As a left hander myself, you’re better off getting a standard saw and learning to use it right handed. MFT’s and tracks are all designed to be operated like that.
They had available corded left hand blade saws , Bosch CSW41 and CS5 , DeWalt DW5535 and SKIL had several model , all gone or hard to find . Think only one left is Big Foot with 10" blade , for US market .
I got my Skillsaw in 1981 as a 16 year old apprentice. I can still smell it now out of the box, the black and gold colour looked too good to use on a building site. I'm 60 now and still a carpenter and it's always intrigued me why the blade was never on the left and now I know. I would have taken my fingers off on the first go as that "know it all" apprentice. Great video, always appreciate when you post.
@@disqusrubbish5467 Hay...I mean Hey...that's true. Bosch and a couple others offer saws with the blade on the other side too. Wasn't the Fuego blade on the other side? I've forgotten now. I love Skilsaw but I hate Stanley Black & Decker.
Back in the day porter cable made a left handed circular saw, which I bought as a righty. One of my favorite tools of all time. It’s got to be 30 years old and I still use it on a regular basis. I went to buy my brother, a circular saw for Christmas a few years ago and could not find a lefty model anywhere. It’s nice to see that they make some lefties now, even if they are battery powered.
Never even realised this, owning both the plunge saw and cordless saw, both makitas... I guess that, when I felt the base was unstable, I just came at it from the opposite side of the board? The moment I saw the Milwaukee one I thought: that must be Keith's saw 😄
My woodshop teacher back in middle school told us to always have the motor over the workpiece, not the offcut, and to switch sides as needed. Always seemed obvious to me.
@@NSResponder yes, BUT if you want use the speed square trick, the one where you hold the square in one hand and use that as a guide for the saw, it won't be possible to have the motor over the workpiece if you're using a saw that has the blade on the left. Perfect example of this in the video at 3:30
Thanks for your great video. Tip suggestion. My blase is also on the left side and when I'm in the situation you show at 3:10 minute mark in your video, I just cut it from the opposite side of the board so the wider side of the saw is resting on the board and just line up the cut with the other side of the blade. Hope this helps.
I have both blade right and left saws. I agree that when you are cutting off the end of a table or saw horses and your offcut is unsupported then blade right is more stable. For blade left, if you are right handed, you want to support your offcut. You can cut on a bench and place scrap wood blocks underneath your workpiece to support both the work side and the waste side. You could also put some kind of foam board underneath your entire workpiece. One issue with my blade right saw is that the motor protrudes on the left. So when i use a speed square as a guide and cut full depth, the speed square edge can interfere with the motor, which is frustrating. Either right or left work for me as long as i set up my cut appropriately. I just have to set up my cut differently depending on whether i am cutting with blade right or left if i want a fully supported cut and if i want to use a guide.
Now that I've actually thought about it, I've realised that I just switch hands and/or cut from the oppsite direction but I suppose that I'm lucky because I can use either hand. I agree with the track saw comment about getting neater and more accurate cuts. It's the one thing that I've bought in the last few years that has really lifted the standard of my projects.
Agree. I'm left-handed and when I'm trimming of an inch of a board with a left-blade saw I support the board with my weak hand and guide the saw with my strong hand. The wide baseplate on the right suits me. But I've got a right-blad saw too. 🙃
This is something I had never considered. My first circular saw was a B&D drill attachment. I was just 14 but always into woodwork. I had never until tonight thought about saws being handed. Food for thought & nice work.
Another informative video on something that I should have knew, but had never paid that much attention to. My tip to save fingers on a leftt hand saw and help in other obvious ways, cut all wood / sheets on a insulation sheet. Fully supports work work, no balancing Nothing drops on floor. No damage to end of wood as weight snaps last 10mm or so off. or having to use other hand to try and catch. Impossible to touch blade with fingers.
As a left handed person in a right hand world and retired carpenter I have used right handed saws and power tools either handed. I do have one left hand skill saw and it was for cutting stair stringers where I needed a 45* cut for the riser. It is a 6 1/2 skill brand cord saw. Didn’t know they quit making them left handed.
When I saw the red tool I knew were you got that from lol. I’m left handed so I do find certain tools harder to use than others. I’m a big fan of the yellow stuff. Main stream tools are very much like cars these days not really a bad one. The basic choice really is what colour you like. Good video but perhaps overthinking things a little
I started with the same Skill saw, then got the same cordless and 2 months back got the dewalt 54v plunge saw. Totally agree with all your points. One thing you missed out … if your cutting and using max saw support to a line sometimes the waste is below the saw and your cutting into the workpiece. So workpiece is smaller due to blade thickness. More of a point to remember
As a beginner and not knowing saws came in both types, I got a right blade corded saw. But then as a left hander and for all the reasons you mention, notably the safety issues, it didn’t take me long until I bought a left bladed Ryobi cordless saw. My hand holding the work piece was no longer close to the blade, and I no longer got covered in sawdust.
