My new Wood-Mizer Sharpener Came Yesterday!!

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 02:55:26 PM

My new blade sharpener came from wood-mizer yesterday .. Man- what a big box..

The sales guy told me it comes with 3 cams, and it only came with 2.. >:( >:( >:(

Now- I gotta learn how to use this thing. I was reading through the manual and it said you could only get about 3 sharpenings out of a .045 x 1 1/4" blade for an average of 800 board feet per?

Is that right? I thought you could get about 6 sharpenings out of em'? TimberWolf claims you can get 8-10 out of their blades.

What's the Skinny? ??? :-[

Tom · January 18, 2006, 03:09:50 PM

The skinny is how anal you want to be about sharpening and how much sawing you want to do.

If you cut 50 feet between sharpenings, I'll bet you could get 20 sharpenings.

I get 3-5 usually. Sometimes more, sometimes less. It depends on what you are cutting and how hard you push the blade and how long it remains on the saw. I've had a few that I sharpened until they were too narrow to run without major re-dialing in of the saw. Life's to short for that and I retired them. Mostly I break them. That's a pretty good indication that you got the "goodies" out of a blade.

I think you will find that WM's 13'2" .042 blade will have a life of about 2000 to 3000 Board feet, give or take. You will probably be looking at 500 or 600 feet between sharpenings, though 800 is fairly common. One Thousand is pushing it.

Don't worry about the sharpenings. That doesn't make you production. Worry more about what you can get from the blade without changing it or punishing it too much. I don't know why folks are so concerned about how many sharpenings they can get. Sharpening doesn't pay very good when you are the sawyer.

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 04:10:47 PM

Tips respectfully noted Tom.

I stand corrected.

It DID come with 3 cams. The only complaint I have so far is they need to deburr this monster in the shop. Holy cow! I cut myself on an edge already. Man- that's not good.. :'(

Also, I noticed on the cams the cut edge is real rough. Saw marks and bumps. Wouldn't that make for a rough sharpen? Seems to me you would want that cam smooth, so it would grind up and down the blade smooth?

These forums gotta drive manufacturers crazy because consumers can instantly post good and bad feedback to thousands of readers.

I'm going to post the info, because if it was my product, I would want to know and correct the problem.

And Hey- I paid $1670 shipped for this peice of gear, and for that much money, I would expect things like deburring, and smooth edges on cams to be included...

Dan_Shade · January 18, 2006, 04:21:50 PM

how about some pictures?

GF · January 18, 2006, 04:23:42 PM

I would imagine the cams should be smooth, the cams I order from another manufacturer are very smooth. Pictures would be nice.

Jeff · January 18, 2006, 04:26:38 PM

Yep. Pictures will get answers.

As for sharp edges, I gotta giggle as this is a bandsaw sharpener and you better get real used to sharp edges.

GF · January 18, 2006, 04:32:27 PM

Quote from: Jeff B on January 18, 2006, 04:26:38 PM
Yep. Pictures will get answers.

I have to agree, pictures are worth 1000 words.

beenthere · January 18, 2006, 05:17:25 PM

Quote from: jpgreen on January 18, 2006, 04:10:47 PM............And Hey- I paid $1670 shipped for this peice of gear, and for that much money, I would expect things like deburring, and smooth edges on cams to be included...

The charge would be more if they do more work..........

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 05:30:38 PM

My camera is not very good, but I hope these come close to showing the rough cut marks, and the out of round cuts where they started or stopped the cut. They should have been put on a bench belt sander (or disk)- squared and smoothed the edges before they were plated.

Now if I true these up I will at least loose the plate galvanizing, and I will have to remove quite a bit of material to square, round, and smooth the cam. Will this through the sharpening off?

Or maybe that bump, or cut start is supposted to be there? What do I know?..

I'm just askin' questions. Not trying to slam WM.

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 05:39:38 PM

Maybe this is better...

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 06:00:20 PM

I took a file to the burrs on the sharpener.

The only place they had burrs were on the cut aluminum sheet metal flip down cover, and the coolant resevior.

I woulda been ready for sharp edges on a blade Jeff, but not on the machine.. ;D

Wouldn't be a big deal if I was using OPM- "Other Peoples Money"..

:D 8) :D

beenthere · January 18, 2006, 06:10:33 PM

Regards the cams, is it possible some of that is in the design for a reason to lift and drop the grinding wheel for the right 'grind' ? I'd suggest sharpening some blades and see if there is a negative effect to the 'rough' surface you see. Just curious here.

Good pics

Jeff · January 18, 2006, 06:14:45 PM

I just ran out to the shed and took a picture of one of mine, that I know work perfectly and they look the same.

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 06:16:32 PM

Checking them futher, I've noticed that they're not all identicle. One has the bump more than the others. One has a ding, that's kind of a bump. Some have some pretty deep cut marks, that are rough, and create flt spot. Maybe- non of this effects operation..

I know I'm being a pain in the butt.. :D

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 06:19:29 PM

Jeff- we had posted at the same time.

Those marks are the rather smooth ones, but what I'm talking about is the bump at about 7:00 in my first picture, and then the other cut marks are way deeper than what those in your picture show.

Did ya have to run out in the snow? It's snowin' here.. ;D :D

Chris Burchfield · January 18, 2006, 07:11:47 PM

Guys & Gals, those look to have been cut with a plasma cutter. Probably on a CNC unit. Keep in mind, the surface cut with a plasma or cutting torch is harder than the under laying material. You can get a sharp edge from the torch/cutter side. I'm not overly experienced but have used both. I had a slight bit of slag with the plasma cutter on the bottom side. This could be knocked off with a file or flap disk on a corner grinder.

Gilman · January 18, 2006, 07:20:03 PM

The cams are cut with a plasma torch, the finish you see is normal. Since the cam follower is a large roller bearing, those little bumps won't effect the performance. If the cam follower was a thin bar like on swiss lathes, the roughness would be an issue.

Have fun learning to use it.

Read some of Tom's posts on sharpening. I learned a lot from them.

Can you post us a picture of what a brand new grinder looks like? I've never seen one, mine was bought used, very used.

jpgreen · January 18, 2006, 07:54:26 PM

We aim to please.. ;D

Had to get it off the counter before Mrs. Green got home.. :D

Jeff · January 18, 2006, 08:07:06 PM

I dont know how that will ever work right. Mine has rust and scale and filings and grunge and filth all over it. I thought you had to have all that to make it sharpen right as mine does a bang up job I am afraid to clean it.

Tom · January 18, 2006, 08:11:15 PM

Wow! I've never seen one look so bright and shiny.

It'll be like a new car. You'll be OK as soon as you get the first scratch. ;D

chet · January 18, 2006, 08:17:28 PM

Jp,
keep dat picture so you can remember what dat sharper looked like. Given a little time it won't look quite da same. :D

ElectricAl · January 18, 2006, 08:27:28 PM

JPGreen,

Make sure you use anti seize on anything that disassembles.

When we sold our first WM sharpener, I had to cut the blade support arms off to ship.

ElectricAl

Jeff · January 18, 2006, 08:49:41 PM

I may brave da snow and ice and go get a photo of how they gotta look to work right. I may have the ugliest one yet. Maybe we oughta have a contest? :D

gmmills · January 18, 2006, 08:59:46 PM

jp,

Don't grind that nub off that 13/29 cam. It is supposed to be there. That thing looks so nice . We will need to see it after you've use it some. That way we will no longer be so envious.