Great video! I was wondering why I felt so awkward when trying to cut a piece of lumber. I don't have my saw qith me but I am positive it is a left handed saw. I must purchase a new one.
I am a contractor and have used blade right saws exclusively for the last thirty years ,I am right handed .I find blade right superior but you have to buy a saw with uncluttered sight lines to see the blade,my Dewalt Flexvolt does a great job .Blade right saws are better because #1 the bulk of the shoe sits on the timber . #2 long point cuts are easier. #3 dust is blown away from your body. #4 they are safer ,the bulk of your body isn't inline with the blade on case of kick back .. #5 you can steady the timber with your left hand while cutting.
I’m not a professional just a homeowner and layman woodworker but It seems to me that the saws were designed to be used right side right handed and left side left handed, just seems safer. If the saw is being supported by the cutoff/waist side then I’m cutting from the wrong direction. If I just move to the opposite side of the work piece my saw is supported. I’m sure there are exceptions, just my limited experience.
@@ryanallen2887 Ryan, appreciate your comment and your humility. You already possess better knowledge of the fundamentals than most self professed ‘experts’ on RU-vid! The old saying goes, “Blade side, waste side”. I would add there are always exceptions, and YMMV. The Creator here covered all the bases fairly well, even though I disagreed with some points. Above all, make sure work piece is properly supported and NEVER PUT YOUR Hand(s) below the saw! Stay safe!
Really good explanation of using the speed square. I’m guilty of using it backwards as a fence for the saw. Makes much more sense now. I always like hearing the “why” of how you do things
I have both left and right battery saws and a right corded saw and a left worm drive saw. I use them all, but at different times according to the situation. Glad to see you demonstrating the speed square. I use the same method as you, having the pointed end toward me so that I get started as square as possible. I feel that it gives me more control over the board also, since I am pulling toward me with the left hand gripping the square against the board and pushing the saw away with the right hand. I had a friend helping me with a project. He had worked as a professional carpenter for years and wanted to always use the worm drive saw. That was what the pros use. Thanks for the video
Very interesting information, I was going to say just cut from the other side! And you showed it gets more complicated! Thanks for sharing, have to go look at mine to see it is right or left 😂
Great video Doug iam 65 and I never new there was a left and right saw till two years ago I got my brother in law a new saw for Christmas and it was a left hand saw I liked it but for the saw dust tks Doug good video
Thank you for this video. Im very new to woodworking and DIY. I bought a Dewalt right side blade saw and initially I thought I had made a mistake. Now, after seeing this video, I feel more confident about my purchase. Thank you.
I like that you identified the most important factor as being the workpiece supporting the weight of the motor (rather than line of sight to the blade) - completely agreed. If you addressed long rip cuts, though, I didn't catch that; that would be the one exception where I would say right-handed users benefit from a left blade - again, because the saw stays supported as you move forward into the offcut piece. I've found this works especially well because you are ideally using a different blade type for that type of cut anyway - that way you can have both saws set up simultaneously for two different tasks.
I am right handed and used a right side bladed saw for years, could never cut a straight line on a sheet of plywood, used a friends worm drive model 77 Skill saw with left side blade and discovered why all the contractors used them. Went out bought my own worm drive and gave the old saw away. Later when Dewalt came out with the 18 volt left side blade bought one of those and wore out several batteries, went to the 20 volt series and very happy with it. It is my go to saw for most cutting.
Very good video! I'm left handed and have a couple Milwaukee left blade saws. Makes sense why these work well for me. I use the same trick with the square. It works great!
Great video Doug, I think I have both versions (I have to double check). But I now have a better understanding of each. I don’t do a ton of rough carpentry, therefore I make most of my cuts with a miter box or table saw.
Doug, what's good about about both saws are, when you're making a cutoff on plywood, reaching across a 4 foot sheet. Most people only have an average reach of 32 to 36 inches and wouldn't be able to finish the cut without moving yourself or the saw. (Unless you're ADAM... he's 6'5" !!!)
Good insight to saws i didn’t realize it when I bought my Milwaukee saw until the first job I used it on its awkward went back to a corded circular saw
I'm comfortable with my left blade worm drive. I have bought a couple under powered cordless saws that have disappointed me. Looking into a Milwaukee cordless saw and now I'm lost on left or right. Thanks for that, 😆 Good selling points for right blade.
