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Sharpening blades for hire

Started by vfauto, February 15, 2012, 11:20:32 AM

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vfauto

I oredered a Cooks shapener and setter the other day. I was wondering if any of you are sharpening blades for others and what advice if any you could pass on. What do you charge ect.
The definition of insanity is to do the same things over and over and expect a different result!

pineywoods

The biggest hassle with doing a lot of blades is cleaning the buggers. Takes a lot of time. They need to be clean before going through the setter, sharpener don't matter so much.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Chuck White

Besides my own blades, I've only sharpened blades for my FIL, no charge.

I've told a couple of locals that I would sharpen theirs for $5.00 each, but they had to be cleaned up and had to have the same profile as mine!  ;)

So far it seems that they just have me as a backup because I haven't sharpened any of their blades yet.  ::)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

JFarmer

I have friend that sharpens blades. He has three cooks sharpeners going and stays pretty busy. He gets a lot of blades in locally and from as far away as california to kentucky. He also uses a lot more grind rocks on his than what I do on mine sharpening for myself! :D
LT40 electric,woodmizer twin blade edger,cooks catclaw sharpener,suffolk setter, john deere 450 dozer, case 90xt skidsteer, 7010 4x4 mahindra tractor

customsawyer

I would not recommend you sharpen for others till you learn a few tricks while sharpening your own. The biggest problem I have with sharpening blades is that I am parking a sawmill, edger, tractor and hired help to make $20.00 or $30.00 dollars an hour. The math does not work unless it is the only thing you have to do for profit.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

bandmiller2

Vfauto,I also have a cats claw sharpener and sometimes sharpen for hire.I'am quite selective because its a pain in the butt to readjust the setter and grinder for a couple of bands.My own mill uses 1 1/2 bands and I gladly sharpen like bands for $6.00 ea.Special runs the same price if they have enough bands like 15-20 to make readjustment worthwile.I made some mods to the grinder to do wide Makita stellite tiped bands the fella brings me a trunk load.Its not a bad gig, and doesn't take long to pay for the machine. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Magicman

A local sawyer with a sharpener is what convinced me to send mine to WM Resharp.  They were horrible, and to think that I actually paid him to sharpen a box of my blades.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

fat olde elf

I do set and sharpen for others.  Biggest hassel is the condition of the bands.
I have refused to sharpen if they bring me filthy nasty bands. I really don't know why they let their bands get so bad,  I run diesel for lube and my bands are always clean and shiney.  Seems some folks have no respect for their tools. I get $5.00 a band CASH ONLY. I am retired and not out to put woodmizer out of business.  I enjoy sharp tools and love to make sawdust....Say your prayers.........
Cook's MP-32 saw, MF-35, Several Husky Saws, Too Many Woodworking Tools, 4 PU's, Kind Wife.

NMFP

I have been consitently sharpening 70-14 bands per week now for about 3 years.  I now have 4 cooks granders along with 3 setters and a band cleaning machine which I made.  It takes about 3 minutes to clean a band, both sides.  I dont care if they are rusty, pitch covered or what, Usually, I will add $1 for each band that takes more than 3 minutes.  Sharpening normally takes 2 passes, sometimes in a rare case 3 but usually 2 passes but I have many many many grinding wheels profiles for different gullet configurations.  The hardest one to exactly copy from the beginning was 7 degree wm but after some trial and error on a few of my own bands, I was able to exactly copy the gullet shape.
Usually shappening takes about 15 minutes per band and I make it a point to only sharpen 3 bands at a time, its almost impossible to watch 4 grinders at a time.  Setting is easy but if the bands are different thicknesses (like normal) it takes a little longer than necessary.  I will sharpen anything from 1/2" through 1-1/4" tooth spacing.

Long story short, I have alot of money invested in equipment for a part time business which could turn out to be full time at the drop of a hat.  It takes time to get started and learn the tricks but after you do, you realize there are alot of things that you can do to save alot of time.

You will find that not all bands are made of the same metal composition and that some will sharpen much better than others.   Steer clear of cheap wheels.  Although the price is less, so are the number of bands you can sharpen with them.  I use nothing but ruby wheels and I get approx 70 sharpenings from a 20$ wheel. 

If you want any ideas, PM me and I can help out.

trailman

i have about 25 blades almost ready for resharp. wish there was a local here to do mine. save a little on the shiping.b

Dave VH

I'm with you trailman, if I had a local guy that I could trust with my blades, I'd try him
I cut it twice and it's still too short

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