Do you switch hands?

[sweetiedog]

Do you switch your mandrel back and forth between hands or does it always stay in the same hand?

[Mopnglo]

Both hands and my mouth too.

[sweetiedog]

I was feeling a bit clunky and discombobulated at the torch a couple weeks ago so I went back to my PTF book and re-read it from cover to cover as a refresher. The line that stood out the most was about keeping your mandrel in the same hand at all times. I thought, gee, I wonder if I do that? I didn't even know.

So I paid real close attention to my next few torching sessions and realized I have this habit of winding the glass onto the mandrel or decorating the base bead, and then switching hands over to my dominant hand (right) to burn it in and round it out and marver or press. I kept going back and forth. Apply glass. Switch hands to do everything else. Over and over again. (Apparently my left hand is a mostly useless appendage - it is with most things).

I didn't even realize I was doing it. So these last few torching sessions I've been making a real conscious effort to keep my mandrel in the left hand at all times. It is hard. I pretty much have to train my left hand from scratch on what to do, but I can see it being a productivity improvement since I am not spending so much time moving the mandrel back and forth.

Thought it would be interesting to see what everyone else does. Is it just a newbie mistake that I am switching hands, or is that a perfectly normal and acceptable torching style? Do people dip MoM just to alleviate that need so they can use both hands equally? Is there some other way of doing things that I am missing entirely?

Thanks for sharing!

[asimeral]

I use my left hand MOST of the time, but if I'm working with heavy mandrels, and my behind has been in the chair for 2 or 3 hours, I start switching hands 'cause my left hand starts getting sore.

[beadgoodies]

Honestly, I'm *shocked* at the poll results so far!! OMG, I NEVER switch mandrel hands. EVER. Weird, weird, weird. NOT doable!

Candy

[Teri.p]

Yep - I'm a switcher. Mandrel is in my left hand anytime I add glass as well as when I do anything with a tool that needs the dexterity of my right hand.

[playswithfire104]

I totally switch back and forth. Especially if I'm making a bead that takes an hour. My wittle hand gets tired.

[Lisi]

I'm usually doing something with both hands at the same time when making beads. I'm ambidextrous with my right hand being dominant.

Left hand holds mandrel and turns away from me while applying glass with the right. I make beads in "wraps" so the left is rotating mandrel back and forth (in and out of back part of flame) to keep bead round and warm while right is turning glass rod like a pencil to make the next wrap.

When applying frit, I use the right hand for that. To melt frit in or other finalizing steps, the right is turning the mandrel back and forth as necessary while the left is holding the other end of the mandrel with a tail stock holder.

Both hands are doing something most of the time. Kind of like the skill of being able to pat the top of your head while rubbing your tummy at the same time.

[Otter's Flame]

Silly rule books!!!

I knew I stopped using mandrels for a reason... Not only is there glass attached to them... there are rules attached to them apparently!



Otter

[Lisi]

Originally Posted by Otter's Flame

Silly rule books!!!

I knew I stopped using mandrels for a reason... Not only is there glass attached to them... there are rules attached to them apparently!



Otter

No, there really aren't ANY rules. You can do whatever is most comfortable for you. Used to be a old "rule" I remember from my newbie days to always turn the mandrel away from you and only in that direction. Bahh!! It's BS, and I can prove it. LOL

I turn my mandrels in all directions and do it slowly and rapidly too at times.

[PerfectDeb]

i have CTS so i switch hands all the time when one goes numb

[beadsoncypress]

I can't image how I would only use one hand.....how would ass glass?
Hmmmm hold mandrel in left hand, add glass with right, switch to marver, switch back add more glass, switch, decorate as wanted, switch????

[davelovins]

Originally Posted by Mopnglo

Both hands and my mouth too.

I agree. I just don't seem to have enough hands.

[Anne Ricketts]

I never switch especially after I kept getting wonky beads from switching, ya know, that darned gravity just took the glass when I switched! Besides I'm not that great with placing stuff on the bead with my left hand, ya wanna talk wonky! Now if you use the middle of the mandrel then I can see doing that!

[Three Muses Glass]

I switch constantly, on mandrel and off.

