Is it feasible to try and core a dried piece of walnut on a McNaughton Center Saver or any other dried piece for that matter?
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Coring dry wood
- Thread starter Walter Martinez
- Start date
I have cored 5 inch thick dry walnut. It’s slow going and the cutter on my Oneway knife had to be sharpened about 3 times per core (HSS, not carbide). If you do try it, remember, always put safety first. There’s also more dust, so be sure to use a dust extraction system.
I've used the Macnaughton on dry wood once or twice - as Kevin said, go slow and sharpen when needed. When it starts self feeding as the cut transitions to side grain, slow down even more. Not that different from wet wood.
Much easier on wet wood, but, yes, you can do it. Just like turning dry wood, go slower, sharpen often. Tip gets super hot.
The new Hunter Korpro slices through dry wood like it was butter.
For sharpening the McNaughton, a coarse diamond hone, like 220, and I go across the bevel. Coring dry wood is like turning dry wood, when compared to doing it with green wood, you just have to go at a slower pace. I don't know if I would want to core dry black locust, though it can be done....
robo hippy
robo hippy
Bill, Trying to understand why the Korpro Cartridge with cutter should cost anywhere near $190. The replaceable carbide cutter only costs $29 so that would seem to leave a $160 for the small metal block that mounts the cutter to the Oneway knives. I know Hunter makes quality stuff, but what am I missing here?
Like the others have said it can be done but any thick piece of wood is likely to crack if it does in fact dry. As far as walnut is concerned I have had many instances where the wood had been laying around for up to 30 years and when cut into it still had noticeably higher moisture in the core.
That’s a good point Don. Best to let the cores from thick “dry” wood stabilize before the final turning. Weigh them after coring and then once a week until the weight loss stops.
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No problem with walnut, but I wouldn't want to try and core dry hard maple, white oak, osage, black locust, etc...
@ Karl: Yes, you *are* missing a detail. According to a Hunter presentation I just read, the package also includes "a torx wrench for indexing the cutter" 
I don't have to imagine why it costs so much. You have to machine a tool holder that is the exact shape as the Oneway cutter that you can add a replaceable carbide cutter to it. I don't think that comes cheap. I have no wet wood, all my wood is dry. I have shipped out the door at least a half dozen Cherry cores and I'm still using the first side of the carbide cutter. To me it is worth the money without a doubt. Not having to constantly sharpen the Oneway cutters is worth it in its self. Hey I don't sell them I just use them and I'm very happy to do so. Everyone chooses whats best for themselves.