scroll saws lefties

[Ramjet]

Hi . I was merrily scrolling along cutting out circles for Steve Good's scroll saw vase with my mind in la la land .I had my dewalt table tilted to the left. As I completed a circle ; backed off the lower thumb screw with my right hand I noticed how easy it was for a right handed person . I only thought of this because when I watched the video on doing the vase Steve pointed out 3 things . One , how to get the 20 degree angle with his jig and which direction to tilt the scroll saw table and cut CC. I found to my suprise that my drill press would tilt to the left , after loosening off a hidden bolt ,which was the direction the jig had to be in to drill the holes . Therefore I didn't have to use the jig . I was about to tilt the saw right when I realized I had to tilt the saw left to coincide with the drilled holes . Back in la la land I wondered what it would be like if I were left handed . The thumb screws are on the right as well ,the tensioner tightens to the right . Do they make saws for lefties and how awkward is it to get accustomed to using the right hand . Like I said I was in La La land .Perhaps I viewed the video wrong . Having fun cutting circles .
Cheers Roger

[Barefoot1]

We just do it like a rightie only better. :-) Most of us lefties are actually ambidextrous and so it is no big deal, we are used to a right handed world.

[Gill]

Lefties have to cope with a right-handed world. It's a matter of survival, it's a fact of life and we cope. Any leftie who's ever had to learn music right-handed (ever tried to play a piano accordian or guitar left-handed?) will regard coming to terms with a scroll saw as a doddle. Sure, the nuts are on the wrong side for us, they screw/unscrew the wrong way and the tables tilt counter-intuitively. So what? We deal with it.

My father used to lampoon me mercilessly as a child for my inability to cope with things that he took for granted, such as scissors and can (tin?) openers. One day, I found a shop for lefties and treated myself to a left-handed can opener which I showed to my mother and she told me to put it in the the cutlery drawer with the other can opener. A couple of days later my father came storming into the living room, waving my can opener and saying some very fruity words, the gist of which was, "Why doesn't this can opener work?"

He never mentioned my 'cack-handeness' again. He may not have walked the proverbial mile in my shoes, but he had tried to open a can with my hands and seen the world with my eyes.

Thank you, Roger, for considering us lefties.

Gill

[JohnB]

It's sure a strange old world
My Grandfather was ambidextrous and I remember him tell in me how he became so after He showed me a trick by signing his name with each hand.
He was a natural left hander, but when he was in primary school if a teacher caught him writing with his left hand he got whack across the knuckles, he reckoned self preservation soon taught him to use his right hand.

There is also no such thing as a left handed rifle. Dad learnt to shoot left handed when he was doing his National Service stint, more because his left eye was stronger than his right. If you've never tried working a bolt with your left hand, give it a go, it's bloody awkward.

Although I'm right handed, I do do some things left handed, usually those things that require two hands, like swinging an axe, using a cricket bat, coiling a rope. etc.

Gill, I hadn't heard 'cack-handeness' in long time A "Molly Duker" is what a South Paw is referred as in Oz.

[Gill]

Originally Posted by JohnB

There is also no such thing as a left handed rifle...If you've never tried working a bolt with your left hand, give it a go, it's bloody awkward.

Now that brings back memories.

Never mind firing a rifle left handed, try firing a Sterling sub-machine gun left handed! All RAF ground officers are issued with Sterling SMGs for personal defence (at least, they were when I was on the firing range). The discharge port ejects spent cartridges upwards and to the right, which isn't a problem if you've got the gun against your right shoulder. However, lefties can't use it unless it's in their left shoulder, ejecting hot, spent cartridges into their face. Oh, and both the safety catch and bolt are on the wrong side too...

And if you lay down on the ground to fire, your leg sticks out the wrong way...

There's no wonder range instructors made all the lefties go to the far end of the range and shoot on their own. We were told that if push came to shove (fortunately, it never did for me) it would be safer for us and our own troops if we used the benighted lump as a club.

Then there were the S6 gas masks which had the canister fitted on the left side so that you couldn't even put the SMG into your left shoulder while you were wearing it.

Gill

[sawdustus]

Ambidexterousness rules.
My wife is a lefty and fairly ambidexterous and I am mostly righty but have become somewhat ambidexterous. My wife uses a caculator with her right hand because that is where it was plugged in when she was working and I use the mouse with my left hand because our first computer table was set up for her and there was no room on the right side for the mouse pad. Our middle child is completely ambidexterous being able to bat and throw from both sides as well as to write and eat with either hand. Two quick stories about him.
When he was in 3nd grade and learning how to write cursive, his teacher called us in for a conference to tell us that he needed some physical therapy and psychological counseling because he would put the piece of paper he was writing on in the middle of the desk top and square to the edges. Then he would begin to write on the left half of the line with his left hand and in the middle of the paper would switch the pencil to his right hand and continue writing to the right edge of the paper. We thanked her for the information and told her concentrate her efforts on the children in the class who really needed help with their writing. To this day, our son can write with either hand and does so at work depending on which hand he picks up the phone with.
The family was at a Hibatchi restaurant when he was about 6 or 7 and we were all eating with chopsticks, some of us (me) a little less successfully. Another couple was also at the table using chopsticks but really struggling. When our son's left hand became tired from using the chopsticks, he casually switched to using his right hand something we had all seen before. The other couple looked at him, put their chopsticks down and only used their forks for the rest of the meal.

[Wood Dog]

It can be fun being left handed.......lots of challenges. When I find myself doodling with pen and paper I often write words not only left handed, but backwards too. Wonder what that means for my brain?

[Ramjet]

Just had another thought re lefties. I'm wondering if England and other countries drive on the left due to left handedness ? That reminds me of an incident which happened when working in England at Stokemandeville Hospital . My chum and I borrowed a bicycle and rode to the local pub . We picked up a box of beer when we left . (a real wooden box ) .We were doubling down the sidewalk when a car pulled us over . It was the police . The 2 constables and us were standing on the side walk . They seemed pretty angry .They explained to us that we had broken a few laws . Doubling , riding down the side walk ( path )and riding on the wrong side of the road at night ,no light . My chum and I stsarted to laugh because we thought they were upset about the beer . In B.C. we would have been nailed for posession of alcohol as we were under 21 . We tried to explain the humor of the situation . They called us a couple of smart *** Canadians and made us promise to get a book on the rules of the road . The fella we borrowed the bike from would never loan it to us again . Enjoyed that time in Enland . Cheers. Roger

[Mike Crosa]

When I was young teaching convention said to let the child use whatever hand he or she wanted. I ended up using my left hand. I have learned to use my right hand for many things such as adding machines, mouses, gear shift levers, etc. etc. Remember the school desks with the right hand desk? My major hangup is that although I am left handed, my right eye is dominant. Now that is a challenge.
GO LEFTIES!

[greatdane2]

I am right handed at best but there was a major study in the news a while back that showed left handers had better jobs and earned more money.