Lefty Turner Wannabe

[Randall Houghton]

Hi Matt
I'm a lefty and have overcome the right handed lathe problem using a little different approach. As Wally pointed out being a lefty is a non issue when spindle turning so the main issue is what to do about face plate turning. The best solution I've come up with after forty years is to position your lathe so that you can stand on the back side of the lathe when turning face plate work. The other thing you should consider since you don't own a lathe yet is a lathe with a rotating over moveable headstock. I am using a Teknatool DVR with an expandable bed and find it to be very capable of handling any timber. I've had it for three years and have turned a variety of hollow forms on it and it has excellent consistent torque at low speed (50-500 rpm) and I think it is highly underrated for it's quality.
Regards
Randy

[ed hoxter]

matt, i'mn a lefty to and not any-good with either hand so don't worry about it. you will get better with both hands the more you practice. edsmyrna

[Matt Walton]

I never figured out why a right handed guitar player uses his left hand for the most difficult part of playing either.

I agree. I play guitar, and I started out right handed, and that is what I've stayed with, and I think it's easier, since I would think that the dominant hand is stronger, and therefore makes it easier to fret.
Oh, now you've done it! you got me talking about music!
I don't know how I'll get the money to buy the lathe, but on the other hand, Christmas is coming up...

[Matt Walton]

Is it possible to turn outboard with the 46-460?

[Steve Kubien]

Get on any old lathe and learn to turn. You will never worry about being left or wrong handed (sorry, couldn't resist).

Steve -loyal member of the left-handed screwdriver club!

[Jim Silva]

I am new to turning....

One of the joys of being completely new to something is the fact that your "handedness" makes absolutely NO difference.

You have no working knowledge of turning so you will be equally inept left OR right handed. Since you don't know any better, learn to turn in whichever manner feels most comfortable to you for the given tool, given piece, and orientation but on a standard lathe rotating in the standard direction. We lefties tend to gravitate toward ambidextrocity (ambidexterousness? ambidextranity? ambidexitude?) naturally.

After a very short while you will notice a tendency to favor one hand forward or the other but if you don't obsess about whether you're actually turning left or right handed you'll find certain tasks work most comfortably
"wrong-handed".

Welcome to the vortex


J

[Barry Stratton]

Another lefty here. All I can add is "JUST DO IT"!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Matt - I am right handed but have found myself forced into learning how to turn left handed in a number of situations. At first it felt very weird but now it just seems second nature and no problem at all. Something to consider when choosing a lathe is a sliding headstock. Instead of rotating the head, reversing the direction or any of that - I just slide the headstock down to he end of the bed and turn from there. Have to think turning from the end of the lathe (totally unobstructed) would be just as easy for a left handed turner! Just something else for you to think about....