Just bought a Milwaukee rear handle left blade cordless circular saw, best saw i have ever used, only regret is i should have got one years ago, never really liked using circular saws, not very confident with them to be honest , until i got this lefty blade.
Thanks Stuart, I'd never really thought about this before as I haven't seriously looked at buying a new circular saw for a number of years apart from a Tracksaw and as you said they're all RH, however thinking about it, being left handed the LH would feel more natural to me ! Your safety point is an important consideration, I don't use my circular saws that regularly, but when I do I try to focus on the safety first when deciding how to make the cut - again it's not natural to me as I use a handsaw with my Left hand and so clamp the piece with my Right.
Interesting video. I hadn’t known of left bladed circulars saws until now. Thank you Stuart for pointing out the safety issues. I’m very pleased with my Makita track saw.
Good morning, it’s nice to meet a fellow Brit. Such an interesting video; I have the same DeWalt saw, and a track saw for exactly the same reasons. Thank you for inviting me round 🌞
My makita 5801B that my granny bought me leaving school 35-36 years ago is a beast & going as good as day 1 ( corded tho ) I went with the dewalt dcs579T2 & dws5022 (1.5m) & dws5023 (2.6m) guide rails & extra flexvolt battery Expensive tho but might suit some of your subscribers Kudos for going right to left & I enjoyed the video
Thanks for this. I've been considering a cordless circular, but hadn't even realised the blade position was a choice. As a complete numpty when it comes to DIY, having the blade on the 'other side' will probably save my fingers.
The most dangerous position is behind the saw. If it binds in the wood, it'll kick back. You never want fingers behind a circular saw - nor do you want your thigh behind the saw. (Nor obviously do you want your fingers near the blade in the first place.)
Hi Stuart, great review on left/right side circular saws, I have 3 all mains powered a cheap and cheerful Parkside I have had for 5 years still going well and 2 Black and Deckers one of them was made in the 1960's it has a 2000 watt motor and still fitted with a black MK 15 amp plug which I use a 15 amp to 13 amp extension lead it was my Taids ( Welsh for Grandad ) and I didn't want to take the plug off. the other one is about 3 year old and all three are right handed blades, as always a great video
My original saw that I used for many years was a circular skill style saw with the blade on the right. When I became a carpenter apprentice, I began to use a heavy duty worm drive. A saw that seems strange because it's blade is on the left. Something that was actually very useful for production cutting and framing of buildings. When the circular skill saw type saw came out with a left hand blade I immediately got one. It's very handy and light weight when you have to make a precarious cut on the left hand side of a deck deck or something like that.
I've been puzzling over the pros and cons of right and left sided saws. I had the same discussions with tradesmen working in my house recently. They had the same dewalt cordless saw. They were so used to it that they didn't realise it was opposite to the norm. I had to show them my ancient corded Bosche saw to convince them. I also have the same cheap track saw you have. However, I might yet buy a left sided cordless for the reasons you mentioned.
Great video. I've exchanged my Ryobi cordless left hand side using the warranty because of issues on cutting with a corded Makita that is right hand sided, I still have to try it as I've done it a few days ago.
I have a dewalt with the blade on the right, and it's quite usable right handed (it is designed to be used in the right hand orientation). It actually has a rather large viewing "window" that you can easily see the blade while cutting. The Milwaukee my co-worker has, has a much smaller window, and it's quite hard to use right handed.
Cheers fella for another great vid . Have owned 2 circ. saws for about 5 yrs. now, and it never even occured to me , just got used to using them and thought that was just how it is ...... luckily they are both right-handers ! ( the second one soon replaced a cheaper one ) Most used power tool in my garage bar none , would recommend buying one to anybody , but don't buy cheap , Makita , De Walt, Bosch kind of price range is best . Thank you 👊
Interesting video. I have always thought the blade should be on the left (for right handed people) but after watching the video, I realise it's best to have the blade on the right.
Im about to buy a skil left blade battery powered, i m in the skill 20 v system. Already have a corded skil rightblade for years. The video really helped!
Good video Stuart. Another compromise instead of 2 saws you can get just a circular saw with a track compatible base or a saw with a guide rail adaptor. Both Makita and Dewalt make track compatible bases but only Makita make the adaptors for both corded and cordless saws.
I've always wondered and now I know. Thanks! My next door neighbour cut through two fingers while trimming the bottom of a door, he was holding the off cut. Luckily he had the depth on the saw set well or he would have coped them off.
I’m primarily left handed, but years of having to use ‘the wrong hand’ with lots of tools I’m now able to swap hands with no problem. Except for writing, when I write with my right hand no one, not even me, can read it!