[maroli]

Mostly I use my left hand but from time to time with the fatigue I can switch hands
... but never use my mouth

[Howling Dog]

Yes, I always switch hands depending on the task at hand. As soon as I gave myself "permission" to break the rules, rules that I had read in sooooo many books, my success rate at the torch improved dramatically.
michelle

[carolinainmymind]

I voted other... more than just switching back and forth for me, there's also over and under...

Add glass with mandrel in left hand. Round up bead with mandrel in right hand. Now... here's the weird one. When I add dots, I've discovered that if I flip my (left) hand over when I'm holding the mandrel- palm up with mandrel kinda across it, and my pinky out- I have alot more control over my dots. Sounds weird, but it works for me....

[lisabk]

Glenda...I am going to try that with my hand next time. When I took classes and was on a 2 fuel torch I was able to make some nice dots.
Now on my HH my dots quickly get messed up and soon I just end up making something funky like a gravity bead.

I switch, add glass with mandrel in left, glass in right....latey I do this part standing up so I can see the flame better...plus I am short and find being above everything helps. Once I switch hands I sit down.
Sort of feels like I am getting in some exercising too

[clan tabby]

Hmm, I may have to try keeping the mandrel in one hand one day when I'm bored. I can't imagine trying to shape up the bead without the control of my right hand. I do pretty much everything else with the mandrel in the left, but trying to shape & balance the bead is relegated to the right hand. Since I'm still very new to all of this, I'm pretty sure I'm doing lots of things "wrong"! I guess as long as it's fun, it works.

[simvet02]

I'm with Deb, I voted that I never switch but once in awhile the left hand gets numb and I have to hold it with the other while I wake it back up. Other than that I never switch. I'm left handed but my right hand does everything but write so I use it for all the work.

I'll have to try using the right hand to see how it is. Maybe I'm missing some opportunities...LOL

[metalbone]

I switch up all the time, depending on what I am doing an how. For hollow work, sometimes I like the blow tube in one hand and the punty in the other, and visa versa. For mandrel work, I switch up often.

I am not sure how a "never switch hands" rule could have ever been put forth, especially in a book.

[Foofaraw]

When adding glass to the mandrel I hold it in my left hand then switch it to my right to form the bead. When I add decorations, I switch it back to my left and then back to my right to reform the bead. It works for me and helps to even the stress it puts on both my wrists.

[Cosmo]

I don't use mandrels, but I switch hands constantly. For gathering glass and adding decorations, I use my left hand. When it comes time to spin and shape the piece I use my right.

[Firebug]

I switch all the time too. I say, whatever gets the job done, is the right way. Rules are meant to be broken.

Cheers
Kathy

[rusticstudio]

I always switch it up. I teach my students to use their dominant hand to do the things that take the most dexterity. Like many above, I hold the mandrel with my left hand and apply the glass with my right then switch the mandrel to my right to round it up. I can round up the bead nicely with my left, if need be. I also tell the students that you'll want to have 5 hands, so try to utilize both hands as much as possible.

I have this one student, who is right handed, who has taken to shaping up his bead with the mandrel in his left hand and steadying with his marver on the right. This is not a problem, except that I notice that his beads are slightly heavy on the left, because he can't seem to keep the mandrel perfectly horizontal, and the balance of the bead is off because he is always heating more on the "face" of the bead and sometimes gets a little gravity distortion. In this case, I have strongly encouraged him to periodically switch hands as he's shaping in order to balance the bead.

I say do whatever works for you. It's silly that there's a "rule" about this.

[patienthand]

my mandrel stays in one hand all the time, but when it comes to any other sort of glass work I do things with both hands and switch a lot. Blown, sculptural, neon, lab glass etc etc

Candice

[Jinx]

LOL Never

[TinaJ]

I use both hands and even switch when working in the center of the mandrel. I have noticed that some of my dotted beads have dots that curve towards downwards, so by switching I get more even dots. Also, I learned (from a Corina class) that when applying dots to hold the mandrel up, down and every which way, to apply the dots to the beads. I also switch and hold the mandrel with my palm up when doing detail work. I seem to have greater control that way. In other words, I do whatever it takes to hold the mandrel.

Oh, and to those who think switching will cause the glass to droop, then just be aware of that and always hold the mandrel horizontally when switching hands. I do it all the time.
Tina

[Jody Lee]

I'm a lefty, so the mandrel is always in my left hand. Which doesn't make sense, as I apply the glass (stringer too) and use hand tools with my right. Oh well.