Left Blade Track Saw?

[TrackPack83]

I've been thinking about something for some time now.........why are all track saws right-hand blade?  Why not make a left-blade design so us "rightys" can have our dominate hand on the trigger grip and have a clear view of the blade?  Thoughts?

 

[Svar]

I hear you loud and clear. Another benefit is when mounted under the table the blade will tilt right, away from the sliding table, as it should. While at it, upgrade trunions on TS75 to at least that of 55REQ. The current ones are flimsy to say the least.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have read that over 2/3 of humans are right handed. The decision to make products that are right handed is probably cost versus market size.

 

[TrackPack83]

I have read that over 2/3 of humans are right handed. The decision to make products that are right handed is probably cost versus market size.

I hear you on the majority of people being right-handed.  I think left-handers make up about 10% of the population.  A left-blade saw would be tailored for a right-hand user, in my opinion.

 

[SWC]

  I've often wished for the opposite tilt on festool's track saw.  When I frame right-handed with a skilsaw (blade on left), I have become accustomed to watching the blade follow my cut-line; most times my 'waste' is on the right which allows me to pull measurements left to right.  By pulling measurements that direction my tape is oriented with the numbers/writing/divisions progressing the same way as any other thing I'm generally going to read, and feel I'll make less errors that way.  That being said, I know they make tape measures that have writing oriented both ways (not readily available in the brand of tape I prefer), and having the track eliminates the need for watching your cut-line during the cut.  I suppose my 'waste' would then fall on the left, and I'd have to pull measurements the 'wrong' way for myself.  Either way, having the option would be nice.  Then we would all need to double up on tracks so the sacrificial strip would be correct for each saw, some for left tilting and some for right tilting. [smile]

 

[Kev]

SUFFER YOU PATHETIC RIGHT HANDED PEOPLE!!! [mad] [mad] [mad] [big grin]

Hope you're miserable as all heck.

Not often us lefties score a beneficial win. The number of times I've heard some idiot say "... why don't you just use your right hand?" [huh]

Funny how left handed people tend to be more ambidextrous and right handed people can border on "spare limb" with their left hands.

 

[Holmz]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] the left hand is handy for a shifting in a RHD car, but what do you do for giving the bird?

 

[Kev]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] the left hand is handy for a shifting in a RHD car, but what do you do for giving the bird?

[member=40772]Holmz[/member] left/right for driving are paddle shift down/up .. windows stay up. Pacifist that I am, I would support head removal as a suitable punishment for people that go round sticking their fingers up in response to other motorists calling them on their discourteous driving [wink]

 

[AlexThePalex]

I've been thinking about something for some time now.........why are all track saws right-hand blade?  Why not make a left-blade design so us "rightys" can have our dominate hand on the trigger grip and have a clear view of the blade?  Thoughts?

Tracksaws are already optimised for right hand users. They just follow the design of standard circular saws which have been designed with right hand users in mind, since they make up 90% of the population.

And on which side of the saw you stand depends on what you're cutting.

 

[Holmz]

...

I would support head removal as a suitable punishment for people that go round sticking their fingers up in response to other motorists calling them on their discourteous driving [wink]

^This^ why when people ask for a recommendation on a car, I suggest any form of vapid transit [embarassed] in order to retain one's head.
Usually the bus, the ferry, or a bicycle, or a HANS.

Those paddles are schmiko.

 

[Svar]

Tracksaws are already optimised for right hand users. They just follow the design of standard circular saws which have been designed with right hand users in mind, since they make up 90% of the population.

By your logic worm drive saws and nearly all cordless saws have been designed with left hand users in mind since they have left blade setup.
The first circular saw was worm drive by Mitchel (Skilsaw) with left blade, because it is easier to use when held in the right hand. To overcome patents Porter Cable came up with right bladed "sidewinder" which is more common today.  Cordless saws broke up with sidewinder tradition by having left mounted blade. Worm drives popular among framers in US have always been left bladed.

 

[peter halle]

Personally as a right handed person (but still having a left hand with all its parts) I prefer circular saws not intended for use with a rail to have their blades on the left.  But when using a rail and a saw intended for rail usage I don't care that the blade is on the right.  I don't have to worry about the cut line because my rail dictates that.  When making long rips I will use my  [eek] left hand for guiding the saw  [eek] [eek].

Peter

 

[demographic]

I've been thinking about something for some time now.........why are all track saws right-hand blade?  Why not make a left-blade design so us "rightys" can have our dominate hand on the trigger grip and have a clear view of the blade?  Thoughts?

Tracksaws are already optimised for right hand users. They just follow the design of standard circular saws which have been designed with right hand users in mind, since they make up 90% of the population.

And on which side of the saw you stand depends on what you're cutting.

Err, have you ever had a go with a standard circ saw that has a left side blade?  Nice and easy, good line of sight for the blade against the line you are cutting to.

I'm right handed and find left side blades better on a normal circular saw.

 

[GhostFist]

Tracksaws are already optimised for right hand users. They just follow the design of standard circular saws which have been designed with right hand users in mind, since they make up 90% of the population.

By your logic worm drive saws and nearly all cordless saws have been designed with left hand users in mind since they have left blade setup.
The first circular saw was worm drive by Mitchel (Skilsaw) with left blade, because it is easier to use when held in the right hand. To overcome patents Porter Cable came up with right bladed "sidewinder" which is more common today.  Cordless saws broke up with sidewinder tradition by having left mounted blade. Worm drives popular among framers in US have always been left bladed.

Worm drive saws are designed for cutting straight down cutting rafter tails and the like.

 

[Svar]

Worm drive saws are designed for cutting straight down cutting rafter tails and the like.

They were designed to cut sugar cane. Good read here, including why sidewinder has right blade:http://www.asktooltalk.com/articles/toolhistory/divide.php

 

[GhostFist]

Worm drive saws are designed for cutting straight down cutting rafter tails and the like.

They were designed to cut sugar cane. Good read here, including why sidewinder has right blade:http://www.asktooltalk.com/articles/toolhistory/divide.php

Huh!

 

[TrackPack83]

bump

 

[Job and Knock]

I've been thinking about something for some time now.........why are all track saws right-hand blade?  Why not make a left-blade design so us "rightys" can have our dominate hand on the trigger grip and have a clear view of the blade?  Thoughts?

"Clear view of the blade"? On a plunging rail saw?  [eek]

 

[Ptk16]

I've been thinking about something for some time now.........why are all track saws right-hand blade?  Why not make a left-blade design so us "rightys" can have our dominate hand on the trigger grip and have a clear view of the blade?  Thoughts?

"Clear view of the blade"? On a plunging rail saw?  [eek]

That was my first reaction as well...the whole reason i use a track saw is so that I do NOT have to stare at cut line and know it will be straight.

 

[Svar]

I've been thinking about something for some time now.........why are all track saws right-hand blade?  Why not make a left-blade design so us "rightys" can have our dominate hand on the trigger grip and have a clear view of the blade?  Thoughts?

"Clear view of the blade"? On a plunging rail saw?  [eek]

That was my first reaction as well...the whole reason i use a track saw is so that I do NOT have to stare at cut line and know it will be straight.

I use my left hand doing long rips on a table. However, most of right handed people I see do it with their right hand, which looks really uncomfortable:
View attachment 1
Besides, left blade saw would work better mounted into CMS unit, namely, tilting away from the sliding table.