Embarassingly simple wood-working question

[kebwi]

Re: Embarassingly simple wood-working question

I don't understand that comment at all. What do you mean run the blade backwards? I was just talking about which hand you hold it with.

[fxpose]

Re: Embarassingly simple wood-working question

I didn't realize they made left handed circular saws (and I've owned several over the years). I'm so used to using my "right handed" circular saw with my left hand that it doesn't feel awkward and hinder its use.

[kebwi]

Re: Embarassingly simple wood-working question

GAH! I can't follow you at all. When you saw right-handed saw, I don't know which one you mean by that, thus my terminology above. Let me break it down here.

Do you hold your saw's trigger handle, the one in the rear, with your left or right hand?

Is your saw's blade on the left side of the motor or the right side of the motor?

That's it, that's all I want to know. :-)

[fxpose]

Re: Embarassingly simple wood-working question

I hold, trigger, and push my circular saw with my left hand. The blade is on the left, motor to the right.
Like I said, I've never seen a circular saw designed for left handed users (blade on the right side)

[kebwi]

Re: Embarassingly simple wood-working question

Thanks. They do seem to make them both ways and as far as I can tell, there are arguments both ways...which means maybe it doesn't make any difference.

...I'm new to this...my dad had a great woodshop when I was a kid and I did lots of small projects on my own, but I never ventured past drills and jigsaws when it came to his power tools. Now I'm 34 and I literally don't know how to old a circular saw. It's humiliating. :-)

Cheers!

[fxpose]

Re: Embarassingly simple wood-working question

Well, I guess they make circular saws for southpaws.... But I've never seen one in stores, otherwise I would have gotten one a long time ago and made my life a little easier...

QUOTE: (from a tool site)
"That tool you see in the commercials on TV with dad smiling at Christmas after opening his new circular saw is a direct drive saw. Direct drive, sidewinder, helical drive saws have a motor, generally on the right side of the blade, that is hooked up directly or via a simple helical gear from the motor. This is called a left-blade circular saw. It allows you to see the cut line while holding the tool in your right hand. There are right-blade circular saws for southpaws, but the left-handed people we know struggle along with right handed tools."

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EDIT: Now, I'm a little puzzled. I just visited the Skilsaw site and they've got a majority of their standard 7 1/4" circular saws with blades on the right side, but no mention of southpaw users.
Their larger worm drive saws all have blades on the left side.

I have 2 circular saws, one standard, one worm drive, and both have blades on the left side. I always thought that was the norm for all circular saws....