Grizzly Planers

[Tony Bilello]

I can get a Grizzly 20" planer for around $400. I was told that all works well except the feed. I was told that it tends to skip or stall at times. Is this a major problem with the Grizzly or could it be something simple like feed roller adjustments? The current owner has recently collected some really heavy duty planers and dont need the Grizzly anymore. This used to happen with my old Foley Belsaw planer and all I would do was to wipe down the rubber rolers with lacquer thinner once in a while.

[Rich Neighbarger]

Skipping: could be many things.
Stalling: I can't think of anything that could cause this other than a motor problem.

I'd take a good hard look at it then ask myself what's the cost to repair it.

[Brad Wood]

Is this a major problem with the GrizzlyI've not been around forever, but in all my reading's over the past couple years, I don't think it is an "inherent" problem with Grizz

[Fred Hargis]

When he says "stall" I'm guessing that he means the wood stops altogether (as opposed to the motor being stopped). It's hard to imagine any reason for this other than adjustment. The roller is a serrated steel roller, and really grips the wood. It's driven by chains. Hard to imagine why a piece of wood would skip unless the roller is loosing contact. If the motor is stopping, I think I would walk past this one. Otherwise, I'll bet Griz tech service could help solve the problem. The other puzling thing (to me) is that someone with as many planers as you describe should be able to diagnose the problem.

[John Thompson]

I don't have a Grizzly but I do have a York-craft 20" which is a Grizzly painted white as the parts are inter-changeable and both were produced in the same plant. I've worked it hard for two years as an amateur retired with probably 40,000 linear feet run through and no problems so far.

I'm not sure what you refer to exactly with skipping and stalling but.. if I allow the rollers to gum up it will not feed. A simple cleaning of rollers and table waxing takes care of that. Stalling.. does that co-incide with the skipping? The only reason I can imagine the 5 HP motor stalling is simply that someone is trying to take very large bites in hard stock which is a no-no IMO.

So.. depending on the definition of stalling I would not be overly concerned. Did you determine that it is skipping and stalling or did the owner tell you that. And did he mention if he attempted to clean the feed rollers? My approach would be to ask if I could clean them at his place and see for yourself what the skipping and stalling really amounts to once done.

It's possible he has attempted very deep cuts and the feed system has been thrown out of sync? But.. it may be simply a matter of him not knowing you periodically "have" to clean feed rollers.. table.. etc. or the stock is going to slip or stick.

Good luck...

[Chuck Isaacson]

For $400 I would get it and figure it out. Start with, like everyone else was saying, clean the rollers and wax the table. I was having problems with my Dewalt 735 "stalling", as in not feeding the wood through, so I cleaned the table with mineral spirits and put some Bostick TopCote on it and works great now. You are most likely going to be able to fix it for less than anew one would cost. Plus, Griz customer service is top notch..

Chuck

[Tony Bilello]

Skipping and stalling were bad words. I was refering to the feed and not the motor, that is why I was wondering if it just wasn't something simple like an adjustment.
As for rebuilding, I dont have the time. A new one is only about $1400 I think.
Anyway, I will look at it Monday or Tuesday and then make up my mind.

[Warren Scott]

The Grizzly 20" (and all those other planers like it) have a 2 speed feed. There's a knob on the side that you push in for one speed, and pull out for the other. Every so often it gets bumped and isn't all the way in or out, and the feed will be intermittent -- kinda go good, kinda go bad, skip around, stall out for a bit, etc.
Just go grab that knob and shove it in one direction or another.
(this is from experience owning and using two of them from very different generations, and they both did it).

[Kevin Barnett]

On my 15" Grizzly sometimes the steel feed roller is really too sharp. If you are feeding a really rough board for the first time and really taking 1/8" off, the feed roller will actually cut the board and lose traction. Once the board is flat, it has more grip and doesn't "feed stall".

[phil harold]

The current owner has recently collected some really heavy duty planers and dont need the Grizzly anymore.


I wood proceed with caution after that statement

Did he use the grizzly too much that he had to buy "really heavy duty planers"?

may be worn parts or not

[Tony Bilello]

Its an older model and looks exactly like the Grizzly 5850. Everything worked great. After several boards, only one kinda stalled slightly on the feed rollers. I am convinced it is a simple feed roller adjustment.
Anyway, I also bought a no-name 8" joiner that looks like a Delta Knock-off. My box truck does not have a lift gate, so we loaded them up on his trailer and got them back to my shop. Tomorrow I will clean them up ....maybe.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have a Shopsmith planer that will stall, (stop feeding) the board. All I have ever done to fix the problem was wax the table.

[Tony Bilello]

I'll give it a try

[Dave Lehnert]

I'll give it a try

Bet that is your problem.

I called Shopsmith to ask about adjusting the rollers and they said "Don't, very unlikely your problem. Wax the table first"

They were correct.

[Rod Sheridan]

Many planers aren't adjusted properly, either from the factory or from users not understanding how the planer components are to be adjusted.

The bed rollers, in feed and out feed rollers, chip breaker, pressure bar and cutter head knife circle have to be adjusted as per the specifications provided by the manufacturer.

Check the manufacturers' specifications, use a dial gauge and holder, or a block of hardwood and a feeler gauge.

Common problems are knives below above proper knife circle, or pressure bar or chip breaker too far below proper adjustment.

Regards, Rod.

[David Freed]

I'll give it a try

I guess you didn't see my post on the other forum 2 days ago.