Circ saw blade left or right?

It’s mainly a matter of preference if you want a right or left handed saw.

I have a right, but wish I had a left handed saw. It allows me to tilt my head a little to the left to
see what I am cutting.

BTW I am right handed.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Here is a posting from Contractor Tools and Supplies about your question

Blade-left or blade-right?
Worm- or hypoid-drive saws have a blade-left configuration to attain a better balance, says Dave Hall, senior product line manager for construction tools at Porter-Cable. “Blade-right saw designs have primarily been on direct-drive saws. However, there are models of direct-drive saws that offer blade-left configurations. In part it has been an attempt to attract worm-drive users to direct-drive saws but it has really grown because certain users find it more comfortable. For a right-handed person, a blade-left saw puts the cut line right under the right eye so it’s easier to see the saw line. They have become very popular, with our circular saw sales split about 50-50 between blade-left and blade-right units.”

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

With the blade on the right you can hold the lumber with your left hand keep the saw in your right (for right handers) and have most of the saw resting on the good side of the lumber. This prevents the saw from tipping when the waste falls away. Of course there are times when the waste is on the other side…

-- Che.

I am right handed and own 4 circular saws. The only one I use now is the saw with the blade on the left. There is no guessing where the cut line is. DeWALT DW378GK

-- Dave Herron, Boise, ID -- “That which does not crash the browser, makes it stronger”

I am left handed and have been using a right handed saw for years and will never change.
Kickbacks can get a little hairy because the blade is closer to your body .

-- John in Cranbrook http://www.extremebirdhouse.com ....http://community.webshots.com/user/cranbrook2

This could turn into another “What’s the nib for?” questions. I use a blade left worm drive skil 77. Using the technique che advocates puts the cut line between the blade and your line of sight making it difficult (impossible) to see when using a sidewinder without cranking your head around in an awkward manner. The length of a worm drive and the position of the handle make it easier to see the cut line and to make long rips without wandering ( think dragster versus Formula one wheel base, long car go straight, short car make good turns ). Just my personal experience, your mileage may vary.

I am “right handed” but have both a right hand and a left hand (PC) circular saw. I use the left hand saw most of the time. For most on-site construction work, I make most cuts with the miter saw for the 2/4s & 2/6’s, so i use the circular more for ply, etc. The left hand saw is much easier to use running it down an edge guide for piecing out ply wood sheets, and for ripping a 2 by with an edge guide. If doing a lot of cross cutting to length framing lumber on some sawhorses, the right hand earns its keep.

If I was left handed, I would probably prefer the “right-handed” saw, because I like to see where I am cutting, and I have not found many situations where I could not make the cut safely.

I think the advent of the portable miter saw has changed the way circular saws are used for the majority of the work. What used to be the advantage of not having the saw on the “drop” is now inconvenient as to line of sight.

Go

-- Go http://ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=730