Anyone else think bandsaws are backwards?

[Greg Roberts]

Is it just me, or shouldn't we be cutting from the other side of the bandsaw? Just like a table saw.

Greg

[Van Huskey]

Is it just me, or shouldn't we be cutting from the other side of the bandsaw? Just like a table saw.

Greg

I have never really thought about it but "backwards" bandsaws do exist, mainly in the meat cutting industry I think.

[Peter Quinn]

Not sure I follow your logic. You mean fence relative to body position? Problem with that on a BS is that large frame in the way of any off cut wider than your BS's throat. Unless you would like to have the entire frame to your right side as a right hander? For curved work I am more comfortable the way most saws sit now than the reverse.

Don't meat cutting BS's work the way you suggest? Perhaps you should look at a Hobart meat saw? I have seen a few wood workers that use them.

[John McClanahan]

I use a "backwards" bandsaw at work (not a meat saw). Other than getting used to it, I don't find any difference.

John

[Mark Ashmeade]

Stand on the other side of it. Job done

[Greg Roberts]

Not sure I follow your logic. You mean fence relative to body position? Problem with that on a BS is that large frame in the way of any off cut wider than your BS's throat. Unless you would like to have the entire frame to your right side as a right hander? For curved work I am more comfortable the way most saws sit now than the reverse.

Don't meat cutting BS's work the way you suggest? Perhaps you should look at a Hobart meat saw? I have seen a few wood workers that use them.

I mean we have to use our left hands to push a piece of wood through between the fence and the blade. When I finally figure out what I'm going to buy for a BS, and get it set up at my shop, I'd like to use it in place of my TS for simple cuts. I was thinking about this today, and it seems like it would be a lot better if it was set up to cut from the same side that I stand on with my TS.

I'm going to have to get used to pushing stock through with my left hand. Uggh.

Greg

[mreza Salav]

You are not alone. I have felt that way too. To have to push (for a rim between fence and blade) with my left hand (while I'm a right hand person) takes some time to get used to.

[Keith Westfall]

Turn your blade inside out, put it back on, and fill your boots...

Well, except for some guides and other things I guess!

Makes you wonder where and why it started out that way...

[Matt Day]

Maybe table saws are backwards?

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Hmm, my Inca bandsaw operates just as you would like a bandsaw to operate--- so I guess all of those other bandsaws are backwards!!

[Anthony Whitesell]

I was thinking the the table and fence are on the wrong side of the blade (to the left instead of the right). I never gave the frame itself much thought. But then again, I also thought I was the only one that was thinking about this, I guess I wasn't.

[Rich Aldrich]

I mean we have to use our left hands to push a piece of wood through between the fence and the blade. When I finally figure out what I'm going to buy for a BS, and get it set up at my shop, I'd like to use it in place of my TS for simple cuts. I was thinking about this today, and it seems like it would be a lot better if it was set up to cut from the same side that I stand on with my TS.

I'm going to have to get used to pushing stock through with my left hand. Uggh.

Greg

The left handed people finally getting even with the right handed people. The band saw was designed by a lefty! Just kidding.

[Robert Reece]

It never really bothered me to use my left hand, but I do see the point. Sometimes I am moving around a bit to get my hands the way I want them. Another positive to using your left hand is that if there is an accident, it will likely be on your left hand (which would only be a "positive" for right handed people). I cut the tip of my finger off on the bandsaw and had it been reversed, it definitely would have been my right.

[Gene Howe]

Hmmmm. I never gave it a thought, but now I realize that I've always pushed the work with my right hand (being a rightie). If it's a straight cut off operation or a resaw, I use the right to push the work past the blade. I set up my resawing operations so that the thinner piece comes off the left side. Always done it that way. I guess, because I favor my right hand. Were I a leftie, I'd probably have set it up the other way.

[Mark Woodmark]

Is it just me, or shouldn't we be cutting from the other side of the bandsaw? Just like a table saw.

Greg

Do mean backwards as in upside down?