About to pull the trigger on a coring rig

[Roger Chandler]

I have been mulling a coring rig off and on for nearly a year........I have watched some youtube videos, I have attended a demo where the Oneway coring system was shown, and liked it. I have heard a good bit about the learning curve related to the McNaughton system, and viewed part of the demo Dale Bonertz posted on Youtube on it.

Of the 3 systems, the simplicity seems to be there with the Woodcut system and they have built a sturdier version for larger lathes.....the Woodcut Bowl saver Max 3, which is for lathes from 16-25" swing.

They also have a laser attachment for it that will show the path of the cutter blade, but in the videos I saw with the standard Woodcut, it seems pretty automatic if one sets the rig up according to directions, so not sure if the laser is needed really.

Any thoughts from owners or folks familiar with the systems, and perhaps cautions? I do not want to purchase, and then have regrets. Any knowledge-able input is appreciated!

[Bob Bouis]

The big complaint about the oneway system is that it's slow. You have to install the base plate onto the lathe bed, you have to adjust the support arms repeatedly throughout the cut, you have to remove the cutters to sharpen them, etc.

The advantage is that it's sturdy and basically foolproof.

[Reed Gray]

I have the old Woodcut coring system, which only had the 2 smaller blades. The 3 blade system is an upgrade for sure. Biggest problem with the old one was it wasn't very heavy duty, and would tend to chatter, especially with hard woods like Osage. Every thing about the new one is much more heavy duty. You do have to hook it up to the tailstock, which does work, and is an alternative to the plate system of the Oneway. I don't think it adds enough rigidity to the system for what I would want, but don't know how to do it any different. The laser is handy, and you can adapt any laser you have in the shop, or get the laser and adapt it to other cutting tools in the shop. Mostly you get to know exactly where the blade will end up. This can be handy if you remove all 3 cores from one set up, starting with the small one first.

Oneway is rock solid all the way to the end of the biggest blade. Down side is the added time to move and adjust the support finger. I don't like the cutter that comes standard on this system. The finger is supposed to break the fiber, and the sides cut the fiber away. I had them send me a hardened cutter that had not been ground down, and ground it like the Woodcut tips (tapered to wide in front, more narrow in back) which cut a lot better, and more aggressively, which, they told me is why they don't sell it to the general public. I don't have to take it off to sharpen it.

The McNaughton does have a learning curve. I also have my coring video up on You Tube. I can core a bowl with it in about as much time as it takes me to set up the Oneway system, but I have done a lot of them. Biggest learning curve with it is learning to compensate for the drift, blade always drifts to the outside as you cut. The bends in the blades used to be all over the place, but are better now. I do think the last 1 inch or so goes straight rather than following the arc of the blade, which is why it drifts to the outside. If you have the plastic circle template thing, lay the blades out on it to check. I do 90% of my coring with the medium curved blade.

robo hippy

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks Reed- exactly the kind of info I was looking to receive - I will take the time to look up your video when I get back home

Sent from my iPhone

[Tony De Masi]

Roger, I have the McNaughton and the Bowl Saver, not the new one. If you would like to come and test drive them you are more than welcome to do so.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I have the McNaughton and the Bowl Saver, not the new one. If you would like to come and test drive them you are more than welcome to do so.

Hey Tony! Thank you so much for the offer.......you know, taking the two systems for a test drive with someone experienced is probably a really smart thing to do, so I appreciate your kindness here, and really would not mind coming up and spending an afternoon or morning during the week if that is something that would suit your schedule......perhaps I will drop you a few lines in an email. Always nice to hear from you!

[Tony De Masi]

I'll be looking for your email.

[David Delo]

Roger,

I was saving up to buy a Oneway system when I was gifted the McNaughton, so that's the one I've been using. I don't use it every day but it sure is a nice accessory to have. You will be happy with either system. Can't comment on the Woodcut because they didn't have a system for a bigger lathe when I got mine but I did like what I saw.

