Hello All, New to the Site andwas wondering if any of you guys might answer a question. I have been in/out/around woodworking, homebuilding, construction sites for most of my life….. However a conversation at work the other day started me wondering. Why do most circular saws have there blades on the right side which makes it difficult for a right hander to see the line of cut. I have also notices that most worm-drive saws have the blade on the left ? Anybody know the answer or have theory on this ?
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I always thought that it must have something to do with the direct-drive saw being designed in the US while the gear driven saw was designed in Britain. But my uncle, who inherited the family contracting business, always said it was just because that's the way the motors spun.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Patriot,
I too have heard that when the saws first began to be produced, they only wound the motor in one direction which meant the blade could only be on the right hand side of the saw. Now days you have a choice. I use to use a right blade saw but I switched and I love the left blade sidewinders.
I think also and this is just my opinnion that worm drives place the blade on the left because of the length of their bodies, if the blade were on the opposite side of a worm drive it would be harder to see vs. a side winder. Sidewinders place the user more "over" the saw. Wormdrives place the user more "behind" the saw.
Chris
Side winders right handers. Worm left handers. History Channel - Modern marvels. Big Boys Toys week was something else.
Circular Sawa? Yeah, got one of those, also a drilla, a mitre boxa, a plana, an estwing hamma, and a swanson squara, like to listen to rock 'n rolla.
Patriot,
As long as all the rest of us auriculate bi-peds are espousing theories, I'll add my 2¢ to the stewpot.
I. When they first invented circular saws, they did not invision such trivialities as practicality. Thus, the first ones had the blade on the right and everyone else followed suit. Dumb follows dumb.
II. The circular saw was invented by a left-hander.
III. The weight of the motor would rest on the part of the board that is not being cut off.
~Peter
|""""""""""""""""""""||_ | CUBIT |||""|""___, |____________ ||_ _|||_|__|) !(@)'(@)""""**!(@)(@)*!(@)
Being a left handed contractor and artiste. I'm glad there is one tool in my truck made just for left handers.