Replies

1. 
   ScottDoten | Sep 16, 2002 06:50pm | #1

   I'd pay very close attention to the direction in which the blade tilts.  If the blade tilts to the left the fence stays on the right side of the blade when cutting angles > 45 degrees.  Thus cutting a board on edge.  Then when it comes to ripping angled pieces when turning the board to rip the other side the angled edge runs along the fence where as if the blade tilts to the right the angled edge possibly will get hung-up under the fence.  Can you picture this possible problem? 

   You might all ready have a preference but if you don't you might want to consider what I mentioned.

1. 
   tschmaling | Sep 16, 2002 09:18pm | #2

   i'm officially going on-board as the only person totally against left-tilt. lol

   my goal isn't to offend anyone, and i think it's cool you can get whatever you want, i just don't see the safety advantages outweighing the convenience of being able to use your fence and it's respective needle for an accurate measurement. so far the only pieces i've been worried about kicking or getting pinched are small ones, and those are easily done with the fence on the left of the blade.

   just my opinion that i'm sharing with everyone ;)

   tony in wi

2. 
   JeffKurtz | Sep 16, 2002 11:06pm | #3

   Dick,

   You'll find a good discussion in this forum entitled "Cabinet saw suggestions, anyone?".

   Jeff

3. 
   MikeK50 | Sep 17, 2002 05:31am | #4

   Dick,

   I recently retired, and sold, my Shopsmith 510 and replaced it with a left tilt, 5HP (overkill) PM 66.  The 3 HP model is more than adequate.

   The PM 66 is hard to beat.  One can argue that the Canadian General has more robust trunnions, but the PM is one of the saws you'll find in pro cabinet shops most often in the U.S.

   Yes, it's a fair amount of money to pay, but the difference in cash won't be missed 10 years down the road.

   With a left-tilt saw, you cut angles with the blade angled away from the fence.  This will not cause the workpiece to bind between the blade and the fence.  People will argue that with a right-tilt saw, you can simply move the fence to the left of the blade.  While this is true, you would also have to press your workpiece to the right side of the fence.  If you have a large workpiece, you may not have enough table on the left side.

   Mike