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Precision Sharpening Devices, Inc.

Fequently Asked Questions

FAQ's

Q.)  How many times can I sharpen the knives in my chipper with the Bevel Buddy?
A.)  It is suggested by the manufacturer to only backgrind the knives three times in the chipper. *Unless you are in a situation where you must finish a load, or are at day’s end.

Q.)  How many loads of chips can I expect to get out of a sharpening with the Bevel Buddy?
A.)  There are many variables involved. Is material freshly harvested, old dead wood, frozen, debarked, does it contain dirt and sand? The general rule of thumb is: if you are an arborist with a smaller chipper and change your knives once a week, one sharpening with the Bevel Buddy should give you the same one-week run time. This usually applies to each grind placed on your knives, up to three total times in your machine. If you are a production chipping operation: in a harsh environment with frozen dirty old wood conditions, you may only get three to four loads on a set of new knives. Using the Bevel Buddy, you should get three to four loads per sharpening. In a good environment of freshly harvested clean material, you may get twelve to fifteen loads of chips on a new set of knives. You should get the same twelve to fifteen loads per sharpening with the Bevel Buddy. Customers using the Bevel Buddy have documented exceeding fifty loads of chips on a single set of knives with the recommended three sharpenings.

Q.)  How long does the abrasive last?
A.)   The average is approximately eight thousand linear inches of sharpening per single-ended abrasive with the 3 to 4 indexes that are available on the sharpeners. For example, if you have three knives that are 24” long, that equals 72 linear inches. You would be able to sharpen these knives approximately 100 times. It has been documented through customer testing that they have exceeded 15,000 linear inches of sharpening with the new X-L Extended Life abrasive, indexing 3 to 4 times on each side. * See Knife Cost Comparison Sheet. This is providing that the operator maintains the knives properly, not running the machine with knives that are burnt, severely chipped, or basically beyond resharpening. It is recommended that the operator shut down the machine and backgrind the knives with the Bevel Buddy at the first sign of dullness. This will ensure extended knife life and longer run times. See Bevel Buddy Care and Maintenance video.

Q.)  Will there be a change in my fuel consumption using the Bevel Buddy?
A.)  Yes. It has been noted by our customers that they can see a two to three percent decrease in fuel consumption with up to three sharpenings. Although, customers have reported increased fuel consumption if their operators exceed the recommended three sharpenings, because an excessive backgrind will have the tendency to pull too much wood into the chipper, slowing the disc or drum, and possibly plugging the discharge system.

Q.)  Will my knives have to be ground more when they are taken to the stationary grinder to be resharpened?
A.)  No, not if the Bevel Buddy sharpener is used correctly. Shut down the machine and backgrind the knives before they get too dull. Only perform the three recommended sharpenings. Operator must not be overly aggressive with the Bevel Buddy; pushing too hard will create an excessive backgrind.

Q.)  Will my knives be overheated and lose hardness from using the Bevel Buddy?
A.)  No; review the knife heat test video.

Q.)  Which side of the knife should I sharpen with the Bevel Buddy?
A.)  You always sharpen the back side of the knife (the side of the knife that the chips discharge from). NEVER try to sharpen the face or feed side of the knife, for this would create a negative feed angle.* See Bevel Buddy Tool Orientation.


Q.)  How do I know which sharpener works best for my chipper?

A.)  As a rule of thumb, most Disc or Drum chippers have plenty of access to the knives in their machine, which means any of the Bevel Buddy sharpeners will work. It depends on the operator's preference of the drive motor, i.e. battery powered (cordless), 120 volt (corded) or 12 volt corded models. There are a few exceptions with some of the small disc chippers, though, when the yoke feed rolls are very close to the face of the disc. In this case only the 12 volt corded model sharpener will work, since the length of the sharpener is very short and will allow access to the knives to be resharpened. * See chipper list to determine the proper sharpener for your machine.


Q.)  How do I know how to choose the proper abrasive for my Bevel Buddy to match my knife angle?
A.)  * See Material Removal or * See Back Grind Material Removal. There is one exception with the Precision Husky chippers: you may have to use the 3/8" diameter duplex abrasive P/N A-MDA0214-D80 to be able to get into the back of the chipper knife. * See X-tended Life Super Abrasives.

Revised 2/5/15


 
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