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Sharpening WM Blades to 8 Degrees?

Started by YellowHammer, February 10, 2014, 11:13:04 PM

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YellowHammer

Quote from: backwoods sawyer on February 15, 2014, 01:58:16 PM
Quote from: NMFP on February 14, 2014, 05:55:12 AM
One disadvantage of the cooks though is that as its set up as an up and down set machine, there are a lot of moving parts.  Over time, you will need to replace wear bolts and cams on the set shaft.  You don't want to go with grade 5 or 8 bolts though because if you do, you will not wear the bolts but the  rollers themselves.  At that point, its a simple repair as long as you do some disassembly.
I had problems with the little roll bearing braking, Made some solid rollers as replacments solved that issue.
Good tip,
Thanks,
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

YellowHammer

Well the initial verdict is in - The 8 degree home resharpened blades work really well.  I had sharpened some WM 9° to the Cats Claw 10° and 8° angles.  The resharpened 10s worked well in the softer wood, but I was still not completely happy with my sharpening technique.  So I got some excellent advice form both CustomSawyer and Leroy in Kansas as well as the forum feedback, and used that to fine tune a few things on my sharpener and setter. 
I got in a load of red elm logs, and they are kind of a pain to saw, not hard like hickory, but tough rubbery wood, just doesn't like to get cut.
Here's a picture of the red elm whack about 2\3 rds gone. 


    
And here is a picture of a few lined up while we were sawing. 

I used the opportunity of tough logs to get a feel for the resharpened bands.  I put on one of my resharpened 10° bands, and it did OK but too slow for my tastes.  I swapped it for a new 9° WM band and it had about the same effect.  I then put on a 4° WM blade and picked up speed to a reasonable clip, and I finished yesterday using only 4's.  So I decided sharpen them back to 4° and see how the resharpened ones compared to new, and remembered the Cooks doesn't have a 4° setting... ::). whoops.... I remember asking Cooks about this and they said to drill and tap a new hole for the setting except that in all the excitement that's exactly what I forgot to do. DanG!  So I used the 8° setting instead and sharpened up a couple bands and got back to sawing.  Wow.  What a difference.  These bad boys just mowed through the elm.  About double the speed of any other band I had used previously.  Even my wife, Mrs YellowHammer, made a comment about how fast the bands were sawing. 

Although the hook angle maybe had something to do with it, I think it was largely due to me finally having some really sharp and correctly set bands, I mean these were stick in my fingers sharp.  I had hoped, but was doubtful, that one my resharpened bands would significantly out perform the factory new bands and they did.   
Thanks to all the Forum folks who offered advice, it definitely made a difference. 
Thanks again
YH 

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

bandmiller2

Hammer, what I did with my cats claw is rite the hook angle with majic marker next to the tapped hole on the back of the machine. I never tried 4's always been content with 6. I may have to tap another hole. I would use a good protractor to be sure of the accurate angle the only sure way is to grind some teeth then try with the protractor. Ten degree bands are more prone to follow the grain, less hook the tooth acts more like a scraper but seems to use more HP. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

bandmiller2

The cat uses several tapped holes and a shoulder bolt to select different hooks, also theirs a clamp to hold it solid. If you want to try something not drilled the clamp will hold any angle within reason. When you find your sweet spot drill and tap. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

YellowHammer

Quote from: bandmiller2 on February 18, 2014, 08:30:36 AM
The cat uses several tapped holes and a shoulder bolt to select different hooks, also theirs a clamp to hold it solid. If you want to try something not drilled the clamp will hold any angle within reason. When you find your sweet spot drill and tap. Frank C.
I like this technique.  I was struggling with how to figure out where to drill and tap the hole.  I was thinking of drilling both a 6° and a 4°, but I've never used a 6° band so have no idea how it saws. 

One thing I've already noticed is that when I'm sawing hard through knots, and I know I'm about to wave, the Cats Claw bands just power on through, staying very flat.  I still haven't figured out why they seem to resist wave better than even my new WM bands, but these definitely saw flatter, even though they are just WM bands sharpened to a different hook and gullet.
I guess I need to do a little more homework.
Thanks for the tips,
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Peter Drouin

Not all the time, but most times a resharp blade will cut better. I think it's because a resharp blade the top of the tooth is square to the blade. :)
We all do things a little different like set first or last. just find the sweet spot that works for you is all you can do  ;D good luck  8) 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

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