I'm thinking about replacing my almost 20 year old Woodmizer sharpener. I like the look of the Cook's sharpener, but I was wondering if they have an automatic shut-off when they are finished with a blade like the woodmizers do? I didn't see it mentioned on their website.
They do not...Tim
Thanks for the reply.
Jim, the Cooks catsclaw is a good sharpener I wouldn't shoot it down because of no auto stop, if your anywhere around you can tell buy the sound when shes gone around.Frank C.
Right, you should be around the shop when sharpening and it's easy to tell by the sound when it's done, it doesn't matter if you do a few teeth twice. Steve
i have a cooks sharpener, and when i get the saw blade adjusted properly i put a slash mark on the band with a piece of keil. i can see when the band gets close to making the round from across the shop. i am always setting other bands while sharpening them.
I didn't say I didn't like it... ;) I just answered the question....
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There is my set up...as the other guys said...While setting I am right there by the sharpener..You can hear it when the sound changes...I also put a mark on the band with a piece of yellow lumber crayon and usually check to see when the cycle is finishing...I usually tweek it just a tad and send it around a second time ..putting the finishing touch on it...because if its nearly sharp ...its still dull....Tim
Get you some good lights..I found the one on the right at a yard sale for 5 bucks...You can twist it anyway you want and it stays there...I am not farmiliar with the sharpener you have now but I found I need a moveable light to be able to get the sharpener set right...Thats the only thing I can say about it thats not totally positive...Cooks could mount a light where you could see the rock and band area for what I paid for the machine....Tim
As others have said, mark the 1st tooth to be sharpened (I use nail polish) and when it gets to the end of the sharpening cycle I just turn off both switches just as the rock gets done coming up the back of the 1st tooth.
Really simple, you'll have it down in a couple of sharpening sessions.
I have been looking for one of those small lights on the flexible conduit that they put on bench grinders, so I can see the contact between the rock and the blade a little better.
Also, I set my bands before sharpening.
There are a lot of things I like about the cook's sharpener, but I have gotten into the habit of putting a blade on and going upstairs (sharpener is in the basement) or outside to do something else and coming back whenever it's convenient to load another blade. Thanks for all the feedback. I've got some thinking to do. Jim.
the gent who owned my Cooks before me mounted a "normally closed" switch with a short arm on the grinder frame with a c-clamp. if you put a small pinch clamp over any tooth, it will open the switch when it comes around and stop the grinder. (power comes into the n/c switch and out to the 2 motors). works fine. al
I put a 30 minute 110 volt timer on my Cook's. I set it to 5 minutes and it is within a few teeth of the weld each time. Simple and efficient.
Jezz Tim you have a nice comfy well lighted area to sharpen and set much better than my dank cellar. Frank C.
What feed speed do you guys run your Cooks sharpener mine I run at half [50%] Frank C.
I don't like leaving my sharpener unattened, every now and then things can go wrong. I'm most times either setting or sharpening a chain saw when it's running. Steve
Steve bring up a good point I also feel auto sharpeners should be shaparoned[sp] also right or wrong I make tiny tweeks as the band goes around.Frank C.
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I use a yellow paint pen I got at the Napa auto parts store - the kind use for marking on engine parts. It marks well on about anything. It was a bit pricy I thought but it has lasted a long time and made a lot of marks.
The Cat Claw Sharpener can be purchased with an optional shutoff timer. We don't put the timer on as a standard feature as most people who sharpen do not like to leave their machine unattended anyway and any standard feature we add reflects in the price so we decided to make it an option instead.
James
I usually run mine on the first pass- making a full gullet grind on about 40...Thats speed will take off enough metal to suit me and I have had good results ...so I must be getting the micro cracks out with that...then I tweek it to just polish an speed it up ....I try not to tweek it making the first round...that will just cause you to have to mess with it the next time as well....I let it run around all the way on that first lick....if I am not getting a full profile ....after the first run...adjust it for another round and let it make the complete circle....If you start with a new band , there should not be a need to tweek inbetween...
Thats just the way I do it...not necessarly the best way..I did start out tweaking as it went around and found that I was creating a nevering ending process...
I will come in and get a cup of coffie ever now and then...while it is doing its thing...The only time I have ever had any kind of problem is when the band had a bend in it...I won't leave one like that...
I was not told about the timer feature, and did not know it existed...For my use the timer would not matter much...
I too set before I sharpen...I have read Tom's thoughts on that and I believe he is right on... ;) Didn't mean to get so long winded...but I was born in March... :D Tim
i pretty much run mine the way tim describes his method, except the speed feed and the amount i take off vary on my machine from band to band.
i try and run my sharpener where it is taking very light cuts starting out, and i never run it any faster than i have to , to avoid crowding the band and burning the teeth. yes it takes me 15 minutes and sometimes 2 or three times around the band but i dont hardly use up much rock. the final pass i cut even lighter and at times even slower this gives me the razor finish i am looking for.
imo a person needs to take into account the size of the rock while sharpening. meaning if i have a new full size rock on running the feed at 60, is going to be doing a totally different job than a used up rock ran at 60.
Spot on Ely about the wheel size being a factor in band edge sharpness. If the 5" wheel
has worn down to 4" then the feed should be dropped proportionately to achieve the same edge sharpness i.e. if feed is 60 for a new 5" wheel then feed should be dropped to 48 for a 4" wheel with all other parameters remaining the same. Cooks grinding motor sharpener looks like a really strong piece of kit .It has 1/2 HP grinding motor. How does this compare with the power of others?