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I am looking at the different ATG guns, trying to decide if I want to get one, and which one. I've read that some left-handed people have trouble because the tape rides close to the left side of the gun, and is difficult to see where it is going down on the paper. I'd like to hear from other left-handers who use ATG guns...how does it work for you? Is this pretty much a universal issue for lefties and ATGs? Or is it just a few lefties having this issue? Also, has anyone figured out how to get the tape to ride close to the right edge? I'm pretty handy and rather good at problem solving, so if it can be done, I'll be able to. If anyone has tried, let me know if you had any success or why it failed.
That was my BIG problem with the ATG when I first got it. You really have to twist and turn to see where the tap is going down. But you know us lefties - we are resourceful!! And if you're older than 35 you probably know how to cut (among other things) right handed because they just didn't make left-handed stuff when we were little!
Back to the ATC - I just plowed on and got used to it, I just intuitively know now where the tape is going and where to place it - it only took a few weeks and now it's not a problem. I never tried to rig it to see if you could make it ride to the right side - hmmm, maybe I'll have a look. But if you're good at adapting, you can do and I LOVE LOVE mine!! Hope that helps!
I'm left handed and I love my ATG. There was definitely a learning curve. The guns are used a lot in matting and framing where they need to get the adhesive really close to the edge of their layers. I tend to be a little ambidextrous so I just use the gun in my right hand. The main problem, like you said, is that when you use it in your left hand, you can't see exactly what you're doing. I did a little experimenting with my gun and if you hold it in your left hand and sight down the left side of the gun, you can get pretty nice placement. It feels a little awkward because you're head is tilted a bit but it can be done. If you know anyone with an ATG or can attend a card or scrapbooking class where one is available to try out, that might be the way to go. I do love mine but I realize I have a bit of advantage over someone who is very dominately left handed. Hope this helped.
I agree with the above ladies - as a southpaw who also uses the ATG - I love mine and did not even notice that it was hard to use. I guess I have learned over the years that things that are worth using are worth the effort. I was the kid years ago that almost failed Kindergarten as my teacher had not encountered a leftie prior and didn't know what to do with me so she left me to my own to figure it out. (Prior to me- I know folks that encountered the CHANGE in school where the teacher would make everyone use their right hand as that was considered normal)This was before the days of left handed scissors etc. So I can now successfully tie my shoes, write and even use scissors! LOL
I would suggest that you try it and be prepared to waste a roll of adhesive. I gave myself those limits and ultimately I didn't waste even 1/3 of my first roll. It does come quickly.
I got my ATG about a month ago and it has taken me some time to get used to it. I got really frustrated at first but the more I use it the better I'm getting at it. I think like others have said it's a bit of a learning curve. I do like it but find for smaller pieces of cs I'm still reaching for my small tape runner.
I think most of us leftys have learned to be ambidextrous. I did have a bit of a learning curve but mine was more about holding the trigger down while running the tape. After a while I can pretty much quess where the tape is going. If I want it placed just so, like on narrow paper....then I use my right hand.
I think most of us leftys have learned to be ambidextrous.
LOL! I'm sitting here trying to remember which hand I use when I'm using my ATG gun. I think it's my left, (closes eyes, pretending to pick up gun), pretty sure it's my left. I love my ATG gun, actually I've never even noticed that I'm a lefty with it. I'd go for it, if your nervous about the investment, try to score a pink model at Michael's with a coupon for $20.00 or less.
I too am a little ambidextrous. I write with my left, but use a scissors with my right. I also was born when left-handedness was considered abnormal and something that should be corrected. My Mom has told me that when I was a baby, when she noticed that I was favoring my left hand, she would put my spoon on the right side of my tray to try to get me to use my right hand more. I'm not really sure how much that plays into my using my right hand with scissors, or if not having left-handed scissors during my childhood caused it. I guess I'll see if I can train my right hand to use the ATG, it might be possible. But if not, I'll figure out a way that works best for me.
I've ordered the Pink Scotch Advanced Glide ATG from ScrapbookingAlley.com for just under $20. I usually refer to the website as Ritz Camera, but that gets weird looks. Ritz Camera has a scrapbooking section, which is actually ScrapbookingAlley. I just find it easier to type "Ritz Ca" into google to get to the website to pull up. There are so many sites that start with "Scrapbook". Now, 7KidsCollegeFund.com actually had a better price, but it wasn't eligible to be included in their free shipping offer. I had enough in my basket at Ritz to qualify for their free shipping offer, so I'd have paid more in shipping from 7KCF.com than I paid extra in base price by going with Ritz. 7KCF is, in my opinion, the best place to go for Scor-Tape. She actually gets it from the same manufacturer that the Scor folks do, so she can offer if for a very good price. It is listed on the left side as Sookwang Adhesive, but it is Scor-tape. It was a good productive deal hunting day, slowly gathering all the tools and supplies I have on my list.
michaels carries the pink and you can use a coupon. comes with 2 rolls of tape too.
my mom is lefty, she taught me how to knit, iron and probably other things left handed although I cannot do anything else with my left hand.
Haven't read all the responses but I think the ATG 50 - the generic one that is being sold on some online sites would work for you lefties. The tape rides on the far right of the front roller. It also can use the 1/2" wide adhesive.
