[Cajunone]

What direction should the wheel be turning in clockwise or counter clockwise?

[Benzine]

Cajunone, on 21 October 2012 - 01:46 PM, said:

What direction should the wheel be turning in clockwise or counter clockwise?

In the Western Hemisphere, the wheels traditionally go counterclockwise. In the Eastern Hemisphere, clockwise.

[Cass]

depends which side you want your hands on when throwing, you want the clay to drag away from you...because towards you is....problematic!

[meisie]

Cajunone, on 21 October 2012 - 01:46 PM, said:

What direction should the wheel be turning in clockwise or counter clockwise?

I thought left handed counter clockwise and right handed clock wise??? Or is it the other way around.
Actually my pottery teacher scoffed at left handed wheels and said we should all throw right handed and wheels should go clockwise regardless. I found some wheels that had a switch. I have a wheel that goes clockwise and I am left handed.

[Marcia Selsor]

I am left handed as are many potters. throwing is a ambidextrous skill. Most western wheels go counter clockwise.
But if you can throw you can go either way after a few minutes of practise. I have often chided that left handed potters have stronger forms inside the pots!
Really, you use both hands simultaneously.
Marcia

[JBaymore]

In some parts of Japan and Korea it varies, but traditionally in Japan and Korea they turn clockwise and the right hand is inside the form. But sometimes for trimming the wheel is then reversed.

If you are a westerner, you'll find more people who can most effectively teach and demonstrate with a counterclockwise orientation. You'll find the opposite in places like Japan and Korea.

Althohg my dominant ratation preference is counterclockwise, I spent a bit of time developing my skills with the wheel going clockwise... so that when I am in Japan and get asked to do some throwing in a situation where I can't opt for the western direction... I won't look lie a TOTAL idiot.

Newer electric wheels sold in the West tend to have rotation switches. Older wheels are typically counterclockwise only.
best,

..............john

[Benzine]

Yeah, I honestly can't do much with the wheel going counterclockwise. I have one electric that can go either direction, and two kick wheels, that of course can go either as well. Sometimes, a beginning student will ask for help, and without noticing, I'll go up to help, and struggle a bit. Then I'll notice the wheel is going clockwise.

[TJR]

I have replied to this one before. As a lefthanded person in a world of right handers, we are always hitting our heads on doors and are generally looking awkward.
You want your wheel to move counter clockwise. If it is a kick wheel, you kick with your right leg away from you. If you are in the Eastern hemisphere as John says, it's the reverse.[clockwise]. The great thing about being a left-handed potter is that your inside hand is your forming hand, which is great for bowls. Long ago I taught myself to trim with my right hand. So the only other things I use my right hand for are carrying suitcases and blocking punches.
The old Shimpo wheels[made in Japan], are reversible. Drove me crazy when teaching adult pottery classes. Half the class would be going the wrong way. Best to learn to throw the same direction as the rest of us[anti-clockwise], so that you can get help.
TJR.

[Benzine]

Writing is the ultimate slap in the face to lefties for multiple reasons. For one, if you use liquid ink, you either have to drag your hand through it, or adopt the awkward curved, over the top writing style. Second, desks are designed for the right handed. So lefties have to sit oddly in the desks to use the writing surface.

[JBaymore]

The most feared swordsmen were lefties. Almost all sword training is for countering a right hander.

best,

.............john

[Denice]

I must be really strange, I have a kickwheel and throw counter clockwise and do a lot of my trimming clockwise. I tend to use both hands equally in every thing I do, people who watch me work say I switch back and forth effortlessly and I tend to draw as well with the left hand. Denice

[Mark C.]

In this new world of everything your way most new wheels spin either direction.
Many of us old timers have wheels that only go counterclockwise no matter if you are right or left handed.
I always consult pigs tails to check rotation directions- here in the west most pigs tails curl to the right I assume in the east they go left.
I used to check toilet water but since we got a toto toilet the water just goes down with no swirl
I am sure someone will concur/or dispute this idea
Mark

[meisie]

Benzine, on 21 October 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

Writing is the ultimate slap in the face to lefties for multiple reasons. For one, if you use liquid ink, you either have to drag your hand through it, or adopt the awkward curved, over the top writing style. Second, desks are designed for the right handed. So lefties have to sit oddly in the desks to use the writing surface.

