Grease and a Grizzly 15" planer

[Wade Lippman]

I finally had an opportunity to set up my new Griz planer. I wonder in what world it takes 30 minutes.

It says to make sure the gearbox is full of grease. I surely can't see into it, but dipped an allen wrench in and it came out dry, so I assume I need some grease.

Okay, I don't know anything about grease. It calls for 80W-90W. I assume I buy it at Lowes... but what is it? What size container do I get (assuming it comes in various sizes) and do I need something to put it in with?

[Biff Johnson]

80W-90 is generally used in automotive differentials and gearboxes. It is more of an oil than a grease. You can purchase at any auto parts supplier.
Generally sold by the quart which I imagine would last you forever assuming it isn't leaking out!

[Cary Falk]

This is what I put in mine.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-80W-90-Gear-Oil-1-Qt/16913697

[glenn bradley]

More of an oil than a grease. You'll want about a quart although it won't take it all. I got it at the auto store. I used a piece of plastic hose to route the oil from the "ketchup bottle" styled nozzle on the oil container into the hole.

As stated in the manual, change the gearbox oil after the first 20 hours of use and then annually thereafter. Its inexpensive and not too fussy for a once a year maintenance. Definitely easier than replacing any gears that might go to lunch due to neglect.

[jim hollenback]

I think I would start at Napa before I go to Lowe's. But 80w-90w sounds more like gear lube, which makes sense in a gearbox. It is a really thick oil you put into your cars differential, or your planer's gearbox :) .

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Wade,

What model do you have? Check the owner's manual. I checked several online at Grizzly for 15" planers. On page 18 was a "stop sign" and a statement that the machine was shipped WITHOUT any gear lube. In the couple different models I checked, the warning was at the bottom of page 18.

[Cary Falk]

You might as well grab this also. It is pretty common for the gear box to leak at the gasket. Mine did. Run it for 20 hrs like the manual said and then when you change the oil take the gasket off and replace it with this.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GQqLWdooL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

[Wade Lippman]

Wade,

What model do you have? Check the owner's manual. I checked several online at Grizzly for 15" planers. On page 18 was a "stop sign" and a statement that the machine was shipped WITHOUT any gear lube. In the couple different models I checked, the warning was at the bottom of page 18.

Those guys! They sent me the 2008 manual instead of the 2009; mine does not have that warning. Fortunately there was a little tag that said to check the level before using.

Okay, I buy one of the plastic bottles, put the nozzle in the hole and fill until it gushes out. Is that about it?
Any good way to drain it without making a horrible mess?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Wade....what model planer do you have? I will check the mechanical drawings/parts diagrams and see if they show a drain.

[glenn bradley]

Okay, I buy one of the plastic bottles, put the nozzle in the hole and fill until it gushes out. Is that about it?
Any good way to drain it without making a horrible mess?

That's it. The drain plug is on the lower right side of the case. Pull the little metal guards off the back and pull the cover (we're talking 5 screws total, its no big deal) to make things easier to get to. I used a long funnel when draining to keep the slime under control. A paper towel with some mineral spirits on it to clean up any spills and you're back to work. I agree that (like way too many cars) the thing was not designed well for maintenance of the gearbox. I assume since it is a once a year thing, that in the design cost versus convenience, maintaining the price-point won.

I do a lot of things when woodworking that are more inconvenient; sharpening skew chisels for example. Its all relative. It just seems like a pain when you have to do it. Later that day, I've forgotten all about it till next year ;-) Pages 18 and 30 of my, and probably your, manual.

250972250973

[Jim Andrew]

Wonder if the plug is a pipe thread? Maybe there might be room to put a street elbow and a very short nipple and cap, so you could just remove the cap, hang a container on the nipple and let the oil drip out when you need to change it.

[Mark Ashmeade]

I finally had an opportunity to set up my new Griz planer. I wonder in what world it takes 30 minutes.

It says to make sure the gearbox is full of grease. I surely can't see into it, but dipped an allen wrench in and it came out dry, so I assume I need some grease.

Okay, I don't know anything about grease. It calls for 80W-90W. I assume I buy it at Lowes... but what is it? What size container do I get (assuming it comes in various sizes) and do I need something to put it in with?

I happened to do exactly this yesterday, fitting a Shelix head to my PM15S, which is functionally identical to the G0453.

First, the "grease" is nothing of the sort. It is OIL. 80-90W weight oil, sold at automotive stores (Advance Auto Parts is where I got mine, $8.99 for a quart). It's labelled "gear oil". There were 3 or 4 brands on the shelf, all the same cost. I went with Valvoline.

Next, the drain plug and fill plugs are identical, both wrapped with PTFE tape. The drain plug is on the "cutoff corner" at the bottom of the gearbox, and the fill plug about halfway up. Note that you can also fill by removing one of the mounting bolts (it says to add oil here on my Powermatic every 20 hours), and filling through there. It will take longer, but it will work.

If you ever get the gearbox off, the replacement gaskets that Grizzly sells did not quite fit my PM, there are two mounting studs that are slightly larger than the holes in the gasket. I can't imagine for a picosecond that the Grizzly planer gearbox casting is actually different from my PM. I ended up re-using the original gasket, as I hadn't damaged it when it came out.

Lastly, Grizzly has two videos that I found immensely helpful. One shows how to fit a Shelix head, the other how to align and lubricate the planer. You can find them on their website, or on Youtube (search for Grizzly planer). Very helpful indeed. Especially the Shelix one, shows how the planer comes apart, if the need arises.

[Andrew Fleck]

I also happened to change my oil out in my gearbox yesterday. To fill it I used one of those small oil cans from Tractor Supply. It's nearly impossible to squirt the gear oil straight from the original container directly into the gearbox. As far as being able to tell when the gearbox has enough oil, just keep squirting it in until it starts to run out of the fill hole.