Dual tooth setter opinions

[canadianwoodworks]

Hi all,

I'm in the market for a dual tooth setter from pricing and reading/watching how they work/built, I'm interested in 3 different ones.

The 3 setters I'm deciding between are the Woodmizer BMT150, Suffolk dual tooth setter and the cooks dual tooth setter.

From the looks of the machines the Suffolk and Cooks are built very heavy compared to the BMT150 from Woodmizer, but I bet they all do a good job.

What's got me is the up setting/backing block the Suffolk dual tooth setter uses, it seems it might be more accurate because of this? Yes that's a question.......

Cooks is currently on sale, which leans me back toward there dual tooth setter, there's has dual indicators right on board which I like.

I think I'd be happy with either of the 3, but I can't make up my mind.

I am not a full time sawyer but do cut a fair bit of wood mostly Walnut, Cherry, Ash and also pine. I have a 1992 LT40hd g24 which I've cut and extended the width, my main concern is that I sharpen my blades and set them. I just want to do a good job, to not waste any wood, especially the larger pieces I'm hoping to be cutting in the future.

Appreciate all the help, this forum is a wealth of knowledge which I read every day.

I currently use .045 10deg 1 1/4'' blades

[Grandedog]

     Howdy,
   Have you seen the Dinasaw band setter?
Regards
Gregg

[canadianwoodworks]

     Howdy,
   Have you seen the Dinasaw band setter?
Regards
Gregg

I have not, but will look into it right now. Thanks

[YellowHammer]

I have a Cooks dual tooth, it does fine.  Accurate, fast, minimal hassle.
The others may be better, may be worse; I haven't tried them, but this one is certainly good enough for me and my business is based on high grade lumber sales so poorly set teeth are not acceptable. 

[Percy]

I've had the Suffolk setter for about 7 years I'm thinkin. It's fine and reasonably accurate the way I run the thing. Accuracy is very dependent on setting the height of the band before setting. If you get this wrong, the set changes more on one side than the other. I use my blades in groups of 10 to avoid dramatic changes. I haven't really looked at another setter although there may be better out there.

[hamish]

I have a Dinasaw setter and I love it, and did I mention its quick?  It leaves all the other setters in the dust!

Small, compact, and available in Canada.

[canadianwoodworks]

I have a Dinasaw setter and I love it, and did I mention its quick?  It leaves all the other setters in the dust!

Small, compact, and available in Canada.

Where can I get the Dinasaw setter in Canada? Thanks!

[slider]

I have both,the cooks and the suffolk.I use the cooks most of the time because it has the dial indicators.With the suffolk you check with a hand held indicator.I like them both but it is easier with the cooks.

[4x4American]

I have the Cooks.  It is simple, sturdy, and effective.

[hamish]

In Canada it can be had at Jayrod Canada, Western Woodlot and Cotton Industries.

[crowhill]

Hamish, once you have the settings on your Dinasaw setter does it hold well or do you have to adjust from blade to blade? Or do you have a number of blades that you run, sharpen and set as a group so they all have the same or similar wear so less adjustment. 
    I have just started using mine again (been sending the blades out for sharp & set for four years) and I seem to be adjusting for each blade to get the set right.

Suggestions appreciated.

Russel

[JB Griffin]

Out of the three you listed the suffolk is by far is the most accurate and the cooks is one of the worst setters available. 

The reason the cooks is so bad is that it doesn't clamp deflection out of the blade before pushing the teeth, effectively twisting the blade while attempting to set the teeth. 

The Suffolk clamps deflection out before setting the teeth and can hold .003" tolerance tooth to tooth. The cooks on its best possible day might hold .006" tolerance.  .003" of set intolerance is noticeable in cut quality and accuracy. 

I have not seen that wm setter so I can not comment on it. But I have used a cooks and that is why I bought a suffolk.

[LeeB]

I too have the Suffolk. The only other setter I ever used was the old WM single tooth setter. Still have it somewhere, although I robbed the dial indicator off of it for other uses. I checked the set on the Suffolk a few time with the handheld dial gauge that comes with it and found it never changed so haven't check it since and that was years ago. 

[ladylake]

 
 I ran a Dino setter for years, wore it out and they are fast. Now I have a Suffolk, a little slower and maybe a hair more accurate.  Both work good.  Steve

[Wintergreen Mountain]

   I just bought a Cooks Cat-Claw dual setter a couple of months ago. It is easy to set up and works excellent so far. I can't say what it will do after a 300 blades but I'm very pleased with the measured settings so far. I did have to set the clamp after the break in.  Cooks service dept. ( TIM ) told me the clamp would have to be cleaned occasionally and adjusted for wear after a few hundred blades. 
   I hit the backstop with one blade .The setter reset the teeth and it cut very straight and smooth after.
   LEON

[redbeard]

If time is not a factor and your new too setting blades a single setter is great way too learn alot and there quite accurate.
I use too set a 13' blade in about 7-8 miniutes
After several years with a Cooks single setter I upgraded too the Sullfolk setter.

[JB Griffin]

4x4American has a youtube video about why the cooks dual tooth can't hold nearly as tight of tolerance as a setter that clamps out deflection. 

[JB Griffin]

Here it is.

[Pabene]

I have used single point setters and dual point setters. I have had a Cooks Cat Claw single point. The Dual tooth setter I have used is a Chech Republic made "Pilous". I prefere a function in the setter where the blade frame is pressed/fixt between yaws in the first moment and then in the next operation are bending the teeth to a precise set.
There are some more very important thing to understand. Let say the "Pusher" is shaped as a ball, it will hit the tooth in one point. If that point is close to the chest, it will bend the tooth against the horisontal edge and also give the tooth a little twist. The tooth will get a little relief angle on its out side and that is good.
If the pusher would hit the tooth close to its back, it will end up in a negative relief angle on the outside of the tooth. That is not good.
Many of the setters has pushers as are flat and parallell to the blade. That way you have less margin to a situation where your blade will cut wavy. (You can modify your setter by grind the pushers to a better angle so it will push the tooth close to the chest.)
I have also tested to "pre twist" every teeth as are set. That way the teeth will keep its better relief angle on its out sides during many set procedures even if the setter does'nt has the optimal design.

[bandmiller2]

Band saw setters are not a set it and forget it device due to different temper in different bands. Its easiest if all your bands are the same brand and lot then they will react closely to the setter. Having a dial indicator mounted on the setter is handy but they are a precision device and will wear out with such a repetitive task. I built my dual tooth setter from shop scraps its similar to the Suffolk it clamps then pushes over the teeth. I have a separate block with a dial indicator to check the set. Its not perfect within two to three thousands but its worked well for me the last 15 years. It works with a toggle arrangement with round head plow bolts for the pushers easily adjustable for set and tooth spacing. Sorry I'm not up to the picture thing, just watch setters in operation and build your own its not rocket science so they say. Frank C.