When I first got a battery saw they were only 5 or 5 1/2 left wound never used it much because the blades were expensive compared to the comparable 7 1/4 , and 30 plus years of carpenter work my corded saw became an attached body part like a 3rd arm. Now i see the righties i never picked one up but with the thin kerf blades i could see a younger guy getting to like it. Blessings
I'm left handed and usually cut off the left end of the board so I use a left blade saw. I keep a right blade saw around for the times it's more convenient to cut the right end and I'm almost equally comfortable either way. Another reason to keep both types of saws is for bevel cuts. One saw tilts to the right and the other tilts to the left.
Here again this ole guy can’t watch a Doug video without learning something. 😇 Congratulations on another informative episode on One Eye Customs! Tim in northern TN
I have zero issues with my left blade 2833-20. Easy to use, sits perfectly on material even with small side of the deck being on the material. My Skill right blade though… it doesn’t even left my work bench at home.
Fantastic video, most informative. I've never really considered left and right cutting saws, as I've always had RHS ones, however today I bought a cordless saw from Aldi ( a supermarket in the UK) 190mm blade, 40V brushless motor with LED and Laser, £40 amazing value, however when I get it home and open the box, I find it's a left hand cut, Why??? going to be used mainly for cutting off short bits from 150mm x 15mm cladding boards, as I'm right handed, RHS would be a much better option!
I use both types of saws left and right i prefer l left handed saw! In my experience the left handed saw doesn’t bind or wobble,just takes a bit of skill to control.
Yeah, I was also wondering which side to get... And as an n00b, naturally, I purchased a cheaper 5 1/2" left side blade SkiL saw. It serves me right so far but I'm having trouble when the cut-off side is extra small, just like the situation shown in this video. The cut usually end up a bit wobbly (?) or corrupted. This makes me really struggle on any long cuts (or rip cuts) on anything since the part cut off is always small in my situation. And yes, I'm a right handed person. So, I'm thinking of getting another one with right side blade. But this time, I'll invest a bit more. Perhaps something pretty accurate and not exactly powerful since I'm mostly ok with 5 1/2 saw anyway.
I’m a carpenter of more than 20 years…. I like a left hand blade… I am often scribing stuff so need to see the blade on the line… yes, you do get allot of saw dust in your face… but you also get much more accurate cuts… Also great for doing plunge cuts… I have people I work with that prefer right hand blade… I guess it comes down to personal preference…. But yea… left hand blade for me please…
I have both types of saws , cordless both Red tools and one corded Made in USA Milwaukee Wormdrive saw that is very heavy, I use mostly the blade left saw as it is lighter and I like seeing my cuts and let the lighter waste cut fall on the Rt side..I wish every saw came with a dust port for a shop vac!
One issue is if you're trying to stay in a particular platform, does that manufacturer offer both options? Ryobi does, but the 7 1/4" is left hand and the 5 1/2" and 6 1/2" saws are right hand. To me, the 7 1/4" saws are already limited by their size, so the other two aren't real options. I'd also like to see a blower port right in front of the blade that clears sawdust. Because while you're supposed to use the cutting guide on the platform, I prefer to watch the blade. I feel like you see errors sooner if you do. I don't remember if it was a Project Farm, Philly Fixed, or another channel, but there was a comparison and rating of how well you could see the saw blade, the cutting guide, and all that. Most saws are have better visibility on one side and none on the other, or just suck completely.
