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Question for PM 3520 owners with a Kel Mac center saver

TurnedAround

TurnedAround

Joined
Mar 16, 2005
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Location
Atlanta area
Will the standard Kel Macnaughton center saver work on the PM 3520.

My main concern is that the post on the center saver rest might not be long enough for a 20 inch swing.

Thanks for the help,

Larry Knight

(Just got my new PM 3520 today. Love that mustard monster!)
 
Larry,

They sell different posts in both length and diameter to fit different lathes. I had to check things when I bought mine while waiting for my Stubby to arrive. The outfit from whom you bought the set should be able to tell you exactly once you give them your lathe make and model.

Congrats on the new machine!!

M

PS Hope I'm not getting the tool posts that Woodcut sells with their Pro-Form tools mixed up. I remember talking to the Woodcraft clerk and him asking what lathe I would be using the K-M combo set on.
 
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You could always decide to get the large set. I just bought the large set from Woodcraft. It fit just fine on the 3520. It will also accept the blades from the standard and small sets. The toolpost is configured to accept all 3 blade types.
 
So far, I have used the Kel Mac coring system to core 4 pieces. As a novice user I found the instructions which came with the tool to be ok. I would probably rate the instructions a 5 out of 10. With a tool like this, the learning curve is high. Kelton should probably include a 5 or 10 minute DVD with each set in my opinion....since the set cost $300 retail that would not reduce profit by much. (I realize there are other DVDs for this on the market).

There is a learning curve with this tool. I used the straight tool to core out 2 cones, which were 8" at the base. The cones were relatively small and I thought they were easy to produce. I fed the bit in slow and didn't have any catches.

On 2 other cores, I used the curved blades. On one core I used the blade with the greatest bend, and produced a core with fairly flat sides - somewhat of a "U" shape. This core produced the most problems. Since the sides were somewhat flat, the shavings did not fly out as easily. Instead the shavings tended to stick to the inner walls of the bowl from centrifugal force. I had to move the tool in and out a bunch to clear the shavings. Also in all the coring - I used a liberal and frequent dose of water with a squirt guy to lubricate the process.

In the 2nd of the "U" shaped cores I made a more shallow core. Since the shavings had a clearer exit route, this was an easier core to make.

On all 4 cores I was very careful to keep an eye on the path of the blade. This kept the blade from going thru the bottom - and it worked. Also I kept the blade held at the center, and I never dropped the handle. Overall the tool seems well designed. I'll use it in the months to come as new wood "appears" on my driveway!
 
Hi Jeff, have you viewed Mike Mahoney’s DVD? He opens the curf once the chips start piling up on the first plunge.

I have a couple of hundred cores now and have yet used water. I am only roughing out bowls from green blanks however and may have to change when I want to nestle sets by finish turning immediately. This method will give me more bowls out of a blank.

I too have noticed the steeper the curve the harder it is for the shavings to clear the blank. I have also noticed that spalted wood chips pack easier as it doesn’t produce the ribbons from the sidegrain as hardwood does.
 
Hi George - I haven't viewed Mahoney's video yet. I was hoping to avoid paying more money to learn how to use the tool. For the 4 cores so far - they are all from green wood. The next core I will open the kerf a bit as you suggested, thanks.
 
Jeff, the other thing that helps is to try to position the banjo under the bowl, there is less torque on the tool post. The problem comes that when you need it most, in the large diameters there isn’t enough room beneath the bowl on the 3520. On those bowls I have to be careful because the banjo handle wants to work loose and the banjo moves.

Another thing that Mike does is to move the banjo in toward center slightly when the blade starts hitting the outer bowl. This helps a lot. I have found that pushing the blade straight forward and letting the curve of the blade do most of the steering to be better than trying to pull too much on the handle which caused the blade to end up rubbing on the inside core half way to the bottom.

One more thing I did wrong in the beginning was to use too slow of a speed thinking that caution was the best choice. That caused problems ejecting the chips. I now core about 700-800 rpm, slightly slower for the 16†and up bowls for safety.

Have fun, I sure like the extra bowls rather than chips.
 
Curious about price

Jeff, you said, "since the set cost about $300 retail..."

Are you talking about the complete set, or the Large set? I know the standard set runs $250 at Woodcraft and the large goes for$285. They sell the complete set which consists of both large and standard for $400.

Would you clarify this for me?

Thanks, Larry

(Motive: looking for a deal...charge it to my Scottish ancestry)

P.S. Really appreciate the way you moderate this forum. I personally feel you and Steve do an excellent job.
 
Thanks for the tips George. All those tips make sense and I'll use them the next time I do some coring. Like you I got tired of seeing a bunch of shavings instead of a bunch of bowls. This tool should help.

Larry - I got the large set for $285 at WoodCraft. For a long time I monitored various classifies to get a used set. Then I got tired of waiting. Plus this ensures that the steel is fresh and unbent, and the tips are factory sharp. I was very surprised to see that the tips were in fact razor sharp....be careful. In Texas, sales tax is 8% so the total was around $300.

Woodcraft locally does not sell many. In fact I bought it in April or May and the last one they had sold was in September in 2004. So they have to order it. But it only took 3 days to get to the store and I didn't pay any shipping.

Thanks for the kudos on the forum. I learn a lot from the participation. I used to be a lurker, but now I wish I had asked more questions when I was a novice.
 
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