# New G4003G lathe



## alan camby

Hi everyone.
I received a new g4003g just a little over a week ago.

Thought I would post some pictures of the machine and I also have some questions.

The machine came with 2 wrenches for the 3 and 4 jaw chucks. It also came with a square female wrench. What is this wrench for?

I read through the manual about threading and have successfully cut a 20tpi thread. Since the lead screw is cut with inch threads you can use the thread dial for all tpi threads. The manual said do not use the thread dial for metric threads. How do you stay with the thread for each pass if you can't use the thread dial. Or can you just engage the half-nut at any point?

I a sure I will have some more questions but no one is going to want to read all my rambling at once. So here are some of the pictures.

I was not very happy with the paint job on the machine. Here is the worst area. Grizzly is sending me 2 cans of paint.




One of the tool posts is not tapped very strait. They are sending me another. Don't see why it still could not be used but it does look stupid.




I ran the break in period with the side cover off. noticed that the key was coming out of the key way when i shut down the machine to change speeds. I lightly hammered the key back in and noticed the set screw was loose (thought it was strange the set screw was 180 degrees from the key way) so i tightened it up and ran the machine some more. About 20 min later I heard what sounded like a pellet from a pellet gun hitting a bucket on the other end of the garage. Shut down the machine and saw that the key was gone. I tapped a 10-24 thread in the pulley on top of the key way and installed a set screw. I have never seen a machine where the pulleys don't have a set screw over the key way.

Here is my added set screw.




more to follow.


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## alan camby

I have a small crack in the stationary part of this dial. It looks like a paint chip in the picture but it is a crack. Grizzly is sending me the piece.




I took the top off of the headstock after the break in period to look at the gears and such. There were some small metal pieces as would be expected from the gears mating with each other. I tried to use a pocket telescopic magnet to get them out but it did not work all that well. The magnet wanted to stick to everything in the gearbox instead.




So I put 3 very strong magnets in the bottom of the gearbox, added oil, installed cover, and ran the machine for about 30 min. Removed the cover and the magnets collected the metal. After cleaning the magnets I put them back in and figured they would like to live in there. I think this is a good modification to any oil filled gear box.

Here are 2 of the magnets after the 30 minute run.


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## alan camby

I apologize if you have already seen these next few pics in other threads but thought I would keep all my pictures in this thread so they would all be in one spot.

Made 4 of these to hold the feet under my lathe stands. I tried to make them in a way to keep the lathe as low as possible.












And here is my first attempt at threading. A 1/2-20 thread in 1/2 W1 drill rod.


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## Old Iron

Nice lathe I hope you enjoy it, Great idea on the magnets. I think I'll put some in one of mine.

Paul


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## BobinWa

Thanks for sharing your pictures and comments. I have several friends that have the G4003G and are very happy with them. It is unfortunate that there are thee flaws but easy fixes. I have the G0509G and yes there were some fixes, but I am happy with the machine. Have fun making chips.   Bob


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## tripletap3

alan camby said:


> Hi everyone.
> I received a new g4003g just a little over a week ago.
> 
> Thought I would post some pictures of the machine and I also have some questions.
> 
> The machine came with 2 wrenches for the 3 and 4 jaw chucks. It also came with a square female wrench. What is this wrench for?





The square female wrench is usually included for tightening the square head screws on a 4 way tool post. Although the two Grizzly lathes I have seen have had Allen head screws in the 4 way tool post. Either way you are using a QCTP so it doesn’t matter.


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## Olin

*alan camby

I have a G4003G Lathe, I think your square wrench fits the square head bolt that locks the saddle for facing cuts.  I got a complete set of open end wrenches, hex keys, chuck keys and if I'm recalling correctly a "rocker" style tool post, although that might have been an extra. I know I ordered extra QC style tool  holders. Those **"rocker" style tool posts use a square head bolt as do the "Armstrong" tool holders. 

Olin*


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## alan camby

Thanks guys for the help. That makes since with the square wrench, guess I will not need it for now.

