McNaughton Coring system

[Fred Belknap]

I received my McNaughton system yesterday and am trying to put it together and get my mind around how it works. One thing I have a question about is it came with a threaded knob and there is no mention in the instructions about it. At best the instructions shipped are rather confusing ( probably just me). Any suggestions would be appreciated. It was a gift from my wife. I ordered the video by Mike Mahoney but it will be a few days before it comes in. I'm not very patient when it comes to learning how something works.:confused:

[Doug Herzberg]

Fred, I got mine two days ago and had the same question. There's a threaded hole opposite the two set screws on the tool handle for the knob. I had to ream out my banjo for the tool rest - it's even bigger than the Robust 1" post. Also watched the Mahoney video the day before it arrived. I cored out 4 bowls from a blank within an hour of the FedEx driver leaving. Pretty straight forward.

Do we live in parallel universes or something? I was too lazy to move the belt on the GO698 before I cored the first blank. I stalled it a few times, but it worked. Probably worthwhile to shift down to low.

Good luck!

[Dan Forman]

Hey Fred, try this Youtube video, Dale Bonertz demonstrates the McNaughton Center Saver - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS2yIb0HAU4)

it shows an older model, but should get you going until your dvd shows up. I think this picture shows what the knob in question might be for, it holds the the blade and handle in place in the turretif you need to let go of the handle (not while cutting!!!). It works better in theory than in actual use, at least for me, not quite strong enough given the weight of the handle/blade. 262589

Dan

[Reed Gray]

Well, Dan beat me to the punch on this one. Dale's demo is pretty good.

Suggestions:

Start with the standard set of blades. They will core 99% of all the bowls you will most likely core. Start with a blank maybe 12 inch diameter, and 4 to 5 inches thick of a softer wood, as in not locust or osage, but fruit woods are perfect. Expect to get 1 core out of your first efforts.

Aiming is probably the most difficult thing to do. Hold the blade up over the top of the blank to see where you want it to go. This is a visualization aid, but doesn't always work. There is a laser guide available, and I know Monster has one available that can be adapted to the McNaughton. It doesn't improve your aim, but lets you know where you are.

The blades always drift to the outside of the cut. Learning to correct for this is huge. Not much of a problem on smaller bowls, but can be a major problem with the bigger bowls. Most of the time, you have to come back to the top and open up the cut.

Every one who has tried the tool swears at it. Those who know how to use the tool swear by it. There is a learning curve.

Cutter height: Most common method is to take longest blade and extend it fully, and lift up on the handle and raise to the center height of a spur drive in the headstock. I say this gets you close because when you are coring, the down pressure from cutting pushes the cutter tip well below that center when coring, and if you ever try to cut off that little stub left when the core pops out, you can see just how far it goes down. Most of the time this is not a problem unless you are coring burl, end grain or crotch wood. These need to be cut all the way off, or you will rip right through the bottom. You will need to raise the tool rest a bit.

Make a collar for the tool rest. I took an end grain piece of wood and drilled a 1 inch plus hole in it, and that goes on the tool post. Nice thing about it is that no matter how much chatter there is, it won't lower. Considering that all coring tools are scrapers, if you cut with a scraper on the inside of the bowl, and you are below center, you are asking for a major catch.

I will look into getting my coring disc on to You Tube as well. Not a lot of sales of it, but I do some things differently. I lock the support fingers in place so they don't rotate. I grind the spear point off square. I take the biggest core first.

robo hippy

[Fred Belknap]

Thanks guys:
Dan thanks for the link to the video, Dale seems to know what he is doing. I still don't know what the knob is for, the one in the picture is different and the one Dale used was different.
Reed good information and I will give everything a try, might not square off the cutter tips as they seem to cut pretty good. I did manage to get three bowls out of two blocks, I cleaned them up some with a gouge :).

[Harry Robinette]

One thing I'll tell you is you can make allot of core's but when things start going wrong they usually keep going. If I'm coreing small stuff no problem but if it's over 12" and starts going wrong I stop and go back to it the next day. I've found that's the smartest thing to do and I haven't ruined any since I started the wait till tomorrow. I love the system and have large,standard and small set's of knifes,the standard and small get used the most and I have to say I sell more small 3 or 4 bowl set's that are under 12" and probably 10" sets people seam to love the small ones more.

