TravisF Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Hello I recently acquired a 25# little giant and have a few questions. I've been doing a lot of reading but this is my first power hammer so I sure have a lot to learn. Here is the hammer From everything I have read it should be dripping in Oil, I am assuming that the below should be filled with oil? When I put oil in the front one I can tell its goes down but the lvl in this one doesn't seem to change. The hammer is set up with grease zerk fittings but one broke off and the threads are stripped can I just oil that location? I am thinking of just jbwelding a nipple in there as well. Also on the topic of grease, will any decent grease work ok? Lastly when I run the hammer it just keeps striking as you can see below. I start it and then immediately take my foot of the petal but it just keeps going. I made sure it is nice and oiled back there but that doesn't seem to change much. Thanks for any help or advise anyone can give I appreciate it. I am super excited about this hammer now I just need to learn all I can about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Have you gotten a copy of "The Little Giant Powerhammer, Rebuilding, History, Use" Richard Kern ? Look into making a brake for it. Also is the clutch sticking? A stronger spring may be needed or a lighter oil on it. If oil is running out of the babbit bearing it may be time to remove a shim or even to repour the bearing---or just keep adding oil if there's not slop in the bearing yet.. Is the felt pad in the oil cup present in both locations? Pretty easy to drill out the hole and tap for a larger zerk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisF Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 Thomas, Thanks for the reply. I have ordered the book. I don't really notice it sticking I will take a closer look though. There are no felt pads in the cups just bear metal and the hole in the bottom. I take it I should put something in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 How about the original operating instructions that are provided as appendices in that book: "The main shaft bearings are lubricated by means of hand oilers. Wells are provided for this purpose and these wells are to be filled with cotton or similar substance and are to be saturated with oil." (TP---Note the stuff in the tops of pill bottles is not cotton these days! We used 100% wool felt---also hard to source these days.) A friend of mine wanted to keep crud out of the oil wells and actually made a set of nickel silver caps for them on his LG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisF Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Sounds like a plan. I will locate some wool felt for the purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 You can make your own wool felt if you have something made of wool (an old sweater or sock) run through a hot wash-and dry a few times. You can get something from Goodwill for a couple of bucks. If you know a knitter who has some extra wool, you can ball it up, tie it tightly in a stocking, and do the same felting in the laundry as described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Nice looking LG. No, it shouldn't be dripping with oil, that opinion is from the "If a little is good a lot must be better" philosophy. If is oil running out of it or being slung around the shop you put too much on/in. I use chainsaw bar oil and add about 1/4 cup of DuraLube, the automotive friction reducing oil additive to a gallon of bar oil. Bar oil is designed to be sticky, few things sling oil like a chainsaw chain but they're nothing but steel sliding on steel under pressure so it MUST have a layer of oil. The mix is my oil can standard lubricating oil. It's NOT good for cutting or drilling, it's too sticky and you want the cuttings to move freely out of the cut. Felt wool by heating it in HOT water and hammer it with a wood mallet, it'll felt up easily. Check with the auto parts store, they have zerk repair tools and or kits. The tool has an extractor for broken zerks, a tap to chase the stripped threads and has a wrench to screw the new zerk in. Yes, there are over sized zerks to replace stripped ones. The zerk wrench bottoms out so you can't over tighten and strip the new one without trying. One of the main reasons the clutch sticks is it's over oiled, again just a couple few drops is all it takes. You'll know when it needs oil when it starts slipping, THEN apply a COUPLE DROPS of oil and stop when it stops slipping. I HIGHLY recommend a brake! I like a machine to stop when I take my foot off the pedal waiting for them to coast to a stop . . . irks me. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerfall Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 My LG likes to warm up a few minutes before I hit the treadle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 My 30 lb Starr has the same "oil wells" and I just squirt a little 80wt gear oil in them before starting to use it. It doesn't "drip oil" and has been running fine since I got it and poured new babbit bearings. The felt or cotton is a good idea though mainly to keep crud out of the bearings (never considered that). I will fit some to my hammer today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 You can use almost anything in the oil "wells" to control the oil flow and yes, keep the crud out of the bearings. cut up an old sock, T shirt, wash cloth, anything. Babbit bearings only needs a film of oil to work properly. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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