Comparing sharpeners

Crossroads · September 23, 2018, 10:16:24 PM

I'm considering buying the equipment to sharpen and set my own blades. WM has the BMS250 BMT250 combo on sale. Cooks has the cat claw and a setter on sale also. I currently have all WM bands in 4 & 7° The WM combination is about $1500 more with wheels an oil. I've watched the videos on the WM setup, but haven't seen anything in the cooks combo so, I don't know if I'm comparing apples to apples or not. That's for any feedback on both units.

Tramp Bushler · September 24, 2018, 04:18:32 AM

Interesting thread. I'm also wondering about grinders and setters. Mighty Mite's are over $2500. For the pair.
Kinda spendy for right now for me.
I'm wondering how much is involved in one of these grinders and if the different brands do different things.
Any insights are appreciated !!.

terrifictimbersllc · September 24, 2018, 06:41:29 AM

Quote from: Crossroads on September 23, 2018, 10:16:24 PMWM has the BMS250 BMT250 combo on sale.

I have these and are happy with them after 2-1/2 yrs use. I previously had the Shop series and these are a big improvement. Both BMS250 and BMT 250 reference and elevate the blade from the back side of the blade. Adjusting the blade height eliminates any difference between bands of a given style. This reduces the setup time for sharpening or setting each band to less than a minute.

BMS250 sharpener, my experience
pros: reference blade from back-turn adjustment knob incrementally one way or the other to get exactly same grind knowing blade width, powerful grinder motor has never cut out (overheated), grinds as fast as I want, big oil pan and enclosure, blade wipers keep oil loss down, magnet blade shutoff, industrial construction weighs 200 pounds, well built electrical controls, can duct oil vapor away if desired
cons: these are minor but, a bit tedious switching wheels and aligning for different style bands, magnet shutoff method have to wait 30 seconds or so to put on magnet

BMT250 setter, my experience
pros: has gauges which are essential to knowing what the setter is doing. If desired can also back off pushers and just watch the set for the entire blade, to find out which teeth are causing problems on a blade that cuts with kerf marks. Robust construction, references from back of blade, easy and quick to put in and adjust each blade. Motor driven with automatic shutoff via tooth counter.
cons: I had both of the heavy setter springs break within first 2 yrs, $18 each. Setting precision about +/- 2 thousandths from a given number. Will not clamp out all deformations occurring in bands. Things I think about that would be nice but not sure practical cost wise) : Will not reduce set. Will not electronically report out the set.

Chuck White · September 24, 2018, 06:57:36 AM

Go to the Cooks web site, they have videos, both companies are sponsors for the Forestry Forum, and both have very good products and services.

YellowHammer · September 24, 2018, 08:48:20 AM

I've had both sharpeners, I still have the WM.

reswire · September 24, 2018, 09:34:37 AM

Is anyone using the BMTS 50? Woodmizer sells this sharpener/setter for $1400.00 on sale. Just curious if it would be adequate for a 10 band per week business...

barbender · September 24, 2018, 12:04:35 PM

If I were only using a few WM profiles, I'd probably go with the WM CBN sharpener. I have the Cook's it works good and is among the best drag type sharpeners. The overall build is heavy, but it does have kind of a "built in a home shop" look to it though. I've been having problems with the drive belt jumping off. As I looked into it further, I could see the pulleys were very misaligned. As I got farther into it, it appears that it was shimmed at an angle to make a too short drive belt work. So I'll have to get a longer belt to make it right. I wasn't very impressed with that. Other than some things like that, it does a good job grinding blades. I have a Suffolk setter, it seems to work well. I haven't done a lot of blades with it. It does vecome very tedious as mine is an older model with no set guages, so I have to check the blades with a caliper as I make adjustments. In summary, I would say sharpening and setting gets to be pretty tedious work, spend as much as your budget allows to make the job go quickly and accurately.

Crossroads · September 24, 2018, 02:47:06 PM

Thanks for the feedback, once the sale of our house closes I'll probably get the WM ordered.

Stephen1 · September 26, 2018, 11:45:23 AM

I am in the process of buying a setter and sharpener.
I want to start a sharpening service. There is no one in this area that can sharpen and set. I do have the older drag sharpener and single tooth setter. I do not like using it.
I will go thru 100 blades a year so having a easy to use system would be great,( so I can hire someone to do it, like my GF, she likes the job, just has problems with the drag sharpener)

Pabene · September 28, 2018, 03:02:08 PM

Stephen1,
I am sure your GF can be the best to sharpen blades in your area. What she need is a good sharpener. Here in my part of the World there are some good enough. I know what is good and necessary in a sharpener. If you are going to sharpen blades for others it is best to start with a drag sharpener. The sharpener shall be designed with scales for each "function" so you can go from one tooth profile to an other without time consuming tests. You have to note the data for each customers blades an be able find the set up for that blade at the next time. With a drag sharpener you can meet the customers requirements for different hook angles and tooth pitch, without to have a number of expensive wheels. I don't know about the US and Canadien made sharpeners. One of the best and most universal sharpeners I have used, for tasks like yours, is "Pilous OR71F". Here it is not the most expensive grinder but it is ready to use as it is delivered.
I like to see you have a Ferguson

JB Griffin · October 02, 2018, 11:23:50 PM

Quote from: Crossroads on September 23, 2018, 10:16:24 PMI don't know if I'm comparing apples to apples or not.

Your not, one is a sharpener and the other looks like one.

Quote from: YellowHammer on September 24, 2018, 08:48:20 AM
I've had both sharpeners, I still have the WM.

barbender · October 02, 2018, 11:53:00 PM

Oh come on, JB. The Cook's, while a bit crude IMO, is a completely functional sharpener.

rjwoelk · October 03, 2018, 12:25:52 AM

I have a question with this sharping, so if you had a blade that has hit a nail and you got marks on your boards, now you have forgot about which blade it is and you sharpen them, does the setter straighten the over set tooth or teeth? Or is this something one has to check and fix ahead of time or else you would still have tooth marks on your boards. Just wondering,

Crossroads · October 03, 2018, 12:39:43 AM

Quote from: rjwoelk on October 03, 2018, 12:25:52 AM
I have a question with this sharping, so if you had a blade that has hit a nail and you got marks on your boards, now you have forgot about which blade it is and you sharpen them, does the setter straighten the over set tooth or teeth? Or is this something one has to check and fix ahead of time or else you would still have tooth marks on your boards. Just wondering,

I believe the setters are one way, they only add set

Chuck White · October 03, 2018, 06:31:12 AM

Your dial indicator will show if a tooth is "overset"!

At that point, you can just take a pair of pliers or a crescent wrench and close it on the tooth and bend it back and then reset it!

rjwoelk · October 03, 2018, 01:12:40 PM

Would it not be better to just have a set of rollers the blade passes through and it takes the over set out, this step would be done first. Does some one make such a tool?
Were is the dial indicator located? On the setter? That means one has to watch that and it would not be a automatic operation.