Getting to the Core of the Matter

Vaughn McMillan

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
36,054
Location
ABQ NM
Mr. Fedex came by the house Friday with about 20 pounds of new lathe tooling. Had to try it out tonight on some dry and punky alder "practice wood" I had laying around.

First Cored Set 800.jpg

I ended up getting the "complete" McNaughton coring system, which is the standard blades plus the big ones. I expect to do enough big pieces that the big blades should pay for themselves. As it turned out, I already used one of the long ones tonight due to the depth of the blank I was playing with. I also learned they come from the factory pretty sharp. I was pulling the little rubbery protective tips off one of the blades and sliced my finger open pretty good.

I can tell I still have a lot to learn as far using this rig. I had several belt-screeching catches, but for having never seen one in action (other than short video clips), I think I did OK. I've got the Mike Mahoney coring DVD on order, so hopefully that'll help shorten the learning curve.

This set of cores was more of a test run than anything else. The blank I used was badly split, and as punky as it is, it's probably not worth the effort to finish out the bowls, but I might go ahead and try, and use them for finishing practice.
 
You're a better man than I. I bought the system a while back along with Mahoney's and Reed Gray's DVDs and I am still having trouble. I am using the Oneway because it is easier for me but hope to go back to the McNaughton soon.
 
Way to go Vaughn!

Pete, wanna sell your McNaughton system :D

I'm really looking at one of these systems for sure, I might just order one and get my daughters to bring it back to Japan for me, to save the shipping.

I've also been looking at the Woodcut System.
 
Looks like it didn't take long to learn how to use that system. Great job.

Stu you might want to look closer at the Woodcut. I think it is only for 12" lathes or at least that is what I was told. So I went with the oneway system.
 
...How does one cut the bottom to separate them?
You're supposed to get to the point where the core is held in place with a 1" to 1/2" or so "nub", then you just break it off with a hammer tap or wedge. A couple passes with a bowl gouge afterwards and the break is cleaned up. If you don't stop soon enough, the core goes spinning and dancing across the shop. DAMHIKT. :p
 
Looks like it didn't take long to learn how to use that system. Great job.

Stu you might want to look closer at the Woodcut. I think it is only for 12" lathes or at least that is what I was told. So I went with the oneway system.

The product info says 13" to 3" bowls, but yes, that is a limitation, but not that much of a limit, as the Nova DVR can only spin a 16" piece of wood, and just barely, so maybe I'd lose on larger bowl on a 15" piece :dunno:

It looks well made and thought out, and $269 all in, sure is a lot cheaper :huh: but I'm still undecided, so :rolleyes:
 
Yep I understand Stu. The one ad I read and I believe it was CSUSA said designed for 12" lathes. They also say 3" to 13" with a 5" depth. Just didn't want you to get stuck with something that has to be shipped back.
 
One thing that swung my decision to the McNaughton is the different radiuses (radii?) you can cut. The Oneway (and I believe the Woodcut) use a fixed radius, which makes it easier to learn and use, but a bit more limited in the shapes you can cut.

That said, I think in your market Stu, the demand is likely pretty high for matching sets of bowls, all with the same radius. I think those would be easier with something like the Oneway or Woodcut. Whichever rig you get, I suspect it'll pay for itself in saved wood and time. :thumb:
 
Top