Pulled the trigger on a new Woodmizer sharpener and Suffolk Setter.

[jpgreen]

After reseaching the the systems out there, I decided to go with these two units. 

The Woodmizer sharpener because it uses coolant, and is a light 12-volt deal that I can use remotely if needbe, and the Suffolk because the time in setting seams like it would get on my nerves more than anything with a single point setter. Suffolk also makes woodmizer cams, and other woodmizer support accessories.

Their machine is definitely nice:  http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/dual_tooth_setter.asp

I got about 30 blades with my used woodmizer, and a box of new ones, and as I unloaded them from my truck I realized to send all these through resharp was gonna cost over $600.  THAT'S a lot of cash.

Will see if my descision was a good one.  Now the learning curve begins.

[VA-Sawyer]

JP,

I looked at that setter at one time. I liked how fast it was, didn't like the price as much. Didn't like the tolerances either. Maybe I'm just a little too anal, but I normally set my teeth to +/- a half thousandth, to get a smoother finish. The allowance of 2 thousandths on that setter would give me too rough of a finish. The smoother finish seems to have less surface checking issues when drying oak. Customers like the look of the smooth finish as well. I tell them that they still need to plane the boards due to thickness variation, but they always comment on how smooth the saw cuts.  I will admit the extra time of setting becomes wasted time when I hit metal!
Have I said how much I HATE tramp metal ?
VA-Sawyer

[jpgreen]

I can live with a little rougher lumber Rick, but I think my main concern is dimention accuracy and less time setting.

Don't want to have to wait the 20 years paying my sawing dues to get as quick as you with setting..  ;D

[VA-Sawyer]

When did I use the word 'quick' ?  ???

[jpgreen]

-oops... I had you mixed up with GMmills.

He told me it took him a long time to get quick with the WM setter.

[gmmills]

 Jp,

   Glade to hear you bit the bullet and bought a sharpening system. Was just thinking about PMing you about the WM package just listed on the Sawmill Exchange. Let me know if you need any advice on sharpening and setting. The learning curve can be little steep and frustating. Just remember that attention to detail, Sharpener adjustments, blade cleanliness prior to sharpening, and proper setter adjustments will make you smile wide with pride when using your sharpened blade.

  VA,

     

When did I use the word 'quick' ? ???

You are being too humble. You have to have at least a few hundred blades under your belt by now.  By now you have got to be a well oiled blade setting machine. 8) 8) 8)

[jpgreen]

Well shoot.

That deal wasn't on sawmill exchange yesterday. They must have pulled that off and put it back on, cause I remember seeing it before.

[VA-Sawyer]

gmmills - On a good blade, I can set a little faster than the sharpener does its thing. On a blade that hit metal..........well, I usually have to walk away and cool off before doing the other side.
I did make a small mod on my setter to speed things up. I drilled and tapped two 10-32 holes on the top. One hole on each side of the dial finger. I put a screw in each hole such that the head of the screw is even with the top of the tooth. In normal use the screws are between the teeth tips and have no effect on setting. If I slightly overset a tooth, I just slide it back about 1/2 tooth where the tip is lined up with the screw head. Push the handle and the tooth is pushed against the screw which bends it back just a little. I don't have to grab the straghtening tool and I don't have to lift the stop finger.  Now it only takes a second to correct a slight overset, compared to about 4 seconds before.

jpgreen - I have taken the sharpening course from gmmills. Very worthwhile ! I really think he should do it as a formal class. I don't have many blade problems when sawing, but when it doesn't seem to be cutting as fast as I think it should, I have a good idea what to look for and what changes to make in the blade profile.  Heck, I even modified my cams a little to get the profile closer to factory new blades. I'm still paying my dues, but gmmills sure gave me a head start in the correct direction. Maybe he could do something at the piggy roast.

VA-Sawyer

[jpgreen]

What wears out or goes bad on the woodmizer sharpener?

Used I could save some dollars fo sho..  :-[

Also... how do you take rust off a used blade before you sharpen it?

[VA-Sawyer]

I bought an older used WM sharpener from a longtime lady sawyer not very far away. (I think Bibbyman knows her too - B. Gill ) Anyways, I was looking for a good deal on a used one but wasn't having much luck. One day I got the bright idea of seeing if she had one, and if she used it anymore. Turns out she uses the resharp program and her sharpener had been setting for years.  I went over and looked at it... looked bad... lots of rust and crusty buildup. Was told it had died the last time she tried to use it. Said I would think about it.  A few months later we agreed on $300 for the sharpener and the setter.  I ordered current manuals from WM and set about the task of cleaning it up. (I need to find the pictures of it and post them.) After a week of hammer and chisel work I had it down to just rusty metal. I disassembled everything and glass bead blasted all the parts. A coat of epoxy primer and paint and it was ready to go back together. I added about $300 worth of new parts and ended up with a good running sharpener. I still want to upgrade to the new style clamp, but for now, it does the job just fine. I spent about 2 weeks on the whole project. I had the time, didn't have the money, so used worked ok for me.

