Merits of Different Brands of Sharpeners

fstedy · November 17, 2004, 09:04:27 AM

8) 8) 8) Hi All 8) 8) 8) I have been looking into buying a sharpener and would like to hear your comments on the different brands available

The Dinasaw unit seems to have some nice features for the money ;D It appears to be the only one that cuts a side bevel angled for each tooth

The Cooks and Wright W-37 ABG grinders appear to make a stright cut across the tooth face

Is their any great advantage to the beveled face :

To me it seems the angled cut tooth would cut easier :

How about flood coolant or spray mist during sharpening this would keep the blade from loosing temper at the tip ??? ??? ???

Tom · November 18, 2004, 05:31:17 AM

I'm in favor of a face that is 90 degrees to the direction of travel. There are lots of new ideas, gadgets and doo-diddley's created every day. Many are for the purpose of marketing. I don't mess with them and am hesitant to replace something that works. One day there might be a great wow-eee that I will spend money on,but, somebody else can do the testing.

I'm for the flood grinding too. Some grinders are dry and do a good job. They accomplish this by using softer stones.

I use Wood Mizer's grinder. I have had one since 1991 and bought a second one for backup some years later. This style of grinder is relatively fast, accurate and maintenance free. It operates on DC so you can take it to the woods if you have a desire. I have always had AC available and have taken it on jobs only 4 or 5 times when I was living on-site.

Gipper · November 18, 2004, 06:00:52 AM

I'm sure there are a lot of good sharpeners, of various brands, out there. I have been using the Cooks Cat Claw sharpener for almost three years now. Haven't had any problems with it.

MrMoo · November 22, 2004, 07:11:47 AM

Tedy
I have the Wright W-37 ABG. I am happy with it. Once you get the hang of things it does a good job.
Mike

VA-Sawyer · November 22, 2004, 07:59:02 AM

Ok, so I know what make and model your sharpener is.....tell us more about it. Why did you choose that one ? Would you make the same choice again ? If you could suggest a change or improvment about the sharpener, what would it be ? I will be needing to buy or build a sharpener by the end of the year, so this topic holds a real interest for me right now. How many have purchased used sharpeners ? Is that a smart way to go ? Come on members..... inquiring minds want to know.
VA-Sawyer

Brad_S. · November 22, 2004, 08:43:47 AM

I have a Cook Cats Claw, and am generally happy with it. I bought it because at the time, that is what Timber Harvester was selling. They now sell their own brand.
I seem to have to constantly dress the stone, and it can be quite easy to burn the teeth tips if I don't watch the machine. Often wonder if a water bath would improve results. On the plus side, there is enough hp that the grinding rock stays at a constant speed during the entire cycle. They have made many modifications since I bought mine 11 years ago, only for the better, I would guess.
The video that came with the grinder 11 years ago showed a machine that ran the blade between two torches and then dowsed it with water to re-harden it. Since it's not offered anymore, it must not have worked too well. Interesting idea, though.
All in all, I give it a high mark and would buy another.

VA-Sawyer · November 22, 2004, 12:10:11 PM

Thanks Brad, that was useful. Keep'em coming members.

fstedy · November 22, 2004, 01:07:39 PM

8) 8)I'll second that VA-Sawyer 8) 8) We needs all that information you can give us :

;D

Gilman · November 23, 2004, 07:23:45 PM

VA,
I bought a used WM grinder/setter from a member from FF. It was a good deal for me but... The setter was old and didn't have the spring hold downs to read your set. Fortunately I have a machine shop and added the spring hold downs myself. If you buy used make sure you know what you are getting, and what you are looking for. There have been a lot of improvements over the years from all of the manufacturers.

I'm glad I bought it since I'm going through about five blades a day @ $8.00 to grind x 5 days/ week = $200/ week. I'll have the grinder paid for by next Friday.

VA-Sawyer · November 24, 2004, 08:02:50 AM

Gilman,

How do you compare the quality of your resharpened blades against WM resharp and WM new blades. I want something that will come closer to the cut of a new blade. I have not been happy at all with the WM resharps.
VA-Sawyer

Fla._Deadheader · November 24, 2004, 09:09:26 AM

  I went and saw Tom. He did some blades for us. They were OK. I changed the brand of blades, and the mill went right to work. I borrowed a setter and sharpener, WM, and it does a better job than I do. I tend to not dress the stone as much as I need to, but, the mill still cuts with the best of them.

  I would suggest that you find someone that sharpens their own blades, that lives near you, and go introduce yerself.

I believe Feltze is in N. Carolina. That might be close. He always puts out good info.

  There is NOTHING like SEEING things done. ;D ;D

Tom_Averwater · November 24, 2004, 06:38:50 PM

I have a Moon's ASM1 Grinder & Setter combo machine.The sharpener doesn't use a cam like the Cook or Woodmizer does to raise and lower the wheel .It has 2 levers that move up and down with a bearing that rides on each lever.The bearings are adjusted in or out to adjust for the height of the tooth and the duration of time the stone is in the gullet.Alot of attention is needed on stone dressing. >:( Clear as mud, right.
The setter is automatic. It will set left-right , left-raker-right.It seems to work pretty good.

