new to sawmill, lathe question

[Dean S Walker]

Hello folks, new to the member part of SC. Long time lurker.

I have a question about coring. I a 2hp Oneway 1640 strong enough to do coring or will it leave me wanting a 3 hp.
Thanks

[Roger Chandler]

Lots of turners core with a 2 hp lathe. Many use the 2hp 3520b, as well as other makes. Use the lowest setting which gives you the most torque in the cut.....of course I am speaking of belt and pulley positions.

[Allan Ferguson]

I concurr with Roger.

[Bob Bouis]

2hp can do coring, but you will definitely find yourself slowing down to avoid stalling the lathe. It's also easy to stall with heavy roughing cuts. If you have a choice, go with 3hp.

[Dean S Walker]

Thank you fellas. I do have a choice. I am saving up for a new lathe and it looks like I need to save another 300 or so. I was on the fence to buy the Oneway 1640 or the 2436. It looks like the 2436 is the winner because you can't get the 3hp on the 1640. I really do not think I will turn larger than 24 but by going with the 2436 I will be able if I feel I needed to.

Thanks again!

[Roger Chandler]

Just a note of perspective....I have stalled a 3 hp Robust American Beauty with heavy cuts using a bowl gouge, and when coring green wood. 3 hp motors do help, but all lathes need to have the turner use the proper cutting techniques that varies from species to species and piece to piece.

My 3 hp lathe does coring well, but I have stalled it before.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dean - Welcome to the Creek! You don't say where you are located. If possible, it would be a good idea to try and turn on a larger lathe before purchase. No matter which brand you go with - it is still quite a chunk of money and would be worth a little effort to make sure a particular lathe 'fits' you. Have fun with it! I look forward to seeing photos of your new lathe!

[Dean S Walker]

I'm in Texas, I have turned on an american beauty, the 3520 and a 2036 for the large lathe exp. I have been turning for 7-8 years on small lathes but I have been working with wood most of my life. I have a friend that has a Beauty that I have turned on quiet abit. I love doing this and I decided to go for a larger lathe. I like the oneways and the beauty but I do not care for the large head on the PM. I know this is a ton of cash but I have been saving a while and will not likely be able to get this lathe until late this year, that hasn't kept me from being less excited. I do mostly handtools for flat work and with exception of a 14&19inch bandsaw, grinder and drill press I do not have much money in power tools. kids are gone and supporting them selves so I started a "piggy bank" a couple years ago and from my view I'm getting close. The key importance is My wife is on board and has even tossed in a few bucks here and there.
Thanks again

[Bob Bouis]

A larger swing has an advantage even if you're not turning bowls that max out its capacity. If your workpiece approaches the capacity of the lathe you have to remove the workpiece to move the tool rest between the front and the back, and you sometimes can't get the center of the tool rest near the rim. Depending on what you're turning, that can be a problem.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Big jump in lathe size that you stated. I started coring on a 1 hp Delta, had a 3520 and cored a lot of bowls with it. I bought the larger MacNaughton set and could stall it coring a larger bowl with it. I bought a 3 hp Robust and as I got better with it, I didn't stall it as much. At first I was kicking out the inverter quite a bit. Either of those lathes will core wood, but what wood you are coring, what system are you using, how aggressive is cutting technique, and how good is your technique all play into it. I polished my cutting blades. I use WD-40 to lug the blades and any other tricks to ease the cut.

[Dean S Walker]

Thanks Bob, I have no experience in coring, I intend to take a seminar or get some personal instruction. My first thought on the matter was that looks like it could be dangerous for me and the machine so I will get some instruction first. I really hate to waste wood when I can get more from it. I spend a lot of time collecting wood and processing it I do not like to toss anymore than I have to.

Taking time and learning the proper cut seams to be a fascination with me, this little lathe I turn on is a good trainer with a smooth drive center if you put too much pressure it will stop, I learned this from Alan Lacer when learning the skew. I have applied this to most all of my between center turnings with all different tools and was amazed that you could find the sweet spot on each tool, even a scraper. Of course you can't do this with bowls after a certain point but you can slip a between center bowl till you need to chuck it. This is probably not news to you experience guys but I find it kind of cool.

[Reed Gray]

2 hp and 220 volts will handle coring easily. Make sure to keep coring tools sharp. Having the correct speeds on your lathe help, and on my Beauty, which has 3 speed ranges, I keep it in the middle range. On my old PM3520A, I kept it on the low end. I generally keep speed around 500 or so for minimum, and depending on the piece of wood, up to maybe 1000, though this range is more in the 'professional' range. Which coring system you use can make a difference also. I have a coring video up on using the McNaughton, and so does Dale Bonertz. That system requires some coaching and had more tendency to bind in the cut, but once you learn to use it, for me it is the fastest and easiest to use. The Oneway, and Woodcut are more simple. There are a few clips up on them.

robo hippy

[Bob Bouis]

I'm sure it depends on a lot of different factors -- the size of the blank you're coring, the wood species, the angle of the cut, the type of cutter, whether the wood is plain or figured, knotty, etc. Some woods core easily and some just don't, just like some scrape well and some don't. I'm not sure what the formula is.

At any rate, like I said, I often find the 2HP 3520b to limiting when coring and roughing. Likewise with the 20" swing. If I didn't already have a big backlog of roughed out bowls I'd trade it in for a bigger one.

[Dean S Walker]

The thing is I am pretty close to being able to buy the 1640, I think I'm just a little anxious to get a bigger lathe. I really want the 2436 but I do wonder if I need it. Truth is probably not but one your spending this much money I just don't want to think "crap I wish I would have waited". Money doesn't grow on trees and a pretty decent bandsaw costs 15-2000 so all this kind of stuff keeps messing with me.If a 1640 will be good it leaves enough for a saw etc. No worries i'll wait if for nothing else the 3hp motor.

