Wes Grass
09-26-2010, 2:59 AM
I've had trouble with these from day one, just being fidgety to adjust and requiring a piece of paper to set clearance so they don't bind the blade.
Finally pulled them off today to see if what I expected, that the backs weren't square to the ceramics, was true. Sure enough. Not only that, but the backs weren't flat as they're just chop sawed from an extrusion. And the ceramic inserts weren't planar either.
The ceramics were trued up pretty quick on my diamond stones, and then I flycut the backs square to them on my milling machine.
Man, what a difference. I can now just slide them up against the blade and tighten the thumb screws and they don't walk over and push the blade out of square. And I don't need a paper shim anymore. Just set the second guide lightly against the blade, tighten the screw, and the wheels can still be turned by hand.
Might take a bit of work with sandpaper and a square to true these up if you don't have access to a mill, but if you've been annoyed by them the way I was it might be worth your time.
Finally pulled them off today to see if what I expected, that the backs weren't square to the ceramics, was true. Sure enough. Not only that, but the backs weren't flat as they're just chop sawed from an extrusion. And the ceramic inserts weren't planar either.
The ceramics were trued up pretty quick on my diamond stones, and then I flycut the backs square to them on my milling machine.
Man, what a difference. I can now just slide them up against the blade and tighten the thumb screws and they don't walk over and push the blade out of square. And I don't need a paper shim anymore. Just set the second guide lightly against the blade, tighten the screw, and the wheels can still be turned by hand.
Might take a bit of work with sandpaper and a square to true these up if you don't have access to a mill, but if you've been annoyed by them the way I was it might be worth your time.