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Thread: Jointer grease suggestions (20" Kölle)

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Quenneville View Post
    For European machines I sometimes find good info at Hoeschmann. Here is a link to a Kölle brochure which contains their contact details. Perhaps an appeal directly to the factory would work?

    https://files.hoechsmann.com/lexikon...de.pdf?lang=en

    Also, on the last page is an illustration of a 1908 combination bandsaw, tablesaw, shaper and mortiser. I am waiting for the sawstop version.

    On edit…disregard. A bit more Googling taught me that they went bust in 2001.

    Thanks Greg, I have those documents but I appreciate the link. I'm hoping to find a full user manual but so far I haven't had any luck. One thing I'd like to resolve is the digital readout on the front is off from the mechanical readout on top of the planer. The one on top is correct and I'd like to get them sync'd up. I don't know how to reprogram the "zero" or set in a current height so they are back in sync.

  2. #17
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    If it was mine, I'd be running Corn Head grease in the bearings, and not worry about them until they started making noise. I keep some in a grease gun without a Zerk fitting end on it, so I can put it in tractor mower gearboxes. It doesn't leak out of seals when other stuff does, so I would guess it to stay in bearings better too.

  3. #18
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    I would stick to the grease that Kölle recommends and the bearings as well, they knew what they were doing when they designed and built the machine. Not sure what utility it would be to reduce the quality of the lubricants or precision of the bearings.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    If it was mine, I'd be running Corn Head grease in the bearings, and not worry about them until they started making noise. I keep some in a grease gun without a Zerk fitting end on it, so I can put it in tractor mower gearboxes. It doesn't leak out of seals when other stuff does, so I would guess it to stay in bearings better too.
    We do not see corn head grease here but cotton picking grease is the same kind of stuff.
    Bill D

  5. #20
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    I wouldn't buy it to use for these bearings, but would use it since I already have it along with a bunch of other types. It's not as messy to clean off stuff it shouldn't be on, at the same time not as easily slung off of something spinning even as easily as wheel bearing grease.

    I don't own any corn heads, but use the grease for a lot of things.

    copied and pasted: Corn Head Grease is a carefully formulated lithium 12-hydroxystearate grease with oxidation, rust and corrosion inhibitors, extreme pressure (EP) additives for anti-wear and heavy shock loading, and a special polymer to control oil separation during storage.


    Last edited by Tom M King; 06-08-2022 at 7:14 PM.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Holcombe View Post
    I would stick to the grease that Kölle recommends and the bearings as well, they knew what they were doing when they designed and built the machine. Not sure what utility it would be to reduce the quality of the lubricants or precision of the bearings.
    Hi Brian, thanks for chiming in. Here's the rub: Kölle is now defunct and I've been unable to find a true user manual for my machines. The picture at the top of the thread shows the jointer head that was being rebuilt by a German dealer on one of the international machine sales websites.

    I called SKF and asked for a recommendation, they weren't willing to say anything until I pulled the head and measured the bearing ID/OD. I'm running out of options when it comes to finding what Kölle suggested so now I'm just trying to find a high quality grease that will hopefully play nice with whatever was used before. I was told the Machines are yr 2000 models but were actually purchased in 2001 as overstock right before they went bust.

    I have all the sales manuals that I can find and I've manually typed out the german for every single section to no avail.

  7. #22
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    Can you get any other pictures from where you got the one you posted? Obviously they used SKF bearings, from the picture they look like double row ball bearings. They could be self aligning or just a 5xxx series bearing. A view from the end of the box, if it shows numbers would be very helpful, you could price the bearings with that information.

    If the bearings have never been replaced I would assume that the grease would be a Kluber product. German machine, German grease. Maybe a reach out to Kluber would be helpful determining which grease was used.

    I would look for signs around the bolt heads, seals, nuts etc. even breaks in the paint job that would indicate bearing replacement.
    Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Bruette View Post
    Can you get any other pictures from where you got the one you posted? Obviously they used SKF bearings, from the picture they look like double row ball bearings. They could be self aligning or just a 5xxx series bearing. A view from the end of the box, if it shows numbers would be very helpful, you could price the bearings with that information.