I’m looking for a cordless saw for convenience but From a safety point of view - being familiar with power tools and how they react allows you to develop muscle memory over time - where as swapping and changing on a regular basis something as basic as which side the blade is on might introduce another element of risk.!? Especially with a circular saw.! Also even with eye protection wood chips and loose bits of carbide are a definite hazard when you’re peering directly at a cut line…. Great video and very informative. But I think I ‘ll go for a R/H blade just to keep things simple..👍
Another gem Stuart. I am about to purchase one of these so well timed! At 3:11 into the video you discussed the lack of support on the waste end. Could the saw not be used in left hand format which addresses the issue. This has of course revers implications for those who are naturally left handed too of course. Best regards
Thank you for yet another informative video Stuart. Your videos are always great. My wife also enjoys a little boogie to your intro theme every week when I watch your videos 😊 It is all kinds of backwards for us lefties with the blade on the "wrong" side for us. Having a quick Google there are a few left hand side bladed corded circular saws but they're either not as widely available or very expensive.
Several manufacturers do left hand blade electric circular saws. In the cordless I have both. But after so many years with the right hand, as a professional carpenter. I prefer right. And certain things I can only do with a right blade. So if I had to choose, it is right for me. But if you were left handed.
Really interesting and useful video Stuart, thanks. I bought a second hand plunge saw for sawing in my half a garage workshop (to reduce the dust) and use my corded Dewalt (blade on the right) for outside. They both work great but I spend a lot of time on the Screwfix website looking at cordless saws - not least because the panel saw at B&Q is very often out of action and you can save a packet by buying a full sheet. Now I have some idea of the pros and cons of left or right configuration so thank you. I wondered if that was Keith's saw... 🙂
I happen to own a porter cable corded circular saw with blade on left side and still use it. Dont know why they stopped making it, also at the time I bought it 30 years ago it was the lightest corded saw at 10 lbs. Great saw.
I think I have the same skill saw my father gave me, it’s probably 30 years old too, still works just as good as it used to. Bet the newer ones won’t last as long!
I think people often begin from the position of wanting to see the blade and the cut, but where accuracy matters, most cuts are made against a straight guide so that's what you need to monitor. Also, as you say, the notch indicates the leading edge if you're eyeballing it. I chose a right-hand side blade because I would often be cutting close to an edge, trimming doors for example, and as a righty myself this keeps more of the foot supported. On many occasions I've found it convenient to operate a saw or other power tool left handed though and it's really no problem; what matters most is thinking the action through and arranging as much as possible for stability.
i'm left handed and never knew about left hand side blade saws until someone recently bought me one,but i prefer the right side saw blades,could be because its what i grew up using
That gold colored skill saw was a limited and anniversary edition a collectors saw. Looks like you took care of it with a lot of respect. Possibly not knowing what you have😊
I've learned from various YT videos never to let any part of my body enter the vertical plane that the blade's in, to avoid any risk of injury if the saw suddenly kicks or jumps. @6:42 looks terrifying... you've got your face and right arm right over the blade ! Obviously there's a guard, but I personally wouldnt take any chances
Worm drive generally have the blade on the left side (in the US) and are preferred by many carpenters. I use a left side blade often for precision cutting breaking down veneer plywood. These are corded tools For most home owners I’d recommend a corded saw.
The left sided saws are predominantly the US versions of the saw that manufacturers just started shipping to the UK also. It always used to be argued that the right sided blade was safer because if the saw kicked back (which isn't really so much of a thing these days) the blade was away from your leg. All worm-drive saws (much more common in the US) always used to be right sided blades & direct drive motor saws that were standard in Europe/UK/Japan always right sided. Also yes you can get corded left blade corded saws, do a search for rear handled circular saws which is basically the style of worm drive saws. I own half a dozen circular saws Carpenter & Joiner for 37yrs & got left & right Milwaukee M18 saws which depending on what I'm doing one is better than the other. But that's my two pence worth anyways 😊
Wonderfull Sunday morning entertainment. Btw, maybe do some explanation on the type of saw blades, number of teeth etc... and the according materials to cut (wood, hard wood, mdf, aluminium, polycarbonate etc...). I would appreciate it!
I own a Porter Cable model 843 with the blade on the left. Bought it some thirty years ago. Still use it today. Likely unavailable anymore as Porter Cable seems to have quit building quality tools. I agree with you on all the failings of left hand saws...but...I only buy and use left hand saws. Just me, I guess, but I feel uncomfortable using right side saws.
Take note that all Worm Drive saws have the blade set on the left. I've used one exclusively for everything for two decades until recently having bought a smaller cordless 7.25" and most recently a corded 7.25". My rule of thumb is always set the piece or section you are keeping (whenever possible) under the motor and widest section of the base plate. Whenever you do the opposite, motor on the scrap / falling side, is when you get the most inaccurate cuts because your scrap is falling out from under the wide base. Its overly difficult (as illustrated in the track saw in this video) to try and keep a square edge with just the thin part of the base near the blade. So again, set scrap on blade side and set the saved piece under the motor. The last thing to do is adjust / set the blade to either side of the line as needed. I keep a note pad of all "fence to line" distances for this adjustment when using a clamped fence based on blade thickness.
