Chinese motors

[Den Socling]

I burned up another Chinese motor on in my Grizzly planer over the weekend. There is no data on the nameplate regarding frame. I asked Grizzly service after the first one burned if a NEMA frame would fit and they said no. This time, I started measuring and comparing measurements with NEMA frames. Know what? I just got done bolting in a 145T. No more Chinese motor! I don't know what they use for insulation but they should give it to their space program for propellant.  ;D

[brdmkr]

Den

I had been considering a Grizzly jointer, but it sounds like you have had a bit of trouble with their planer.  If you don't mind, could you share what kind of experience you had with the Grizzly?  How hard did you work it?  How long did it last?  Was customer service receptive, ect?

I don't mean to trouble you, but Grizzly has always looked good to me for the money.

[Den Socling]

Grizzly has a 'range of quality' from home hobbiest (near junk) to industrial (DanG good). Their distribution center is near us so I have bought a lot from them. A cheap metal band saw and then a better one. A cheap drill press and then a better one. A milling machine, brake, dust collection, chop saw, planer and a combination sander. Everything has been good for the money.

I have brutalized the planer. I've been doing a lot of very rough cut hardwood. Last summer I was running from one end to the other to keep 2 or 3 boards at a time in it. It was hot - very hot when it smoked. (I don't want no stinkin' motor that can't keep up with me.  :D) Yesterday, I had a piece of cherry about 12" wide going through when it hit a knot. The overload wasn't fast enough. But no motor should burn in an instant. That's why I blame the Chinese insulation.

[brdmkr]

Thanks Den.  I'll keep considering the Grizzly.  They have a great price on an 8" jointer.

[flip]

I bought a 20" 5hp planer from Griz, still in the crate until I find a shop to fit it.  A couple of local guys told me their 5 horse  is more like a 2.  I bought this thing to plane wood not tooth picks.  Who knows the real story?  Should I start looking for a american made motor now????

Flip

[Larry]

A lot of those motors are made in Taiwan.  Now days most are just as good as anything your gonna find in the USA unless your prepared to spend mega-bucks.  The problem with the generic 4 post planers is the feed rate is to fast for the depth of cut they are attempting to make.  Works ok in the home or small shop but for a sawmill trying to process 1,000 bf at a whack your gonna be continually overloading the motor.  It is also going to be slow going because they are limited on the depth of cut.

A much better solution would be old American iron with a large motor...might be cheaper too.  Another solution is to look at something like the Woodmaster planners...they have a variable speed and it is ran off a separate motor.

[Den Socling]

I wish I had some place to park the old American iron but, for now, I have to be able to roll out a four-post. It has two feed rates and has never been out of 'low'.

I looked around at my Grizzly machines and found some motors made in Taiwan and some China. They aren't the same place regardless what Bejing says.   ;D  The ones from Taiwan say Class A - OK - but the ones from China say Class E. Is there a class E insulation? The motors from China also say 'heat 60'C' (that's 140'F). Is that the maximum temperature for the insulation? If so, a chinese motor might burn up in a shower with me.  :D

[Jason_WI]

Vintage American iron with a real 10 HP motor:




26" Cresent planer

3000 Lbs with plenty of open gears, belts and shafts to give an OSHA inspector a heart attack.

Jason

[Larry]

Hey Jason...bet my 24" Crescent has a few years on your machine. ;D



It was quite capable of eating small trees for lunch with its "real" 5hp motor. ;D



Sold the planer but couldn't bear the thought of parting with the motor so I kept it...powers my sawdust blower today as it pushes sawdust into the next state. ;)

Didn't really mean quite that old of stuff...little newer like the Delta wedge or some of the Powermatic stuff.

Den, didn't realize Grizzly was going to China for their motors now.  I can recall some real horror stories when Taiwan first starting to make motors...they got their act together now.

[MemphisLogger]

Jason, Larry, ya'll need someplace to put those planers to work?

I run rough lumber (oak) through a 15", 2 hp 4 post Grizzly and it pops the thermal after 200 bdft if I'm taking 3/32" on 10" or wider.

We figure it's time to get another beer--smoke 'em if ya got 'em.

I figure I'll keep beating up the Tai-nese motor 'til IT smokes.

I fried the windings on thge 5 hp on my 12" Grizzly tablesaw and it cost $150 to get it rewound and bearing-ed 'merican style.

Grizzly sells good tools at a reasonable price. All of mine have given great service with little to no problems. 
     

[Ga_Boy]

Flip,

Most motors on the market today use the "Peak HP" as the advertised rating.  But the "Peak HP" is measured at start up; meaning when the Amp draw is around double.

Most likely your 5 HP motor is 2 HP when you are feeding material through it.



Mark

[ohsoloco]

brdmkr, I'm happy with my Grizzly 8" jointer so far, and I've had it...oh, at least four or five years.  Then again, my woodworking has been steadily taking the backseat to the lumber milling  ;)

My dad bought a 15" 3hp planer (Taiwan...it's called a "Pro") back in 1985, and I'm still using it.  Broke one of the chains for the feeders and got a replacement from Grizzly a couple years ago...looks like the same DanG machine with a different paint job.