home made McNaughton tool - Woodworking Talk

john lucas · 10-04-2009, 07:19 PM

I decided to try my hand at making my own McNaughton coring tools. Mike Hunter is re-tipping the tools with a carbide cutter and I wanted to try that so I got a tip from him. I used a homemade bending jig to bend the steel, then cut it to shape with a hacksaw. I milled the slot for the cutter and then drilled and tapped the hole. I made the bar a smaller and tighter radius than the previous cutters I have.

firehawkmph · 10-04-2009, 07:23 PM

John,
Looks like you did a good job on them. Have you tried them yet to see how they work?
Mike Hawkins

john lucas · 10-04-2009, 09:32 PM

Nope, not yet. I plan to do to try them either later this week or next weekend.

Gary Beasley · 10-05-2009, 05:46 PM

Mind if I ask what a McNaughton tool is supposed to be?

rrbrown · 10-05-2009, 07:32 PM

I'm with Gary, can someone please explain what it is for?

john lucas · 10-05-2009, 08:12 PM

Sorry about that. This is a Mcnaughton coring tool. It is used to get more than one bowl out of a blank. The tools have different curves that you put into the wood using special tool holder that helps keep the tool from twisting.
There is a learning curve. I have managed to get 4 bowls out of a 19" half log. The smallest is about 8" across. When my skills and how to use the tools get better I should be able to get 5 maybe 6 out of a piece this size. The really good guys can get one or two more.
The original tools have a ground on tip that is larger and takes a bigger kerp. They also don't stay sharp very long. I added the carbide cutter because it's supposed to last many times as long.

rrbrown · 10-05-2009, 09:41 PM

John thanks for the explanation.

Lilty · 10-06-2009, 12:04 AM

John,

Very nice work on bending the tools.

Lilty

Texas Sawduster · 10-06-2009, 12:25 PM

Nice work. Looks like a DNMG carbide insert on the end of that tool.

slatron25 · 10-06-2009, 12:41 PM

That's looking good John. I'm looking forward to seeing how well they work. Keep us posted.

jdiner · 10-22-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john lucas

I decided to try my hand at making my own McNaughton coring tools. Mike Hunter is re-tipping the tools with a carbide cutter and I wanted to try that so I got a tip from him. I used a homemade bending jig to bend the steel, then cut it to shape with a hacksaw. I milled the slot for the cutter and then drilled and tapped the hole. I made the bar a smaller and tighter radius than the previous cutters I have.

I would love to try my hand at doing the same kind of thing and making a home made coring tools. I would be very interested in seeing your overall design if you have one. Any more pictures? Willing to write up what you did as you constructed it?

I have never tried to bend those kind of curves into steel before. You mentioned it was a homemade bending jig. Nice a quick search and there it is right here on this forum. Fabulous. Thanks for sharing! I have wanted to build some swan neck hollowing tools and wondered how to do it. Very cool.

I think your version is serious cool.

Thanks!
Joshua

john lucas · 10-22-2009, 02:41 PM

The complete article on how to make and use the bending jig will be in a future issue of Woodturning Design. Might be 3 to 6 months because they need a lot of lead time.

jdiner · 10-22-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john lucas

The complete article on how to make and use the bending jig will be in a future issue of Woodturning Design. Might be 3 to 6 months because they need a lot of lead time.

Awesome. I will have to make sure I get that one.

Thanks,
--jdiner