# Foley-Belsaw sharpening system



## bigredc

I saw a Foley-Belsaw grinder and sharpening system at a garage sale yesterday. It didn't sell. It has jigs for sharpening table saw blades. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will it be more trouble than it worth learning how to use it? The guy's father paid thousads of dollars for it. I think I can get it all for $50. 
Chris


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## Daren

Model # Chris ? They made many. If it is a 1055 Sharp All it is worth about $50 (maybe ?) .Not a great machine, but if you have all the doo-dads it can be handy for no more room than it takes up. The circular saw part is for steel blades not carbide tipped like we use today. But with the right fixture (found on eBay sometimes, heck I might sell you mine I never use it) and wheel you can sharpen planer/jointer knives 1/2 way decent. I won't go into all it can do, not even knowing what you are looking at.

Now a carbide grinder like the #367 is worth $1000 no matter how old and beat up it is.

Like I said they made many for many years, find out what it is (my guess is the 1055, they are very common) and I will know what it is and what it does.


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## smitty1967

Big Red: My dad had a complete set of Foley-Belsaw equipment when he retired from Caterpillar Inc. after 42 years. He was going to make sharpening his retirement. He worked as a machinist for all those years, and had the touch with sharpening things. You could barely pick up the circular blades when he was through with them, they were so sharp! 

At any rate, after his death, we tried in vain to sell the set up...we advertised it in a local trader paper for several months, but no takers. I think it was due mostly to the fact that it's such a specialized area. Also, there were a few broken parts, and at the time we had trouble finding them, finding internet sites for the company after yet another corporate take-over, etc....so the tools went into the estate sale, and who knows where they ended up. It was somewhat of a sad ending.

All that being said, I'd certainly suggest looking into them further, if you're interested. I bet Daren can steer you to a current website for better information...

regards,
smitty


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## bigredc

This guy was also a machinist. It's a model 310 16. It has extra stones and diamond wheels that the guy tells me are for doing carbide tipped blades.
Chris


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## Daren

Chris, I have years of old Foley Belsaw catalogs in my office (enormous amount of paperwork came with the business I bought, manuals/catalogs/literature...).Anyway I dragged out one from 2003 and the 310-16 was on closeout sale for $2,659, previous list price $3,154. It sharpens carbide tipped saw blades from 5"-16" diameter. Just as a point of interest a new diamond wheel costs more than $50 from Foley. I have seen the machines sell for around $300, if that helps. It is weird how much that stuff costs new and how fast it depreciates. I personally would buy it for $50 because I would use it, don't know what to tell you, maybe you could get good at it and have a side business sharpening carbide saws?

Smitty, too bad we did not know each other then. The machines like I said loose their value (to a point, then always hold right there...like for 30 years they are worth what they were 3 years old) But it is the little doo-dads and whatnots that Foley really stick a guy on. I am always looking for wheels/files, stuff like that at sales. That is one bad thing about the sharpening business. %10 of your profit is eaten up in abrasives (sharpen $100 worth of chainsaws and use $10 worth of wheels for an easy example) All those belts/wheels are an expensive part of the operation.

Now that I am set up I get several calls a year with people looking to sell stuff, big machines and stuff I don't need. And like Smitty said most of it ends up going for pennies on the dollar at an auction.


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## bigredc

I got it. $50. One of the diamond wheels has never been opened. Thanks for the help.


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## Daren

Good deal :thumbsup:.Did you get the manual ? If not there is one on eBay right now http://cgi.ebay.com/Foley-Belsaw-or...yZ116005QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I don't have that machine or the manual or I would just scan it for you. Well I guess you won't be mailing me any circular saw blades to sharpen (and don't you dare screw some up and expect me to fix them :icon_evil: :laughing


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## bigredc

I did see that manual. I put a bid on it already. I won't be sharpening anything of any value. I mostly got it for drill bits. i got a mountain of drill bits, and taps from the same guy yesterday. I kept thinking about all those drill bits and how much it would cost to send them to you to get them sharpened. So far all the ones i checked are sharp for now. I figured I'd add up to $50 pretty quick. Check this out. I got all this pile for $60. I could have got them cheaper but I didn't have the heart to beat him down He had no idea what they where worth.


