Oneway Easy Core 16" base for 15" lathe

[Jim Woods]

I am considering a Oneway easy Core for my Craftsman 15 x 18" lathe. The one I am considering is the 16" base unit. My question is if the stands are short enough to allow my 15" lathe (7.5" from center of drive to bed) to properly align the cutting head. I see an adjustment screw in the bottom of the rest. I assume it is extended to align the cutting head with the center of the blank, so I wonder if drilling the hole deeper in the rest stand will be necessary?
If not, can I cut it off a half inch to make it work.
I know I should have a bigger lathe, but I am hoping with careful feed rate and sharp blades, it will work. I have the older craftsman "Professional" model with the infamous toothed belt reduction gear. I know that could be a problem.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I'm not familiar with your Craftsman lathe. I did have a Sears lathe for over a decade. I'm not sure you have the horsepower to core bowls. At least I couldn't core with the Mcnaughton on mine. Maybe the Oneway is easier on lathes? Hopefully, someone will let us know if they can core on a Craftsman.

 

[Roger Chandler]

Sounds like you’re headed for trouble to me! Not trying to be irritating, but helpful. Your lathe is seriously underpowered for coring, which places the most demand on both motor and electronics. I think you will find the stalling will be more than the coring.

I owned a Craftsman 15” lathe with geared spindle, and trust me, it would not take coring. I broke the gearing just trying to remove a stuck chuck.....the metal in those things are not hardened, or at least hardened properly to take the sort of heavy load coring induces. I now core with a full 3 hp advanced electronic motor/inverter combination on my 2 big lathes.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Haven’t tried coring yet (got a Bowl Saver waiting to try), but it seems lathe power required is a function of cutting force x radius. I would think using a 3/16” or 1/4” parting tool at 6” radius would be representative of the load. At least for those with a guided blade - I could see the McNaughton style requiring more power since feed rate is harder to control and trapping of the blade more likely.

I may be missing something but it would seem a lower powered lathe can do it, it just may take quite a while with a light feed rate to keep from stalling the lathe.

 

[Karl Loeblein]

I'm afraid you might get stuck with a small coring setup and a broken lathe. Suggest putting money toward a better lathe first because it's something you'll use every time you turn.

 

[Roger Chandler]

Haven’t tried coring yet (got a Bowl Saver waiting to try), but it seems lathe power required is a function of cutting force x radius. I would think using a 3/16” or 1/4” parting tool at 6” radius would be representative of the load. At least for those with a guided blade - I could see the McNaughton style requiring more power since feed rate is harder to control and trapping of the blade more likely.

I may be missing something but it would seem a lower powered lathe can do it, it just may take quite a while with a light feed rate to keep from stalling the lathe.

Yes, you are missing something.....you will find the diminishing effectiveness of a 1 hp or less hp lathe irritating to the point you don't want to go thru the process. A minimum of 1.5 hp is required, and then it is as much stall as cut, unless you really advance the cutter at a true snails pace. Coring requires high torque at low speeds, around 500 rpm, and that is something that an under powered lathe just cannot produce.

My old craftsman 15" lathe is now resigned to the scrap metal recycle process as it became nothing but junk. Palmgren made the lathes for Craftsman in the 15" size, and they were just not built for much other than spindle and light bowl turning.......They were decent for making some table legs, but big and heavy wood was more than they were built to handle. Coring is the most strain on a lathe of any functions we do on them.

I have the Bowl Saver Max 3 and about as powerful a lathe as is on the market....the cutter is wide, and takes a wide kerf, and you won't have enough power on a small lathe to do coring with any efficiency.

 

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I am considering a Oneway easy Core for my Craftsman 15 x 18" lathe. The one I am considering is the 16" base unit. My question is if the stands are short enough to allow my 15" lathe (7.5" from center of drive to bed) to properly align the cutting head. I see an adjustment screw in the bottom of the rest. I assume it is extended to align the cutting head with the center of the blank, so I wonder if drilling the hole deeper in the rest stand will be necessary?
If not, can I cut it off a half inch to make it work.
I know I should have a bigger lathe, but I am hoping with careful feed rate and sharp blades, it will work. I have the older craftsman "Professional" model with the infamous toothed belt reduction gear. I know that could be a problem.

