New owner of Grizzly G4015Z

This forum is dedicated to those hobbyists with the 3-in-1 metalworking machines. Mill-Drill-Lathes. Tips, techniques, modification and use of these machines is topical.

Moderator: Harold_V

Post Reply
dave67889
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:36 am

New owner of Grizzly G4015Z

Post by dave67889 »

Greetings all! As indicated, I'm a new owner of a 4015Z and an even newer hope to be machinist. I've been perusing the forum and internet, but have some questions I can't find the answer to. Hopefully someone here can sell me a vowel.

Here's my questions:
1. The machine is filthy inside and out, so I was going to drain all lubricants, clean, and refill. How Much oil does the main column, gearbox require?
2. I've seen one of the main issues with the milling function is lack of locking of the head. I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiWax1137Fw where the guy drills and bolts the head to the column, but that seems to be a permanent and non adjustable fix. Could the head be drilled in say one location, and the column have a slot or vertical groove cut in it that would allow you to raise and lower the head, but provide an index channel?
3. The machine seems to run fine which is great for the $150 I paid for it, but came without the extra change gears. How critical are they?

That's a good start, I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions.

Thanks! Dave
Torch
Posts: 1684
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:58 am
Location: Muskoka

Re: New owner of Grizzly G4015Z

Post by Torch »

Welcome. I started out just like you, and this forum has proved to be a godsend of education. I can actually make things now!

You can find a manual for your machine at https://d27ewrs9ow50op.cloudfront.net/m ... 015z_m.pdf That may answer some of your questions, such as capacity of gear oil. That said, a 1 liter/quart bottle is probably sufficient.

I don't have that machine, so I won't attempt to answer your question about locking the column. My column can also rotate without indexing and I have considered a number of possible solutions from a channel/guide to a laser pointer aimed at the wall, but never actually got around to doing anything about it. For those few times when I find it necessary to raise or lower the column in the middle of a project, I just index off a known edge or hole, raise/lower as needed, and re-index. But then, I have a DRO, which simplifies things immeasurably.

Change gears alter the relationship between the linear travel of the carriage or cross-slide and the rotation of the lathe chuck. One set will be used for "powerfeed" when turning -- a fine advance measured in thousandths of an inch travel per revolution of the chuck. A constant rate can be accomplished by hand cranking, but takes some practice. Powerfeeding generally produces a better finish especially for the novice.

Coarser gear combinations are an absolute necessity for single-point threading. Changing the gear ratios allows you to set the number of threads per inch (or millimeters per thread, if metric). Some people just cut the occasional thread and are happy to do so with a set of standard dies. For them, the extra change gears are a waste of storage space.

My primary reason for learning machining is to support my interest in repairing old machinery. For me the change gears are a critical item (I've even made my own to provide unusual pitches as needed). I can and have cut internal and external, left and right hand, 60°, Whitworth threads as needed. Once I even came across a real odd-ball form called "Sewing Machine" thread.

As with any and all tooling you can get to support your efforts, the need for change gears will depend on what you want to do with it. Buying the machine is just the starting point with this hobby!
dave67889
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:36 am

Re: New owner of Grizzly G4015Z

Post by dave67889 »

Thanks for the quick response. I've got the manual but it doesn't specify capacity. I'll have to fill and see what happens. I agree about it being the tip of the iceberg. I got such a great deal on the machine, the workbench was $100 more expensive! Looking forward to the journey.
oldvan
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 6:46 pm
Location: Western NY USA

Re: New owner of Grizzly G4015Z

Post by oldvan »

I've never owned a round-column machine like that, but I don't see any problem with modifying a $150.00 tool to improve its usefulness. The fix shown in the video looks sturdy.

I watched the video and saw the man holding a drill bit with rubber-faced gloves. Hopefully he gets away with 10 fingers and only one broken when the bit catches his glove. Rings are also verboten anyplace I've worked with power tools. There are plenty of sad gory YouTube videos to show one why.
User avatar
WesHowe
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:52 am
Location: Huntsville, Texas

Re: New owner of Grizzly G4015Z

Post by WesHowe »

I have a G9972, which is a similar 3N1 machine (lathe is longer) but the mill head only has a swing, and two locking mechanisms. I have never had an issue with the head moving. However, I never found a need for loosening the head from it's normal center position... it just stays there and I move the workpiece around. If yours is moving during use, maybe the fix he did is needed, but moving the head around is not very necessary to do work.

I like my lathe, and so far it is plenty big enough for my modest ambitions. The mill has become a nuisance, because I pretty much have to remove the lathe toolholder and tram a vise in place, then reverse the process to turn some more. I have my eye on getting a standalone milling machine, one with a knee and more than the 10 or so inches I can cut with this one. But for $150, it was a good tool buy.
Post Reply