Buy Tobacco Leaf Online | Whole Leaf Tobacco

Powermatic Shredder Maintenance -

Status
Not open for further replies.

holder

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
2
Points
0
Location
Scotland
Thanks for the welcome folks
Done a small grow last couple of years with reasonable success in spite of Scottish weather
Fingers crossed for this year
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
21
Points
3
What type of grease is that? I would like to get some to have on hand, the little bottle that came with it doesn't have much in it.

The manual that came with mine was pretty sparse, just said to check the grease level every 25 lbs. - didn't say anything about turning those knurled covers to distribute grease into the gears or anything. Mine were already tightened down as tight as they would go, that is with the machine off, I'm getting ready to shred a little know, I'll see if they turn more with it running.

Anyway, if anyone can tell what type or even better what brand of grease that is I'd appreciate it.
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
21
Points
3
My mistake the 1/2 page leaflet that came with the shredder says every 50 lbs, check the grease - nothing about filling the cups with the grease.

So I re-read DGBAMA's post and now know how to grease the shredder. The piece of paper that came with it says it is the 'Quick Start Manual' so I don't know if it was supposed to come with something more but that is all the info I have on the shredder. Wish I would have seen this post before now.

I only had enough grease to fill the cups maybe 1/4 full so I definitely need more.
 

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
I am not sure the type of grease. Probably best to call powermatic and ask; Lack of instructions is what prompted the original post.
 

Jitterbugdude

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
4,266
Points
113
Location
Northeast Maryland
My Powermatic does not have grease cups but I'm willing to bet that regular ol axle grease will work fine. You will probably to told to use an FDA approved food safe grease though... whatever that means.
 

daniel draeving

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
50
Points
8
Location
Colburn, WI.
My Powermatic does not have grease cups but I'm willing to bet that regular ol axle grease will work fine. You will probably to told to use an FDA approved food safe grease though... whatever that means.
I believe the grease powermatic used is red lithium but as jitterbugdude said I'm sure any wheel bearing grease would work. I don't think were talking about high rpm's or alot of heat here..
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
21
Points
3
I believe the grease powermatic used is red lithium but as jitterbugdude said I'm sure any wheel bearing grease would work. I don't think were talking about high rpm's or alot of heat here..

I emailed them, the hours I keep make it hard for me to call during business hours. Haven't heard back yet. It did come with a small sample of red grease. I've been looking around the web for food safe red lithium and haven't ran across anything yet. I was thinking Lucas Red N Tacky but that doesn't have the FDA seal of approval.

I've never used it but LMX Red says it is good for plant and farm applications, again isn't gov. approved but really, what is these days :D
 

bonehead

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Messages
761
Points
0
Location
southington, ct.
they sell food safe grease for fruit presses and sausage stuffers. i use it on my press when i make hard cider in the fall. it is white though.
 

Jitterbugdude

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
4,266
Points
113
Location
Northeast Maryland
I say use any grease you can find. Even if it is "food safe" are you going to use your shredded tobacco if any grease gets on it?
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
21
Points
3
Here is the reply from Christopher from Zico concerning gear and shredder blade lubricant:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hi![/FONT]
You can use a lithium grease for the gears and axles of the shredder, as long as it's away from the blades. The blades don't have any grease, but you can dab a bit of vegetable oil on a leaf every now and then to keep things moving.


-Christopher


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]P.S.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We have a new mailing address:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Powermatic Service Center
4010 W Valley BLVD, #108
Walnut, CA 91789
Phone: (909) 468 5999
[/FONT]

[/FONT]So any lithium will do - since the gears are isolated from the shredder blades it doesn't matter. I'm going to stick with a red lithium since that is what the factory used, either the Lucus or LMX, LMX seems to have better reviews online so I might order that from Amazon.

I like the recommendation to put a dab of vegetable oil on a leaf to lubricate the blades now and again but I know from experience - only use a tiny bit and not too frequently. And it goes without saying, that won't be a smokable (?) leaf - maybe even the next couple leafs if it has any traces of veggie oil.

I used vegetable oil instead of shredder oil or something light like sewing machine oil on a paper shredder many moons ago, only did it every couple hours of shred time but used too much each time and eventually the blades got all gummed up. It was a cheap shredder so it didn't matter much but it was a teaching moment.
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
One thing I am doing that I feel will greatly extend the life of my Powermatic is to destem as I shred. If you destem all your leaf first, the tendency is to shove all the leaf into the machine as fast and hard as you can go, causing jams, overheating, and gunk build up on the blades. I sit there with the bag of leaf on my lap, destem a leaf and feed it into the shredder, the stem goes to the trash can right beside me. The shredder eats the lamina and turns off while I am destemming the next leaf. The machine only shreds one leaf at a time and gets a short break between leaves. One leaf at a time will never bog down or overheat the machine. Total time is as fast or faster than destemming all the leaf first. I also run the machine backwards before I start and after I finish. Quite a bit of gunk falls out while running backwards.
 

Brown Thumb

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
4,057
Points
113
Location
Pa
Any body heard how the new shredder is comein along?
Not yet. I hope soon. I destem all my leaf first and shove it thru my shredder as fast as I can.
She is still chugging along tho I might need another set of gears soon. ;)
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
21
Points
3
I usually destem about 1/8 to 1/4 lb then shred and repeat. That way it has a rest period in between.

Mine just lost the reverse - was working fine. I don't know what happened, I hit the switch to reverse it and nothing. Funny (or not so funny for me) I switched it to reverse and stuck the tip of the chip brush I use to sweep up crumbs as I go just far enough it to trip the sensor and it ran - forward. So I don't know what the heck is going on.

Those have a 1 year warranty don't they? If so, I'm well within my one year but I don't want to have to send it back. I wonder if Christoper will send me the parts if it is a known issue?
 

Rickey60

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
878
Points
0
Location
SW Mississippi
I think I had the same thing happen to mine. I was running it in reverse an it quit and tried it again and nothing until I used a leaf to trigger the sensor and it started but in forward. Any one have this happen to them.
 

Brown Thumb

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
4,057
Points
113
Location
Pa
Check your wires on the switch and the switch. If not call Chris he will know. I took the sensors out of mine so it runs all the time.
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
21
Points
3
I'll try to give him a call tomorrow. Since it was running fine my first guess would be the switch but with it running forward in the reverse position it makes me wonder.

Rickey60: I'll bet we're not alone having the same problem so I'm sure Chris knows about it and hopefully will give us a fix.

Brown Thumb: Not that I need them now, where did you get gears from, from Chris or from someplace like McMaster Carr or Grainger?
 

Brown Thumb

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
4,057
Points
113
Location
Pa
From Chris, I have blown out almost all the different gears.
Some that he has never seen stripped before. Mine is way out of warranty first design. Only charges me a few bucks for them.
Running forward in reverse that is a weird one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top