Mark:

I remember reading of a (cabinet type) saw at approximately
the mid-eighties/early nineties but lost the article (in what, I don't
remember either) before I could read it in more detail.
Basically, all I got from it that I can remember was picture
captions and scanned it in a cursory manor.
As I recall from the drawings, the drive was accomplished via
the motor (enclosed) hung below the trunions and tensioned the
belt with it's weight - BUT - the motor/mandrel assy. was mounted
at an angle of 50-55deg. (+/-) relative to the blade and drove the
blade via a slender universal joint at the right side (relative the
operator) of the blade which turned in what looked like a beefier
variation of a bicycle's (rear) fork
The entire assembly moved via the action of a bit heavier than
most screw-shaft in a conventional manner.
Blade height was accomplished likewise but the weight was
dampened with a spring - similar in type to that on a screen door -
(both ends had a short piece of chain, presumably for adjustments)
connecting a cast-in loop on the table bottom in line with the trunion
pivot points to a point on the motor support at the pulley-end.
Thus enabling BOTH right AND left tilt, accommodating
WHATEVER circumstances that might arise !
And so at virtually no additional cost of production - beyond the
initial tooling - meaning 'they' would actually have to DO THAT
and not merely use parts mix-matched from others as patterns or
adaptations thereof.

Really, I thought it at least bordering on ingenious !

I can't help wondering why no one has filled this obvious need
before!? I just might have looked into it if I had the capital and sufficient
hours in the day.
Given the related 'Subject Line' traffic on the R vs. L tilt subject,
though there IS an over all preference for the right-tilt there, it
appears, DOES remain MUCH in the way of market for BOTH!?



Just a related recollection that I thought might be of help. (?)


Warmly, Griz



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On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 07:04:49 GMT, "Mark Jerde"
wrote:

"ISTR an ad several years ago for a tablesaw that tilted both left and right.
"It sticks out in my mind because I was just starting to enjoy creating
"sawdust in earnest and making useful items from the non-sawdust portions.
";-) For stationary power tools all I had was a Delta single speed scroll
"saw. I checked out a table saw book from my library & read it cover to
"cover. One section discussed (of course ;-) right vs. left tilt saws. One
"phrase sticks in my mind: "Some saws tilt left. Some tilt right. No table
"saws tilt both ways." Shortly thereafter I saw an ad for a saw that tilted
"both ways. It struck me because it was so different from the knowledge I'd
"recently gotten from the book. "Here is a saw that tilts both ways!" It
"was expensive so I requested no info from the manufacturer.
"
"I bought a bench Delta 10" table saw and used it for a couple years.
"Eventually -- and it took quite awhile g -- I needed a TS with more
"capability and accuracy. (My inaccuracies were far greater than the limits
"of its direct-drive, marginal fence and small table size. g)
"
"I upgraded to the bottom-of-the-line Grizzly contractor saw. It was heaven!
"With a good middle-cost blade I used the stock miter gage to cut a bunch of
"thin cutoffs from the end of a scrap pine 2"x4". They weren't quite thin
"enough to read through, but I did gather up samples and send them in snail
"mail to relatives. g In the letters I wrote,
" "This is what my new table saw can do. Notice how even and thin the 2x4"
"cutting is. If it's broken that happened after I dropped it in the mailbox.
"They were one piece when I put them in the envelope. For now the saw is
"much more accurate than I am. Someday, if my woodworking stills improve
"enough, I'd like to get a saw that is able to make cutoffs half as thick as
"these. You'd be able to read through them."
"
"I used the Grizzly a lot. Initially I was completely satisfied with the
"stock fence. But my woodworking skills continued to improve and eventually
"the small, random difference of the clamping of back edge of the fence
"affected the cuts I was making. I bought a used "Shop Fox Original" fence
"on the internet, expecting it to be an upgrade in accuracy from the Grizzly
"stock fence. To make a long story short, IMO the Shop Fox Original
"fence doesn't work nearly as well as the ads would have you believe and I'd
"like to replace it. A good new fence is a major portion of the purchase of
"a new saw, so why not look for a good new or used saw? G
"
"So I'm thinking of upgrading from a contractor TS to a "real" table saw, a
"220v contractor saw. Which way do I want it to tilt? Both! If I'm cutting
"an angle from the left side, I want that doggone blade angled away from me.
"If I'm ripping an angled cut from the right side, I still want that blade
"angled away from me. I've had two TS kickback accidents. The first was
"completely my fault -- a cutoff I didn't bother to take off the table got
"into the blade and came spinning back. The second was (probably) also my
"fault and wouldn't have happened if I'd been using a splitter as wide as the
"blade. (The stock splitter is very thin and may not have prevented the
"kickback had it been installed.) The second kickback occurred on July 20,
"2003 (I wrote the date on the ruined piece and keep it in the shop as a
"safety reminder.) The wood grazed my left hand as it spun off the TS and
"hit the freezer behind me. Standing there bleeding on the saw and the
"floor, I counted my fingers and was rejoicing to find 10 of them still
"attached to my hands. More than 3 months later my left hand still has scars
"from the accident. I hope the scars last another 100 years as a safety
"reminder.
"
"I'd really like for the table saw blade to always be tilted away from me
"when making angled cuts. If I had the space a solution would be to have
"both a left and right tilt table saw. But in my single-car garage shop I
"don't have the space.
"
"Do table saws that tilt to both left and right exist?
"
"Thanks!
"
" -- Mark
"