I think im wired wrong because as a lefty I prefer blade right despite the blade being closer to my body and spitting saw dust at me but giving me better line of sight. I have a skil 77 worm drive blade left and i use it rarely but i feel like the blade being in that side hinders my blade view despite a "viewing area" yeah the saw dust extracts away but i don't know. I work at Lowe's and we had a Skil 6 1/2 circ saw on clearance i got for $15 as it was. Display BUT for blade right in that size is rare. Rare enough unlike 7 1/4 where blade brand have their fancy markings etc made to show outward for the most part. My worm drive mounts the blade woth the "backside" facing out and i Don't know much about 6 1/2 but with 7 1/4 blade right most times all the saw manufacturering info and display are faced outward. I was confused on my 6 1/2 blade which happens to be blade right treating it as a blade right 7 1/4 until i discovered saw blade companies in 6 1/2 are soo used to blade left they started marking what i call the "wrong size" on the blade left saws so now all the markings are outward except my 6 1/2 saw is blade right so now i have to have the "back side" of the blade facing out. It's basically the same head scratcher for worm drives. I was soo used to blade right saws and the way manufacturers display their text and almost installed the 6 1/2 blade right saw blade backwards compared to the full sized blade right. Hope this makes sense. Cheers
I started out blade left, and the line of sight has that come with blade left are really important to me. That said i have had a blade right for the last year and i appreaciated the bulk of the show on the work piece and the dust shooting away. But i still miss the line of sight and the biggest factor is that most blade left saws are 6.5 in blades, so i always thought i was getting a lesser saw but now a smaller saw is preference. They all still go through a 2x4 haha. The main thing i hate about blade right is while using the square and the blade set to max depth your square hits the motor housing 😢
My solution is going back to blade left, and just staying precautious of vertical blade alignment. I want the smaller saw again... and milwaukee is about to release a new 6.5 in blade left fuel saw! Can't wait
@@nathanriddle4190 Hi I got the exact same problem when I used the circular saw at my first time. Motor is so low and block the square and I have to remove the square then the cut went to a little out of line:-(
Same here, never even thought about it but considering that I’m right handed, that’s my main saw. I have 5.5 inch trim saw from many years ago and it’s a lefty and it is awkward
I only use left bade saws main 6 1/2" and any rear handle saw. Rear handle saw is heavier but don't want to look behind my right hand to see where my line is located. If my line is too close i just plunge cut no issues. My FLEX rear handle eject the sawdust wherever i direct the dust to go and likewise my FLEX 6 1/2" inline saw. I refuse to purchase any tool that doesn't have light on it.
I am a lefty, obvious, i have a left hand side saw, we have same issues that you describe, but just in the mirror. Till couple of years ago, i thought, saws are for left handed or right handed persons 😂 Doesn't matter how is your saw, i always keep the wide side of the shoe on the pice that stay's on the bench
"It seems as if your (Contradicting) yourself on using the tool 🧐 first off, I'm (Prodominantly) right-handed ✋🏼, I use a (Left-Hand) circular saw for 2 reasons...(1) A clear & correct visual context during operations, (2) A more (Natural) momentum of flow along to the cutting tool, If board stability is required (Simply) "CLAMP (or) SECURE" the lumber on an (Open Circumference) instead of a (Closed) one." 🤷🏼♂️
Doug y Doo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😯 😂 @ 05:21 Golly gee, come at the cut from opposite side and your problem is solved! The old adage goes sumthin like: “ Blade side, waste side”. And between that and the angle on the end of the board all made for poor example? And yet at 05:41 You make a valid point and good example! ( A clamp can help out in this scenario. ). Therein lies the main difference, and conundrum of the two styles of saws. One way and a person can use a speed square, the other not. It boils down to Right VS Left, Ford VS Chevy, really? It is my humble opinion ( based upon owning several saws of each orientation ) that sidewinders do better as a right hand saw, and of corse worm drive/ worm drive ‘style’ saws as left handed. Worm drive can be very useful for cross cutting, as there is more weight back of and to the side, and anyone worth their ‘salt’ in cutting/ carpentry, knows to line up the cut and then just plunge/ rock the saw through the cut. * See ‘Essential Craftsman ‘. I sometimes will cut that way, but only if I have my worm drive out. I prefer to cross cut against a square, with a right handed sidewinder. Ripping: Either works, but here is where the left handed saws shine. Big sheet goods are already or they should be, well supported, and one merely cuts to the line, no fuss no muss. I DO NOT advocate using the old finger against the base as a guide, but it does work. STAY SAFE! Well, there is my synopsis on how/ why I use these two styles. Stay safe and stay well. 👍💪✌🇺🇸😊
Why wouldn't you cut in the opposite direction with a left blade saw so that the shoe is supported by the wood? I can understand preferring left or right blade, but cutting with the shoe off the piece and then complaining about poor stability is simply misusing the tool. Why wouldn't you support a large piece of plywood so that you aren't sagging when cutting? That's risking a bind and kickback no matter what kind of saw you use. Plastic sawhorses are 40 bucks a pair for the nice ones.
