Tool Gloat!

[Alden Miller]

Yesterday I was lucky enough to pick up a Foley Belsaw automatic saw sharpener, a retoother, and an automatic setter. All for $150!

The only problem I have found is that the nylon drive wheel on the retoother was dry rotted, fell apart when I tried to use it. I am able to manually spin the flywheel and retooth a saw so it's still fun to play with.

I have a couple old saws that are truly goners as far as being functional. I am using these to play with until I am sure I won't mess up a good saw.

-Alden

[Bob Noles]

Alden,

Good for you! From what I understand, that Foley is a nice machine and if you got all of that for $150, you did good.

Now, what address do you want us to send our saws to for resharpening? :D

[Rick Whitehead]

Good score!
I was given a Foley F-16 filer a couple of years ago.I learned to use it, and also acquired a retoother and a setter.
I really enjoy using the filer. It's enjoyable to me to take a rusy old saw and turn it in too a usable tool. I don't think I've ever used a truly sharp saw before I sharpened mine.
I began by practicing on junk saws, as you intend to do. I sharpened 8 or 10 of them before I was confident enough to try sharpening my good saws.Here's a tip: make sure your practice saws have regular teeth. If you try to file a saw that has really irregular teeth, you'll end up frustrated with it. But,since you have a retoother, you can retooth it first. I didn't have a retoother at first, and I had to try to correct irregular teeth by hand.
The drive wheel for the retoother should still be available from Foley.
Do you have a manual for the setter? If you do, could you make a copy for me? I'll be glad to pay for the copies and postage.
If you have any questions about setting up and using the filer, I'll be glad to give you the benefit of my limited knowledge.
Have fun with them!
Rick

[Jerry Palmer]

The filers and retoothers come up on ebay often enough and go for decent prices. Problem is that most often the carriers and ratchet bars have somehow gotten separated from the machines. I got a retoother in that condition sometime back. Now it is just so much scrap metal until I can get some carriers and ratchet bars.

[Alden Miller]

Send all Lie Nielsen saws to ... :D

Rick, PM me your address and I'll start copying.

Jerry, it came with everything. More carriers than they even describe in the manuals and ratchet bars to cover just about every saw I have seen.

-Alden

[Jerry Palmer]

Man, that is a bargain! A relatively new model filer with 4 carrier bars (no mention of ratchet bars) just went for $150.00 on ebay. Local pickup in Lufkin Texas only. I was 18 miles from there last week, but don't know when I'll get a chance to go out there again (on the bosses nickel, anyway). Did detour down to a little mill outside Huntsville on the way there and picked up some pecan and mesquite.:D