My first one was a corded one like yours, right hand side. Then I got a cordless one, like you, with a left hand side blade. Having both is really nice but for how expensive cordless ones can be I wouldnt be able to justify having one of each type if the corded one wasnt already fairly old and much cheaper. I have to admit I generally like the left hand one more though
6:40 bearing down hard on the saw with your whole arm and hand in the path of the blade looks scary. I would say in that case, you could secure your work piece and get your left hand on the front handle as you said was your normal method. As far as orientation of the blade, being left-handed, I've had the issue of the blade being close to my right hand all my working life. AND still have most my fingers. (kidding.. they're all gone 😂) Only recently when buying a cordless did I have the choice.
Thanks Stu. Having watched a "few" Tube vids I was starting to think it was a requirement to use the thin side of the shoe... I shudder every time. Take care & stay safe M8.
The sighting line for left and right handed makes sense, but for whichever sided saw you have, don’t you just cut from the opposite side of the work piece if one side feels unstable?
I'm a left hander and until recently only had a corded circular saw which was used mainly for breaking down sheet goods (with the same diy track system as you made). I recently bought a cordless one that has the blade on the right but I still use both hands on the saw - it just doesn't feel natural not to.
Nice video, thank you. Just bought an Aldi 40V brushless motor saw, which to my dismay turned out to be a "leftie" there's a switch for the laser under the handle, which you have to press every time you use the saw, actually when it's running, totally stupid design, and unless you're holding the saw with your left hand, there's no way that you can get at the switch. Ideal for a "south paw" but if like most folks you're right handed, a bit awkward , bujt for £40 a very good saw!
Hi Stuart, that was a great video, it has now made me think what my two skill saws are, left or right? The firdt skill saw I ever used, was a adapter that B&D had thst you attachdd to the drill, I only usec it twice and tossed the adapter out, I have both a cordec and battery skill saws, bedt regards from a Kiwi living in Australia
Hi Was wondering depending on if your left or right handed would this no dictate the side the off cut is on or could you not cut from the opposite side
🖐️ Yes you can go down that route but it can make life a bit tricky , also having the space to do a cut on an opposing side is big part of it . Flipping things over and doing a cut also must be totally accurate , remembering that you actually working upside-down .
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As a left hander who is about to buy a circular saw, this video was perfect timing - cordless it is, thanks!
As long as you realise it doesn’t apply as is but needs to be reversed.
As a left hander myself, you’re better off getting a standard saw and learning to use it right handed. MFT’s and tracks are all designed to be operated like that.
Am a cuddy-hander & av got the right-sided circ-saw
I am in the exact same boat! I was aware of the left-right question but baffled. This video helps a lot, thank you.
They had available corded left hand blade saws , Bosch CSW41 and CS5 , DeWalt DW5535 and SKIL had several model , all gone or hard to find .
Think only one left is Big Foot with 10" blade , for US market .
I got my Skillsaw in 1981 as a 16 year old apprentice. I can still smell it now out of the box, the black and gold colour looked too good to use on a building site. I'm 60 now and still a carpenter and it's always intrigued me why the blade was never on the left and now I know. I would have taken my fingers off on the first go as that "know it all" apprentice. Great video, always appreciate when you post.
The worm drive Skilsaw every framer used in the 80s had the blade on the left. And weighed 18 pounds.
@@disqusrubbish5467 Hay...I mean Hey...that's true. Bosch and a couple others offer saws with the blade on the other side too. Wasn't the Fuego blade on the other side? I've forgotten now. I love Skilsaw but I hate Stanley Black & Decker.
Back in the day porter cable made a left handed circular saw, which I bought as a righty. One of my favorite tools of all time. It’s got to be 30 years old and I still use it on a regular basis. I went to buy my brother, a circular saw for Christmas a few years ago and could not find a lefty model anywhere. It’s nice to see that they make some lefties now, even if they are battery powered.
Yep, got one of those PC Mag saws. I’m a righty with a left hand saw.
I have an old Skill worm drive with the blade on the left. A beast of a saw.
Yeah, thats a great right handed saw. He mixing up the sides completely
Never even realised this, owning both the plunge saw and cordless saw, both makitas... I guess that, when I felt the base was unstable, I just came at it from the opposite side of the board?
The moment I saw the Milwaukee one I thought: that must be Keith's saw 😄
My woodshop teacher back in middle school told us to always have the motor over the workpiece, not the offcut, and to switch sides as needed. Always seemed obvious to me.
@@NSResponder Excellent teacher.
