Cats Claw sharpener

UN Hooker · January 09, 2015, 11:08:13 PM

Anyone with A new one, check the grease fittings on your spindle bearings. After using mine for a couple days ( re-grinding 2 old WM blades to the Cooks profile to learn the machine) I saw on the floor a shiny new grease fitting. Hmm wonder where that came from. Only ones I saw on the machine when I first inspected it was on the spindle. I took the guards off and sure nuff, the one on the right bearing was gone. There was a lot of grit on everything under there. I cleaned it off best I could and screwed the fitting back in. It screwed all the way in finger tight - was real loose in the threads and when I put a wrench on it, felt like it would strip out the threads. I took it back out and replaced it with a new one - that went in like it should - part way finger tight then snug then tight before it bottomed.

Apparently the orig. fittings are metric and the threads in the bearings are SAE, kinda small & short to check but a 1/4" wrench would not fit the hex and a 9/32" was quite loose.

UN

YellowHammer · January 09, 2015, 11:25:08 PM

Keep it greased or prepare to buy some new bearings, don't ask me how I know...
YH

FarmingSawyer · January 10, 2015, 05:24:18 AM

Yipes!!

I've gotta check mine next time I'm in the filing room...... I'd be sure to call Cook's and mention the problem to them. I've got to place a call too them. I was setting a band Wednesday evening and the backing plate came loose on the single tooth setter's dial indicator. I was able to get it back on and tight-ish--didn't have an ensy-weensy philips screwdriver handy. But it shouldn't be coming apart like that after only setting 15 bands........

bandmiller2 · January 10, 2015, 07:45:43 AM

There are two plastic plugs on the arbor/ spindle shaft guard pop them off and look in, makes them easy to grease. Frank C.

4x4American · January 10, 2015, 10:47:07 PM

Thanks!

customsawyer · January 10, 2015, 11:06:19 PM

Frank my little plugs have been gone for a long time.

bandmiller2 · January 11, 2015, 07:48:12 AM

Custom, they look like the same diddly little plugs electricians use, next time your at Home Depot, or just leave the rascals open for better cooling. We have to clean the zerks anyways before grease. Frank C.

DeepWoods · January 11, 2015, 09:16:24 AM

I have a Cats Claw sharpener that is a couple years old, but has not had much use. How often should the bearings get greased? I have not put a grease gun to mine, but have only sharpened about 25 bands so far. Just wondering.

ely · January 11, 2015, 10:26:53 AM

Had mine for ten years...I have greased it only a handful of times...may have to check that.

UN Hooker · January 11, 2015, 09:38:37 PM

Had a chance to measure one of the fittings that fell out, like I suspected it measures 6mm =.234" in a .250"x28 hole. That explains why it would not tighten and fell out.
The two plugs on mine are rubber. They have a raised section on top about 1/4"x1/2" to grip to twist them in or remove them. They go in real tight so they won't fall out!

All in all this sharpener is very well designed ( ball bearings everywhere) and rugged built-way better than I expected. The duel tooth setter is built the same - rugged. I only made one mod. to the setter, put handles on the blade clamps, push down on the handle and slip the blade in- let go and your ready to set.

UN

4x4American · January 13, 2015, 10:02:30 PM

I think that the reason they have the plugs there is for political purposes. Some einstein could put their fingers down there when it's running and hurt themselves somehow. The plugs don't do much for keeping debris off of the fittings, the grind rock is right next door!

Chuck White · January 14, 2015, 08:21:17 AM

I bought my Cat Claw back in 2009 and the access caps have been off pretty-much forever.

Don't hurt anything and it's an "in-your-face" reminder to grease it once in a while!

One of the little snap-on caps that cover the zerk fittings don't want to stay put, I just make sure they get cleaned before greasing!

4x4American · January 14, 2015, 07:33:46 PM

Today I was sharpening/setting a few blades. I got going in a good rhythm and they were coming out great. So then it came time to sharpen some Cook's blades. Changed the cam, changed the hook angle, and put in the rock it came with that they shaped. I tossed on a band that I had hit a nail with to get it close. Got it shaped to fit, and it was going just fine. Til I put on a good band. Well every so often, it would take too much off a tooth. I'm thinking ok what'd I do now I had this thing perfect on the other bands...so I made myself a study and come to find out I didn't have it clamped tight enough. When the finger would push it, it would come back a bit. It only did it every so often because the band kinda wiggles it's way around. The back part of it kinda hangs up a bit, and then it will come loose. Not a big deal. Anyways so after I got that figured out it kept going downhill. Had a hard time getting the shape of the rock just right for these bands, got hit in the eye with a little piece of airborne steel, lungs are telling me that I should've worn a mask...so I said well tomorrow's a whole nother day for that, and commenced to file chainsaw chains. Just need to spend more time with the sharpner, I haven't sharpned more than 20 bands on it so far. I chiseled away all the stuck metal filings to that chute, I can only imagine how packed that thing gets after time.

4x4American · January 14, 2015, 07:35:45 PM

Quote from: Chuck White on January 14, 2015, 08:21:17 AM
I bought my Cat Claw back in 2009 and the access caps have been off pretty-much forever.

Don't hurt anything and it's an "in-your-face" reminder to grease it once in a while!

One of the little snap-on caps that cover the zerk fittings don't want to stay put, I just make sure they get cleaned before greasing!

Those snap on caps are the devil! I take em right off!

Chuck White · January 14, 2015, 10:34:31 PM

Quote from: 4x4American on January 14, 2015, 07:33:46 PM
Today I was sharpening/setting a few TK Ultra blades. I got going in a good rhythm and they were coming out great. So then it came time to sharpen some Cook's blades. Changed the cam, changed the hook angle, and put in the rock it came with that they shaped. I tossed on a band that I had hit a nail with to get it close. Got it shaped to fit, and it was going just fine. Til I put on a good band. Well every so often, it would take too much off a tooth. I'm thinking ok what'd I do now I had this thing perfect on the TK bands...so I made myself a study and come to find out I didn't have it clamped tight enough. When the finger would push it, it would come back a bit. It only did it every so often because the band kinda wiggles it's way around. The back part of it kinda hangs up a bit, and then it will come loose. Not a big deal. Anyways so after I got that figured out it kept going downhill. Had a hard time getting the shape of the rock just right for these bands, got hit in the eye with a little piece of airborne steel, lungs are telling me that I should've worn a mask...so I said well tomorrow's a whole nother day for that, and commenced to file chainsaw chains. Just need to spend more time with the sharpner, I haven't sharpned more than 20 bands on it so far. I chiseled away all the stuck metal filings to that chute, I can only imagine how packed that thing gets after time.

Sounds like the cure is to tighten the clamp a little tighter.

The blade should not move back at all!

bandmiller2 · January 15, 2015, 08:35:56 AM

Two things you should watch closely on the cats claw is that the band support rods and rollers are adjusted right otherwise the band can rock as its advanced. You keep an eye on the two sealed bearings the band rides on near the vice they should turn togather. As Chuck said if the vice clamp is not snug enough the band will be advanced but slip back a little giving you a heavy cut. Frank C.

4x4American · January 15, 2015, 09:04:39 AM

Yup, Chuck! I didn't think to watch that before, and I guess I had it too loose because I didn't want to strain the electric motor. Anyways I set it to where I can hear the motor lug down, then I backed it off to where it didn't. Called that good.

bandmiller- the two sealed bearings are moving fine, the band support rods I thought were good, because all the wheels turn, and it lines up good with the vice, but it still rocks around a bit, I think it's the back on that's giving me problems. Will experiment more later.