Coring DVD

[Reed Gray]

Well, sales dropped off to almost nothing, so I am posting this up on You Tube. Thanks to those who purchased this DVD from me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk-Z-scS84w

robo hippy

[Scott Hackler]

WHAT THE????


lol. I'm sure many folks will appreciate your generosity, Reed and I still don't regret buying a copy, it was worth the price to help learn how to operate the McNaughton.

[Ryan Baker]

My copy was worth every penny too.

Reed, one of the videos on your site indicated that you have another DVD coming. Is that still a work in progress? Coming soon? Already out? Sounded interesting.

[Reed Gray]

Well, I started filming 2 or more years back. Ended up with 8 edited hours of film, covering just about everything except shop lay out. This is where some of the clips on You Tube came from. After a club meeting where the topic was 'the finish cut' I reconsidered a lot of what I shot and how I try to teach. Add to that the Line of Fire topic, and I have changed a lot about how I try to present things. You know, the old 'hind sight' thing. I think most of the edited film will end up on You Tube, with more clips coming for a while, and maybe end up with one video on sharpening, and another on basic bowl turning skills. Most of the time other videos are about how one turner does things, and I want to approach it from 'This is how you use this particular tool'. There are so many different ways to turn, but if you get the blank on the lathe, turn it, finish it and get it off in one piece, there are many ways to do it. If not, there are several ways to correct things.

From the "Finish Cut" viewpoint, it starts on the idea that no one likes to sand, so how do you reduce sanding. Three points. One, of course, your tools have to be sharp. Two, is presenting the tool to the wood, which means how do you stick a sharp piece of metal into spinning wood so that it cuts clean, and you are not getting catches. Three is being able to move with the tool so your cuts produce the smooth flowing lines that you want. Of course, this is done while standing out of the line of fire. I doubt that I will be able to have any final version before Phoenix. Maybe by Pittsburg (the AAW Symposiums that is). I may end up just putting it on You Tube and maybe stick in a pop up add which isn't too annoying.

Weapons of Mass Destruction for Bowl Turning and How to Use Them is a long title, but we have all done varying amounts of mass destruction as we learn. I am having fun, and always wanted to be a coach.

robo hippy

[Doug Herzberg]

Reed, I want to thank you for posting your coring video. I've had the McNaughton for a few months now and have cored several bowls. After watching your video, I went back to a recess instead of a tenon and finally made the spacer to hold the tool rest. I think maybe the biggest improvement for me was locking the turret so it doesn't move. Makes complete sense and it helps a lot. No catches. You've improved my turning experience significantly.

I am also considering a laser pointer. I initially pooh paahed the idea, and I haven't made any lamp shades since the first core ever, but I can see how I could get more blanks from a nice piece of wood with a laser pointer and that may make it worthwhile.

[Reed Gray]

Monster tools does make a laser pointer that is adaptable for the McNaughton. I used the McNaughton, and actually use it for hollowing as the hollowing blades that McNaughton make fit in the handles. Mostly it tells you where you are, so theoretically, you can correct before you hit the bottom. I still have some rather large nicks in my chucks.

I prefer the support fingers to be locked. That works for some, and drives others crazy. We are all different. I do keep my cutter above center height. It is a scraper, and on the inside of the bowl, you always keep a scraper at or above center. With the standard method of setting the height, you fully extend the longest blade and lift the handle so the cutter point is at center height. This doesn't take into consideration the load on the cutter when it is extended that far. If you ever try to remove the nub left when the core breaks out, you can see how much the blade bends down. Too high, and the vertical blade will not fit into the round/circular kerf the cutter makes. This is why when you get to that last little bit, it is difficult to cut it off. You can raise the tool rest, or, if you have the long handles on, very gently push the handle down so the cutter comes back up to center height. NOTE HERE THIS IS AN ADVANCED SKILL!

I don't really think it makes any difference if you are using a recess or a tenon as long as they are the proper size and fit for the size of bowl you are turning. With my recess, one aiming point I consider is that the tip of the cutter is aiming/pointing at the outside of the chuck jaws, so that by the time it gets all the way down, it will have curved just right. With a 6 inch bowl blank, I only aim for 3 total bowls. I could get 4 or 5, but the last ones tend to be very small, and rather flat, and usually aren't worth the trouble.

robo hippy