It's time to replace my old circular saw and I see that there are saws with
blades on both sides. The saws with blades on one side appear to be for
framing, and the others, I guess, are for general work. The old Porter
Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this is what I'm used
to. Thinking about typical uses, I see advantages and disadvantages for
each. Can someone tell me more about the differences? BTW, I'm right
handed.

- Magnusfarce

One way of thinking is direct drive right blade saws are best for for righties,
left blade saws for lefties. Idea is, if you hold a piece with your left hand,
the larger portion of the base is contacting the wood (for righties).
But then, the more robust worm drive saws preferred by framers tend to be left
blade, although they are better balanced and the sole plates are different. Go
figure.

The old Porter-Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this
is what I'm used to.

Why change a good thing? A new P-C will probably feel just right to you. HTH

Joe

"ß©©ß" wrote in message
...
I have never seen one with the blade on the left. That's really
bizarre. What's the point????

What is so bizarre about being left handed? About 17% of us are and having
the blade on the left is a big deal. When you get your head out of your ass
you will see there are things in this world you've never seen.

"Magnusfarce" wrote in message
...
It's time to replace my old circular saw and I see that there are saws
with
blades on both sides. The saws with blades on one side appear to be for
framing, and the others, I guess, are for general work. The old Porter
Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this is what I'm
used
to. Thinking about typical uses, I see advantages and disadvantages for
each. Can someone tell me more about the differences? BTW, I'm right
handed.

- Magnusfarce

My corded saw has the blade on the right and my battery saw has the blade on
the left.

I was thinking about that. You're right about the plate being on the
preferred side (on the supported or main piece of wood rather than on the
scrap) when the blade is on the right, but then the blade is obscured by the
saw and it's harder to see your line. I guess there's no way around that.

- Magnusfarce


"Joe Bobst" wrote in message
...
One way of thinking is direct drive right blade saws are best for for
righties,
left blade saws for lefties. Idea is, if you hold a piece with your left
hand,
the larger portion of the base is contacting the wood (for righties).
But then, the more robust worm drive saws preferred by framers tend to be
left
blade, although they are better balanced and the sole plates are
different. Go
figure.

The old Porter-Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and
this
is what I'm used to.

Why change a good thing? A new P-C will probably feel just right to you.
HTH

Joe

Left sided saws cut off your nuts on kickback, rightsided cut off your
foreman that was=A0to close PC is good, get the ' Foreman " model, or
the " nut " model;

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 22:28:07 -0800, "Magnusfarce"
wrote:

It's time to replace my old circular saw and I see that there are saws with
blades on both sides. The saws with blades on one side appear to be for
framing, and the others, I guess, are for general work. The old Porter
Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this is what I'm used
to. Thinking about typical uses, I see advantages and disadvantages for
each. Can someone tell me more about the differences? BTW, I'm right
handed.


We call them male and female sawblades here. One is good for cutting
tenons and the other for grooves, I forget which since they are more a
hassle than they are worth.. You have to store the sawblades in
separate boxes or else they tend to grab onto each other and its darn
difficult to pull those sharp teeth apart. But then with a bit of
luck you get a lot of little sawlets good for the Dremel saw
attachment.

It's funny, really. A right handed person should, you would think, have
the blade on the left side of the tool so your eye can see the cut while
holding the tool with your right hand. However, they are mostly found
on the right side, so when using the saw in your right hand, you have to
lean over the motor and guard to look at the cut. A few years ago I was
given a DeWalt 18 volt unit with the blade on the left side. DeWalt
lists this arrangement as a "feature!" It was very awkward for me
(right handed) at first. I now can go back and forth between the 2 with
no problems. So, using this theory, the majority of saws are designed
for the 17% (left handed people). Weird!

PaPaPeng wrote:
On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 22:28:07 -0800, "Magnusfarce"
wrote:


It's time to replace my old circular saw and I see that there are saws with
blades on both sides. The saws with blades on one side appear to be for
framing, and the others, I guess, are for general work. The old Porter
Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this is what I'm used
to. Thinking about typical uses, I see advantages and disadvantages for
each. Can someone tell me more about the differences? BTW, I'm right
handed.



We call them male and female sawblades here. One is good for cutting
tenons and the other for grooves, I forget which since they are more a
hassle than they are worth.. You have to store the sawblades in
separate boxes or else they tend to grab onto each other and its darn
difficult to pull those sharp teeth apart. But then with a bit of
luck you get a lot of little sawlets good for the Dremel saw
attachment.

Magnusfarce wrote:
It's time to replace my old circular saw and I see that there are saws with
blades on both sides. The saws with blades on one side appear to be for
framing, and the others, I guess, are for general work. The old Porter
Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this is what I'm used
to. Thinking about typical uses, I see advantages and disadvantages for
each. Can someone tell me more about the differences? BTW, I'm right
handed.

- Magnusfarce


The benifit of having the blade on the left side is that you can SEE
it when you are cutting if you are right handed. Most pro saws have the
blade on the left because they use it a lot. The consumer saws are on
the right because it is preceived to be "safer" for the inept homeowner
to use. On the right requires you to crane your neck over to the right,
looking over the saw, to see where the blade is cutting. Not the best
for accurate cuts.

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 22:28:07 -0800, "Magnusfarce"
wrote:

It's time to replace my old circular saw and I see that there are saws with
blades on both sides. The saws with blades on one side appear to be for
framing, and the others, I guess, are for general work. The old Porter
Cable I inherited has the blade on the right side, and this is what I'm used
to. Thinking about typical uses, I see advantages and disadvantages for
each. Can someone tell me more about the differences? BTW, I'm right
handed.

- Magnusfarce

If the saw directs the sawdust out the side of the blade housing,
using a right blade/right hand would direct it away from the user.