@@NSResponder yes, BUT if you want use the speed square trick, the one where you hold the square in one hand and use that as a guide for the saw, it won't be possible to have the motor over the workpiece if you're using a saw that has the blade on the left. Perfect example of this in the video at 3:30
So many things I've never thought before! Thank you for bringing DIY up to another level.
Thanks for your great video. Tip suggestion. My blase is also on the left side and when I'm in the situation you show at 3:10 minute mark in your video, I just cut it from the opposite side of the board so the wider side of the saw is resting on the board and just line up the cut with the other side of the blade. Hope this helps.
I have both blade right and left saws. I agree that when you are cutting off the end of a table or saw horses and your offcut is unsupported then blade right is more stable.
For blade left, if you are right handed, you want to support your offcut. You can cut on a bench and place scrap wood blocks underneath your workpiece to support both the work side and the waste side.
You could also put some kind of foam board underneath your entire workpiece.
One issue with my blade right saw is that the motor protrudes on the left. So when i use a speed square as a guide and cut full depth, the speed square edge can interfere with the motor, which is frustrating.
Either right or left work for me as long as i set up my cut appropriately. I just have to set up my cut differently depending on whether i am cutting with blade right or left if i want a fully supported cut and if i want to use a guide.
Yes, if I need an accurate cut on expensive timber, ill use my speed square and the motor part hits of it towards the end of the cut...annoying
Now that I've actually thought about it, I've realised that I just switch hands and/or cut from the oppsite direction but I suppose that I'm lucky because I can use either hand.
I agree with the track saw comment about getting neater and more accurate cuts. It's the one thing that I've bought in the last few years that has really lifted the standard of my projects.
I think the facts you point out are linked to whether you are left or right handed
Agree. I'm left-handed and when I'm trimming of an inch of a board with a left-blade saw I support the board with my weak hand and guide the saw with my strong hand. The wide baseplate on the right suits me. But I've got a right-blad saw too. 🙃
I'm 66 and this is the first time I've seen this discussed. 👍
I don't do as much DIY as I use to, but circular saws are always a priority for me.
Same with me grandad.
This is something I had never considered. My first circular saw was a B&D drill attachment. I was just 14 but always into woodwork. I had never until tonight thought about saws being handed. Food for thought & nice work.
Another informative video on something that I should have knew, but had never paid that much attention to.
My tip to save fingers on a leftt hand saw and help in other obvious ways, cut all wood / sheets on a insulation sheet.
Fully supports work work, no balancing
Nothing drops on floor.
No damage to end of wood as weight snaps last 10mm or so off. or having to use other hand to try and catch.
Impossible to touch blade with fingers.
As a left handed person in a right hand world and retired carpenter I have used right handed saws and power tools either handed. I do have one left hand skill saw and it was for cutting stair stringers where I needed a 45* cut for the riser. It is a 6 1/2 skill brand cord saw. Didn’t know they quit making them left handed.
Blade on the right for me every time 👍🏻. Nice vid as always Stuart 🎉🎉
All mine are on the right too. Never understood the left sided ones unless you are left handed.
Ya blade right for sure also never understood why it’s a debate
When I saw the red tool I knew were you got that from lol. I’m left handed so I do find certain tools harder to use than others. I’m a big fan of the yellow stuff. Main stream tools are very much like cars these days not really a bad one. The basic choice really is what colour you like. Good video but perhaps overthinking things a little
I started with the same Skill saw, then got the same cordless and 2 months back got the dewalt 54v plunge saw. Totally agree with all your points.
One thing you missed out … if your cutting and using max saw support to a line sometimes the waste is below the saw and your cutting into the workpiece. So workpiece is smaller due to blade thickness. More of a point to remember
As a beginner and not knowing saws came in both types, I got a right blade corded saw. But then as a left hander and for all the reasons you mention, notably the safety issues, it didn’t take me long until I bought a left bladed Ryobi cordless saw. My hand holding the work piece was no longer close to the blade, and I no longer got covered in sawdust.
Didnt realise this issue until i saw this video! Good one stu.
Just bought a Milwaukee rear handle left blade cordless circular saw, best saw i have ever used, only regret is i should have got one years ago, never really liked using circular saws, not very confident with them to be honest , until i got this lefty blade.
I've wondered about this for years, and this answered a lot of questions for me. Thanks!
Thanks Stuart, I'd never really thought about this before as I haven't seriously looked at buying a new circular saw for a number of years apart from a Tracksaw and as you said they're all RH, however thinking about it, being left handed the LH would feel more natural to me !
Your safety point is an important consideration, I don't use my circular saws that regularly, but when I do I try to focus on the safety first when deciding how to make the cut - again it's not natural to me as I use a handsaw with my Left hand and so clamp the piece with my Right.
I have one of each…problem solved. Use them both regularly! So helpful.
