Left handed lather

[MikeR]

What to do? I'm very, very left handed and am having great trouble working with bowls which basically require work to be done right handed.

I don't think I can change the machine, but does anyone out there have any ideas to make things easier.

Many thanks, and Happy New Year from the vortex!

Cheers,


Mike (wearing his facemask) R.

[psjbob]

I am a lefty to. I believe the NOVA lathes can be set up for a lefty very easy. The head swivels and the motor can run in reverse. The Woodcraft website has some video clips you can watch. The lathe sell for about a grand. It has some other good features check it out. I think after researching it will be my next lathe moving up from a jet mini.

[RayintheUK]

I'm mainly left-handed too, Mike. I write with my left hand, saw with it, wipe things(!) with it and so on. However, when I chisel, I strike the chisel with the hammer in my left hand, chisel in my right. This is because I need fine control over the force used, although my right hand assists with the direction achieved.

That's quite a good comparison, because - on my lathe - although the right hand controls the force and direction of the tool, it's my left hand that is responsible for the movement along and over the rest, which is where the fine control comes from on most turning projects.

Granted, a swivelling head can make things easier, but persevere and you'll quickly find that you will overcome this seemingly-inbuilt disadvantage.

Ray