8) Tom

gmmills · November 24, 2004, 07:38:17 PM

   I have two WM sharpeners and one setter. For the last 4 yrs I have used on an average of 5 blades a day. My math being the same as Gilman's $200 a week. They have been paid for quite a while ago.
   The second reason for owning my own sharpening equipment is the ability to change the blade profile, hook,set,and tooth height to match the type of logs you're cutting. For general cutting I use WM 9/29's. This week I've been cutting green poplar. I took the 9/29's and change the hook angle to 12 deg, the set from 20 up to 23 thou. Cut the polar like it was butter. This way I only need to stock one blade profile instead of three.

   The lastest tool add to my sharpening equipment is a Cook's band roller. Nothing but good to say about this tool.
Cook's is advertising their sharpener,setter,and blade roller as a package deal for $2595.00. A good deal at $525.00 off individual prices.

VA-Sawyer · November 24, 2004, 09:21:33 PM

gmmills,
What is the band roller for? That is a new one to me. Want to sell one of those sharpeners ? :

(I gotta be careful or Jeff will move this over to the 'wanted to buy' section)

To the rest of the people posting...could you put some pictures on here ? Maybe even a couple from different angles. It might help to clear up some of the mud. ;)
If worse comes to be, I may need the pictures to design and build my own. ;D
VA-Sawyer

Fla._Deadheader · November 25, 2004, 04:28:11 AM

I built a sharpener, similar to WM. It will sharpen a blade, but, I am not a certifiable Machinist. Tolerances need to be better than what I did. Every so often, a Sharpener will come up in the Forum Classifieds. I wood keep an eye on that area.

I can take a few pics, as soon as the cloud cover moves away. It's nearly dark on the back porch, and it's 7:28 AM.

beav · November 25, 2004, 05:23:28 AM

   I have the sharpener that came with my first W/M back in '85. It is a manual type that requires you to feed the blade with your fingers. I have longed for an auto job for years. However, with proper blade use(pulling the blade before it is DULL) I can sharpen a blade in under 90 seconds. How long does it take with auto jobs?
   90 deg. face works fine,why complicate a chore more. When W/M advised a water bath, I took a peice of small copper tube, pointed it at the tooth tip, and fed it with a milk jug hung from the ceiling. Works fine.
   The sharpener also does chainsaw chains with a little reconfiguring, so I always wondered why one couldn't convert one (chainsaw sharpener) to do bandsaw blades. Perhaps with a coupla bicycle wheels for blade guidance,etc, I bet it could be done.
   AS Fla DH says,there' nothing like seein' it done to get the idea.
   The setter that came with my BMP was a total joke. I tried it once and it is now lost under piles of junk. I can get 4 or 5 light sharpenings on a new blade before they lose their enthusiasm (set) for softwoods,then they go into the hardwood pile. After a few sharps they go to Resharp(W/M) and get reset. Yes,I am pining for a modern setter.
   A new blade is like a new chainsaw chain- they cut like new but nowhere as nice as they will with a new (personally applied) edge. ;)

Fla._Deadheader · November 25, 2004, 05:59:12 AM

Well said, Beav. Good info. ;) ;D

I scanned the Photo Gallery for pics of the Sharpener I built, but, I didn't find it ??? ???

Gilman · November 25, 2004, 09:41:53 AM

VA,
If done correctly I think a sharpened blade cuts better than a new one. I also like that I can adjust the set or angle and try one blade. With resharp you'd have to have all ten/fifteen set the same. I'm going to try and train my uncle to sharpen my blades. He's on a medical leave from work and is limited to how much he can lift. I think sharpening blades would work out good for both of us.

I haven't tried WM's Resharp yet, but I'll probably give it a try in the future.

Picture of a WM setter.

You can see the heads of the two shoulder bolts inside the jaws. These are spring loaded to keep the blade flush with the inner jaw so an accurate reading off the dial indicator can be made.

Here's a WM grinder. I know how we all like pictures. :D

gmmills · November 27, 2004, 09:19:31 PM

VA,
   The blade roller is used to flatten the blade body. With this tool I can make a blade that dives or rises in the cut to run just like new or even better. The flatness of the blade body Is very important for the blade to cut straight. Have any of you ever had a blade that cut very well for the first two or three sharpenings and then the next time you put it on the mill it will dive or cut wavy lumber? You don't understand it. The blade was sharpened and set on the same equipment, to the same specs and won't cut straight. Through use the blade body is no longer flat causing the blade to cut in the direction of curvature. With the roller you can bring the blade back to spec. Check out www.cookssaw.com, articles section, for a more detailed explanation. I'll try to post some pics hopefully tommorow night.
   beav,
   If that setter is a single action type,where you have to slide the tooth to the side of the setting point to read the amount of set, dig that thing out of the junk pile. You can make that setter very modern by calling WM and getting a 2 stage clamp up grade. The new parts will bolt right on. My setter was a single action when I got it. Bought the conversion kit and been usuing it ever since. Maybe the latest kit will even have the crank handle included. Check out Gilman's stetter pics. His has the crank handle upgrade on it.

Sawdustslinger · December 01, 2004, 05:25:31 AM

I'm in the market for a sharpener and setter also. I would love to hear more opinions on this subject.

MrMoo · December 02, 2004, 07:03:12 AM

I have Cook's setter and Wright 37 ABG. I have them mounted on a table made of square steel tubing with guides that can handle my 19+ foot blades.

I like them both. The setter works on one tooth at a time but you get a reading right as you set each one. It takes time but does a good job.
I also think the Wright grinder works well. Its easy to setup and does a good job. Like all grinders the key is to shape the grind stone properly.
http://www.wrightools.com/w37abg.htm