blade sharpening

timberfaller390 · March 05, 2015, 10:03:34 AM

I'm fixing to build a blade sharpener and a setter. Do you set then sharpen or vice versa?

fishfighter · March 05, 2015, 10:18:26 AM

What I had read here is to set first. That way you have the right angle.

ladylake · March 05, 2015, 10:19:41 AM

I set and then sharpen which keeps the face of the tooth straight across. New blades that are stamped then set leaving the face of the tooth at a slight angle work good also. Steve

drobertson · March 05, 2015, 10:20:51 AM

A burr can occur while grinding, and this leads to set issues, so setting first gives a more consistent set.

Chuck White · March 05, 2015, 01:10:59 PM

I set then sharpen!

I see no need to remove the sharpening burr!

terrifictimbersllc · March 05, 2015, 03:40:51 PM

Clean, set, sharpen. When cleaning & setting there's a good opportunity to inspect the blade. Also agree this way no need to worry about any burr.

JustinW_NZ · March 05, 2015, 03:51:15 PM

Yip as others do i findclean/set/sharpen the way to go.

Cheers
Justin

timberfaller390 · March 05, 2015, 06:12:36 PM

Well I almost got my sharpener done. Just have a few minor details to finish up. I'll get some pictures up tomorrow.

steve marek · March 05, 2015, 06:24:52 PM

set then sharpen use to do it the other way had problem with set

customsawyer · March 05, 2015, 06:40:45 PM

I'll be the odd man out. I sharpen then set.

YellowHammer · March 05, 2015, 08:36:30 PM

Quote from: customsawyer on March 05, 2015, 06:40:45 PM
I'll be the odd man out. I sharpen then set.

Me too, I get less tooth to tooth set variability when setting on sharp teeth with clean contours.
YH

drobertson · March 05, 2015, 08:44:16 PM

I've heard it done before and after, but have to ask how much wear you guys are having on your teeth to cause more issues than a burr that is often formed from grinding? unless you have no burrs? just wondering,

Brucer · March 06, 2015, 12:46:56 AM

Step 1: Clean the blade.
Step 2: Set the blade and inspect each tooth. Mark any damaged teeth.
Step 3: Sharpen.

If I have to grind deep to restore any teeth, I carry on with ...

Step 4: Deburr.
Step 5: Set again.

I very rarely have to do steps 4 & 5.

YellowHammer · March 06, 2015, 11:12:30 AM

Quote from: drobertson on March 05, 2015, 08:44:16 PM
I've heard it done before and after, but have to ask how much wear you guys are having on your teeth to cause more issues than a burr that is often formed from grinding? unless you have no burrs? just wondering,

My reasons for sharpening then setting are as much due to the way my particular sharpener and setter works, and my own notions on how to save time while increasing accuracy as well as my personal experience. Its not just due to tooth wear, and I'm not saying its the best way (I used to set then sharpen), its just what I'm doing right now. ;D

So the setter I bought was originally configured to press the setting anvil about 1/3 the way down the tooth tip, on the body of the tooth, and would push that in a fixed amount. However, the dial indicators that measure the set are designed to contact the upper cutting corners of the tooth and measure from there. The two places, where the tooth is set and where the set is measured, are in different locations of the tooth which sometimes caused problems, especially if there is any wear on the corner of the tip, which is where the wear typically occurs.

For example, if a dull tooth has a just slightly rounded corner, not bad, but its a couple thousandths of an inch, the dial indicator measures form that corner, and it will measure that the set is a little shy, even though the tooth may have been set consistently from the tooth body. So what I was noticing was that as I was setting teeth I would get tooth to tooth variability in the dial indicator measurements, maybe up to 3-5 thousandths or so. I had been told to ignore the deficit because its not that big a deal, but I figured I could reduce it. Conversely, by coincidence, whenever I had a damaged band and had to sharpen then set, (I do take the burr off with a carbide but it really only takes a few seconds) I noticed I would get extremely consistent measurements because the tooth corners were fully ground and formed. So I started experimenting with sharpening before setting and started getting better, tighter tooth setting.

I still had another issue I didn't like, setting on one part of the tooth, but measuring from another, so I also reground my anvils from a "V" shape to a full "\" slant shape so that it would contact more toward tip, closer to where the dial indicators measure. So now I'm measuring very close to where I set. I haven't broken any teeth by setting this close to the tip, or seen any other problems, so far. So between these two changes (changing the shape of the setting anvil and sharpening then setting to get a consistent tooth profile) I can get very good tooth to tooth variability and my board surface definitely shows the results, its very smooth, even better than a new bands and still has a very good band life. The big payoff is that I spend little less time sharpening and get a noticeably better surface on the board.
I'm not saying this is the best way for everyone, but its definitely giving me the best results.
YH

customsawyer · March 07, 2015, 02:32:05 AM

I don't worry about the burr. If you zero out your dial indicator on a the burr and your burr is consistent then your set is the same. It may have to do with the type of setter you are using. I use a Cooks dual tooth setter that has dial indicators right after the anvils. When using the WM auto setter I have to account for the burr. I just remove the burr from a few teeth and measure the difference between them and a few teeth with the burr left on them. Then set up the setter to account for that difference.

timberfaller390 · March 07, 2015, 03:45:05 PM

What is the best way to clean a blade before sharpening?

terrifictimbersllc · March 07, 2015, 08:06:02 PM

Quote from: timberfaller390 on March 07, 2015, 03:45:05 PM
What is the best way to clean a blade before sharpening?

Not saying its the best but it's the best I can think of for me. I have a floor standing drill press. I put a medium or coarse cup brush in the chuck. I screw a sacrificial wooden board with a small wood fence to the table. Then I press the chuck against the board and lock it there. Turn on the brush, invert the blade and pull it under the spinning brush teeth pointed in direction opposite to pull. Takes about 30 seconds to pull the blade under the brush and it cleans it very well. Drill press table is about 4 feet off the ground and most of the blade is hanging down to the ground below the table. Can rig a vac line next to the brush to do it dustless. PS wear gloves but not much danger from blade otherwise.