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Circular Saw - Right or Left Side Blade ?
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 |
#2
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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 |
#3
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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 |
#4
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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; |
#5
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"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. |
#6
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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. |
#7
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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. |
#8
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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. |
#9
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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. |
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