Jesus Christ, I literally just ordered that same 6 1/2 saw like 2 hours ago. You debunked every one of my reasons for getting it. I'm not even gonna take it out of the shipping box. Gonna take it back for the left blade model.
If you're trying to cut a long piece of plywood then it's better to use a left hand blade because you can just walk beside the plywood instead of just standing on the end well you can't really stand on the end if it's a long piece
@@MR70726 13:40 With the board in this position, instead of cutting from top to bottom as he's doing you can turn the saw 180° and cut from bottom to the top while walking along the left side. The only downside is that the motor would be on the left offcut side, but only really a problem when the offcut is small. I'm not tall either but I don't see how it's relevant.
I'm right handed and I have a right side blade saw. I hate it. I can't see what the blade is cutting because I'm standing to the left of the saw. If I had a left side blade I could see what the blade is cutting while still standing to the left of the saw. I didn't know a left blade existed. Time for a new one!
i bought a left blade intentionally, so I could see the line better. I didn't consider the discharge. Every time I use the saw all of the sawdust ends up on me. Now I have to buy a second saw. Thanks for the tip.
I have an old Milwaukee like yours. I converted it to a track saw. I am planning to buy a battery saw. This video was very helpful. It makes me wonder why construction workers made the worm drive skill saw so popular. It is a left-hand saw. Do you know why? The worm drive suggests it is a power issue but I never understood it's popularity.
Either left or right can be supported through the cut on plywood or anything else just start on the other side and go the opposite direction and voila they're switched. I cant count the number of times I've he as rd people mention this ad an advantage of one or the other without realizing if it's not supported and you switch sides it now is!! And I didnt notice this at first either and felt like a real dumbass when I did just so you know I'm not writing this to make fun of anyone but rather in the hope somebody reading this is like omg seriously.... that makes my life so much easier 🤦♂️
For the love of Noah's boat, someone make a 270 mm left sided blade, 240 corded, not worm drive( cuz the handle is too long and it's hard to handle), soft start that can go on a track. Is that too much to ask?
B*&^#@, B*&^#@, B*&^#@: complain if you were hung with a new rope. Spent my entire life cutting with a right-handed saw and... wait, left-handers must just be more adaptable. NIce video!
One “technique” you didn’t show is better with the blade-left saw. When you were cutting the osb, you had to stretch with both saws. What I do is start the cut from the other side and “walk” with the saw. So the blade-left is always on the board. Especially with long cuts or the whole length of the sheet, i’d rather walk with the saw than stretch. Hope that made sense.
Thank you for confirming I am not crazy. I bought my second saw in twenty years, a DeWalt kit with a left blade saw, and spent the weekend saying what the heck is wrong with this saw? I had sawdust in my eyes and I couldn't remember seeing the blade spin up to cut. I searched the internet over and over, then came across your video explaining left and right blade saws. Oh. I had a corded right blade saw that I lost five years ago, then replaced with the kit and didn't realize blade side mattered. I ordered a right blade saw and will keep the left blade saw for 1 out of 1,000 cuts I will do around the house.
@ 09:47 = flip the square around, so that the heel is at the beginning. This ‘locks’ the square in and it cant twist/ move away from the pressure of pushing the saw during the cut. Yes, I realize the effective support length will be less, but the tail end of the baseplate will have enough to finish through in the cut. This also gives the benefit of not having the saw motor ‘hang up’ on the lip of the square at the end of the cut. This is also safer. @ 11:49 I have to disagree with You! I appreciate You illustrating what I am discussing here, and You and others have made a valid point. But I say, if a person starts off the cut with the saw not at 90 degrees to the board, well, it ain't ever gonna get better, no matter how the square is orientated! You have a unique style, and offered up good perspectives on this subject, and at the end of the day it is just that: a matter of choice and individual perspective!
Start from the other side Then why do many professional carpenters use saws with saws with left side called worm drive. I use a saw with left side for breaking down plywood for cabinets.
