Replies

1. 
   Pascanale | Sep 20, 2005 04:23am | #1

   You have just entered the woodworkers' twilight zone...the left tilt saw....and as best as I can see it,

   - all the saws expand the table to the right

   - ideally, cutting with the blade at less than 90, the waste should be outboard of the fence. Otherwise, the material under the blade can become trapped and bind and kick back or at least, leave a less than ideal cut.

   Therefore, tilt the blade away from the fence, which is on the right.

   That's my take on it. I, too, am purchasing a new saw and am moving from "right-to-left".

   Scrappy

2. 
   Segil | Sep 20, 2005 02:15pm | #2

   Clive,

        I have a 12" slider that tilts to the more traditional right, and a 10" Jet that tilts to the left.  In my shop, both are necessary, but I use the left tilt 8o% of the time.  I like to be holding onto the piece thats trapped between the fence and the blade so I can push it through safely.  By the way, I'm right handed, and I think this has something to do with my preference.

3. 
   ring | Sep 20, 2005 02:40pm | #3

   Clive,

   This subject is a perennial point of contention, but I think it would be fair to say that either left or right is not a perfect solution for all situations.  If you understand what constitutes a potentially dangerous sawing set-up (with either saw) you will be OK.  What to buy depends on your needs, and as a relative newcomer it would be too much to expect a realistic analysis at this point. 

   My shop has a right-tilt 14" SCM slider, which gets used almost all of the time, because the sliding carriage has so many advantages.  

   We also have a Powermatic 10" left-tilt, which has an advantage when ripping with an angled blade, and especially comfy if you're a lefty.

   DR

4. 
   K1500 | Sep 20, 2005 06:55pm | #4

   I have a RT contractor saw and have worked on a RT cabinet saw (no LT saws yet).  I believe the measurement scale references off of the right edge of the blade on a RT saw and the left edge of the blade on a LT saw.  Thus, when you switch from a thin kerf to a full kerf (or dado) you lose the measurement capability of your fence scale.  I am not sure what happens when you angle the blade as far as measurement.  This is one of the drawbacks I have heard about with a LT saw. 

   I don't think a RT is that much of a disadvantage (although my eyes have not been opened by the use of a LT yet).  If you are ripping narrow bevels, just scoot the fence on the left of the blade (effectively mimicking a LT saw).  If you are ripping wide bevels, they are wide enough it doesn't matter that they are 'trapped' between the blade.

   I do see the advantage of a LT blade, but I just don't think is is big enough to worry about.  Of course, if you have the choice from the get go...then you have to think about it.

   My advice is worth what you paid for it, I don't have enough experience to truly debate the merits of each system.

5. 
   DonC | Sep 20, 2005 10:37pm | #5

   I prefer right tilt.

   1.) Plywoods are usually different thicknesses even when advertised as a certain thickness. A right tilt blade will reference all assembled joints from the outside edge for a perfect fit no matter what thickness the plywood is. a left tilt balde will reference from the inside and you will se a mismatch at the outside (visible) assembled edge joint. If you sand off this mismatch, the lighter core material will be exposed and show white. This is also why I prefer the Porter Cable biscuit cutter because it's fence references from the outside.

   2.) I always saw flat dimensioned stock. I've never expereinced kick-back with my right tilt saw. I would not attempt to saw stock that is not flat. A left tilt is more forgiving in this regard.

   3.) Now think about the 2nd rip cut on the same board. With left tilt you will have the fragile and fussy pointed edge of the first rip placed against the fence for this cut. Not the best seneriio. With my right tilt saw, I have added an auxillary fence that never gets removed. It has a 45 degree chamfer at the apex of the fence and table surface. This chamfer lets the FACE of the first rip cut slide against it and you have better contact, instead of the fragile, fuzzy edge like with left tilt. It's kinda had to verbalize. Hope this makes sence.

   Yea baby! Right tilt rules! hehe

   Don

   
   

   ---

   Edited 9/20/2005 3:41 pm ET by DonC

1. 
   clive | Sep 21, 2005 01:18am | #6

   Thank you DonC, and all that responded. It seems RT is the way to go for all for a number of reasons,  so why buck the system.

2. 
   oak | Nov 29, 2005 09:48pm | #11

   don... you said

   1.) Plywoods are usually different thicknesses even when advertised as a certain thickness. A right tilt blade will reference all assembled joints from the outside edge for a perfect fit no matter what thickness the plywood is. a left tilt balde will reference from the inside and you will se a mismatch at the outside (visible) assembled edge joint. If you sand off this mismatch, the lighter core material will be exposed and show white. This is also why I prefer the Porter Cable biscuit cutter because it's fence references from the outside.

   i dont quite understand what you are saying here, care to elaborate to this newbie..

6. 
   JMartinsky | Sep 21, 2005 02:45am | #7

   Tablesaws.......Left.
   Politics............Right

   :-)

   John

7. 
   rporcaro | Sep 21, 2005 07:16am | #8

   Ripping a bevel, on a plywood panel for example, is more safely done with the blade tilted away from the keeper piece. This would usually mean a left tilt blade since you would usually rip with the fence to the right side of the blade where there's more width capacity.

   For cross-cutting a bevel with the miter guage in the left side slot, you want the blade tilted to the right, ie away from the keeper piece.

   So you can't have it both ways. Or can you? What do you do?

   Find a saw you like and forget about the tilt issue unless you rip a lot of wide sheet stock (in which case choose left tilt). Remember, for example, if you have a right tilt blade you can always rip your bevels with the keeper piece to the left of the blade, albeit with less width capacity.

   Good luck.

   I have a headache now.

1. 
   clive | Sep 21, 2005 06:39pm | #9

   Thanks, I appreciate all the comments I have recieved and in a nutshell it seems that I  should just choose the saw I like,L or R and consider how to apply it.

1. 
   rporcaro | Sep 22, 2005 01:00am | #10

   Yes, I think that's about it.

8. 
   wood_donkey | Nov 29, 2005 10:35pm | #12

   Left tilt allows for the blade to tilt away from the fence on a beveled cut (not to pinch the stock under the blade - smart).  It also allows for the fence on the right when plain ripping, again smart.  So why did the right tilt develop?  From what I read, that is the way Delta did a long time ago, then everybody else copied the good design.  Now why do we rip to the right not the left?  A larger part of the population is right handed and "controls" the stock with the right hand/arm.

   So after all of that, the smart/safe way would be to go with the left tile, although it does position the user behind the stock when ripping with beveled cuts.  On a right tilt saw, you have to move the rip fence to the left of the blade to "safely" ie. not pinch the stock under the blade, and be able to stand out of the way of the ripping stock.

   The plain truth of the matter is no one person will have an argument that will sway another one way or the other is they believe the tilt type they choose is better.

   If I had a choice or was choosing again, I would go with the left tilt, more flexibility with set up and safety in mind.

   Donkey