Replies

1. 
   gpssam | Aug 25, 2010 05:11pm | #1

   I am left handed, at a very early age you learn that some things must be done with the right hand. I use my chop saw with either hand, it depends on what end of the board I am cutting. My free hand usually holds the cut board, not the drop . I believe that you will find that most of your left handed students are very use to using the non dominant hand. It is just a fact of life for us. I can use most tools with either hand. That being said, do they need to use it the saw the "right" way. I personally dont think so. As mush as possable they need to use tools in the manor that is the most natural to them.  Pick up a bench chisel with your left hand and try to use it, ask your self is this safer than using this tool in my dominant hand.

2. 
   suiattle | Aug 25, 2010 09:30pm | #2

   I am also a lefty. In line with what gpssam said, I'm not entirely sure of the difference between the right handed and left handed way of using a chop saw . From an early age I had to figure out how to use tools and all manner of things that were designed to be used by right handed people. Not that the designers consciously thought . ' let's see how can I make this widgette so that right handed people can use it ' . It's just that roughly 90% of people are right handed, so there is no major incentive to design anything to be ambidexterously usable.

   As a result I just sort of use tools the way they work for me. Sometimes that happens to be 'right handed' , and sometimes it is   ' left handed ' , sometimes I suspect that it is a unique hybrid of the two.  A table saw is a bit confusing with the two miter guage slots, and the ability to shift the rip fence from right to left side of the blade. Add to that , the ' left tilt arbor '  VS  ' right tilt arbor '  pros and cons  and I am on my own. The result is that I use my right tilt arbor TS  ' right handed ' (I think).

   The more I think about it the more I get a headache. The best thing I can say is that I still have all of my fingers .  It calls to mind the sentiment expressed by Nietzsche - whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

   Using both hands,

   Bill

3. 
   Manitario | Aug 25, 2010 10:18pm | #3

   I would teach to use it right handed, using left handed would just seem too awkward. I have a mitre saw that allows me to rotate the handle to 90o which often I'll use my left hand to cut awkward lengths of wood, but my prior mitre saw with a regular handle I wouldn't have felt safe using my left hand.

4. 
   Eef | Aug 26, 2010 02:38pm | #4

   hi riden,

   been teaching high school woodshop for a while now.  lefties, such as myself, simply have to learn that, in this right-handed world, we must learn the ways of the predominant  group i.e. the righties.

   eef

1. 
   Westchester | Aug 26, 2010 03:21pm | #5

   Shop Class

   Hello Riden -

   Good to see that there are places that haven't taken away the power tools from shop classes -

   Here in NY it is very limited.  The teacher makes 95% of the power cuts - the students use mostly hand tools.

   Nothing wrong with learning that way except there comes a time when the students should be taught with the power tools so they know the correct way of using them -for when they are out of school 

   Keep up the good work -  by the way - what State are you in ?

   SA

1. 
   riden | Aug 26, 2010 11:05pm | #6

   Thanks for the input guys. To be honest, I haven't tried  the DeWalt I have at school left handed. I have used my Bosch at home left handed a few times, and the design makes visibility very bad left handed. Maybe the De Watt will be different-but I am betting not,

   I can't believe power tools have been pulled from any shops. I am in Alberta, Canada and our shops are very well equippped. This province really encourages the trades.

   I am actually starting a new program with my gr 9 class (boys only) and we will be building sheds and playhouses to sell for charity. I have an 18x20 shed that was just wired for me,a Sawstop, DeWalt 12 inch slider, Makita circ saws and drills. Everything I need was bought for me, my school doesn't have a shop, our kids attend shop at the local high school. We will spend the last hour of every day building.

   I am really excited about it, should be a lot of fun.

5. 
   Don01 | Aug 27, 2010 01:33am | #7

   Left Handed Albertan

   You are so correct.

   As the motor on many mitre saws is on the right side, it only makes sense to me to keep my visibility on the left side of the blade, right hand on the trigger. Using the left hand on the trigger is - well dumb. You lose sight of the cut line and the the blade. This can easily lead to losing the right hand.

   Don