Along with Dale's and Robo's videos, Steven Russell has a decent write-up on the McNaughton system at following link: http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/center-saver.html

One thing you hear about in most discussions on the subject comparing the two is the McNaughton is so much more versatile and you can only do hemispherical bowls with the Oneway. I don't agree with that completely in that the bottom support can be rotated to adjust the arc angle and also you can change to a different angle support to obtain just about any shape you desire. I've seen that demonstrated a couple times and would agree it's a sweet system. Haven't checked prices lately but I think at the end of the day the Oneway is 2 or 3 hundred bucks more

[Edward Weingarden]

I haven't used the Oneway or Woodcut, but my impression is that they core with a fixed curve/shape. The McNaughton, which I use, allows you to vary (to some extent) the shape of the bowl. In other words, for one blank you are coring, the bowls can have more of a curved wall. For a different blank, you may want the wall to have less of a curve for a deeper bowl. Something to think about if you want to have some flexibility with the shape of the bowls.

[Josh Bowman]

I've owned both the McNaughton and Oneway. I feel the learning curve on the McNaughton is not a one time deal. That is if you don't use it regularly it seems you have problems the next time. But the setup is quick, but the results are sometimes unpredictable. I cored maybe 50 bowls with it and found I was getting fairly good with it, but not good enough to do expensive wood. I setup the Oneway and the first time made 3 nice useable cores and if you make the jigs they suggest it sets up easily. If I had nice wood, I wouldn't hesitate to use it to core. Sharpening is no real issue, just unscrew it and follow the instructions. The finger Reed talked about is awkward, but that finger is what supports the cutter blade, you just have to remember to stop every once and while and adjust it.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Roger: I think the learning curve for the Macnaughton is greatly exaggerated. There's so much info available - both Reed's and Bonertz videos and write ups are excellent. I started with it 5 years ago and, after making one funnel haven't made one since - and that was before the good info that's available now. Go slow, find out how it works and it's a joy to use. Simple 2 minute setup, determine where you want it to go and have at it.
I'm not exactly a Mike Mahoney with it making nested sets, but I get 3 or 4 cores from a good piece of wood without a lot of fuss, and that's why I use it.
No matter what you get, there's going to be a learning curve...

[Fred Belknap]

Roger I can only comment on the McNaughton as it is the only one I have used. I do a lot of NE bowls and would like to be able to core some of them but so far it is such a hassle to get to cut without stalling out the lathe that I seldom use it. If I was starting over I wouldn't even consider the McNaughton. I think but can't confirm that the blades flex in use, I have sanded and waxed the blade with minimal improvement. I have the standard three blades and the micro blades. The micro blades are a joke. I have got the standard blades to work on green wood but was never real satisfied with the results. Dry burl, just don't think about it. Just my opinion, hope you are happy with what ever you choose.

[Roger Chandler]

To each of you who replied to my inquiry on coring rigs, I just want to say that I appreciate your time and perspective. Things that I might have not known have come up in your replies, and that is part of what makes this type of interaction so valuable. I feel better educated now than I did when I posted my question. I can say I am leaning to the one I pictured or the Oneway system, which I saw demonstrated. I am getting together with Tony DeMasi next week to give his systems a test drive.

[Peter Blair]

I haven't used any of the others but do use a Oneway as often as I get wood to core. I added a laser to show the line of cut and find it a real advantage and as is said above it is really sturdy. Not sure though if I agree that it is slow to set up or use once you are familiar with it and with the laser it is very easy to alter the shape(s) of the core.

[Jeramie Johnson]

Roger, I got mine last fall. I have the Max larger version. With only one blade, I find it very easy to use. Last summer another turner had a promo model and I found his advice to be spot on. I don't have Robo's experience with all of them though, as this is the only one I have used. I have done 3 to 4 cores out of one blank, the pictures below are the first time using it.

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Here is the article I found before ordering mine: https://forum.canadianwoodworking.co...cut-bowl-saver