[Roger Chandler]

I have been thinking about one of these coring systems for my Grizzly G0698 as well. I watched Dale's video that Dan linked [Thanks Dan!] and see how it is done now.

Where would one find the best price on the standard and large sizes of the McNaughton?

[Fred Belknap]

Where would one find the best price on the standard and large sizes of the McNaughton?

Roger I have the standard set and they came from Craft Supply, $370.00 and free shipping. I don't know if you can find it any cheaper.

[Roger Chandler]

Is there an adapter that will allow for the post on the McNaughton to be used in a 1" banjo hole and not have to drill it out larger.......I don't want slop in my regular tool rest because I had to enlarge the hole?

[Fred Belknap]

Is there an adapter that will allow for the post on the McNaughton to be used in a 1" banjo hole and not have to drill it out larger.......I don't want slop in my regular tool rest because I had to enlarge the hole?


Roger I still have my Griz lathe and I just checked and it will fit it, but when I first got the Grizzly my after market (Robust) toolrest wouldn't fit and I ran a 1" drill bit through the hole. That let me use other toolrest and the Griz toolrest still worked just fine, I never noticed any excess sloppiness in the tool rest it just took and extra half turn on the lock down. I think most people drill out the banjo on the Grizzly lathes, I have had two Grizzly lathes and drilled out both of them. BTW my old G0698 is for sale, it's already drilled.:D

[Roger Chandler]

Roger I still have my Griz lathe and I just checked and it will fit it, but when I first got the Grizzly my after market (Robust) toolrest wouldn't fit and I ran a 1" drill bit through the hole. That let me use other toolrest and the Griz toolrest still worked just fine, I never noticed any excess sloppiness in the tool rest it just took and extra half turn on the lock down. I think most people drill out the banjo on the Grizzly lathes, I have had two Grizzly lathes and drilled out both of them. BTW my old G0698 is for sale, it's already drilled.:D


I was under the impression that the tool post was 1-1/8" minimum on the McNaughton.........I also drilled out my banjo to 1".......did not think the McNaughton post would fit that. The original post on the G0698 was 24mm just shy of 1".........my aftermarket rests would not fit, so the 1" hole was drilled.

What is the actual diameter of the McNaughton post?

[Harry Robinette]

My McN system works in General 160 1" post, Had to make a new post for my Vega 2600.

[Fred Belknap]

What is the actual diameter of the McNaughton post?


Roger the McNaughton post is 1". If you drilled your banjo to 1" the post on the system will fit.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger the McNaughton post is 1". If you drilled your banjo to 1" the post on the system will fit.

Thanks Fred..........I appreciate the information. Seems like I saw on either Highlands or Lee Valley's site that 1-1/8" measurement.......perhaps that is old information. Is your turret gate the Mark 8? Is that pretty much the standard now or do you have to request that?

[Fred Belknap]

Is your turret gate the Mark 8? Is that pretty much the standard now or do you have to request that?


I think it is standard as there isn't an option. I have seen pic of other versions, it may be an evolving thing. It is manufactured in New Zealand.

[Reed Gray]

The Mark 8 with the square tube for the blades to rest under are the standard now. If you try the older jumbo set of blades in it , they will not fit as they are now the same thickness as the standard set of blades. I do like the square tube thing as opposed to the older T rest, but the top just has too many gates/support finger sets on it for my taste. My favorite McNaughton rests are the original 2 gate/slots and 3 gate/slots systems. Less on top to get in the way. The pin that goes through to make sure you keep the blade and handle up against the top of that part of the rest is a good idea, but I learned without it, so it isn't important to me.

robo hippy

[Fred Belknap]

The pin that goes through to make sure you keep the blade and handle up against the top of that part of the rest is a good idea, but I learned without it, so it isn't important to me.

The one I got this week didn't have the pin or the slot in the square tool holder. It came with a knob and I still don't know what that does or where you use it. Maybe they had one laying around......