Added a shelf to the lathe




And a set of drawers, seen here without the drawers installed. The rack and drawes are made by Durham





Inside of one of the drawers


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## Chipbuff

Congrads on the new G4003G! I received mine 2 weeks ago. I have not had any issues with it and operation has been flawless. I changed the gearbox oil after 2 hour runin and had no issues with metal particles of any size. I did add 1/2 bottle of Power Punch Moly gear additive to the oil change. It really quited down the gear whine, running very smooth. I do like the magnet idean in the transmission although I would be weary of a very small magnet that could be picked up with cold fluid. A larger magnet would not be easily moved about.
I see some of you have made brackets to level the lathe, good show! I would suggest you bolt it to the floor for a more stable platform. Enjoy the new machine. I really am happy with mine after using a Logan 10X24 the the last 8 years. Hope to build some hunting rifles with the new unit.


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## ortho

Chipbuff said:


> (SNIP) I did add 1/2 bottle of Power Punch Moly gear additive to the oil change. It really quited down the gear whine, running very smooth. (SNIP)QUOTE]  Really quieted down the gear whine?  I'll have to try that next time I change oil.   Every time I run my G4003G at high rpm, it makes that loud whine.    Thanks. ---ortho


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## Ray C

That's a really nice bench mod....

Ray




alan camby said:


> Thanks guys for the help. That makes since with the square wrench, guess I will not need it for now.
> 
> Added a shelf to the lathe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a set of drawers, seen here without the drawers installed. The rack and drawes are made by DurhamInside of one of the drawers


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## epanzella

I was wondering about the female square wrench myself as there is nothing on my G4003G that it fits. I guessed it must be for lathe dogs as they have square heads. I couldn't verify this as my machine came with a faceplate but no dogs. I ran a magnet around in my headstock before I put the first oil in and there were few chips. The only flaw I found in my machine is that one of the D1-5 camlocks didn't lock in all the way with the 3 jaw but I just had to turn one of the studs in another two turns. Nice shelf, Alan.


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## Chipbuff

ortho.....How about that....I grew up in Ridgecrest. Moved there in 1954 and Left in 1970. Things have really changed down there since then....


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## alan camby

Guys I have a question.
How do you make a small bore with a flat blind bottom. I learned real quick about relief angles. I don't know if I need to grind a tool with a bunch of relief??

I made a tool called a pivot nose adapter for a rivet gun. The OD is .780" the threads are 7/16-20, and the bore is .5"x .120" deep.
The tool is supposed to set a blind rivet and allow it to act like a hinge or pivot. A local engineer friend asked me to make it for a project at their plant. I said i would try.

What is a good way of making a small bore with a flat bottom. I gave in and put a 1/2" end mill in my tail stock and cut it that way. The tail is not really rigid enough to support the end mill and I got a lot of chatter. 


Here is the tool.





Here you can see the bore in question.


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## epanzella

alan camby said:


> Guys I have a question.
> How do you make a small bore with a flat blind bottom. I learned real quick about relief angles. I don't know if I need to grind a tool with a bunch of relief??
> 
> I made a tool called a pivot nose adapter for a rivet gun. The OD is .780" the threads are 7/16-20, and the bore is .5"x .120" deep.
> The tool is supposed to set a blind rivet and allow it to act like a hinge or pivot. A local engineer friend asked me to make it for a project at their plant. I said i would try.
> 
> What is a good way of making a small bore with a flat bottom. I gave in and put a 1/2" end mill in my tail stock and cut it that way. The tail is not really rigid enough to support the end mill and I got a lot of chatter.
> 
> 
> Here is the tool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the bore in question.


I recently  made some steel leveling feet and needed a flat bottomed 1/2 in hole. I drilled it with a 60 deg drill until the point reached the proper depth and then squared the corners with an end mill in the TS using the top edge of the drilled hole as a pilot.  I didn't measure the final diameter of the holes as it wasn't critical but the end mill went in smooth making four long steel ribbons.


