Thread: McNaughton gear 2nd hand - bit of a gamble

Yep a bit steep in the beginning. But dont doubt you will master it with your experience.
I have not heard of any negative reports by those who have mastered it. Infact most swear by them once they get the hang of it.

Of all the corers this one would be my preference as its the most versatile.

The corer blade tips and hollower tips may not be in brilliant condition. The former are apparently high cobalt steel laminated on the knives. Kel McNaughton may be willing to replace them but I'm not holding my breath on that option. One alabaster turner in the US had TC tips brazed on in their place so that suggests another avenue if rehab is required.

If they were mine I would probably go that way, for me the tips are the only let down with this rig.

I had a saw doctor braze and shape a TC tip onto a worn out McNaughton coring blade.

I think it cost about $40 a few years ago.

It works better than new.

The saw doctor also gave me an old diamond disc that they use to sharpen TC sawblades. I use this to keep it sharp.

Cheers

Tim

Thanks for the tips folks.

try the original stellite , a good saw doctor can re tip easily , sharpen with a hand held fine diamond file ,and a new tip will last forever. just need to be carefull not to go too deep !!!! they are a good tool but i use the oneway set , cheers Bob

IIRC the stellite is original on the Woodcut, not the McNaughton ... but it's worth looking into anyway.

I think you might have that around the wrong way Ern?.

Woodcut will replace the TC tips on their bowl saver blades (for a fee).

All of my McNaughton blades were hard face tipped when new.

Cheers

Tim

Yeah, agree Woodcut will exchange blades once worn but they do appear to be stellite: click

The McNaughton I've bought, acc. to the seller anyway, has a tip topped with high-cobalt steel. It looks to be Mark 1 so it could be 15 years old.

Anyway, we'll see what state they're in and look around for a saw doctor.

Looks like a good buy there Ern.

You should be able to buy an off-the-shelf liner bushing to adapt to your tool post. Hughie has posted somewhere a supplier of such things.

The tips on my McNaughton corer sharpen nicely on the diamond wheel that you also have, Ern. Keeping a keen edge on the tips I found was essential for mid-powered lathes (below 2HP).

A cradle on the end of the handle (the armbrace style) might help with taking the vibrations along the arm instead of the wrist.

Thanks for the tips Neil.

As luck would have it I came by a couple of big lumps of green English Elm recently and they'll make good practice pieces.

Well the kit's arrived and it's a golden oldie alright ;-) But in good nick.

The corer cutting tips are skewed and will have to be reshaped to Vs.

There's lots of play in the toolgate, before sleeving the post to fit the banjo, and if that contributes to binding as I expect, replacing it with the current model is indicated. That's gen 3.

The hollowers are in good shape and will fit the rig.

So the gamble has paid off ... or it would have without the emerging interest in coring dammit

For a sleeve for the tool rest post, I just turned some end grain wood and bored a hole through it.

If you have the old style tips that are beveled out to one side rather than the newer ones which are centered on the blade and proud on both sides, I would get rid of them, or get new tips. Having it centered makes a huge difference, especially if you need to correct your course to the inside of the cut. I have never been able to notice any difference in a square tip or the spear point other than the spear point takes a bigger shaving.

The older Woodcut tips were stellite, and I got mine 5 or more years ago. I had heard that they were using carbide now as well. Not really sure. Mike Hunter, of Hunter tools has retipped some McNaughton tips with small square micro grained carbide tips which have one corner foreward, and the cross section is about 3/8 inch. It works well. Stellite, and Tantung are other cutting steels that work well, are hard, and keep an excellent cutting edge. A piece 3/8 inch wide, and about 3/32 inch thick by 1/2 inch long, and tapered towards the back should work. Silver soldered into place.

robo hippy

Originally Posted by robo hippy

Having it centered makes a huge difference, especially if you need to correct your course to the inside of the cut. I have never been able to notice any difference in a square tip or the spear point other than the spear point takes a bigger shaving.

That reflects exactly, my experience with tip shapes.

Square tip makes it a little easier if you need to take a second bite to open up the cut, this will provide a bit more clearence and help remove the shavings on stringy timber like elm.

Cheers

Tim

More 'tips' Thanks RH and TTTT.

Good idea for sleeving.

What's your take on the effect of lateral play of the blade in the toolgate? There's a heap in this setup. My assumption is that it's to be avoided. There's $200-$300 riding on the answer. I can of course have a play before stumping up for the Mk8 toolgate but I prefer to minimise unwanted variables before starting to learn to use new gear.

Well I've reshaped the corer tips to a V, first on a coarse 3X wheel and then finishing on the #120 diamond wheel. Took the burr off with a Superfine diamond paddle. The edges are as keen as on the parting blade which hasn't been used and which will be left with the skewed cutting edge out of interest.

Jeez, this thing is getting bigger than Ben Hur. Come to think of it, weren't there parting blades involved there too?

Gidday, Ern.

I'd be extremely reluctant to rely on an outrigger set-up on the VL 175 to assist with any coring work. I've seen a McNaughten in action several times and the strains on the post are extreme.

With the outboard turning attachment, you have (I think) 3 cam locks to engage and go wrong. These attachments seem to be meant for downwards pressure only.

I also wonder whether Vicmarc would support a claim for such use in the event that something went wrong.

Your call as always. Let us know how you get on when coring a large bowl outboard on the VL 175.

BTW - I thought you had a S750 Stubby for bowl work but sold it because your hands couldn't take the pounding. Bet you wish you had it back!