Need help asap regarding Wissota S8

[analog999 0]

I've got the opportunity to buy a Wissota S8 sharpener and I was just wondering opinions on them. Wissota says they're basically junk as you "can't keep a radius on the wheel." I think Wissota says everything but the 911 or new machines from other manufacturers are junk.

Anyone have an S8 and could tell me about them?

[analog999 0]

If you know a LHS that knows about sharpening machines that has been around a while, I'd appreciate their #. I just called cyclone taylor and they're not familiar with the unit.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

I think Chadd owned a S8. You had to compute a formula to figure out a radius.

[Chadd 916]

you have to measure a bunch of points to figure the radius, a major pain in the ass. It also got a little skewed and was really hard to keep level.

[analog999 0]

Once you've dressed the wheel though, won't it last for a bunch of sharpenings?

[analog999 0]

A guy at wissota claims it would be really difficult to get the wheel down to a 1/2" radius... true?

[analog999 0]

Ahh screw it, I just bought a brand spanking new wissota 911.

[Chadd 916]

I just got an email from Blackstone with their price list. Their stripped down, no case version is 1450.

[notquitedeadyet 13]

I've got an S8 that I get great results from, but it took some ingenuity.

The problem is that it was originally designed to merely dress the wheel, not to radius the wheel to any specific dimension. The bail pivoted from a fixed spot, & your radius was determined by the diameter of the wheel. As the wheel wears, your radius decreases because you are threading the diamond closer to the pivot point.

But with a 6 1/4" wheel (worn down from 8"?), my radius was still well over 1".

The problem (and the measurement) is relatively simple; the radius is the measurement from the tip of the diamond to the center point that the bail pivots (think of the circle that it would make; radius is 1/2 diameter). So for a 1/2" radius, you have to get the pivot point 1/2" from the edge of the wheel.

I've seen some that have a machined groove to accept a carriage type thingy so that the pivot point could change for a different radius or as the wheel wears, or I suppose you could fabricate the pivot point into a hood similar to the wheel cover that comes on newer machines. I chose to make a fixture that is seperate from the wheel guard to radius my stone.

If this machine priced right & you are a handy person looking for a challenge (there are some other issues also), it can give a good edge.

EDIT: I see I'm a little late with my reply, but I'm sure you'll be happy with that machine.

[jimmy 194]

Ahh screw it, I just bought a brand spanking new wissota 911.

Much better choice!

[analog999 0]

If this machine priced right & you are a handy person looking for a challenge (there are some other issues also), it can give a good edge.

EDIT: I see I'm a little late with my reply, but I'm sure you'll be happy with that machine.

I think I made the right choice. I'm not looking to spend tons of time trying to make my own wheel dressing stuff. Thanks for your reply though -- and now it's out there so people know!