I am a righty. I bought one of these ATGs when 3M was having trouble with the 714s. Never could get used to the tape riding on the far right. (Couldn't see where I was placing my tape with any accuracy - probably just me.) Gave it to a friend who is a lefty and she loves it. Maybe this ATG would work for you.
Love using the ATG because the adhesive is strong and much more economical than the small tape runners. When you buy a refill, you get yards NOT feet/inches.
One thing I would suggest to 3M/other ATG manufacturers - please design a cap/cover that could be snapped on to the exposed front where the tape is so that it would be easier to take to workshops, etc. I don't take mine because the exposed tape gets stuck to anything it come in contact with in my carryall. (I know that is the reason for having an ATG but want it to place the adhesive where I WANT it, not just anything it comes in contact with.)
I bought the pink one from Michaels. One of my friends has the red one and uses 1/2" tape, I think that one would be nicer to use and I might just get that one yet.
So far I just eye it when using mine, doesn't seem to be a problem. And when I do need to be a little more precise, I do all sorts of head movements to see where I'm going.
I guess I am one of the "old timers" and use my gun with my right hand since I had to learn how to cut with my right hand. I also crochet (as it is) with my right hand. Frantic Stamper carries those pink ATG that are a little less bulky I wonder if that would work better for the left handed?
I'm a lefty as well and I love my ATG. You'll soon get used to just knowing where the tape will land. Most of the other posts before me echo my thoughts. I am a bit ambidextrous. I knit right-handed (self taught) and cut with scissors with using my right hand as well. I crochet left-handed. I know lefties who mouse with the left hand on the computer. I don't like that because I tend to take notes when on the computer and need my left and free for that. I also answer the phone with my left hand and I wear my watch on my right hand because it is easier for me to do it up with my left!
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
I'm a lefty, and I do almost everything with my left hand. I use scissors with my left hand, write, color, etc. But I use my ATG gun with my right hand. At first it was just because I wanted to see where the tape was going down, and now it's just so natural to use my right hand for the ATG gun.
Now that I think about it, I use my mouse with my right hand, I use the remote with my right hand, and I put on mascara and eyeshadow with both hands. I do the left eye with the left hand and the right eye with the right hand. I suppose that makes me ambidextrous, or just weird?? LOL
Haven't read all the responses but I think the ATG 50 - the generic one that is being sold on some online sites would work for you lefties. The tape rides on the far right of the front roller. It also can use the 1/2" wide adhesive.
This is true! I think this gun would work much better for a lefty.
Here is a comparison I did on my blog a year and a half ago. If you scroll down, you can see how the tape compares between the 2 guns when they are loaded.
I thought I was the only lefty who wrote with their left hand but cut with their right! It was because when I grew up no one around was a lefty and when teaching me to cut with scissors they had to teach me right handed.
I also grew up when some thought you should try to force lefties to be righties, my mom tells me a teacher asked her if she should tie my left hand behind my back and force me to use my right hand. I'm surprise my mom didn't slug her She told the teacher to leave me alone and let me do it how I wanted. (I love my mom!)
I think my family has a kind of specific strain of mixed dominance. My father, my daughter and I all do things the same way. Anything that takes one hand pretty exclusively, we do left handed. If it takes two hands fairly equally, we do it right handed. I bowl left handed but I swing a bat right handed. I can throw a ball with either hand. I used to confuse the heck out of a cousin who was teaching me to play tennis. If the ball came at me on the left, I'd swing at it that way. If it came at me on the right, I would switch hands with the racket and swing at it that way.
I think my family has a kind of specific strain of mixed dominance. My father, my daughter and I all do things the same way. Anything that takes one hand pretty exclusively, we do left handed. If it takes two hands fairly equally, we do it right handed. I bowl left handed but I swing a bat right handed. I can throw a ball with either hand. I used to confuse the heck out of a cousin who was teaching me to play tennis. If the ball came at me on the left, I'd swing at it that way. If it came at me on the right, I would switch hands with the racket and swing at it that way.
Makaren
Both of my kids are like that. One is left-handed like me and one is right-handed like her dad. However, when playing sports, they both play hockey, shooting the opposite way of the way you'd think they'd shoot. It is a mixture of ways with baseball and soccer which doesn't necessarily match the dominant hand. When they were young and in preschool before grade primary, they used to color and draw equally with both hands. When they started school and were orientated, the gym teacher took them to the gym and had them each kick a ball. They told me this was a common way of deciding which hand to concentrate on when learning to write. If they kicked the ball consistently with the left foot then the teachers knew to concentrate on the left hand for writing purposes. Go figure that each child went with an opposite foot. My rightie daughter exhibits more of the tendencies of a leftie and my leftie son exhibits more traits usually attributed to righties.
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
I write left-handed, but do some things right handed. But if I have to stop and think which hand I use to do something, I forget how to do it with either hand. THen I have to quit, go away and come back when I'm not thinking of it and just do it.
This morning, though, I suddenly realized 'Hey, I'm using my ATG righty!' But I swipe down the middle, so precision edge placement is not an issue for me.
Which is a long way of saying, OP, you wouldn't want my advice--but you do have my best wishes for finding what works for you.
I am also a lefty. When I got my ATG it was so awkward to use. So I practiced using my right hand, it took a long time to adjust my now it feels normal. I also had to learn to knit right handed. I use my ATG everyday
ATG guns and left-handed crafters
