track to be able to do what I already can do kind of stops me from owning one.

[Dave Sabo]

I Answered this post because of the right or left hand position of the blade. I will say be up front and say that I still do not own one. There are still two issues for me and one is the right hand feed for me. The other is money.

First off it is hard to just change your ways of doing things one way for 50 plus years and plus of doing it a different way. The only reason I can see for a track saw put a straight edge on a board effortlessly. I go to the saw mil and buy it rough cut or skip planned two sides. When I break down plywood I do it out side. It seems work out well that way and I could also do it that way with a track saw.

I have looked at the Kreg track saw At Wood Craft and to me I like that it was to me a right hand feed. It never occurred to me that I could stand on the other side of the operation. So I never really though if it fact it could ne uses as a right hand feed.

If I were to get a track saw I would like to have a battery saw and loose the cord. that rules out Kreg. I am also heavily invest in Makita battery tools I have more than enough batteries to use the tools continuously and never run out of power so that brings me the fact I have to spend $459 plus track plus track to be able to do what I already can do kind of stops me from owning one.

I see Makita battery track saws all the time on the secondary market for $300, sometimes less.

There are several chingchongchang tracksaws with tracks on BigRiver for less than $200 !

It kinda begs the question......why are you even considering a track saw in the first place ???

[Michael Schuch]

90% of the time I use my left hand to operate my track saw. I prefer a left blade skill saw because I have better control of the saw and can keep it lined up better with my dominant right hand. With a track saw the track is clamped to the stock and the saw is locked into the track... there is practically no dexterity required to get a good clean straight cut with a track saw. If your left arm isn't disabled you should have no problem adapting to cutting with your left hand the majority of the time.

Generally my save piece is much wider than my offcut so I stand to the right of the offcut and use my left hand instead of reaching over the wide save piece on saw horses to make a cut with my right hand. Smaller narrower pieces get cut on the table saw.