BMST50 Sharpener / Setter

[CharlieA]

I am in the market for a sharpening/setting unit and I came across this hybrid unit from WM.  Does anyone have any experience with this thing?  Its going to cost me +/- 2300 CAD to the door.  I am in need of sharpening my own blades, and wanted some people with actual machine time on this unit.

[terrifictimbersllc]

http://woodmizer.com/us/Blades/SharpenersSetters/BMST50

Not here, sorry.  Definitely get experience from users.  Sharpening and setting both spot on at the same time, happy happy happy.  One or both going south at the same time, deep doo-doo.   Sounds like cost is half way to a more solid setup of separate machines.  Even if it works really well how you'll like it may depend on how much sharpening you need to do.  Think of the slogan in your byline.

[CharlieA]

I don't cut that much, it's mainly for personal use, maybe 50-100 m3 a year.  I do some cutting for neighbours, and projects around (and on) the house.  I think I have ~ 40 bands in my inventory

It looks OK at a glance, but the guys at WM don't even have much to say about them.

Touche on the byline. ;)

[hamish]

Its too new for anybody to have any experience trying one out yet.  Myself I would much rather find some better uses for the $2300.  I was shocked when I called last month to get the price on one.............doesn't ever come with a sharpening monkey.

[boscojmb]

I just looked it up on the Woodmizer website and watched the video.
Looks like the cost is actually $1295.00 USD
At that price there may be one in my future.  ;D

[CharlieA]

1300 USD is around the 1600 CAD mark.  It retails for 1900 CAD + taxes+shipping.  Up here, it comes with a CBN wheel, 5 gal of cutting fluid and the setting gauge.

[Percy]

I use a CBN woodmizer retro fit sharpener and a suffolk dual tooth setter. Im thinkin this setup show here(BMST50 Sharpener / Setter), once they put out a powered version would be the cats ......
In my opinion, sharp blades are the key to our sucsess. Ya, a no brainer, but how many times have I went longer than I should have with a blade cause the sharpening is a pain. THis thing, once they make it set and forget, will be  a welcomed addition at my mill....

[bushhog920]

looks like a manual feed. yuck, i had a manual noorwood sharpener and it gets old fast. it's bad enough sitting there and watch my cooks grind for 10min. you really want to sit there for an hour pulling leavers. spend the money and get a auto one.

[YellowHammer]

it's bad enough sitting there and watch my cooks grind for 10min.

I put a Cooks timer on mine, lets me do other things
YH

[CharlieA]

The manual action doesn't look too bad.  As I mentioned, I'm not a production cutter.  My LT40 doesn't get that much of a workout.  Just when I need to side a building, or cut some timbers for the house.  I use to run a mill for a large log home builder, and I sharpened with an automatic CBN setup, but that's because I had no time in between  40 foot Western Cedar logs.

[prittgers]

I have used it a little bit, personally.  It's not for production grinding.  But for a one-man operation, it is SO much better that drag-rock grinding that Woodmizer really has a winner.  It will make a huge difference in milling costs just due to blades being quickly and accurately sharpened and, if you choose to use the setter, set.

Two of them are on their way to me right now.  One for a friend and one for a remote sawyer.

I think we'll really like them in the field as much as I did in the shop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-qGqy2yrJv8

[Tree Dan]

Hey all,
Any updates on how you feel about this machine?
Ican work with about 40 to 60 blades.
I dont think I would mind the manual opperation...about the same as sharping chain saws.
As long as it does a good job and gets a blade back into shape, it looks like I may order one in.

Some of my old blades hanging up on the wall have hit the odd nail...Will some of these blades come back to life again after a grind?

[doug olsen]

I have been viewing some sharpening videos of late (drool,drool) and with this unit, it appears that only the front side is being touch by the stone.  Should not the gullet and backside be getting a touch up. Was also wondering, that without the gullet being done, would not the be a stress point set up where the stone is raised from the downstroke....Just asking..
FWIW..I've also seen so guys doing their blades by hand....on these videos  and claim to be every bit as good as new or better...???

[terrifictimbersllc]

The BMST50 is a CBN grinder that grinds the whole tooth profile at once, face, gullet, back, everything, same as other WM CBN grinders. The wheel is centered on the thickness of the blade when it touches down. If it's like the others, it also has a cam that causes the stone to touch down twice (grinding sound is like "chee-chee") to take off most of the burr.

Sharpening by hand is not a precision operation with respect to depth of grind at different places on the tooth, getting the same grind one tooth to the next, or from one blade to the next, like a stationary grinder can do.   Your little emoticon is good ( ??? ), one doesn't get to have all life's questions answered.   :   I think sawing volume and speed differs among those reporting about sharpening, which is fine.

[shampjm1]

I bought this unit this fall. I was tired of paying all these other people to sharpen my blades. Anyway it is manual so you do have to sit there and advance the blade. I can sharpen a blade in 10 minutes or so. I sharpen a dozen or so blades then set the teeth. The setting part is my biggest issue. I usually run my set between .018 and .022. It's very hard to get any higher than that as the set screws get in the way when advancing the blade. I contacted WM and they figured I was running the blade to low on the guides. Anyway I've sharpened a boat load of blades and so far so good except for my setting issues. For me it's already paid for itself.

[Tree Dan]

I think that extra grind is to keep the band from dulling fast...the first grind is to make the shape or profile...just guessing here out loud ;D
I was told not to by any more chainsaws, so Im thinking of buying a new band sharpener :P
How many bands could I sharpen and set in 4hrs on a rainy day?

edit: Hey Shamp, I just saw your post...10 mins is fast


Thanks guys, I think Im sold on this unit 8)

[doug olsen]

Not really having seen one in action, other than via video, for the amount of time the stone spends on one pass, is the oil feature that necessary. Many other makes don't have this. As for me, it's just more mess to clean up unless you have a designated station.
I've noticed in other posts from the Canadian side of wall, the difference in pricing even when quoted in CDN $ ..
  How come ??

[Chuck White]

Not really having seen one in action, other than via video, for the amount of time the stone spends on one pass, is the oil feature that necessary. Many other makes don't have this. As for me, it's just more mess to clean up unless you have a designated station.
I've noticed in other posts from the Canadian side of wall, the difference in pricing even when quoted in CDN $ ..
  How come ?? 

I don't know from experience, but from what I've read here on the Forum, if you don't use the oil, the life of the stone will be severely shortened.

[doug olsen]

To oil or not to oil....I guess then I will have to ask those who sharpen without the oiler, if they would rather have an oiler as an option.. The oil is only for cooling, right, and should not have a bearing on stone life, the way I understand it

[barbender]

     The oiler is necessary for cooling the cbn wheel primarily, the way I understand it. At $200 each, I would think you would want to make the cbn last as long as possible.  Other forum members have tried some cbn wheels that are designed to be able to run dry, but as I remember, they didn't get very long life out of them (hopefully one of them will chime in).

[Andries]

I've been looking at buying sharpening equipment as well.
For the usual reasons . . . .
Here's a thread that holds a TON of information, started by a veteran sawyer named Bibbyman.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,42691.0.html

If you read this entire thread - you can't possibly have any questions left un-answered.
BTW: the WM oil is a cutting oil, and you definitely want to use it. Ruins the CBN $200.00 plus wheel if you don't.
:(

[Peter Drouin]

The oil cleans the wheel of steel chips from the blade too.

[jmur1]

Does anyone have updates to the long term usage of this sharpener setup.
I am looking at getting one and would like some comments.

jmur1