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Coring options

B

Bob D

Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
16
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Location
Montville, Me
Website
www.mainewoodturners.org
I am thinking of getting a bowl coring system and have seen the Oneway in action and was inpressed by everything but the price. Tried the McNaughton system and didn't like it. Is anyone using the Woodcut bowl saver from Craft Supplies? It seems reasonably priced but can it perform as well as the Oneway to justify the price difference? I will be using it on a PM 3036.

I also saw a Oneway advertised on an eBay store for $290 with the #1 Knife. Anyone familiar with that seller??
 
Hi Bob

What kinds of things did you not like about the McNaughton? It is often maligned for being hard to use when often it only requires a small bit of adjustment to get it running very smoothly. I have cored many bowls myself, plus taught others to use it too. In fact, several have been ladies of decidedly petite natures who have used it successfully.

I can offer no help on the bowl saver since I have never seen more than a picture of it.

Bill
 
Bill,

I tried the McNaughton at a fellow woodturner's shop from our club(Maine woodturners). It was jumpy with a lot of vibration when coring out and would bind in hard oak. A few other members of our club have used them also and were not happy with the results.
 
Bob D said:
I tried the McNaughton at a fellow woodturner's shop from our club(Maine woodturners). It was jumpy with a lot of vibration when coring out and would bind in hard oak. A few other members of our club have used them also and were not happy with the results.
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Bob,

Sounds like both you and your friend are in need of some instruction on the McN set. I core as many bowls as I can with mine, and, while Mike Mahoney I ain't, I've never had a problem such as you describe. I did try the Oneway, but after the McNaughton, found it too limiting in capabilities.

Where are you located?

Mark

opps, Montville, Maine - too far to come for a quickie lesson.
 
Bob, I have to agree with Bill, Sean, and Mark.

I haven’t cored the most but I have cored hundreds of bowls with mine and have had good results. The most important thing is the tip has to be at dead center or slightly above. There is a learning curve, learning how fast to cut, where to start and when to clear shavings. I did make one funnel so far but I will sacrifice that piece for the ability to core so many different angles. As Bill Grumbine once said it seems easier to core a chunk from a bowl than hollow with a gouge. I use a lot of cores in the fireplace that are not worth bothering for bowls… still better than shavings! Check Bill’s web site or a DVD from Mike Mahoney if interested.
 
Coring system

I wish I lived close to someone who has good luck with the McNaughton. Have had mine for about a year and try it when I find a big log. Some times I get what I want but usually I cut into the next bowl or leave too thick a bottom and it cracks. Mr. Grumbine and Mahoney makes it look easy but neither say at what angle to hold the handle when you start. I am sure this is my big problem. I am also never sure which blade to use. Mahoney says in his tape he will use this blade because it is the logical one. Wish I had his logic.

Ron
 
I have it in my mind to purchase the McNaughton system in a few months. I've always heard its a good system but a bit difficult to use. I'll be sure the get some instruction for a local turner/club. I am most attracted to the conservation aspect.
 
Ron, when I look at a blade and want to be safe, I use the next curve smaller blade than the outside curve of the blank I am coring. I try to visualize the curve of the blade flowing through the blank when I am setting the gate for coring, keeping in mind that the blade will follow the curve I start. If I feel I am not going where I want I can always re-set the gate and start over. You mention the bottoms being too thick on some and splitting as they dry. I usually take a pass or two with the bowl gouge on the inside to clean up the surface before applying Anchorseal and setting in a cool place to start the drying process. I sent you a PDF file that Joe Fleming sent me when I started coring that was very helpful, hope it helps you also. If you are ever up my way give me a call, we could core a few.
 
Bob:
I have a Oneway coring system that I use on a 12" Delta lathe. It has just the smallest knife and allows me to core out one bowl from a 10 to 12" blank. I have not found that it limits me in any way as the wall thickness allows considerable lattitude in shaping the bowl after it dries. I have also used the Oneway on a larger lathe (16") where I was able to get two smaller bowls out of the larger blank. Same comments apply as to bowl shape. I find the system easy to use and after coring out a few bowls I soon was able to get consistent results with no disasters. Hope this helps.

Ken Cawley
Powell River, B.C.
 
Griesbach said:
George,
Could I get that file from you also?
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Cyril, I tried to send but need your email address, you did not list one. AAW messaging does not appear to recieve attachments. Mine is listed with AAW.
 
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George,

I would also be interested in seeing the McNaugton article. I have since found that the Woodcraft system will not work reliably with the 20" swing of my PM. (Found a good link to a review in an old thread from 04) After seeing David Lancaster's demo last fall at a club meeting -and yes at every meeting he praises anything from Oneway-I have to admit it was pretty effortless to core a 20" blank with it. As a non-professional however, it's hard to justify the expense and the McNaughton is less expensive and seems more adaptable. I have read that the McNaughton is hard on the tool post of the PM especially with large bowls where the tool is unsupported at the tip. I found this to be the case when I tried to core a 19" red oak blank. I was sucessful and got three bowls, but it was hard on the wrist.

Bob
 
Bob, I sent you a PM, check you AAW mail.

If your wrist hurt you were doing something wrong, maybe pushing with a dull cutter, speed too slow, or the tip was too low which will cause a lot of problems. Another thought is if you pull the handle the tip will cut a path different than the curve of the blade, it will start to bind about half way down the blade, if this happens you will see sap stain or resin on the blade.

One other possibility is that your blade got bent and the tip is lower than the back of the blade. I set my tip height to the center with the blade extended all the way through the gate. I have a blade that is not perfect therefore it is a little high at the start which is ok, but when you get near the end of the core and the tip is below center and because of the diameter your wood speed at the tip is slow you will get jerking as the tip grabs and chatters, that is a rough ride.

I have not used a Oneway yet but a fellow club member just got one and likes it.
 
George,
Thank you for the information. We have a Dale Nish demo. this weekend but after I will read it and see if it helps. I am the kind of guy who gets only so much out of demos. I need hands on stuff for it to sink in.

Ron
 
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