My prefered way of removing a little rust.... saw some wood with it. Just a pass or two through a log will do it. If it is too dull or whacked to saw at all, then scotch bright pads and elbow grease. I have also found those little household steamers good for removing sap buildup from a blade.

VA-Sharpner  ;)

[just_sawing]

I haave quite trying to sharpen blades when I switched to the double hard blades from WM. I can sharpen them but the WM set really just doesn't have the accuracity to get production. Does any one use a setter that over comed the .050 double hard steel?

[jpgreen]

Thanks  for the tips VA-Sawyer, I mean.. VA-Sharpner, I mean Rick, VA-Sawyer Rick.. never mind.   :D :D

Anyof you guys use the Timber Wolf blades?  I like their website, and really liked talking to a couple of people there about their products.  They're pretty serious about band blades. They're sending me a couple of blades to try.

They claim you can run their blades with less tention, and when properly sharpened for the task, they cut with less hp, and cut more efficiently.

[gmmills]

just_sawing,

     Do you have a WM setter? I can set .050 and .055 blades with my WM setter and have no problems with accuracy or repeatability. If you have an older vintage WM setter there are upgrades which will help in setting thicker blades. The first is to upgrade you clamp springs to heavier ones. A few years back WM came out with a setter spring upgrade kit. The kit consisted of heavier springs and new smaller diameter spring bolts. Can't find the part number of the kit but have the number of the springs, 004750. These heavier springs will help greatly in holding the blade securely against the back plate of the setter. The second upgrade was one of my own. I welded a 6" extension to my setter handle. Increases leverage and decreases the effort when setting thicker blades. Here is a pic of my setter handle.

                                                     

     jp, 
     
         I have used a total of 3 Timber Wolf blades. They are not worth the extra cost . I had problems with them after the first run. Their Silicon Steel blade body is too soft and will distort very quickly. Even when running them with less tension. Don't believe all the sales hype.  There are a couple of sawyer in the area have tried them. We all have came to the same conclusion. Most of the sawyers around try other blades and most always come back to WM blades. Try a side by side test of your own. Run a Timber Wolf mixed in with your WM's see what you think.

     VA,

           You are getting well up to speed with setting. Great mod buy adding the the down setting screws. I can see how they would be a real time saver. Sounds like something I should add to my setter.
         
       

[Dan_Shade]

VA_Sawyer, or gmmills, do you have a picture of the screw setup that you put onto your setter?

[ely]

i actually have two timber wolf bands that i have yet to try. i will one day. when sharpening for other folks i notice i have less problems with variances when i sharpen wm bands. when sharping timberwolf i do notice a slight difference at the weld joint at times, and really have to pay attention when setting the timberwolf bands.

[jpgreen]

My rig just does not like the Timber wolf blades.

I want to start trying simonds and different brands. Sawed most all my lumber now with old WM blades that came with my mill.

[woodrat]

I have had the Timberwolf setter for years now. I bought one of the first ones. I LOVE it. Within .002" is good enough for me, since I mostly saw framing lumber and planks for trailer decking and so forth. That single tooth setter from WM was the bane of my life as a sawyer. I hated sharpening and would put it off as long as possible because of that setter. Now it is no big deal at all. Two minutes round and round and its done and ready to be ground.

I am in need of replacing some parts on my sharpener though. The guide clamps that the blade fits in are pretty worn out these days. Other than that, and replacing wheels (I like suffolk's wheels better too) the sharpener has been awesome.

I tried a couple of suffolk blades. It wasn't a really fair test I guess, because I used them in some really knotty spruce, which I usually run more tension in.  They were alright, but nothing spectacular. I do run the urethane bandwheel tires from Suffolk and love those as well.

[jpgreen]

So what blades are your favorite, size included?

[woodrat]

well, I haven't tried that many different kinds. I like the stiffer WM double hards pretty well. I have some blades that came from one of the Suffolk shops that are swedish black blades, I think is what they called them. Those are supposed to be really nice, according to the friend I bought them from. I will probably get into that batch of blades this next week, as I just broke the last of a batch of older WM blades the other day. I used simonds red streak on a cook headrig at a hardwood mill I worked at in CA, but that mill was such a POS it was hard to tell anything about the blades. The suffolk blades did run quieter in decent softer woods, and probably he is right about les wear on the bearings.