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## Daren

bigredc said:


> . Check this out.


Holy smokes, that is quite a haul. You seem to have pretty good luck finding stuff. Around here it is nothing but farmers, I could go pick up a hay bailer pretty cheap :laughing:, but who wants one of those :icon_confused:. I go to sales all the time, nothing but junk usually.


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## Daren

Also if you are ever looking for parts/fixtures http://thorvie.com/ has stuff for Foley Belsaw (as much or more as FB I think) They have jigs and fixtures for that machine you just bought.

Looking at that old catalog again it says the 310-16 will sharpen router bits, hole saws and shaper cutters too as well carbide saw blades.


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## joasis

Looking at the pictures reminded me of what my grandfather used to dream of, and that was having a saw shop. I used to see the Belsaw Bulletins on his workbench, dog eared from looking at them. It is a lost trade, for the most part, since I wouldn't even bother looking for a saw shop when blades last as long as they do and are relatively cheap. The only machine my grandfather bought from Belsaw was a model 912 planer......they even had the M14 sawmills for sale....correspondence courses on everything from small engine repair to locksmithing.....Foley was also an independent company that eventually bought them out....Belsaw's woodworking and sawing machinery became Timberking and Woodmaster.


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## Daren

joasis said:


> It is a lost trade, for the most part, since I wouldn't even bother looking for a saw shop when blades last as long as they do and are relatively cheap. .


Yep, gone the way of the buggy whip. 20 years ago it was a lucrative business if you were full service, now it is a novelty/part time business at best (at least in my area). I make more $ sharpening for barbers/beauticians/delis/corporate cafeterias/lawn and garden...than woodworkers by a mile. Lots of chainsaws, knives,clippers,scissors...


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## rbrubaker

*Floey-Belsaw sharpening*

I just read your thread on the Foley-Belsaw sharpening tools. I just picked up a 1055, 310, 1080, and 359 from a house I bought. The former owner died and his kids didn't want any of it. They are in really good shape, but I have no use for them. What do you guys recommend? Sell on eBay, craigslist? How much are they worth?


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## bigredc

I'm not up on Foley Belsaw stuff. I have no idea what those numbers are. I haven't touched that stuff since I bought it. It's just sitting in a corner. Your best bet is to start a new thread with pictures.


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## kcriggs

rbrubaker said:


> I just read your thread on the Foley-Belsaw sharpening tools. I just picked up a 1055, 310, 1080, and 359 from a house I bought. The former owner died and his kids didn't want any of it. They are in really good shape, but I have no use for them. What do you guys recommend? Sell on eBay, craigslist? How much are they worth?


Just curious what you decided to do with them. I have been looking for some used sharpening equipment, but unfortunately the ones I find that look good on ebay cost more to have shipped than the're worth. Also, does anyone know how well the chainsaw attachment that comes with the 1055 works? Does it work like the wheel grinders like the Oregon 511? Thanks


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## martellalert

Do you still have any of these equipment to sell.
I am interested in purchasing.
Kindly send a reply to the below e-mail
[email protected]


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## Michael G

*belsaw model10560*

Daren, do you have any paperwork on a model 10560?
I just bought one at a garage sale.
You have a picture of a simular one. I do not have any attachments but could probably devise something.
Thanks


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## jaberjaws

Hey sorry for the highjack...just discovering my 1055...having trouble finding info....any chance I could borrow someone's manual? 
Also any feedback on the drill sharpening jig?


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## bill russell

darin 
I recently just bought a FOLEY BELSAW 155 w/ mower blade deck, chain saw chain sharpener, drill bit attachment, saw blade att. , planer blade attch. with unknown grinding wheels. I just bought 2 new 4 inch grinding wheels from the new owner's of BELSAW . but the situation I am in is. the mower blade deck and grinding wheels DO NOT meet up to todays blades . since the blades these days have those - curves - on them. and in the one - mower blade brochure - shows the guy sharpening a - flat blade -. how an I suppose to sharpen mine without using the side of the grinding wheel and also how is it gonna be at the 30 degree angle when I am holding it? my deck swivels both side but none of that matters if I am holding it. do u know of any video's showing the 155 sharpening today's blades ? you can email me at - [email protected].. thx u .


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