I intend on using the one-way coring system. Several professionals use it and swear by it. some of the others too but this one has been around and oneway is a good company to deal with, I like the support knife concept. Species of wood could be anything I will try it all, you would be surprised are the beauty of some woods people consider junk. Hackberry,catalpa etc. Thaks again for the information fellas

[John K Jordan]

...spending this much money I just don't want to think "crap I wish I would have waited". ...

On the positive side, when you are richer and ready to buy the bigger lathe there are real advantages to having more than one in the shop, especially if they share the same spindle thread and tool rest size. I used a Jet 1642 for year and kept it when I added a PM3520b. Nice to turn something like a jam chuck without taking down what is on the other lathe, and especially if students or friends come to turn.

JKJ

[Joe Bradshaw]

Dean, I have the Oneway 2436 and I have not regretted getting it one bit. I have cored on it some and it worked well. As has been stated, sharp tools make the difference. Plus a lot of practice.
Joe

[Jeffrey J Smith]

I learned to core with the Macnaughton on the 1-1/2 hp Jet I started out on. Quickly discovered the joys of taking however long the lathe needed to get the job done. Keep your tools sharp and offer them to the wood the way they were designed to cut and the hp won't keep you from getting the job done.
I've got a 3hp AB now and I still take my time when coring. Unless you're a production turner, what's the hurry...

[Dean S Walker]

Good point Jeff, No hurry I just do not want to overwork a machine. It is far better to have it and not need it that it is to need it and not have it.

[Bob Bouis]

Like I said in the first post -- you can core with a 2hp motor. You'll just constantly be holding back on the knives so as not to stall the motor. Slow cutting will dull the cutter faster, will require more frequent sharpenings, and will lead to more heat and more chances to deform your coring tools. But it can be done. The horsepower won't stop you from doing anything you want to. It will just be slower and less pleasant.

A 16" swing will be very limiting, though. You might think you'd be happy only being able to turn 16" bowls -- and you probably would. But realistically the capacity is a lot lower unless you're finish turning green wood you very carefully cut out into a perfect circle on the bandsaw (and this is harder than it sounds). You might be able to finish a 14" bowl with it. It's also very limiting for irregularly shaped pieces (like natural edge) which can be a lot of fun to turn but are very hard to perfectly center so as to run them near the swing capacity of the lathe.

I would not recommend a 16" lathe to anyone who wants to turn bowls.

[John K Jordan]

I would not recommend a 16" lathe to anyone who wants to turn bowls.

I would modify that to say "to anyone who wants to turn large bowls." I have a larger lathe now but I have turned many, many bowls the 16" lathe and a few were about 15" after re-turning.

I just don't enjoy turning large bowls that much. I give my bowls away and given a choice, people usually choose a smaller bowl claiming a lake of space in the house. I also prefer to turn dry wood which goes well with smaller bowls (plates, platters, etc) - start to finish the same day. I can turn and finish several smaller bowls in the same time as one larger and make more people happy.

For those who like large bowls, yes get a large lathe. David Ellsworth may still have his for sale - you can walk in this one which might make big hollow form turners happy too:
352313

And you can always core with a chainsaw the way Lisi Oland does:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PMEJ7rirso
I have a set of her tools new in a box if any big bowl turners want to up their game.

JKJ

[Bob Bouis]

14" is a pretty big bowl if it's perfectly round and twice-turned conventional bowl. If you're doing a natural edge or a shallower bowl it's more limiting.

Plus he said he hates to waste wood. How's he going to feel cutting those 18" logs into 14" blanks if he could core 14"ers out of the 18" bowls?

[Dean S Walker]

All great points Bob, I'm just getting a little impatient and the 1640 was a mere temptation. I am going to just wait and buy the 2436 then I will not be disappointed, 3hp or course. I'm in my mid 40's with a little luck I'll be able to use it for a long time regardless of what I want to make.

Your right I do not like wasting wood, especially that perfect piece that you could get three bowls from instead of making a bunch of mulch.

I do however agree that most people can not store large bowls but I like 'em. 12-16 is what makes a good salad bowl but I want the room to make bigger if I want and the 2436 if adding the extra large outboard you can go up to 48, I really never see that needed but if I buy the 1640 it will not have the option. I intend to buy the 2436 with the short outboard extension. If I want the big one later I can always add that and move the little one to the other end. 36 will be plenty long but then again I could add to that too if need be. I like the option to grow and even if I don't who cares, I will still have a great lathe. Thanks bob and everyone. It will still be awhile.

[carl mesaros]

All great points Bob, I'm just getting a little impatient and the 1640 was a mere temptation. I am going to just wait and buy the 2436 then I will not be disappointed, 3hp or course. I'm in my mid 40's with a little luck I'll be able to use it for a long time regardless of what I want to make.

Your right I do not like wasting wood, especially that perfect piece that you could get three bowls from instead of making a bunch of mulch.

I do however agree that most people can not store large bowls but I like 'em. 12-16 is what makes a good salad bowl but I want the room to make bigger if I want and the 2436 if adding the extra large outboard you can go up to 48, I really never see that needed but if I buy the 1640 it will not have the option. I intend to buy the 2436 with the short outboard extension. If I want the big one later I can always add that and move the little one to the other end. 36 will be plenty long but then again I could add to that too if need be. I like the option to grow and even if I don't who cares, I will still have a great lathe. Thanks bob and everyone. It will still be awhile.

I think you are making a wise decision. While a 16" lathe may be all you'll need, I sure never regretted buying a 24" swing machine. The added space between the piece and the banjo is nice to have. The Oneway 2436 is my favorite. What a beautiful lathe!
Don't forget to post pics when the day comes.