Jim If I was you, I would give Kevin at Oneway a call and ask the questions, he will give you the advice and definite answers, rather than the conjecture of good meaning answers, a 16 inch corer is not that small, it is the size of the core, not the blank.

 

[robo hippy]

Coring can be done on a 1 hp lathe, but that is master level skills... The Woodcut coring system is pretty good as well, and it mounts on the banjo and tailstock. Woodworker's Emporium in Nevada carries the 3 blade set.

robo hippy

 

[Guy Scronce]

I used to own the same lathe(at least I think you are talking about the same model) I sold it because I got tired of maintaining the Reeves drive. Like everyone else I would consider it under powered for coring. It is not a 2hp lathe but it is more than 1hp.

Have you considered getting the 14inch easy core and adding a riser block to get it to the correct height? I dont think the banjo would be up to the woodcut system. Also if I remember correctly it had an odd(maybe metric) tool rest post.

 

[Jim Woods]

A big thanks to everyone for their helpful replies. I had to chuckle when making the post because if the well deserved reputation of the craftsman 15 x 38 lathe. I would love to have a 2 or 3hp PM or Nova, but I got the Craftsman to replace the HF 12 x 33 that got me started turning bowls (I'd did great , but at 3/4 hp, would big down as bowls got over 8")
I got the Craftsman for $200 on CL with a supernova chuck, monster carbide tool, a 1/2 inch bowl gouge, a dozen starter tools.
I have replaced the toothed belt twice from major catches, but the motor pulls through 12 and 13 inch bowl turning without bogging down.
Enough trying to defend my poor Craftsman lathe, the Oneway easy core I am considering is used at about half retail. It comes with the 11.5 and 9 inch knives, so the max core I will be attempting is 12". My understanding of the Oneway is the base unit sets the knives at the proper height and allows max width. The unit I am considering has the 16" base.
My question would be for someone with the 16" base, what is the lowest adjustment available (height of knife tip over lathe bed)?

 

[Jim Woods]

Haven’t tried coring yet (got a Bowl Saver waiting to try), but it seems lathe power required is a function of cutting force x radius. I would think using a 3/16” or 1/4” parting tool at 6” radius would be representative of the load. At least for those with a guided blade - I could see the McNaughton style requiring more power since feed rate is harder to control and trapping of the blade more likely.

I may be missing something but it would seem a lower powered lathe can do it, it just may take quite a while with a light feed rate to keep from stalling the lathe.

Doug, that is my thinking, that my 12mm carbide scraper cuts a steady stream of shavings without bogging down at a 6inch radius and was quite aggressively at 45" radius. I was considering the Mcnaughten core saver, but feedback on this forum convinced me the blade movement tended to cause more catches.
Buying a core saver for free wood is probably an Ill conceived idea, but SWMBO contends a lathe falls into the same category.

 

[Guy Scronce]

@Jim Woods I thought I got a good deal on my craftsman lathe when I paid $80 for it, but I think you beat me with the package you got.
I have the easy core you are considering so I took a few measurements. I attached a photo. The height adjustment is a set screw with a lock nut. When my cutter is exactly 8 inches above the bed, there is about 1/2 inch protrusion of the set screw. My guess is that it wouldn't pivot well with the height adjustment screw removed. You could probably modify the cutter post to go lower, but I wouldn't recommend it. It sounds like you are a lot like me. I was patient and sold my craftsman for $300 when I found a powermatic 3520 for $1000.
The craftsman will probably core a few bowls, but it will put a big strain on the lathe. I think you would be better off looking for a different lathe if you want to do coring. Maybe another member of your club can let you use their setup to see if its something you'll want to do?