Lefty Turner Wannabe

[Matt Walton]

I am new to turning, AKA don't even own a lathe, but I was wondering about what I should do about me being a lefty. I have been looking at the Delta 46-460 bench top lathe, coming to that conclusion from WWJ, but I was wondering if there are any left handed turners, and what they do about it. Are there special left handed lathes? do you just suck it up and use a right handed lathe? I am the only lefty in my (immediate) family, so I have become fairly ambidextrous, so the second option might be for me. Or do you modify them a little bit, so that they are easier to use, and turn them around.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Matt,

There are a lot of left -handed turners.

IMHO when it comes to turning, one needs to be ambidextrous. While I am right handed, I practice and make a lot of cuts with both hands.

One could get a lathe with reverse and turn from what is normally considered the back side I suppose. I don't think there is any disadvantage to being left-handed when turning.

[alex carey]

Well you can reverse the lathe but personally I'd just suck it up and learn both ways. A lot of turners do that and its really not that tough.

[Matt Walton]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies!
I will suck it up and learn both ways.
Now all I need to do is scrounge up $600

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Matt,

A few things to consider.

The lathe is the cheapest part of becoming a turner. The accessories will cost many times more.

There are commonly available lathes that have electronic control and most have a Reverse. So, if you get one of those and they are quite common, you can turn from either side of the lathe....what's commonly referred to as front or back. Mind you, you always want the wood turning over to top towards you.

Good luck in your endeavors to jump into the Vortex! Take a photo of any money in your billfold, frame the picture and mount it on the wall above your lathe so you'll remember what money looked like! But.....You'll smile a whole lot more!

[George Morris]

Hi Matt I am a lefty. When I turn you need to be ambidextrous! It helps a lot to do this. You have a head start on those Righty's as they are not used to using there left hand or right brain.
Good luck just a word of caution,turning is very addictive! and can get a little expensive!! Good luck this is a great place to ask questions. George

[Kenneth Whiting]

I'm left handed and am just learning to turn. I haven't yet been in a position where I felt being right handed would be easier. If you are making a bead you work in one direction then the other. You kind of need to be able to work both sides of your body.

Hmm... Maybe doing bowls will be a little different. I have seen where some people will get set up then move around to the backside of the lathe because it is easier to get into the bowl, even for righties. My lathe has a rotating headstock so I'll probably be taking advantage of that when I start doing bowls.

[Rick Hutcheson]

I am left handed too but have not had any problems turning on the regular lathes. I think it just comes with learning to adapt to which ever hand is easier to use on the cut.

[Richard Madison]

Good point by several folks. "Lefties" with their existing experience of having to deal with a predominately "righty" world can adapt far more easily to right handed turning than the reverse. I make left handed pull cuts almost automatically, but despite some experience must pay close attention to the push cuts. Just go for it Matt.

[lynn smith]

Hi Matt,
I am left handed, also ambidextrous.
Just start turning, you will settle into a method and adapt your brain to working with the equipment at hand.
One of the ways that I have adapted is with the lathe that I have.
The lathe is one that the head can swivel, so swiveling the head toward me allows me to turn using my left hand.
You will be surprised at how quickly you will adapt.
Happy turning.
Look forward to seeing your work.

[Paul Atkins]

I turned some stuff outboard on my Powermatic which made me think of turning lefthanded. I was working on the right side of the piece and trying to be right handed. I really envy the lefty that can turn 'righty'. I see no reason for not having left handed lathes. I never figured out why a right handed guitar player uses his left hand for the most difficult part of playing either.

[gary Zimmel]

One more left hander here Matt.

I had the same thoughts before I started to turn.
Once I got going being a lefty really doesn't matter.
One adapts very quickly.

Jump in the waters fine!

[Thom Sturgill]

Another leftie here - being a lefty it really helps to be ambidextrous and learn to take instructions with a grain if salt. We have to constantly translate everything. I find that I USE my left hand to help guide small light cuts that righties can't seem to do, and consequently tell you that the left hand is just to add weight to the chisel and NOT to use the hand for control except as a pivot point.

[QUOTE=Paul Atkins;1266300I never figured out why a right handed guitar player uses his left hand for the most difficult part of playing either.[/QUOTE]

Paul, I'm convinced that the HARDEST part of playing a guitar well is learning to pick and not strum. I've seen players who hardly use any complex chording but pick out the individual strings and play fantastically and players that use complex chordings but only strum and are mediocre players. I doubt famous lefties like Jimi Hendrix would have reversed the guitar if this were not true.

[Wally Dickerman]

I'm also a lefty. When spindle turning (between centers) it doesn't make any difference. You just turn with whatever makes you comfortable. A bowl gouge is different. Any user of a bowl gouge must learn to be ambidextrous and turn both ways.

Several have mentioned using a lathe with a reverse to turn left-handed. It should be mentioned that you MUST have a way of securing the faceplate/chuck to the spindle. Otherwise, when you you apply a tool to the wood it will unthread and you'll have an instant flying bowl. My Oneway has a groove in the hardened spindle and chucks have a grubscrew that goes into that groove.

Wally

[Michael E. Thompson]

Another Lefty here. I am very left handed, and as many have said, you will find you are required to do thing both ways on the lathe. I have had little problems, practice a bit and it will soon be natural. I will say though, some of the detail stuff when you need a steady hand inside a bowl, I will walk around to the other side of the lathe. I feel like I get a little more tool control that way. That only happens about 5% of the time though.

Mike