Your right, I never thought about this issue. Nice video.
Interesting video. I hadn’t known of left bladed circulars saws until now. Thank you Stuart for pointing out the safety issues. I’m very pleased with my Makita track saw.
Good morning, it’s nice to meet a fellow Brit. Such an interesting video; I have the same DeWalt saw, and a track saw for exactly the same reasons. Thank you for inviting me round 🌞
My makita 5801B that my granny bought me leaving school 35-36 years ago is a beast & going as good as day 1 ( corded tho )
I went with the dewalt dcs579T2 & dws5022 (1.5m) & dws5023 (2.6m) guide rails & extra flexvolt battery
Expensive tho but might suit some of your subscribers
Kudos for going right to left & I enjoyed the video
Thanks for this. I've been considering a cordless circular, but hadn't even realised the blade position was a choice. As a complete numpty when it comes to DIY, having the blade on the 'other side' will probably save my fingers.
The most dangerous position is behind the saw. If it binds in the wood, it'll kick back. You never want fingers behind a circular saw - nor do you want your thigh behind the saw. (Nor obviously do you want your fingers near the blade in the first place.)
I bought a PC corded left hand saw around 15 years ago after wrist surgery. Pretty slick. 👍🍻
Hi Stuart, great review on left/right side circular saws, I have 3 all mains powered a cheap and cheerful Parkside I have had for 5 years still going well and 2 Black and Deckers one of them was made in the 1960's it has a 2000 watt motor and still fitted with a black MK 15 amp plug which I use a 15 amp to 13 amp extension lead it was my Taids ( Welsh for Grandad ) and I didn't want to take the plug off. the other one is about 3 year old and all three are right handed blades, as always a great video
My original saw that I used for many years was a circular skill style saw with the blade on the right. When I became a carpenter apprentice, I began to use a heavy duty worm drive. A saw that seems strange because it's blade is on the left. Something that was actually very useful for production cutting and framing of buildings. When the circular skill saw type saw came out with a left hand blade I immediately got one. It's very handy and light weight when you have to make a precarious cut on the left hand side of a deck deck or something like that.
I've been puzzling over the pros and cons of right and left sided saws. I had the same discussions with tradesmen working in my house recently. They had the same dewalt cordless saw. They were so used to it that they didn't realise it was opposite to the norm. I had to show them my ancient corded Bosche saw to convince them. I also have the same cheap track saw you have. However, I might yet buy a left sided cordless for the reasons you mentioned.
Great video. I've exchanged my Ryobi cordless left hand side using the warranty because of issues on cutting with a corded Makita that is right hand sided, I still have to try it as I've done it a few days ago.
I just walk around the workpiece so im always supporting the saw on the bulk of the stock🤷♂
As usual Stuart, informative & well presented. Top man !
I have a dewalt with the blade on the right, and it's quite usable right handed (it is designed to be used in the right hand orientation). It actually has a rather large viewing "window" that you can easily see the blade while cutting. The Milwaukee my co-worker has, has a much smaller window, and it's quite hard to use right handed.
Cheers fella for another great vid .
Have owned 2 circ. saws for about 5 yrs. now, and it never even occured to me , just got used to using them and thought that was just how it is ...... luckily they are both right-handers ! ( the second one soon replaced a cheaper one ) Most used power tool in my garage bar none , would recommend buying one to anybody , but don't buy cheap , Makita , De Walt, Bosch kind of price range is best . Thank you 👊
My Makita Hypoid electric drill has the blade on the left.
I bought it 30 years ago. Cuts like a cadillac!Cadillac!. Very smooth.
You have a left handed drill with a blade? Interesting 🤔
Very informative and much food for thought. Thank you for this.
Interesting video.
I have always thought the blade should be on the left (for right handed people) but after watching the video, I realise it's best to have the blade on the right.
Yes I’ve used a left sided corded saw in Oz about 25yrs ago. Haven’t looked for one recently
Im about to buy a skil left blade battery powered, i m in the skill 20 v system. Already have a corded skil rightblade for years.
The video really helped!
As a right hander I prefer left side blade so you can see the cut! Very glad Bosch new GKS70 saws come in both side options!
Good video Stuart. Another compromise instead of 2 saws you can get just a circular saw with a track compatible base or a saw with a guide rail adaptor. Both Makita and Dewalt make track compatible bases but only Makita make the adaptors for both corded and cordless saws.
I've always wondered and now I know. Thanks!
My next door neighbour cut through two fingers while trimming the bottom of a door, he was holding the off cut. Luckily he had the depth on the saw set well or he would have coped them off.
I’m primarily left handed, but years of having to use ‘the wrong hand’ with lots of tools I’m now able to swap hands with no problem. Except for writing, when I write with my right hand no one, not even me, can read it!
