My pin is set pretty much in front of me - perhaps slightly to the right (I'm right handed) and I cut from right to left across the pin rather than from front to back. I started doing this because I'm just not the right shape to hold a saw directly in front of me comfortably (something to do with having rather more of a chest than the average bloke!) and found I was much more accurate in doing this as I could actually see where I'm going rather than constantly trying to peer round the blade.
If I use a pin clamped to a table, I set it to one side and turn my chair so I'm still in the sideways position.
Hi Susie, I am quite an accomplished piercer and I was taught to pierce across a centre set bench peg, as George says it is better to see where you are piercing. Most students are taught to pierce away from their face holding the saw frame straight, I was told that this was because of health and safety rules. I pierce in all directions and swivel my saw frames in all directions when piercing intricate shapes, but for straight lines I always hold the saw frame so that the saw's frame is at right angles to my eyeline, then you can view the front of the saw blade and cut following the marked lines easier.
James
Thanks George and James - my bench peg has an inverted v shape cut into it and if I try to cut at right angles then I have very little space to cut in before hitting the sides of the "v". Is it just a case of getting used to cutting smaller areas at a time and moving the metal more or do you have more of a "7" shape cut into the peg?
Thanks, Susie
Yes Susie, you get used to moving the metal around with your spare hand. When piercing flat pieces all you need is a flat, firm bench pin with the V cut in the front. As the blade cuts on the down stroke the bench peg takes all the pressure and all you need is a couple of finger tips to hold the metal steady while piercing. The pics show my workbench, bench peg and a couple of my piercings.
James
I'm always baffled when I see people using a sloped peg for piercing. I simply can't imagine how they can work like that.
The Cookies portable setup is designed so you can insert the peg either way up, depending on what you're doing. I use a benchmate, and found it annoying to have to unscrew the peg so bought a second one, which means I have a selection of different shapes cut or filed in to help when I'm filing.
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