Actually I developed a writing style that keeps my hand straight and I don't have to drag my hand through the ink and and don't curve my hand. I change the way I slant my paper. I happened to write in front of my classroom the other day and the kids were amazed and said how do you write like that. As a left hander one of my first memories of first grade was when we were learning to print our names, The teacher came racing down the aisle and ripped the paper out of my hands and slanted it the way it was "suppose to be" by slamming it on the desk.(1964 I think it was) I was so scared of the woman but in private I always slanted my paper the way I wanted to. I try to teach it to my lefties in my class.

[Cajunone]

meisie, on 22 October 2012 - 06:37 PM, said:

Benzine, on 21 October 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

Writing is the ultimate slap in the face to lefties for multiple reasons. For one, if you use liquid ink, you either have to drag your hand through it, or adopt the awkward curved, over the top writing style. Second, desks are designed for the right handed. So lefties have to sit oddly in the desks to use the writing surface.

Actually I developed a writing style that keeps my hand straight and I don't have to drag my hand through the ink and and don't curve my hand. I change the way I slant my paper. I happened to write in front of my classroom the other day and the kids were amazed and said how do you write like that. As a left hander one of my first memories of first grade was when we were learning to print our names, The teacher came racing down the aisle and ripped the paper out of my hands and slanted it the way it was "suppose to be" by slamming it on the desk.(1964 I think it was) I was so scared of the woman but in private I always slanted my paper the way I wanted to. I try to teach it to my lefties in my class.

[TJR]

Benzine, on 21 October 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

Writing is the ultimate slap in the face to lefties for multiple reasons. For one, if you use liquid ink, you either have to drag your hand through it, or adopt the awkward curved, over the top writing style. Second, desks are designed for the right handed. So lefties have to sit oddly in the desks to use the writing surface.

Did you know that the typwriter/keyboard was invented by a left-handed person? Look at your qwerty key board. All of the popular letters are on the left side. Just sayin'
TJR.

[TJR]

Mark C., on 21 October 2012 - 10:35 PM, said:

In this new world of everything your way most new wheels spin either direction.
Many of us old timers have wheels that only go counterclockwise no matter if you are right or left handed.
I always consult pigs tails to check rotation directions- here in the west most pigs tails curl to the right I assume in the east they go left.
I used to check toilet water but since we got a toto toilet the water just goes down with no swirl
I am sure someone will concur/or dispute this idea
Mark

Mark;
The water goes the opposite way in Australia. They had hardly any water in their toilets. As you know, we Canadians are pretty profligate with our toilet water. Sorry, John.
TJR.

[Cajunone]

Thank you all for your quick replies. I am ambidextrous and can deal with "sinister" . My son changed the belts and the wiring on my wheel and I thought that something was wrong ...not wrong just different!!

[TJR]

JBaymore, on 21 October 2012 - 07:31 PM, said:

The most feared swordsmen were lefties. Almost all sword training is for countering a right hander.

best,

.............john

One of my sons is teaching himself how to spike left-handed in volleyball. Try as I might, snatching the spoon out of their hands, I couldn't get any of my three kids to be left-handed.I haven't used my sword much these days. They sort of frown on it in highschool.
TJR.

[Benzine]

TJR, on 22 October 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:

Benzine, on 21 October 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

Writing is the ultimate slap in the face to lefties for multiple reasons. For one, if you use liquid ink, you either have to drag your hand through it, or adopt the awkward curved, over the top writing style. Second, desks are designed for the right handed. So lefties have to sit oddly in the desks to use the writing surface.

Did you know that the typwriter/keyboard was invented by a left-handed person? Look at your qwerty key board. All of the popular letters are on the left side. Just sayin'
TJR.

I did know that there are quite a few words, that you can type, using the left hand only.

Sadly the QWERTY isn't the ideal choice anymore. It served its purpose, but there are better options.

[Benzine]

TJR, on 22 October 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

JBaymore, on 21 October 2012 - 07:31 PM, said:

The most feared swordsmen were lefties. Almost all sword training is for countering a right hander.

best,

.............john

One of my sons is teaching himself how to spike left-handed in volleyball. Try as I might, snatching the spoon out of their hands, I couldn't get any of my three kids to be left-handed.I haven't used my sword much these days. They sort of frown on it in highschool.
TJR.

Your high school too? What's the world coming to, when a person can't even bring a sword into the classroom?