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McNaughton bowl system

Bill Weaver

Bill Weaver

Joined
Feb 26, 2010
Messages
184
Likes
16
Location
Riverside Ohio
I bought the KEL McNaughton standard system awhile back and have never been able to master it. Does anyone on here use this and give some advice.
I absolutely will destroy a nice peice of wood by using this.
1. I have had it chip out
2. I have had the wood yank off the lathe
3. the tool handle will wear me out

I'm puzzled. Any advise would be very appreciated.
 
I sat through 2 of MIke's demos and they are excellent. I have also been around others who have been coring using either the McNaughton or someone else's. I thought I knew how. I have 20+ years of turning experience so I thought the McNaughton should be pretty easy to use. After all, I followed all the procedures that I had seen in the video and live demo's.
Naaaaw. 1st set of cored bowls went OK, not catches but had trouble getting the tool deep enough to break the bowl out. Second set of cored bowls. Major problems. I was going along very smoothly with nice clean cut about 2/3's of the way through when I got a catch that broke the tool in 3 places. I have no idea why. I was pulling up on the handle and had it twisted in the gate so it couldn't grab, the cutter was on the center. I simply don't know what happened.
I switched to another cutter and continued. Got that one cored and started on the next one and had lots of little catches until I got the bowl out. I don't know what I was doing different than the first set. I haven't had time to core any more but it makes me wonder if I would have been better off with the Oneway or one of the other coring bars.
 
Yup...

Bill, re-read John's last sentence...he wonders if he should have bought the Oneway.

Been there and done that. I started out with the McNaughton system.. I looked at all the coring systems, and narrowed it down to 2 - McNaughton and Oneway. I settled on the McNaughton because of the price. I could buy the whole McNaughton for the cost of the Oneway base and one cutter. Had a few successes, but many more problems trying to use it. Just like both you and John. Everything going fine, doing everything the way the Mike Mahoney DVD (yes, bought that, too) recommends, and 'BAM', followed by many bad words, after my heart starts beating again.

About a year later, a friend drops his Oneway Coring set-up off for me to try -- even after I told him not to, because I will probably love it and want one 😎

Sure enough, the first time I used it, I could core with just one hand on the handle of the coring knife. Sold the McNaughton and DVD, and bought the Oneway set-up.

I'm one of those woodturners that would rather spend my time turning safely -- yes, it will cost more money -- but I've never had a 'fudge my huggies' moment 😱 using the Oneway set up, like I did most times using the McNaughton set up. There are many woodturners who can use the McNaughton system without any problems - apparently I wasn't one of them.
 
I own all 3 coring systems (no, I don't have a tool buying problem), and use the McNaughton. For production purposes, it is the fastest and most efficient tool to use, but there is a learning curve. You also have far more variations of shapes you can core than with the other systems. As you have already discovered, there is a learning curve, and the instructions that come with it are lacking. You need some one to show you how, and or buy a DVD. Mike has one, and so do I.

For first attempts, use some green wood, and the standard set of blades. If you are using some thing dry and hard, it is a lot more difficult. Don't go big, keep it around 12 inches or so. Some of the soft maples, or fruit woods are best for first attempts.

The biggest problem with learning this tool is that the blade drifts towards the outside of the cut as it goes in. Just the nature of the beast. You have to learn how to correct for this. You can open up the curve a bit, or come back to the top and aim a bit shallower, or bump the tool rest in towards the center.

Do have the tool/blade up against the top of the tool support, it is supposed to ride there.

Do have the tool at center height, or slightly above. Another problem, especially on larger bowls, as you get deeper into the cut, the blade is pushed down, and this can get you below center. Also, there is a lot of flex in the tool rest and blades. You can start slightly above center, or raise it as you go in, but you don't want to be below center.

It only takes one hand to run the McNaughton. You can see Bill Grumbine doing this. I do use 2 hands a lot, but I am pushing the tool into the cut to make it core faster. If you are having to force the tool, some thing is wrong.

Not every one can get past the learning curve, but those who do, prefer this coring tool.

robo hippy
 
I've used all three quite a bit. Once the oneway is set up correctly you have to be an idiot to screw it up, but the price is hefty. I have several McNaughton center savers, I'm a two finger kinda user. If you set it up right you are better off to use just two fingers because the white knuckel death grip is where you will find trouble. Last summer woodturning design published my comparison of the three systems available.
 
Man....Thanks to all you guys. This is the first time I have received a response back on my problem. Robo I'll be getting back to soon. I don't have any green to try on right now but I will be looking forward to a pratice session.

BTW this is a great forum site....thanks again
 
If John and Donna had difficulty with the McNaughton I don't feel quite so bad. Bought one, tried it, and returned it for a refund. Figured I wasn't gonna live long enough to claw my way up the learning curve. Might have felt different twenty years ago, but these days it's easier to save wood by making segmented bowls.
 
McNaughton

Bill --

Do contact RoboHippy and get his video -- That and the laser from Monster have made the process pretty straight forward.

The Monster laser takes the guess work out of where oh where is the tip cutting as I develop a better set of curves (of learning). Oh and Randy has a nice clamp that mounts on the McNaughton tool handle nicely.

If all else fails - paste a cheap bullseye level on the tool to tell you when you are about to get into catch land (downward slope of the tool),
 
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