I’m looking for a cordless saw for convenience but From a safety point of view - being familiar with power tools and how they react allows you to develop muscle memory over time - where as swapping and changing on a regular basis something as basic as which side the blade is on might introduce another element of risk.!? Especially with a circular saw.! Also even with eye protection wood chips and loose bits of carbide are a definite hazard when you’re peering directly at a cut line…. Great video and very informative. But I think I ‘ll go for a R/H blade just to keep things simple..👍
Great video Stuart! I'm in the market for a circular saw, and now I know what to look for. Thanks!
I'm left handed so the DeWalt is perfect 😂
Same here. I never even noticed that my corded and cordless were opposite🤡. Now I know why I keep putting the blade on upside down🤣
Another gem Stuart. I am about to purchase one of these so well timed! At 3:11 into the video you discussed the lack of support on the waste end. Could the saw not be used in left hand format which addresses the issue. This has of course revers implications for those who are naturally left handed too of course. Best regards
Great video mate!
Thank you for yet another informative video Stuart. Your videos are always great. My wife also enjoys a little boogie to your intro theme every week when I watch your videos 😊
It is all kinds of backwards for us lefties with the blade on the "wrong" side for us. Having a quick Google there are a few left hand side bladed corded circular saws but they're either not as widely available or very expensive.
im so glad that i can actually use both my left and right hand when using tools
As always...perfect explanation Stuart 👍
Thankyou !
Several manufacturers do left hand blade electric circular saws. In the cordless I have both. But after so many years with the right hand, as a professional carpenter. I prefer right. And certain things I can only do with a right blade. So if I had to choose, it is right for me. But if you were left handed.
Really interesting and useful video Stuart, thanks. I bought a second hand plunge saw for sawing in my half a garage workshop (to reduce the dust) and use my corded Dewalt (blade on the right) for outside. They both work great but I spend a lot of time on the Screwfix website looking at cordless saws - not least because the panel saw at B&Q is very often out of action and you can save a packet by buying a full sheet. Now I have some idea of the pros and cons of left or right configuration so thank you. I wondered if that was Keith's saw... 🙂
I happen to own a porter cable corded circular saw with blade on left side and still use it. Dont know why they stopped making it, also at the time I bought it 30 years ago it was the lightest corded saw at 10 lbs. Great saw.
I think I have the same skill saw my father gave me, it’s probably 30 years old too, still works just as good as it used to. Bet the newer ones won’t last as long!
I think people often begin from the position of wanting to see the blade and the cut, but where accuracy matters, most cuts are made against a straight guide so that's what you need to monitor. Also, as you say, the notch indicates the leading edge if you're eyeballing it. I chose a right-hand side blade because I would often be cutting close to an edge, trimming doors for example, and as a righty myself this keeps more of the foot supported. On many occasions I've found it convenient to operate a saw or other power tool left handed though and it's really no problem; what matters most is thinking the action through and arranging as much as possible for stability.
I’m left handed and use DEWALT saw and have no problem 😀
i'm left handed and never knew about left hand side blade saws until someone recently bought me one,but i prefer the right side saw blades,could be because its what i grew up using
Same, and got used to getting dust on me. Tho I haven't used a left sided saw.
That gold colored skill saw was a limited and anniversary edition a collectors saw. Looks like you took care of it with a lot of respect. Possibly not knowing what you have😊
Skil makes a 15a corded lefty saw.
I use blade left for crosscuts and blade right for long rips
I've learned from various YT videos never to let any part of my body enter the vertical plane that the blade's in, to avoid any risk of injury if the saw suddenly kicks or jumps. @6:42 looks terrifying... you've got your face and right arm right over the blade ! Obviously there's a guard, but I personally wouldnt take any chances
Something I never thought about, so thanks for that
Really interesting!!! So useful!!! Thank you!!
Worm drive generally have the blade on the left side (in the US) and are preferred by many carpenters. I use a left side blade often for precision cutting breaking down veneer plywood. These are corded tools
For most home owners I’d recommend a corded saw.
The left sided saws are predominantly the US versions of the saw that manufacturers just started shipping to the UK also.
It always used to be argued that the right sided blade was safer because if the saw kicked back (which isn't really so much of a thing these days) the blade was away from your leg.
All worm-drive saws (much more common in the US) always used to be right sided blades & direct drive motor saws that were standard in Europe/UK/Japan always right sided.
Also yes you can get corded left blade corded saws, do a search for rear handled circular saws which is basically the style of worm drive saws.
I own half a dozen circular saws Carpenter & Joiner for 37yrs & got left & right Milwaukee M18 saws which depending on what I'm doing one is better than the other.
But that's my two pence worth anyways 😊
Wonderfull Sunday morning entertainment. Btw, maybe do some explanation on the type of saw blades, number of teeth etc... and the according materials to cut (wood, hard wood, mdf, aluminium, polycarbonate etc...). I would appreciate it!
