Hello, there. I'm wonderng is this Coote grinder price is in canadian dollars or US dollars???
The Coote is priced in USD. I just bought one with 10" wheel, small wheel attachment - four different small wheels, the knife rest, ceramic platen and the 9" disk including shipping by air - with insurance. $792US - about $910 CDN.
If you allow $50 for the 10" wheel vs 8"
another $50 for the 9" disc plate
$200 for the small wheel attachment with four wheels
and then take into account that the Coote included shipping, the Coote works out a bit cheaper. The basic Coote in 8" is only $434US - $499cdn - shipping is about the same for both - you pay GST either way and brokerage is $5.
To settle the discussion about materials, I just went over it with a magnet and most of it is aluminum, though it is VERY solid.
I chose the Coote for a few reasons. I like the versatility of the 9" disc plate which holds the contact wheel on. I'll use that a lot. I was concerned about the small wheel on the suremak. The angle that the belt exits the small wheel would make anything more that a shallow grind impossible. I like the wide variety of small wheels available for the Coote.
There are also things I like about the Suremak. The milled frame looks more professional - and adjustments are either by handwheel or a single allen key. The Coote needs a few allen wrenches and a 1/2" wrench.
Neither appears to have a way to adjust the gap between platen and workrest and I consider that a safety risk. Also, neither has any capacity to collect dust. Related to that, the lack of a housing makes the results of a broken belt much more pronounced. Both have the problem that flat grinds are done at a different height than hollow - and that is a comfort problem, necessitated by the idea of the contact wheel being the drive wheel.
Links to both can be found at
http://www.suremak.com/grinder.html and
http://www.cootebeltgrinder.com/index.html
Hope this helps some of those trying to choose.
Rob!
. A bargain, I would think, even after shipping.
