Ripping with fence on left?

[LearningCurve]

Walked into garage and DH was ripping plywood with the fence to the left of the blade. Is this OK? He's a physics guy and claims there shouldn't be a difference, but my memories of my ww instructors are screaming NO!

Has my memory failed me yet again? Can you *safely* rip on either side of the fence?

Janet
SV LearningCurve

[Woodwerker]

No issues that I am aware of
Matter of preference

[mpc]

Assuming the safety aspects of the workpiece being adequately supported are met... I can't see why ripping with fence on one side or the other is more risky. It can be a comfort issue with the operator - left handed or right handed folks may prefer other setups. Oh, and make sure the operator is standing off to the side - out of the path of kickback.

The one gotcha though is having the blade tilted - then the fence must be on whatever saw side puts it away from the blade teeth. You never want the blade holding down a piece that's also being held by the fence. I.e., a workpiece sitting on a "V" made by the fence and blade (sitting ON the blade) is okay (it's floating in there) but one trapped in an upside-down "V" (held down by the blade) is very risky when the fence is also keeping it in contact with the blade.

mpc

[LCHIEN]

Walked into garage and DH was ripping plywood with the fence to the left of the blade. Is this OK? He's a physics guy and claims there shouldn't be a difference, but my memories of my ww instructors are screaming NO!

Has my memory failed me yet again? Can you *safely* rip on either side of the fence?

Janet
SV LearningCurve

the only thing you need to do is really make the fence parallel to the blade. Some people like to kick the fence out a few thousandths from the back end of the blade, obviously you don't want it pinching the blade so if you use both sides of the rip fence then you can't do that.

[mschrank]

It's fine. And as mpc pointed out above, it's actually necessary when cutting a bevel on right-tilt saws (like the BT).

btw-have to admit I don't know the "DH" acronym...I'm hoping it means "Dearest/Darling Husband" and not "Dumb Husband?"

[Uncle Cracker]

Designated Hitter...

Actually, my ex used to call me "DH", but it had a different meaning to her...

[Tequila]

No issues at all, provided you're following the normal safety rules.

[niki]

I did not want to post this pic but...

That was my table saw from the time that I started the woodworking hobby (13 years ago) and I used it for 10 years.

I made the top extending to the left just because it looked to me very natural that I can have better control.

I was sitting (on my knees) to the left of the fence and while pushing, I also pulled the workpiece toward the fence....10 years without even one kickback....

If you know the Triton table saw, the fence is also on the left.

I think that the "normal" right fence was made because the left side was reserved for sliding table installation.

What you see on the pic, is not Heroism, it's Idiotism....please use your splitter and guard

Regards
niki

[ironhat]

The only safety issue that I can see is that a right hand feeding the stock puts the outboard side of your hand closer to the blade. With the fence on the opposite side you hand and arm are clear of the blade and the thumb and finger are at risk. Pretty much a draw I would say.

[niki]

Hi Ironhat

With the TS on the pic, I never had my hand over the blade.

I was starting the cut while my left hand is forward, pressing (pulling) the board to the fence and my right hand pushing...when I came close to the blade (the table edge) I continued to push with a push shoe with my right hand but, my right hand was always on "my side" and never over the blade and I was always out of the "line of fire" (I mean on the left of the fence) that is very difficult to do with "right fence" unless you are left handed.

On a "right fence" TS, if you push with a push shoe, with your right hand, your hand will pass over the blade especially if you are using Infeed table.

If you are familiar with "Triton" (Australian) TS, they also use "left fence"

Regards
niki

[radhak]

Niki, I for one find your table orientation very functional and maybe no more unsafe than the 'normal' one. Maybe I could add an auxiliary table/surface to the left of my saw and start using your style.

I have met a left-handed woodworker who always stands on the right of the blade, keeps the fence too on the right and guides the workpiece in a mirror-image of how you show in you pic.

To take the discussion even further, whenever I have cut plywood (where the 'width' was substantial ) I have always found it useful to stand on the right side of the blade and concentrate on keeping the piece against the fence without leaning across the line of the cut. Dunno if anybody could find fault with that. So maybe even regular rip-cuts might work...

[niki]

Hi Redhak

Just to make it clear, it's already 3 years that I'm using "normal" table saw and I got used to the "right fence" operation...I just replied to Janet and posted the pic to show that I was using such a set-up without any problems.

I don't have so much experience with big sheets of plywood on the "right" because usually I cut them with the sliding table that has a capacity of 39" before the blade.

Regards
niki

[cabinetman]

I did not want to post this pic but...

That was my table saw from the time that I started the woodworking hobby (13 years ago) and I used it for 10 years.

I made the top extending to the left just because it looked to me very natural that I can have better control.

I was sitting (on my knees) to the left of the fence and while pushing, I also pulled the workpiece toward the fence....10 years without even one kickback....

If you know the Triton table saw, the fence is also on the left.

I think that the "normal" right fence was made because the left side was reserved for sliding table installation.

What you see on the pic, is not Heroism, it's Idiotism....please use your splitter and guard

Regards
niki

What you were using is state of the art compared to what I started out using. Not having any money, and needing a TS, I did buy a circular saw, and mounted it underneath a sheet of plywood. It was fairly advanced for a piece of krap as I cut a miter slot with the CS before mounting it. Then I made a miter gauge out of wood to fit the slot. Not just idiotism, purely archaic.
.

[LearningCurve]

Thanks for the replies. I think Loring brought up what was creating my unease, as I had long ago set up the fence not *exactly* parallel to the blade but a tiny bit off at the aft end. When DH swapped sides of the fence, it felt unsafe to me - and I've learned to trust that instinct!

I will reset the fence to plain ol' parallel. We've got a router mounted on the BT3k, using the router fence accessories, and it would be nice to not have to constantly install/remove them for simple one-off rip cuts. Bevel cuts are a different story!

Janet
SV Learning Curve

DH=dearest/darling/well it depends on the day/husband!

[ironhat]

bending this thread in another direction, just for fun... Did anyone else look over Niki's shop? Did you see anything out of place or any dust on the floor? Did that floor look like t had been mopped?!?! Look out, Rod, Niki's trying to sneak up on your high status - LOL!!