circular saws
#21
I guess I like my drop off to be on the , ( example) right on a right sided saw, and to the left on a left sided saw. That way the bulk of the weight of the saw always rests on the part that is the least tippy. I  prefer not to catch the saw and the drop off as the material drops. In my trade when cutting sheet  goods ( 1/8 to 1inch aluminum) one wanted the saw to rest on the biggest piece of material and an air powers circular saw is not fun to catch when the cut is done.

Believe me, I know all about supporting both the main piece and the cut off and if it is a bar of steel it is a lot more important so lets not let that inter into the equation. And After watching people in the construction trade use a circular saw I am amassed at the skill lever they have. A level I will never reach because I am more into furniture.

I was in Menards, a big boxes store in my area. and not one of the corded saws were lift sided and not one of the battery operated saws were right sided. Now there is a Home Depot, Lowes, and another Menards another 15 minute drive away. And all three are with in a 1/2 mile circle of each other. But since the first Menards is a 45 minute drive for me in the first place and both Menards are bigger than the other two and have more help and if you ask any employee where something is they will stop what they are doing and  take you there even if it is on the other side of the store or find someone who can,  guess which store I prefer.

But my store preference in this case has caused me some problems because if I went to Home Depot more often I would have lifetime warrantees on tools and battery's. And I guess I find it a shame that there aren't more choices on what tools one prefers

I guess this is a case of, if I knew then what I know I would have made a different choice. And I like to think we have all been there.

So now I guess we are back to preference, but I hope I have pointed out a few thing that might be of interest to some people making future purchases.

PS. My preference now is to use a battery powered saber saw to cut rough lumber to length.

Tom
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#22
(01-16-2017, 02:44 AM)Downwindtracker2 Wrote: My theory was framers liked worm drives so the battery powered ones were designed for framers. I worked for a number of years as a form carpenter, I wanted that blade as far away from me as possible. We used right handed sidewinders. They balanced better.  And  yes they are left handed as are worm drives.

Whether framers tend to use worm drives or sidewinders (spur drive) saws has a lot to do with geography, in some parts of the country you see almost no worm drives on framing crews and other areas that is almost all you see.
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#23
(01-16-2017, 11:31 AM)tablesawtom Wrote: I am amassed at the skill lever they have. A level I will never reach because I am more into furniture.

Tom

Tom I'll wager if you built one deck you would be feeling all smug with your circ saw capabilities. Not much different than a bike. First few tries, you fell down, then for life you were up and going, didn't matter what bike. girls or boys, you were just peddling. Not much different with a circ saw. Like Tony Perez and hitting baseballs, see de ball, heet de ball. See the line, cut the line is the circ saw mantra.
Big Grin
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya

GW
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#24
I catalog circ saws by which side has the most platen area. I learned with a right handed saw, cutting a board on the right hand end(as you face the cut) so the largest platen is on the left side, the blade is on the right, and the cutoff falls to the right.

When I started building houses with HfH, I bought a Skil Mag77---and had to learn all over again. Instead of measuring for right handed cutoffs, I had to do everything backwards, measuring and cutting so the cutoff fell to the left, since the largest platen area of the saw was to the right and the blade was on the left.

I do prefer right handed saws, to me it is not a matter of line of sight, but measuring/cutting/offcut fall.

I prefer left tilt table saws, however.
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#25
Thinking about it some more, it's dumbing them down,putting the blade on the left allows the weekend warriors to see the line easier.
A man of foolish pursuits
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#26
I'm sitting here wondering which side my circular saws blades are on. I guess it doesn't matter to me then.

It would be nice not to have to look over the saw at the cut, but it's never bothered me- until now.
Smirk

 Since I mentioned it- I guess they are right bladers.
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#27
I never really thought much about why I like a worm drive saw until I read this. 

it is so much easier for me to set up a guide on something I want to cut  be it a speed square to guide a cut on a 2x4 or a shop built straightedge guide to cut of the top or bottom of a door or piece of sheet stock

I can guide the saw with my right hand and hold the guide (speed square) with my left or push against the straightedge with my left to keep the saw under control. 

To me it is awkward to do either operation with a sidewinder (right blade) saw 

The one place I do like a sidewinder is a bosch that has the ability to tilt to 60*
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future  John F. Kennedy 



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#28
Big fan of blade on left side of the saw (worm drive style, as that was my first saw, and still use 30-some years later), as I like to see what I am cutting. My 6" Porter Cable SawBoss also has the same configuration, while not a worm drive. Very much the oddity of corded saws, while seemingly the standard for cordless...
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#29
(01-17-2017, 05:05 PM)brianwelch Wrote: Big fan of blade on left side of the saw (worm drive style, as that was my first saw, and still use 30-some years later), as I like to see what I am cutting. My 6" Porter Cable SawBoss also has the same configuration, while not a worm drive. Very much the oddity of corded saws, while seemingly the standard for cordless...


      Porter cable had several left bladed saws right up until they were bought by black and decker and they ceased production of almost all their products. I have one but it isn't the one with the blade brake. Need to see if I can upgrade it to the blade brake switch.
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#30
(01-17-2017, 05:05 PM)brianwelch Wrote: Big fan of blade on left side of the saw (worm drive style, as that was my first saw, and still use 30-some years later), as I like to see what I am cutting. My 6" Porter Cable SawBoss also has the same configuration, while not a worm drive. Very much the oddity of corded saws, while seemingly the standard for cordless...

I have the same -- Skil 7-1/4 " worm drive and Porter Cable 6" Saw Boss. You can, of course, still buy updated versions of the legendary Skil 77, and you can find the 6" PC Saw Boss on eBay.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/SKILSAW-15-Am.../204955640

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40...s&_sacat=0
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