# Right-Tilt or Left-Tilt Tablesaw



## blackcruzer (Oct 28, 2008)

Hi, I'm new to this site, been reading for a couple of weeks now and like all the info I come across. I've always wanted to get into woodworking and now I'm looking for a tablesaw. I'm thinking it'll be good thing to start with. What the deal with right-tilt and the left-tilt, is that just a personel preference thing or is there a reason for that? It seem like most of them are left-tilted saw. Thanks in advance for any info you share with me.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The advantage of a left tilt is that in cutting angles with the fence to the right of the blade, the piece being cut isn't trapped between the blade and the fence. If there is a waste piece as a result of the cut it is free of the blade.

Since most fence layouts are designed to be to the right of the blade, with a right tilt, the fence could be placed to the left of the blade if you have the room, and an angle could be cut that way. To some, having the fence to the left of the blade may not be a comfortable working position.


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## Geoguy (Feb 22, 2008)

Good explaination from Cabinetman. This topic/question seems to come up every few months. Try the following link for some previous answers to that question.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4243&highlight=left+tilt+table


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## blackcruzer (Oct 28, 2008)

Well thank you for the quick reply, alot of good info in these parts. I'll be looking at the lefty saw as I am right handed. Thanks again


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## LGC KX5 TC (Dec 23, 2008)

Ok i am new to this too, and i am confused on witch way the blade goes. The way i am understanding it is that if it is a LEFT TILT saw the top of the blade will tilt to the LEFT. Is this correct.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

LGC KX5 TC said:


> Ok i am new to this too, and i am confused on witch way the blade goes. The way i am understanding it is that if it is a LEFT TILT saw the top of the blade will tilt to the LEFT. Is this correct.


That's correct...

Tilt direction is really a matter of preference but there are differences both pro and con. I've owned both and prefer LT. The main advantage of left tilt is that the blade tilts away from the fence on a bevel cut, which is considered safer. But there's also the benefit that the arbor nut goes on from the right side, which favors putting it on with your right hand...it'll also have a normal thread orientation. Now for the downside...because the arbor flange is on the left, the right edge of the blade is registered to the zero reference of the tape cursor so blade thickness can effect the zero reference if you change blade thicknesses...like from full kerf to thin kerf. The work arounds are to either recalibrate the cursor, use a shim as a space to offset the thickness of a thinner blade, or measure by hand and ignore the saw's tape. There's also the benefit of having much lower likelihood of ever needing the rip capacity on the left side of the blade, meaning it's possible to slide the rail over to the right to gain some extra capacity on the right using the stock rails....you can get an extra 10" or so with most. 

Right tilt has the arbor flange on the right, so the right side of the blade registers against the flange meaning blade thickness changes don't make any difference. The blade tilts to the right toward the fence which creates a bit of a hazard....the work around is to move the fence to the left of the blade and do bevel cuts on that side, which is a less familiar operation, so has different hazards in itself. The arbor nut mounts from the left side and has reverse thread orientation, which requires left hand mounting...it's a minor thing to some but I found it a constant nuisance that I'd rather not deal with.


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## LGC KX5 TC (Dec 23, 2008)

Well the main reason i am looking at a right tilt saw is that i will probably get this saw











and i am planing on putting on the Incra table saw fence system for it. it looks like this










The main reason i want this fence is the quality and if you notice that it has the spot for a router in either of the table saw wings. You can slide the fence down to either router spot for use as a router fence also. I have limited space so something like this would be the best. I don't however want the router on the right hand side of the blade, because as you can imagine it would be a pain running things through it if you couldn't be in front of the bit. So i would want it to be on the left of the blade, but the problem there is if you look at the pic of the TS. the cabinet for the motor would be in the way of the router if i were to get a Left tilt saw. I saw the Incra system in a woodworkers show and was extremely impressed, If you have never seen it in action go Google it or check it out on youtube.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Note that most left tilt cabinet saws and hybrids have the motor cover on the left, but not all do. Steel City and Craftsman are two left tilt saws I can think of with the motor cover on the right, and there are likely others.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I don't know what this is worth if anything, but an update on our sales of jig kits reveals a couple of surprising observations. 

Our percentage of sales of right tilt jig systems has increased dramatically this year. It was not apparent to me mid year when I posted that about 3 in 10 of our orders were for right tilt kits compared to about 7 of them being left tilt.

I just did a quick look at the whole year and, unofficially it has averaged out at 4 in 10 orders for right tilt, maybe even a hair more than 4. 

The other thing I never noticed until recently, we used to get only an occasional overseas order for the jig kit so I never realized it until the past few months, but we have several overseas orders a week now and the overwhelming percentage of European and Japanese orders are right tilt. 

In fact I only counted 5 left tilt sales total overseas and none of them were to Europe or Japan (we get a high number of sales to Japan for some reason). What is the deal with that? Does Europe have something against left tilt?


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## IndyEd (Nov 10, 2008)

TexasTimbers said:


> What is the deal with that? Does Europe have something against left tilt?


Must come down to how everyone drives!


:no:Yep, that was bad!:no:


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