Cooks Dual Tooth Setter vs Woodmizer BMT150

[BlackberryPines]

So I think I'm set on getting the BMS250 for a sharpener, but can't decide on a setter.  The Woodmizer BMT150 and the Cooks Dual Tooth setter are both similarly priced and have most of the same features.  The biggest difference seems to be that the cooks has built in dial indicators and the Woodmizer comes with a dial indicator gauge that's not part of the setter itself.  Being able to check the set on the dial indicator as you go seems like it would be important to maintain the best accuracy?  Am I over thinking this? Can you just set the Woodmizer and then not worry about it? Or do you need to tweak the set with each band?  Has anyone used both of these machines that could weigh in?  Thanks

[Gere Flewelling]

I have a Cook's dual tooth setter. From my experience setting my own bands as well as setting bands for customers, I wouldn't feel confident that I accurately set a band if I couldn't verify each tooth with a dial indicator.  It only makes sense to me to do this as you are setting the individual teeth.  If your bands are just dull, more than likely the set will be consistent. If the band you are setting has had any trauma, then the set will likely vary from tooth to tooth.  There isn't any other way to quickly verify that unless you are setting and checking as you go.  You could do all this with most any single tooth setter, but being able to do this with a dual tooth setter makes the job go much faster and maintain's accuracy. I find that with a small set of water pump type pliers I can fine tune any questionable tooth right at the specific dial indicator so everything tooth is where it belongs when I am finished.  The Cook's Dual Tooth Setter will allow you to do that.  I have heard other say this setter seems "clunky" but in my opinion it can clunk all it wants as long as it provides repeating accuracy.

[KenMac]

I agree with Gere and will add that a tooth de-setter will aid in more consistent setting. Start with slightly under set teeth and you'll end up with better finished product.

[YellowHammer]

In the words of Ronald Regan, "Trust but Verify."

A setter should have a direct measurement of set, so one with a dial indicator is better than one without. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Dial gauges on the setter itself let you watch the set in real time while the setting is taking place.  If something is off you will see it immediately when you watch the gauges at the beginning of setting a blade. Otherwise you cant know what has happened unless/until you check the blade with the master set gauge.  Then,  is too late.  If the set is way off (meaning usually very over-set), now you are into fixing a blade which is even harder to do.

Measuring the set with the master set gauge is tedious and time consuming. It is really best left to use to calibrate the setter gauges, by measuring several teeth, that is its purpose.  If you really want to check a whole blade then you have to measure every tooth, on both sides. Takes way longer than setting a whole blade. In fact,  If you have a setter with gauges, you can dial back the set knobs , start the blade going around, and just watch the set of every tooth on both sides in a fraction of the time.

I used the shop series woodmizer setter, previous model to the BMT200/250, which had no gauges,  for 5-6 years, and grew to hate it. There are fairly minor variables between blades and setter settings that give different set results that are hard to understand and impossible to watch in real time. I had to check blades with the master set gauge frequently and couldnt really develop an understanding of how to get a reliable set result with that setter.  

[barbender]

 My Suffolks setter has no set guages. It is the only setter I have ever used, so I have no other point of reference. But the pushers are angled where they contact the tooth iirc, this makes it very sensitive to tooth height. Or maybe another way of saying it, if I don't keep my bands in the same "batch", the set will vary band to band. They are consistent on each band though. 

[Peter Drouin]

I have a shop series setter I do the blades in batches. I look at the first blade to see how it's doing. If good I run a box full and do not look back.
They cut smooth and flat.
Get the one you feel good with.

[barbender]

Yep I'm with Peter. Get it set, jam them out an don't look back. If the blades are done in batches, they'll be consistent.

[fluidpowerpro]

I find that since I built my roller jig, setting has become waay simpler. The actual dimension of the set is not as critical because once I run the blade through the rollers, it fixes most issues. If a few teeth are overset a little, the rollers will bring them back and all teeth will be consistent. If you set your own bands, building a roller jig will be a game changer.

[BlackberryPines]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.  I think my OCD is going to get me on this one and I'm going to have to take Regans advise and "Trust but Verify". 

Fluidpowerpro- So once you remove some of the set, you feel that the teeth set back to the correct position more consistently?

[fluidpowerpro]

I set first, then pull through the rollers. Once through the rollers all should be the same.

[LeeB]

Interesting. What final set do you end up with?

[fluidpowerpro]

.024-026

[fluidpowerpro]

My rollers are adjustable 

 

 

[LeeB]

I take you sharpen after running the bade through the rollers?

[Peter Drouin]

Just be sure when you start to reset you have the tooth going the same way it was before. ;D

[fluidpowerpro]

Yes, I set first because I have found that my drag type sharpener sometimes leaves a burr. Having a burr can interfere with setting.

[LeeB]

I would think pullling a sharpened tooth through the desetter would tend to dull the cutting corner.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I measured some burrs before, and they were less than .001 inch thick.