left tilt vs. right tilt...

[chris fox]

I am a fairly new ww'er and own a Jet contractors saw. Works nice, but last night found out why I prefer a left tilt TS while I was cutting 45 deg miters for a puzzle box for my 18 mon son.
After cutting the first miter and rotating around to do the other end I realized the dangerous issue of pushing the piece along the fence with the mitre edge riding under the fence. I added a secondary piece of plywood but the realized the embossed 'JET' logo not helping my ability to safely cut a piece of wood. The idea of using my basic miter guage and clamp seemed like the solution but did a couple of practice passes(which I always do with the blade down) still seemed unsafe.
The next best soluton is running over to work and cut in on the workshop Powermatic TS. This being a left tilt offered the best and safest pass.
So my question is, is this a major reason for left tilt saws? What are the pros/cons for left tilt vs righ tilt?

Thanks again for this great forum with tons of info. yet to be learned...
chris

[Mark Rios]

Chris, there has been much debate, sometimes heated regarding this issue ever since the other handed saw was made (I don't know which came first). Since you are new here, let me sum up for you the basic conclusion that is undeniable:

Right tilt saws are EVIL and right tilt saw owners are EVIL too.

JUST KIDDING!

It is a debate that is and will continue to be discussed. I recently purchased a used Unisaw which happened to be right tilt. I found that I didn't like using the right tilt when I had to rip 45's and I wasn't comfortable with it after using a left tilt (my old saw) for so long. So, I"m going to sell it and get a left tilt.

Some say that the left tilt offers a certain measure of extra safety by not trapping the material under the blade and some say it's a matter of getting used to cutting a little differently. Some also say to put the fence on the other side of the saw but you can't do that for some larger pieces.

However, some right tilt owners/users love the right tilt and work best with it. So, the REAL conclusion is, use/buy what you are comfortable using. If you find a deal like say.....$500 for a brand new PM66 but it's a right tilt, then you have to decide if you can get used to the right tilt. If not, pass up the deal don't buy until you find a left tilt. It's really just up to you, there is no real "best", just what you find most comfortable. THAT"S what is most safe.

[Hoa Dinh]

...After cutting the first miter and rotating around to do the other end I realized the dangerous issue of pushing the piece along the fence with the mitre edge riding under the fence.

Note that you'd have the same "dangerous issue" with a left-tilt saw if the two bevel edges were in parallel (cross section is a parallelogram).

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Note that you'd have the same "dangerous issue" with a left-tilt saw if the two bevel edges were in parallel (cross section is a parallelogram).

Yeah, but how often is that going to happen...



50% of the time?

To me, the left-tilt / right tilt debate is like the argument over whether it's better to drive on the right or left side of the road. One is safer for right turns, the other for left turns. Hmmm... which do you do more often?

[Mike Cutler]

Chris.
I have both. A right tilt Jet, and a left tilt General. To me it doesn't make a difference either way. The fence on the Jet goes to the left of the blade( Backwards,I know), and the fence on the General goes to the right of the blade.

[chris fox]

thanks for the replies.
I have cut a few cuts with the fence on the left of the blade. I dont have extensions so I am limited on board width.
Not sure if I follow the danger of the second miter if the 1st miter cut is up on the fence vs. on the table where it could get wedged under the fence? Yes, the edge is reduced to a very thin material vs. .75",etc.
Since I use a left tilt at work and prefer this, this will probably be my next choice.
thanks again...

[Rennie Heuer]

Right tilt saws are EVIL and right tilt saw owners are EVIL too.

Mark, I don't usually think of myself as evil.

I own a right tilt, primarily because of 2 reasons.
1. When I purchased the saw (a Jet 3HP cabinet) I really did not understand the difference, and
2. I was fortunate enough (gloat coming) to pick it up at an auction for half the retail price - it was only a few months old.

After reading so many "opinions" on right tilts and how unsafe they were I was beginning to feel very much in an unwelcome minority. Then I noticed that Norm's Unisaw is right tilt. So, I figured that even though many do not consider Norm to be a "fine woodworker" that if he could turn out some very nice work, and show 10 fingers every week, that I could probably squeak by. (His other unsafe habits notwithstanding)

I imagine it comes down to a matter of preference, or, as in my case, economics.

[Bob Reeve]

I have a right tilt and love it. I have owned it for 3 years and have not once needed to make a bevel rip that was wider than I could achieve by putting the fence to the left. I have used both left & right. They are both fine. If you are already used to one style get that. I bought mine because of the deal I got. I have never regretted the decision.

The Evil Empire lives on
Bob

[Mark Rios]

Mark, I don't usually think of myself as evil.

Rennie, you do realize that it was a satirical joke, right?

I tried to emphasize that by the 5 "Big Grins".

[Rennie Heuer]

Rennie, you do realize that it was a satirical joke, right?

I tried to emphasize that by the 5 "Big Grins".

Yes, of course.
Perhaps I should have used a few more smilies myself to put the 'right tilt' on my remarks!

[Mark Rios]

Yes, of course.
Perhaps I should have used a few more smilies myself to put the 'right tilt' on my remarks!

Okey Dokey, that's good. I didn't want you to think that it was just some kind of off-handed remark.

(Your "right-tilt" was more clever. I couldn't think of anything better than that. I"ve got to hand it to you. )

[David Duke]

I had used a left tilt for over 25yrs, I was able to get a right tilt Uni 5 yrs ago and to be honest with you I still havent gotten use to it. I will say however that the right tilt does have its benifits such as being able to use my SmartMiter with the blade tilted. I currently have two TS the Uni and my old left tilt Craftsman, I hope to someday be able to retire the CM with the purchase of a left tilt Uni, that way I will have all options open.

[Bobby Nicks]

I used a left tilt Craftsman for a lot of years, then about 8 years ago I puchased a right tilt Uni. After taking a few weeks to get used to it I liked it. I'll never go back to left tilt. I don't believe that there is any danger cutting 45's on a right tilt saw if everything is setup right. Blade aligned correctly, fence correct, etc. And I love the fact that I can change blades, even put on a dado blade and the scale for the fence still reads correctly.

Bob

[glenn bradley]

"Perhaps I should have used a few more smilies myself to put the 'right tilt' on my remarks! "

OK . . . that one cracked me up!

[Nancy Laird]

Chris, see this thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ight=left+tilt

Very interesting discussing of right vs. left tilt saws.