I own a Porter Cable model 843 with the blade on the left. Bought it some thirty years ago. Still use it today. Likely unavailable anymore as Porter Cable seems to have quit building quality tools. I agree with you on all the failings of left hand saws...but...I only buy and use left hand saws. Just me, I guess, but I feel uncomfortable using right side saws.
Rule one don’t touch or adjust the blade while the battery is fitted
Just what I was thinking. If you're going to do videos to help people, please follow safe practices.
look at 6:55
@@stclaude Look at 5:30 . It's the time you don't do it that gets you!
I had similar thoughts about my lathe! The power button is on the left. I’m right handed and would prefer quick access to control the power
Take note that all Worm Drive saws have the blade set on the left. I've used one exclusively for everything for two decades until recently having bought a smaller cordless 7.25" and most recently a corded 7.25". My rule of thumb is always set the piece or section you are keeping (whenever possible) under the motor and widest section of the base plate. Whenever you do the opposite, motor on the scrap / falling side, is when you get the most inaccurate cuts because your scrap is falling out from under the wide base. Its overly difficult (as illustrated in the track saw in this video) to try and keep a square edge with just the thin part of the base near the blade. So again, set scrap on blade side and set the saved piece under the motor. The last thing to do is adjust / set the blade to either side of the line as needed. I keep a note pad of all "fence to line" distances for this adjustment when using a clamped fence based on blade thickness.
Really useful video thank you for sharing! Subscribed ❤
Excellent safety points here.
And, a rational justification for my 🟩 track saw!
I was intreaged. And now I am informed. Thank you
I'm an old tradesman we had the left hand worm drive and when cutting plan our off cut should be on the left so you can hold it to stop tear out
you can compensate the tipping by compensating with a piece of material the thickness of what your cutting attached with double sided tape.
My first one was a corded one like yours, right hand side. Then I got a cordless one, like you, with a left hand side blade. Having both is really nice but for how expensive cordless ones can be I wouldnt be able to justify having one of each type if the corded one wasnt already fairly old and much cheaper. I have to admit I generally like the left hand one more though
For the thin cuts with the left-hand blade, set up and cut from the other side of your bench.
6:40 bearing down hard on the saw with your whole arm and hand in the path of the blade looks scary. I would say in that case, you could secure your work piece and get your left hand on the front handle as you said was your normal method.
As far as orientation of the blade, being left-handed, I've had the issue of the blade being close to my right hand all my working life. AND still have most my fingers. (kidding.. they're all gone 😂) Only recently when buying a cordless did I have the choice.
As per some comments below Stu. I a Lefty. I'm happy with the right had blade.
Thanks Stu. Having watched a "few" Tube vids I was starting to think it was a requirement to use the thin side of the shoe... I shudder every time. Take care & stay safe M8.
The sighting line for left and right handed makes sense, but for whichever sided saw you have, don’t you just cut from the opposite side of the work piece if one side feels unstable?
I'm a left hander and until recently only had a corded circular saw which was used mainly for breaking down sheet goods (with the same diy track system as you made). I recently bought a cordless one that has the blade on the right but I still use both hands on the saw - it just doesn't feel natural not to.
Had never thought about it but makes sense, great video as always thanks 👍😃
Very informative video
Nice video, thank you.
Just bought an Aldi 40V brushless motor saw, which to my dismay turned out to be a "leftie" there's a switch for the laser under the handle, which you have to press every time you use the saw, actually when it's running, totally stupid design, and unless you're holding the saw with your left hand, there's no way that you can get at the switch. Ideal for a "south paw" but if like most folks you're right handed, a bit awkward , bujt for £40 a very good saw!
Is this a wind up cut from the other side of the material
Thanks for this I’ve a corded right hand so decision made I’ll get myself a left cordless for my shed / model Railway room 👌😎☕️
Great Advises! 👍👍👍👍👍 & Subscribed.
As a left handed person with this same dewalt circular. I have no idea what you're complaining about 🤷🏼
Great, I have never thought of the danger for my fingers when using the same dewalt cordless saw.
Good advice
Thank you , that’s helped me ❤
Hi Stuart, that was a great video, it has now made me think what my two skill saws are, left or right? The firdt skill saw I ever used, was a adapter that B&D had thst you attachdd to the drill, I only usec it twice and tossed the adapter out, I have both a cordec and battery skill saws, bedt regards from a Kiwi living in Australia
For my quick stuff, I've got a 3" (I think) Dewalt cordless saw. Easier to handle than even the one you have there.
Great video!
Hi Was wondering depending on if your left or right handed would this no dictate the side the off cut is on or could you not cut from the opposite side
🖐️ Yes you can go down that route but it can make life a bit tricky , also having the space to do a cut on an opposing side is big part of it . Flipping things over and doing a cut also must be totally accurate , remembering that you actually working upside-down .