this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2024
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The world has a lot of different standards for a lot of things, but I have never heard of a place with the default screw thread direction being opposite.

So does each language have a fun mnemonic?

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[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (10 children)

This phrase has never made any sense to me. It’s a circle. If one side is moving right, then the opposite side is moving left. So the phrase only makes sense if you specify which side we are talking about, which nobody ever does. Therefore it’s completely illogical to me while everyone else just gets it. Side note: Autism can be a real bitch sometimes.

Edit:

  1. Some people don’t understand how I can see a problem. That’s cool, but don’t be a dick. We all look at the world through different lenses.
  2. This is when I was a kid “helping” my grandfather in the garage. I’m older now and understand that “righty tighty” references the top of the rotation.
  3. Some people rotate their perspective 90° and imagine themselves standing on the screw. Therefore when your face rotates to the right the screw is tightened. I hadn’t ever thought of that. But I had imagined rotating my perspective 90° the other direction –the top of my head as a screwdriver. In that case, “lefty tighty”
[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Clockwise and counterclockwise may be more intuitive for some people. Is the clock-hand (wrench) going forward in time, or backwards. But I don't know of any quick rhyme for that

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Yes, that verbiage makes way more sense.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

But the entire rotation is either clockwise (right) or counterclockwise (left). Ultimately, its just a helpful reminder which way to turn lol

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 month ago (21 children)

Clockwise and counter-clockwise makes sense.

But when you say “right” it’s not clear which side of the circle is being referenced. If the top of the circle is moving to the right, the bottom is moving left at the same time. So the saying only makes sense when you specify that you’re talking about the top of the circle.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

you have to have never seen a steering wheel to not understand which side of the circle is being referenced. it's always the top. who would even reference anything else and why.

"turn it right"

"which part???"

"the middle of course, you absolute alien"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Because people get confused when there is no space for the wrench at the top, and they put the handle at the bottom and try to move the wrench left or right, not referencing the top of bolt.

Because they aren't using the saying as a clokwise/counter clockwise reminder but as a flat out instruction.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes, it's always the top side of the circle in this context, or you can think about how clock hands do go in a specific direction, because they're a radius, not a circumference. There, now it's cleared up for you.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The clock hands move right when at the top but left when at the bottom.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

In Australia, it's the other way around and the clock will try to eat you or at least sting you to death.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (10 children)

Imagine it as if it were a track you were driving around, which way would you turn the wheel?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (13 children)

It's getting so convoluted at this point just knowing clockwise/anticlockwise is infinitely easier.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Yes! That concept makes way more sense.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

If you're looking head on to the screw/nut/whatever then we're talking about the top of the screw/but/whatever.

You can also imagine if the nut was actually a wheel. Which way would you spin it to make it roll left or right.

Confused the hell out of me at a young age. That's how I came around to thinking of it

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Don't think about it in 3d space.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They mean is the wrench handle moving left from the 12 o'clock position or left from the 6 o'clock position. You would not believe how many people struggle with lefty righty because of start location.

I defer to clockwise and counter-clockwise (anti-clockwise in UK). Except for new gen that never learned analog clock stuggles with this concept also.

Then they encounter a Left Hand thread and the universe implodes

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Shit, a standard thread feels natural to me, but a left hand thread still fucks my life up sometimes — trying to notice what's going on before I strip it.

My grill can connect to those camping propane tanks, but it's threaded opposite... gets me every time

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I have left-hand threaded fittings on a few things and always say to myself aloud "This is reverse-threaded" before I attempt to turn them then still fuck up first turn. It doesn't stop me from fucking it up the first time - it just helps me remember why.

When I train new people on this equipment I tell them to say it aloud, show them, still fuck up the first turn, then they laugh.

Then I have them do it in front of me including saying it aloud - and they fuck up the first turn...

When you've been doing something unconsciously for decades it's really hard to break.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I think it was old Chryslers had opposite lugnuts, I can only imagine how many stripped threads happened

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

I love how half the people in this thread are under-thinking it and don't seem to understand they're doing so. I wonder whether it's a bit.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I assure you I’m only thinking of it in two dimensions.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

I agree but there is a intuitive way once you are holding it. I remember looking at a car wheel and the signal lever not understanding how do people decided that up on the lever means right. Yeah it's connected to the wheel rotation but why turning the wheel clockwise means turning right? When I actually sat on the driver seat there was an instinct.For most people It's more logical to look at the "top" of the circle and corelate it's movement with turning left/right.

A thing that annoyed me is when table top games use a non determinist way to define player order. It always depends on the observer.alIf you just say "then the you pass your turn to the left", what left? From my perspective; from the top down perspective translating it to counterclockwise? From the tables perspective which is the opposite?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I used to feel the same way. If you're talking about the direction you're moving your hand, it assumes your hand is above, not below.

Had a similar hangup with less than/greater than symbols.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

If it were a wheel which way would it roll?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I remember when my grandpa was like why not just keep going? I was pulling the ratchet end of the wrench off the bolt at the bottom.. I said but that side is left and he laughed and said its just to get you started and told me the clock thing. Dont ever ask me to put a nut on a bolt I will cross thread it every time.

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