1/8 Hp baby power feeder usefull?

[Bill Dufour]

I picked up a Grizzly 1/8 horse power baby powerfeeder for cheap. It needs new tires. Does it have enough power to use on a shaper or tablesaw? Or, is it not worth buying new tires for.
Bill D

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-1-8-hp-power-feeder/g4173

[Alex Zeller]

I have the Delta clone that also has bad wheels. It's been sitting in the corner of my shop for a couple years now. I've debated buying new wheels but haven't gotten around to it. I'll be curious what others think or if there's a cheaper option than I found so far.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I don't have one, but I'd sure prefer a baby feeder over no feeder! On the full size feeders I'm more familiar with, seems like the weak spots are not power. If there is an issue, in my experience, its traction or flex/something moving.

[Steve Jenkins]

I have one that I put on my router table for running small moldings. It works great

[John Ziebron]

I have the Grizzly one and bought a separate mounting part so I can easily move it from my router table to my shaper. Because of it's ball end mount it takes a little more fiddling to set up than the larger power units but works well on both amchines.

[Terry Therneau]

I had one (used) and it was worthless. Then I got new wheels for it from western roller and it worked well: I drilled and threaded mounting holes in the top of my HD delta shaper- biggest issue is that it barley reached over the fence. I sold it when I got a Felder slider/shaper combo, as the reach wasn't long enough for the new machine. (And given shop space, the older shaper had to go.)

Setup was a bit of a pain due to the ball end mount. What worked best for me: for mine (Delta label) the wheels are down a bit lower than a "skirt" around the machine. I would set that shirt down on the wood I was going to feed (a pair of scraps front and back say), make sure the feeder was level, and lock down the adjusters. Motor power was never a problem, just getting enough wheel traction. I have a hole in the sheetrock from a climb cut that got away.

Terry

[Greg Funk]

Depends how big a cut you're making. I like to put a lot of pressure on the board and climb cut. I've only used a 1hp feeder and would probably be uncomfortable cutting the power by a factor of 8. It could probably work but the margin for error would be much lower. Each to his own, but I wouldn't risk it with a raised panel cutter or other larger tooling.

[Mike Cutler]

You’ll just have to give it a test. As stated before, it’s better than no feeder.
It may end up limited to a certain maximum thickness, width, or weight, but you’ll figure that out.
As for the wheels, If they’re glazed take them off, mount the in a vice,and take some 80 grit sandpaper to them. Use a long strip and just kind of seesaw it over the surface. This can also be done in a lathe. Scuff the outside surface, then hit it with lacquer thinner. It’s not a permanent solution, but you’ll get enough of the rubber friction properties back to see what it will do.

[Richard Coers]

The major problem is that low speed on it is pretty fast for big cuts on the shaper. Second was that I've read it can be tough to keep the spherical mount tight.

[Curt Harms]

I have one that I put on my router table for running small moldings. It works great

That seems to be the best use for that feeder. In fact, I think that is about the only power feeder that would be practical on a router table. As I recall, the baby feeder weighs around 28 lbs. The next step up - 1/4 hp weighs 80 lbs. It would take a stout router table to support a cantilevered 80 lb. power feeder. These are Grizzly/Shop Fox.

[William Hodge]

I keep a little feeder on my 5 hp shaper. It's great for running 5/8" x 1 1/8" x 7" sash muntins over a 4" molder head.

Cleaning the wheels with isopropyl alcohol helps a lot.

[Dave Sabo]

I have the Delta clone that also has bad wheels. It's been sitting in the corner of my shop for a couple years now. I've debated buying new wheels but haven't gotten around to it. I'll be curious what others think or if there's a cheaper option than I found so far.


buy the wheels !

[Mel Fulks]

We used to buy the “tires” from a place called Western- Roller. They had much better grip than the ones that came with the new machines.
I consider the low line stuff dangerous for anything other that a stage play.

[Robert L Stewart]

I use my little Delta on my router table and also on my 10" uni-saw. Works great with new Western Roller wheels. Definitely a keeper

[John Kananis]

I have the infinity tools version (they're all the same). Great little feeder. My only complaint is that it's a little too fast at slow. It would be way more useful if I could dial down speed a little more. For making panels on the router table, etc.

[Mel Fulks]

I have the infinity tools version (they're all the same). Great little feeder. My only complaint is that it's a little too fast at slow. It would be way more useful if I could dial down speed a little more. For making panels on the router table, etc.

Try giving it more tilt.

[John Kananis]

Try giving it more tilt.

Does that slow it down (it's tilted at 3, 4 degrees or so usually)? At current speed, I can run panels through but I have to make a million passes and resetting the depth on the jessem requires the feeder to be raised and then you need to reset its position over the stock, over and over again

[Mel Fulks]

Sure , the extra push to the fence slows it down . One of those “fiz-iks”. Kinda like when your car is really out of alignment, and wants to
“pull over” even when there are no ‘Cops around.

[John Kananis]

Very nice, thank you for the advice! How far do you skew it? And how many passes for a panel with a 3.25hp motor and full sized panel bit?

[Mel Fulks]

It’s just push it toward the curb , NOT “kicking it to the curb”. Not “rocket science” ( copyright-pending ) . It’s a test and try thing , no good
to you if it’s not made to work.

[Roger Feeley]

If the rubber tires have just lost traction, try rubber rejuvenator. It’s used on printing presses to restore the rollers. I had a delta lunchbox planer and used rubber rejuvenator regularly to maintain traction.
Heres what I used:
https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Rejuvenate-Restore-Platens/dp/B09F53J5HF/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2Z5XDUQD8S7LS&keywords=rubber+rejuvenator&qid=1668199229&sprefix=Rubber+rej%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-4