Rip Capacity on the Left

[Dan Stuewe]

Forgive my lack of experiance or imagination, but why, on a left tilt saw, would there be need/want/desire for 12+" of rip capacity on the left side of the blade?

Thanks,

[Von Bickley]

If you were building kitchen cabinets with sheet goods and wanted to miter the corners of your base cabinets.

[Steve Clardy]

I have a right tilt 3hp.
Installed a new accusquare fence some time ago. Looong rails.
36 1/2" rip to right, 24 1/2" rip to left.
This lets me 22.5 or 45 a cabinet side panel, face up, for a clean rip.

[Jim DeLaney]

Forgive my lack of experiance or imagination, but why, on a left tilt saw, would there be need/want/desire for 12+" of rip capacity on the left side of the blade?

Thanks,

About a month after I got my Shop Fox cabinet saw (left tilting), I moved the fence rails to the right, to get a bigger cut capability to the right of the blade. Now, the fence (a Biesemeyer clone) cannot be moved to the left of the blade.

It's been about three years, and I have never missed being able to put the fence left of the blade. Never once. It's just not necessary. BTW, I've also built two complete kitchens worth of cabinets, and a whole munch of shop cabinets with this setup, too.

[oak barrett]

If you were building kitchen cabinets with sheet goods and wanted to miter the corners of your base cabinets.

hey von... im new to all this woodworking, but is that safer than flipping the stock and running it down the right side?

just trying to get a better picture in my head..

thanks

oak

[Jim O'Dell]

About a month after I got my Shop Fox cabinet saw (left tilting), I moved the fence rails to the right, to get a bigger cut capability to the right of the blade. Now, the fence (a Biesemeyer clone) cannot be moved to the left of the blade.

It's been about three years, and I have never missed being able to put the fence left of the blade. Never once. It's just not necessary. BTW, I've also built two complete kitchens worth of cabinets, and a whole munch of shop cabinets with this setup, too.

I've been thinking the same thing recently. I can't imagine a need to have to put the fence on the left side of the blade, regardless of the tilt. I do understand having the table to the left, unless you have a slider installed. Seems I could get a 48" capacity on the right side of my little contractor saw by moving the fence to the right. Just may do that when I get electricity in the shop, and move the rest of my tools out of the garage. Jim.

[Steve Clardy]

I've been thinking the same thing recently. I can't imagine a need to have to put the fence on the left side of the blade, regardless of the tilt. I do understand having the table to the left, unless you have a slider installed. Seems I could get a 48" capacity on the right side of my little contractor saw by moving the fence to the right. Just may do that when I get electricity in the shop, and move the rest of my tools out of the garage. Jim.

With a right tilt. Fence to left of blade. Doing a bevel cut, cuts are cleaner.
Panel, wood, whatever, are face up. Chip out, tears, are on the bottom of cut.

This is why a left tilt with fence on right gives cleaner cuts.
So with a right tilt, you need fence capitablities on the left side of blade.

[Von Bickley]

hey von... im new to all this woodworking, but is that safer than flipping the stock and running it down the right side?

just trying to get a better picture in my head..

thanks

oak

I always try to cut plywood with the face side up for a cleaner cut. That's the way I was taught.

[Jim DeLaney]

With a right tilt. Fence to left of blade. Doing a bevel cut, cuts are cleaner.
Panel, wood, whatever, are face up. Chip out, tears, are on the bottom of cut.

This is why a left tilt with fence on right gives cleaner cuts.
So with a right tilt, you need fence capitablities on the left side of blade.

The stock can still be cut face-up on a left tilt saw, with the fence to the right. Just a matter of cutting "bottom-to-top" versus "top-to-bottom." Results are the same.

[Jim DeLaney]

I've been thinking the same thing recently. I can't imagine a need to have to put the fence on the left side of the blade, regardless of the tilt. I do understand having the table to the left, unless you have a slider installed. Seems I could get a 48" capacity on the right side of my little contractor saw by moving the fence to the right. Just may do that when I get electricity in the shop, and move the rest of my tools out of the garage. Jim.

With a Biese-style fence, it's quite easy. The mounting holes on the bottom of the square tube part of the front rail are evenly spaced. All you have to do is shift the square tube one (or two) sets of holes to the right and reinstall the mounting screws. It'll take about ten minutes - plus, of course, the time and cost of installing a new tape measure on the tube.

[Steve Clardy]

The stock can still be cut face-up on a left tilt saw, with the fence to the right. Just a matter of cutting "bottom-to-top" versus "top-to-bottom." Results are the same.

Yes Jim. We are together on our thoughts.
If I ever have another need for another cab saw, it will be left tilt.

[Von Bickley]

Yes Jim. We are together on our thoughts.
If I ever have another need for another cab saw, it will be left tilt.

Steve,
Amen on the "Left Tilt". My present saw is a right tilt and I will never have another one.

[oak barrett]

thanks von...

[Greg Rogers]

I realize this is a very old thread, but could someone explain "cutting "bottom-to-top" versus "top-to-bottom." Thanks.

[glenn bradley]

I realize this is a very old thread, but could someone explain "cutting "bottom-to-top" versus "top-to-bottom." Thanks.

I believe they are referring to which side the tooth's cutting edge contacts initially. Veneered goods like most sheetgoods cut cleaner with the good side up. This mens the cutting edge plunges through the veneer which is supported by the underlying material. If the veneer is down, the cutting edge plunges through it and into open space as it continues it's journey around the blade. Unsupported material tends to tearout, veneers even more-so than solids (in general). This is why for cross cuts you see backer boards in play.