Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Greg mitchell

>Ya,but a priest told me {so I know it is true} that all people were born left handed and you stay that way until you commite your first sin, then you turn right handed. A fellow lefty, Greg

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Joe Fleming

>Wally,

I use a variety of tools. Packard mini, Kelton mini, Kelton small, Jordan 1/2", Jordan 3/4", Don Pencil, Stewart, Exocet, home made, Sorby, and a couple of ring tools. All of these tools scrpe or cut to the left, although the Exocet, ring tool and the Don Pencil can go the other way. For the smaller tools, I hold them with my right hand with my left on the tool rest. I usually use the armbrace and Exocet in the right hand, but do occasionally, switch to the other side just to keep fresh and avoid fatigue.

I just bought a Don Derry hollowing rig. It goes either way, but Don teaches reverse turning. I hold the rig's handle with the right hand and keep my left hand on the gate.

My lathe and threads are "normal". I guess I always thought that a lathe was primarily left-handed. When I turn on the outside of a form (face work or spindle), I switch back and forth frequently.

Joe FLeming - San Diego

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Verne

>I use a Scorpion which is similar to the Stewart. I use it in my right hand . . . carefully :-)

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Gary in Zirconia,NC

>I'm a lefty and use an armbrace and a captured system righthanded.

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Bert Smith

>I stand on the other side of the lathe when hollowing. I think the next lathe I buy will be a bowl lathe like the VB36 without the tailstock. A left hander could stand at the end of it and hollow fairly well.

The good thing about being left handed is people won't borrow your tools... left handed hammer, screwdrivers, drills:)

Bert

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

TomW in SouthJersey

>I'm using the Sorby Multi-tool. Its ok. It works nicely on bowls but hollow forms are a struggle with the small pointed attachment.

I'm heard the ring tools are easier but it takes a while to get used to them. I've never tried one.

Leftie Trivia - Lefties who write with a "hook" typically use both sides of the brain equally, while those who write straight up as a right hander would use the right side of the brain. (this info came from a prison psychologist)

Lefthanded with a hook,

Tom (last name is Wright)

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Mike Schwing from Md.

>I'm one - kind of. At the office, the mouse is on the right side of my keyboard, and at home, on the left side. Makes absolutely no difference to me, plus, it helps with potential overuse injury issues. I first picked up a ball and wanted to throw it with my left hand. Still do. I first picked up a fork/spoon and wanted to use it with my left hand. But I can do all such tasks equally well with both hands except for throwing, which I still throw as a lefty.

The only "tool" that continues to frustrate me is a boomerang - not many people (other than lefties), know that boomies are made right or left handed. Try finding a left handed boomerang when you're a kid. Even worse - imagine your first experience with a boomerang - and no one else knowing that they're made for a specific hand. When you're a lefty, a right handed boomerang tunnels right into the ground, every time. Humiliating!

For hollowing I use the Kelton hollowing rig (with cheater), or handmade tools. With freehand hollowing I do it at the end of the lathe bed so I"m standing facing the opening. I never realized there was an issue with left handed hollowing until Don Derry brought it up on WOW.

Boomerang

John K Jordan

>>The only "tool" that continues to

>frustrate me is a boomerang...

Hey, consider making one. Many years ago I found a book with plans for a boomerang and carved one. It would be easy to copy an existing one and invert the shape. Bandsaw, belt sander, all done!

(We are all "rightys" here except for one son, the architect. I always enjoyed shopping for quality left-handed sissors over the years when traveling.)

JKJ in East TN

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Joel Hunnicutt

>I'm a lefty, but never really think about which and I am using while turning. I use a scorpion hollowing tool right handed. But use a bowl gouge with equal ease (or lack of) with either hand. I think being left handed is a big advantege when turning. When I teach, I try to get students to use both hands.

Re: Lefties and Hollow Forms....

Robert Savit

>I'm also a left-handed victim of right-handed hegemony. When I pick up a turning tool, I instinctively hold the handle in my left hand. But for hollowing, I succumb to the right-handed paradigm, holding standard tools in my right hand with my left hand on the tool rest. I generally stand at the end or back of the lathe (stubby 750). I'm sure that this impedes learning in the early stages, but I also think that you can get used to it. By analogy, instruments in the violin family are "handed" and, with the usual configuration, are much more natural for right-handed players. But there are plenty of highly accomplished left-handed players. Actually, it would be interesting to know if there are any studies on relative abilities of left and right handed violin players with respect to their facility with the bow or with the fingers of the left hand.

Bob Savit

Re: Boomerang

Mike L in Trabuco Canyon, CA

>Hi John,

That's a thoughtful gift. Right-handed scissors are the scourge of left-handers; and the better the scissors, the more uncomfortable they are.

Regards,

Mike

Re: Boomerang

John K Jordan

>>Right-handed scissors are the scourge

>of left-handers;

Any of us "righties" who doubt that should try to cut something with some left-handed sissors!

JKJ in East TN