McNaughton

[Richard Jones]

Kathy Marshall's nested elm bowls got me to put down on, er, paper, so to speak, some thoughts since I got my McNaughton. The other info that I've seen on the web has contained more math in it than I care to use or learn.

When I'm coring bowls with the McN, I've been trying to "track" where my tool post is in relation to the piece to try and get some sort of "standard" data points. The distance between the base and the piece doesn't change that much, so I'm trying to develop a means of measuring where the toolpost is in relation to the interior diameter of the core, and depending upon thickness of blank, diameter of blank, and which knife I use. I almost always wind up using the middle sized knife in my set (standard).

Of course, I'm trying to do all this AND not take an hour doing it each time. Currently I'm using a framing square to "extend" the interior diameter line higher, and eyeballing the knife over both it and the McN gate. Works pretty well so far, haven't made any religious artifacts (hol-e-y bowls) in some time now........:) That's when I call the tool the McNaughty................

Any thoughts?

Rich

[Reed Gray]

Any one who has tried to use the tool has sworn at it, and those who know how to use it swear by it. Aiming and figuring out where the tip is, is one of the more difficult skills to learn with the tool. Having a laser pointer really helps, especially when first starting. McNaughton makes one, and Randy at Monster tools makes another. If you do hollow forms, you can adapt the pointer for both tools. You use the same visual things that I do to help figure out where to aim, and I do 90% of my cores with the medium curved blade from the standard set.

robo hippy

[Dan Forman]

I haven't used mine too much, have a laser arm on back order at CSUSA. In lieu of that, I made a visualizing aid of a coat hanger, bending it to the same shape as the knife, and look use that to see where in the bowl I am while it's in progress. I also have erred on the side of caution, and haven't tried a nested set yet, only taking one smaller bowl out until I feel more comfortable with the process.

Dan

[Richard Jones]

Any one who has tried to use the tool has sworn at it, and those who know how to use it swear by it. Aiming and figuring out where the tip is, is one of the more difficult skills to learn with the tool. Having a laser pointer really helps, especially when first starting. McNaughton makes one, and Randy at Monster tools makes another. If you do hollow forms, you can adapt the pointer for both tools. You use the same visual things that I do to help figure out where to aim, and I do 90% of my cores with the medium curved blade from the standard set.

robo hippy

Reed,

I do have the Monster laser that will attach to my McN. What I'm trying to do is to make sure that I don't need it!!! I guess what I'm saying is that the starting point is as important as the ending, because you can't end unless you start........

Was just curious as to what others do. The square thing is working pretty well for me, but I'm always willing to entertain other ideas. Every time I get the tool out, I say: There's got to be a better way.

With the McNaughty, maybe there's not!!

R

[Bob Bergstrom]

I get a lot of my wood free so while I do hole one once in a while, it isn't a big loss. There is a certain visual learning necessary. You ideas are sound and will help reinforce those visual concepts. The laser helps tell where you are but once the cut is started and off track there isn't a good way to correct it other than a new entry point. It seems to me that if nested bowl are needed, the Oneway would be more precise(but more expensive). All the cutters follow basically the same route.

[Jim Burr]

If there is a spare McNaughton somewhere...I'd be in the market...not an OTB, just saying...