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## ortho

epanzella said:


> I was wondering about the female square wrench myself as there is nothing on my G4003G that it fits. I guessed it must be for lathe dogs as they have square heads. I couldn't verify this as my machine came with a faceplate but no dogs. (SNIP)


epanzella, my G4003G didn't come with a female square wrench; I think that wrench had been originally provided for the saddle lock bolt which is now replaced with a socket head type bolt.  My two cents' worth.   ---ortho


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## epanzella

ortho said:


> epanzella, my G4003G didn't come with a female square wrench; I think that wrench had been originally provided for the saddle lock bolt which is now replaced with a socket head type bolt.  My two cents' worth.   ---ortho


Makes sense, I seem to remember seeing a picture of a G4003G with a square head saddle lock bolt. Mine has the socket head.


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## raross61

Chipbuff said:


> Congrads on the new G4003G! I received mine 2 weeks ago. I have not had any issues with it and operation has been flawless. I changed the gearbox oil after 2 hour runin and had no issues with metal particles of any size. I did add 1/2 bottle of Power Punch Moly gear additive to the oil change. It really quited down the gear whine, running very smooth. I do like the magnet idean in the transmission although I would be weary of a very small magnet that could be picked up with cold fluid. A larger magnet would not be easily moved about.
> I see some of you have made brackets to level the lathe, good show! I would suggest you bolt it to the floor for a more stable platform. Enjoy the new machine. I really am happy with mine after using a Logan 10X24 the the last 8 years. Hope to build some hunting rifles with the new unit.




I have the Grizzly G4003g machine, I have had it a little over a year, after break in I did install a large magnet in the rear RH corner of the gearbox. I used the HF welding magnet approx 3" or so (With the brass grounding stud removed) have had no problems with it! I installed a hour meter on the control box and I now have 264 hours on the machine. I did my break in oil change, and I think this weekend I will do my first normal oil change, I have been using the AW68 Turbine Hydraulic Oil in it, I too think I may add some power punch to it this time.

                                               Just My 2 cents! Bob in Oregon


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## drs23

ortho said:


> Chipbuff said:
> 
> 
> 
> (SNIP) I did add 1/2 bottle of Power Punch Moly gear additive to the oil change. It really quited down the gear whine, running very smooth. (SNIP)QUOTE]  Really quieted down the gear whine?  I'll have to try that next time I change oil.   Every time I run my G4003G at high rpm, it makes that loud whine.    Thanks. ---ortho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Where does one get this "Power Punch Moly" gear additive?
Click to expand...


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## raross61

drs23 said:


> ortho said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where does one get this "Power Punch Moly" gear additive?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found it online here: http://www.powerpunchinc.com/Gear_Oil_p/ep1-each.htm I went to a couple of regular auto parts around here and they did not have it. There is a higher end speed shop by where I work, I hope they will have it. Bob in Oregon
Click to expand...


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## drs23

raross61 said:


> drs23 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I found it online here: http://www.powerpunchinc.com/Gear_Oil_p/ep1-each.htm I went to a couple of regular auto parts around here and they did not have it. There is a higher end speed shop by where I work, I hope they will have it. Bob in Oregon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks much. Have some on the way.
> 
> I wonder why Google doesn't know about these guys?
Click to expand...


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## raross61

drs23 said:


> raross61 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks much. Have some on the way.
> 
> I wonder why Google doesn't know about these guys?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I thought the same thing when I tried to google it, they have been around for years! Wonder if you did the power punch in one word, if they might come up on Google that way?  Bob in Oregon
Click to expand...


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## drs23

raross61 said:


> drs23 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I thought the same thing when I tried to google it, they have been around for years! *Wonder if you did the power punch in one word*, if they might come up on Google that way?  Bob in Oregon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No, just copy, paste.
> 
> I'm looking forward to the results I've read about here.
Click to expand...


