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Mcnaughton Center Saver Guide Post

D

DaveL

Joined
May 1, 2004
Messages
43
Likes
1
Location
Corpus Christi, Texas
Website
www.davidlauffenburger.com
I have the McNaughton system and while trying to learn the system again i noticed that the tool support arm seems to move quite a bit. When i install the tool under the support arm and through the gates the support arm seems to move up and down a lot more than i would expect. The directions say to tighten the set screw enough the sercue the gate assembly from coming off but not so tight that the gate assembly can not turn, but when it is assembled this way their is quite a gap between the gate assemble and tool support arm. With all of this slop, it seems like the tool tip can move up and down a significant amout allowing catches.

has anybody else had this problem or is it suppose to be this way. It almost seems like there should be a spacer between the two pieces to limit the movement.

Thanks for any guidance.
Dave
 
Dave,
By the tool support arm, I am guessing that you mean the T bar that the blade goes under. There are two parts on the tool post, the gates or support fingers, and the T bar. They are both on round pieces that fit flush together, and pivot. There should be almost no space between them. I do have the set screw in the fingers tightened down so that the fingers won't pivot when coring and that works better for me. There is always some flexing of the T bar when coring, but most of the flexing is in the blades, and not the tool rest. I wouldn't expect either of the two pieces being able to move much as the fit on the tool post is pretty tight, but the farther up off the banjo the tool rest, the farther out the blades are, and the denser the wood is, the more flexing you will get. Maybe take the whole thing apart and then reassemble to see if it is put together right.

robo hippy
 
center post

Dave, I had exactly the same experience and took the post to a machine shop and had them cut the grove in the post to an adequate size and depth. Now the set screw fits and the post works the was it was supposed to. You might try opening/deepening the grove with a chair saw file. Phil
 
robo hippy said:
Dave,
By the tool support arm, I am guessing that you mean the T bar that the blade goes under. There are two parts on the tool post, the gates or support fingers, and the T bar. They are both on round pieces that fit flush together, and pivot. There should be almost no space between them. I do have the set screw in the fingers tightened down so that the fingers won't pivot when coring and that works better for me. There is always some flexing of the T bar when coring, but most of the flexing is in the blades, and not the tool rest. I wouldn't expect either of the two pieces being able to move much as the fit on the tool post is pretty tight, but the farther up off the banjo the tool rest, the farther out the blades are, and the denser the wood is, the more flexing you will get. Maybe take the whole thing apart and then reassemble to see if it is put together right.

robo hippy
Click to expand...

Robo Hippy,

Thanks for the info. I measured the system and the support post (.745 Dia) fits in the hole (.746 Dia) of the piece with the gates snugly with very little slop. The T-bar piece hole (.752) is larger and allows the T-bar to slop around on the post. When i assemble the pieces there is (.025) gap between the T-bar piece and the Gate piece, the combination of slop on the post and gap between the sections allows the T-bar assembly to slide up and down the post and tilt up and down, even if i tighten the set screw all of the way there is still quit a bit of slop in the system.
 
pfduffy said:
Dave, I had exactly the same experience and took the post to a machine shop and had them cut the grove in the post to an adequate size and depth. Now the set screw fits and the post works the was it was supposed to. You might try opening/deepening the grove with a chair saw file. Phil
Click to expand...

Phil,

Thanks for the info. I think you may be on to something, when i disassemble the unit and inspected everything you can see where the set screw is rubbing on the bottom edge of the groove on the post. As i tighten the screw it actually lifts the gate piece up increasing the gap between the t-bar section and the gate assembly. I will try to file the bottom edge of the groove and see if that helps.

Dave
 
pfduffy said:
Dave, I had exactly the same experience and took the post to a machine shop and had them cut the grove in the post to an adequate size and depth. Now the set screw fits and the post works the was it was supposed to. You might try opening/deepening the grove with a chair saw file. Phil
Click to expand...

Phil,

You were correct. I took apart the assembly and chucked the post assembly into my lathe and used a round file to deepen and extend the groove towards the bottom a little more. Initially it did not make any difference but i noticed that the top of the Post assemble was bottoming out in the Gate Assembly so i took a flat file to the top of the post and shortened it about a 1/16" and now when i tightent the set screw i pulls the Gate assembly down onto the T-bar assembly removing all of the slop.

Thanks again for your input.
Dave
 
Phil,

Forgot to ask before i hit send on the previous post. What helo platform did you fly? I am a Surface Ordnance Officer and did a tour on an AOE as the WepsO and Helo Control Officer, we initialy had 46's onboard for VERTREP but eventaully go the new 60's when they got rid of the 46s.
 
McNaughton

I had that problem also and I even sent McNaughton a email and explained the problem and I was told that the set screw is not to go into the grove. I wasn't satisfied with that but I didn't do anything about it. I am at the point I was actually going to sell the system, I am glad that I read this post. Thanks for the fix.
Mark
 
I had the same problem with mine but I just did whats being said I deepened the slot and made it about 1/32 bigger works fine now.I will say one thing if your having any trouble with the working of the system get Reed Grays (Robo Hippy;s) DVD it helped me more then the other 2 I bought. I been coring everything from 8" to 25" no problem at all and saving wood like crazy.
 
McNaughton Problem

I had bought the standard set and found it to work fine. I then decided to get the two large knives. They(McNaughton, Craft Supply) failed to mention that the large knives don't fit either the handle or the knife holder. I bought the new handle and knife holder and now the problem is that there is a lot of space between the steel fingers and the knives and they tend to roll sideways. I called Craft Supply and they said they now note in their catalog that the large knives don't fit into the standard support. Well they don't fit into the new one that well either. I'm not a happy camper at this point with either outfit.
 
Paul
I'd contacted Kelton,McNaughton they were very nice and helpful for everything I've ask. I bought the old style tool post and wanted to know if the newer blades would work with it.They said that all but the mini will work so I bought the small set to go along with the large and standard sets.I've also contacted them about the hollowers I have to see what I needed for them to work with the coring post which I have to buy the new head system for them to work.
But they were very helpful with everything I've ask of them.
 
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