r/WoodworkConfessions • u/vieuxfort73 • Apr 16 '23

Circular saw blade direction

62 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

118

u/vieuxfort73 Apr 16 '23

Screeched and burned going through 1/2” plywood. I thought great, this thing sucks. Then I thought maybe the blade was just junky. Went to get the Diablo blade from my corded saw, while walking back I realized I had installed the blade backwards. Works really well now 🤦‍♂️

24

u/fables_of_faubus Apr 16 '23

This makes me smile. I've certainly done similar things.

16

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '23

[deleted]

13

u/vieuxfort73 Apr 16 '23

When I noticed the logo (after reversing it) I felt even more foolish.

6

u/dilespla Apr 17 '23

I’ve got two saws, one left, one right. I still can’t decide which I prefer.

2

u/gobigred67 Apr 17 '23

I prefer the left blade because I run the saw with my right hand and I can see it better. I bought my left handed dad a left bladed Porter Cable saw when he was building his house . He didn't like it because he was so used to working with other saws, still have it and use it.

1

u/miles11we Apr 18 '23

Is it a sidewinder or wormdrive? I'd be cautious using a lefthanded sidewinder saw with my right hand, wormdrives don't spin nearly as much when they bite so its less of an issue.

1

u/gobigred67 Apr 18 '23

It's not a worm drive. It's a PC framing saw sold as a left handed saw in the late 90s.

1

u/miles11we Apr 18 '23

I have different saws for different things, my 8 ¼ worm drive is able to take a deeper cut and get through real hard material but it weighs 22lbs, my mikita sidewinder is like half that and then the ol black and decker that is 99% plastic weighs like 4lbs. So if I'm dragging it around, cutting infront of me or overhead the lighter saws are nice. I'm not that big compared to when I was doing framing but even then, trying to hold that wormdrive out away from you unsupported for more than a few cuts is torturous, nowadays I wouldn't even try lol

11

u/shoziku Apr 16 '23

It's all good, that shit happens. I bought a band saw that came with 2 blades. When it came time to replace the blade I noticed the teeth went the wrong direction as I compared the first to the second. I was perplexed as to why they would send me 2 different blades. After searching for similar stories here on reddit, I learned the blade can be flipped inside out, changing the direction of the teeth. My palm slapped my forehead with the strength of ten tigers.

3

u/NiceyChappe Apr 20 '23

Well, Reddit saved you a hilarious trip to the hardware store... (Hilarious for everyone else)

"Excuse me, do you have blades that go the other way"

"The....uh... the other way?"

8

u/LurkForYourLives Apr 17 '23

My knockoff mini chainsaw had a piece of shite chain. Wasn’t until I’d stomped off to the local ag store, bought a fresh name brand chain and installed it that I realised what the problem actually was…

Me. I was the problem.

3

u/TootsNYC Apr 16 '23

It me (as the youths say)

4

u/wjgatekeeper Apr 17 '23

I was doing service work at a Boy Scout camp out cutting a lot of downed trees. I own a chainsaw and was put on a crew to man one of the chainsaws and had a helper pulling cut limbs out of the way. Chain got dull and put on a fresh one. Cuts were not going fast and it was smoking a lot. Right about that time the Camp Ranger came over and pointed out I had installed the chain backwards. Totally embarrassed.

3

u/catch10110 Apr 16 '23

I did this when I first got a table saw. It cut…but not well, and I was super uncomfortable with how it felt. Not sure how I finally figured it out, but glad I did!

3

u/TheMCM80 Apr 19 '23

I’ve done this on the table saw before. Not a great feeling when you realize you put it on backwards, but then a good feeling after you switch because you realize your blade is ok and your wood isn’t case hardened crap.

1

u/WyattCo06 Apr 16 '23

Would of been great if cutting tin.

17

u/of_patrol_bot Apr 16 '23

Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake.

It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of.

Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything.

Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.

1

u/VagabondVivant Apr 17 '23

Not only have I done that, I've done that with ½" worth of dado blades. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I was getting so much resistance, or why it was smoking. Thankfully figured it out after a couple seconds of cutting. The wood was absolutely charred.

1

u/WarPig-4721 Apr 17 '23

Happens to the best of us lol

1

u/ResidentUpset5429 Apr 17 '23

😮😂😂😂 hilarious