Advice for left handed turners?

[JeffSmith]

I started turning about 2 years ago. Like most left handed people I know, I usually learn a new skill right handed, then eventually, when I'm comfortable with what I'm doing, turn it around to work left handed. Learned to hit right handed in little league, rolled it over to the left side to hit for power. I've just turned 60, so I'm pretty set in my ways.

I'm at the point where I need to work on tool control. I'm working on a Jet 1642, turning bowls pretty much exclusively, and more comfortably working with the headstock about midway down the ways, with the piece close to the end of the lathe so I can work from either side - usually from directly in front of the piece.

Today, I discovered that if I reverse the lathe and work left handed, my tool control is much better.

Any problems with this setup I should be awar of?

 

[Joe Greiner]

Running the lathe in reverse will tend to unscrew most accessories from the headstock spindle, under the force of cutting on the back side of the lathe, unless there's an auxiliary setscrew. Most chucks and faceplates don't have this feature. When you have a serious catch, you'll believe this.

I'm right-handed, but part of my mis-spent youth was wasted in billiard parlors. I found that some shots were easier if I became at least slightly ambidextrous.

It's technically possible to make LH thread versions of most machine components, and many situations require them. But market demand provides availability.

 

[MichaelMouse]

You want the chuck locking capability, and you might consider bringing the lathe out from the wall so you can get a more comfortable stance. If you're doing as you say, you're probably dealing with tool extensions that I would not care to have.

You also want a kill switch on the other side so that you can shut that puppy off in an emergency.

 

[JeffSmith]

Joe / Michael:

Thanks for the advice. Both my chuck and faceplate are secured with set screws. The jet has a groove behind the screws on the spindle where the set screws lock in. So far, nothing has come loose, and I've just spent a weekend with tyhe Macnaughten funnel maker system roughing bowl blanks (right handed - from the left side)

In all honesty, there isn't a problem working on outside profiles or spindles, but hollowing requires a little more dexterity and tool control. This is naturally easier for a left hander from the right side of the piece.

The reason I'm working off the end of the ways is precisely to keep from having to reach over the lathe. It turns my 1642 into about a 1620. With the piece roughed out and mounted in the chuck, I can remove the tailstock and work comfortably from either side of the lathe, or, better yet, from directly in front of the headstock. It allows me to work without an exorbitant tool extension, or with the handle way out in space and not well supported.

Believe me, after 60 years of living in a right handed world, I'm pretty much ambidextrous; just stronger and more accurate from my natural side. I'd be interested in hearing how other left handers approach turning.

Any other lefties out there?

 

[justaccord]

Mike Mahoney for one.

 

[Bob Hendry]

Me to!

I'm a lefty as well, and I definitely concur - living in a right-handed world has it's problems. Haven't run into many with my lathe (1642) yet. But I'm just starting . . . (and I ain't holding my breath)

Cheers!

 

[hockenbery]

use left handedness to your advantage

being a lefty can be an advantage in turning
Most folks eventually want to learn to turn with either hand forward.

I find that as a general rule lefty's progress with both hands faster than righty's. Lefty's generally are bit more comfortable with the left hand forward than righty's are with the right hand forward.

regardless both hand and the body have to work together.

I do most of the outside of a bowl with my left hand on the handle and most of the bowl hollowing with my right hand on the handle.

happy turning,
Al

 

[john lucas]

I'm right handed and turn my Christmas ornaments, especially finials, left handed. There are also certain cuts I do with the lathe reversed but turning with my right hand. I can easily see how certain cuts would be a lot easier using the left hand with the lathe reversed.
I'm still not very good using my left hand to turn beads with the skew. I'm working on it. It just takes practice.
I remember many many years ago I was learning to play handball. In order to be any good at it you had to learn to throw with your non dominant hand. That took some practice and I don't think I ever got as good with left as I was with my right but it was interesting learning. I don't think learning to turn with both hands is any worse than that.