    If the bearings have never been replaced I would assume that the grease would be a Kluber product. German machine, German grease. Maybe a reach out to Kluber would be helpful determining which grease was used.

    I would look for signs around the bolt heads, seals, nuts etc. even breaks in the paint job that would indicate bearing replacement.
    I can not get anymore pics. These pics were captured when the machine was listed for sale a couple years ago. I wrote the machinery dealer asking for more info, explaining I had the same machines and never received a response.

    I was mistaken, I looked at the plates on the machines and they were built in 1997 but were purchased from the factory and sent over late 2000 or 2001

  9. #24
    Chris, is your machine an ADH 50? I asked someone local about who here sold them. Still Waiting for a reply.

    Greg

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Quenneville View Post
    Chris, is your machine an ADH 50? I asked someone local about who here sold them. Still Waiting for a reply.

    Greg
    Very kind of you Greg. I have the AH50 and DH63, 1997 vintage. I just sent an email to a German outfit that have the remaining Kölle parts asking if they had any user manuals/scans.

  11. #26
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    Chris,
    The Reibling company sold that era of Kolle here and they went out of business about the time Kolle did. The owner had passed but his son was involved and I contacted him for some Martin info as they were importers for many years. He was done with the business and not forthcoming with any information. Probably the same for Kolle. I’m attaching a picture from my Hofmann manual showing recommended lubricant for their machines. Maybe could be some help. Some of that might be oil.
    I saw your post on OWWM and agree with the fellow that recommended going sealed bearings if you ever change them. I did that on my T17 saw and totally happy with that. My T23 shaper has the the oil circulation system for bearings but would not recommend that. It takes a lot of effort for not much gain and prone to a lot of problems.
    For greasing both Martin and Hofmann recommend not over greasing. After greasing run for one minute, off for one, run for five, off for five then run for ten. All this with no load. Martin has their own long term grease and no info about what it is.
    0137549D-8E4D-4B08-A424-8DAA838A0C2A.jpg

  12. #27
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    I agree with Joe on going to sealed bearings. Without a manual or stamp I would be inclined to use the Hofmann spec. German machinery manufacturers tend to be very specific about the lubricants and these can effect performance. It’s easy to write that off, but I have experienced it on the Maka where a change in grease thickness effects the feed rate of the head.

    Once you have a spec, you can find something which meets that spec on McMaster’s website using their search functions. I’ve done that with some of the lubricants since not all of them are still manufactured.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  13. #28
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    Jun 2019
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    Evansville, IN
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    Thanks Joe, Brian, et al.

    I found a landing page for Kölle machinery that said Riston now controls remaining parts, not sure if that is up-to-date. That's who I emailed but so far no response. I also reached out to the previous owner a while ago (Martin Ott, incredibly nice guy) and he didn't have the manuals.

    These are wonderful machines but I'd feel so much better about troubleshooting with manuals in hand, especially considering I've never owned equipment this big. Oh well, I'll keep putting out feelers. I may need to jump on some german woodworking forums/videos and put out a request for the manuals.

    I'm in the process of creating a binder for my machines with key dates for greasing/maintenance and I'm adding your suggestions Joe about the unloaded operating schedule after greasing. I'm also putting a note to purchase sealed bearings when it's time for replacement. These are only 25 years old as of now and the machines were only used by Martin since new. Martin was not a high volume guy, seeing as he built pipe organs so I feel confident the bearings still have life left in them.

    I'll post back should any new info surface.

  14. #29
    Chris, here is a manual for the digital readout, if yours is the Elgo Electric type 85. I didn’t examine it closely, but I expect it has your reset instructions.

    https://www.elgo.de/fileadmin/user_u...s/85P-MA-E.pdf

    Greg

  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Quenneville View Post
    Chris, here is a manual for the digital readout, if yours is the Elgo Electric type 85. I didn’t examine it closely, but I expect it has your reset instructions.

    https://www.elgo.de/fileadmin/user_u...s/85P-MA-E.pdf

    Greg
    Amazing Greg, that's the model I have in my planer. Even if I never find the machinery manuals, I have at least one more thing I can get tuned up.

    Thank you so much for your efforts with this.

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