sharpener ideas

[hookhill]

Been doing quite a bit of research on blade sharpening lately.  I have a idea for a sharpener that would be less complex than a auto sharpener and was looking for some input. The idea would be similar to one of those chainsaw sharpeners where the grinding stone was lowered to sharpen a tooth. Instead of using a narrow stone where only the face of the tooth would be sharpened a wider stone (dressed to match the profile of the blade) would be used and then the whole profile (face, gullet and back) would be sharpened. Was thinking of using a old electric motor, mounted with a 1" ginding wheel and then mount the whole thing on some type of arm that could pivot (similar to a chainsaw grinder) and also pivot to change the hook angle. Any input is welcome!

[IL Bull]

My brother made a blade sharpener out of a chainsaw sharpener.
Worked pretty good.  He just used the narrow stone.  He now owns
a Baker sharpener that sharpens the blade on his mill. 8) 

[woodbowl]

Instead of using a narrow stone where only the face of the tooth would be sharpened a wider stone (dressed to match the profile of the blade) would be used and then the whole profile (face, gullet and back) would be sharpened.

Hey hookhill, that's a plunge grinder your talking about. Manufacturers use them to profile large rolls of coil stock. It sure would be nice to have one of those. ;)

[Kcwoodbutcher]

I do the same thing but use a wide wheel on a radial arm saw. It's tricky dressing the profile just right, but once you get it, it stays put. Everything is manual and your arm gets tired pulling the saw head and indexing the blade, but the setup is dirt cheap if you already have the saw.

[mike_van]

Just my 2 cents, don't take it a gospel. I got  the bandmill bug in 1990, not many mfgs. or info out there then. Built my own mill, tried everyway I could to sharpen my own blades. Started with a Dremel tool, made  one of those jigs for the bench grinder, & another for my Efco chain sharpener. Not one of them worked as good as sending the blades to Cooks. Their finished product was far better than mine, not to mention the time it took to sharpen a 16 1/2 ft. band by hand. This January I sent Cooks an email, asked if they ever got a used sharpener that needed work etc. to please let me know. 2 or 3 weeks later I had a real nice used one, about 2/3 the price of a new one, never regretted it yet. I'm pretty mechanical, not bragging, just stating a fact. But I never got a blade as good as this machine does, not once. Some may have better luck, who knows, just passing on what i've done. I would really recomend an email  or phone call to all that build sharpeners, I got lucky, you might too -

[brdmkr]

Mike,

Just out of curiousity, how long does it take to sharpen a band blade with a Cook's sharpener?  I am just curious as I don't even own a band mill!

[mike_van]

I never timed it, but i'd guess 5 or 6 minutes for a trip around a 16 1/2 footer. I've found 2 lite passes works better than 1 heavy one. While it's running, thats my shop cleaning time, stuff gets picked up, put back, etc.  Look for the last place I used the broom!  :D

[logwalker]

Hello Hookhill,

I have to agree with Mike_Van. I did much the same as him and with the same results. Did it for three years and never got a really good result. And I like to sharpen anything and think I am better than average at it. I found a used Cook's on ebay for $700 delivered to my door and it did more to improve my finished lumber than anything else. Found a used Dino setter for $300 and it works well also. I put a 110 volt timer on the sharpener and it takes exactly 5 minutes to go around once at a speed I feel is good. The Dino sets in about 2 minutes including setup. What a huge difference that has made in my day. I usually stop for coffee in the afternoon and sharpen the two or three blades that I am using that day. I like to keep three good blades together and rotate them. The settings on the sharpener stay about where it is and it is very quick to get them done. Some guys keep 5 or 6 together as a group for the same reasons. I do make about 3 passes on each blade. But with the timer I can do something else while they are being dressed. I can hear the sharpener from anywhere in the shop area. Without the setup described I would use a sharpening service. Good luck with it. Please post your solution as many of us like to hear about sharpening issues. Logwalker.

[SAW MILLER]

   I used to sharpen the way Larry  does(check out Copas sawmill websight) it will do the job.Then I bought a new bench grinder and I profiled the wide stone just like you were thinking about and have been sharpening that way ever since.
   I still use a slight side movement to go down the back and up the face.It takes about five minutes to sharpen and I also use a dina setter bought from BAILEYS.A proud FF sponsor.
  I hang my blade above the grinder on a piece of four inch pvc pipe.
   The setter is only six hundred and something new,does a fine job.

                                                                         Ron