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## raross61

drs23 said:


> raross61 said:
> 
> 
> 
> No, just copy, paste.
> 
> I'm looking forward to the results I've read about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just wanted to let everyone know I changed my headstock oil today in my G4003G, Magnet was in the same spot I left it 268 hours ago,I had very few heavy metals on it, did have a very fine pool around it look like black diesel oil, had to be very fine metal because it was for sure attracted to the magnet. I used my vacuum evac. tank, and the hose to suck it off the magnet, and pick up anything else I saw in the gear case. I filled it very close to full after installing the top cover, I ran it with the new oil and no moly additive yet. It pretty much sounded the same with new oil. I made sure my funnel was short enough going thru the fill hole in the top it was not hitting any gears inside the gear case, I then added the 8 oz power punch moly into the gearcase as the machine was running at 350 rpm, put in slow so it was mixing good. I am not exagerating one bit after about 3 minutes,the machine was running smother with a lot less noise! The only 2 thing's I noticed are: 1 the moly bottle is dark inside so it is a little hard to see the 8 oz level, 1/2 the bottle on my bottle, I used my machine lamp and held the bottle up to it and I could see it easier. 2 The other thing I noticed is the sight glass on the machine gets way darker, but I still have a small bubble at the very top so I can still see the level OK.
> Bob in Oregon
Click to expand...


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## raross61

*Re: New G4003G lathe OIL HOLE IMORTANT !*

This may have all ready been touched on but I want to make sure everyone know’s about it. There is a side cover right above the electrical part of the rotary switch on the G4003G. It is a cover for the lead and thread screw shafts. There is an oil port that can only be accessed by taking that cover off. I saw this cover mod online months later! When I first got my machine I took that side cover off, and took it over to my mill, and made a counter bore, that I could put 2 o-rings in so when the cover was on the oil holes were sealed against the machine case, and oil could not run out between the cover and the case, thus not get to the bearing’s in the machine. I still did not notice this other oil hole. I have attached some pictures, if you study them you will figure it out. Basically you mill away part of this cover with a mill, and then make a sliding cover you can slide and access the lead screw oil port! The pictures show the one on the web and the one I made for my machine!

                                    Take Care Bob in Oregon 

- - - Updated - - -



raross61 said:


> This may have all ready been touched on but I want to make sure everyone know’s about it. There is a side cover right above the electrical part of the rotary switch on the G4003G. It is a cover for the lead and thread screw shafts. There is an oil port that can only be accessed by taking that cover off. I saw this cover mod online months later! When I first got my machine I took that side cover off, and took it over to my mill, and made a counter bore, that I could put 2 o-rings in so when the cover was on the oil holes were sealed against the machine case, and oil could not run out between the cover and the case, thus not get to the bearing’s in the machine. I still did not notice this other oil hole. I have attached some pictures, if you study them you will figure it out. Basically you mill away part of this cover with a mill, and then make a sliding cover you can slide and access the lead screw oil port! The pictures show the one on the web and the one I made for my machine!
> 
> Take Care Bob in Oregon



Sorry about the IMPORTANT TYPO I was in a hurry!!   Bob

- - - Updated - - -

Also need to give credit where deserved, The pictures are both of my machine, and from the first article, I saw about this on another forum. He had the nifty oilers on his machine, he told me they were shop built, so it's not just a MSC or Mcmaster Carr deal to get them on our machines!         Thanks Bob in Oregon


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## CharlyArmy

raross61 said:


> drs23 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I found it online here: http://www.powerpunchinc.com/Gear_Oil_p/ep1-each.htm I went to a couple of regular auto parts around here and they did not have it. There is a higher end speed shop by where I work, I hope they will have it. Bob in Oregon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Post Office isn't very happy right now. I ordered a one gallon jug of the stuff and paid for UPS shipping. He shipped it thru the mail and when it arrived at my post office the jug had opened up in transit and soaked thru the box and onto the entire mail shipment for my town. Post Master was chewing my ass when I told her, that it wasn't my fault, I didn't box it or ship it.
> 
> I immediately stopped credit card payment and emailed the vendor, no reply from them yet. Needless to say, my experience was not good and I don't think I will order anything else from them.
Click to expand...


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## tripletap3

:yikes:WOW. I would hate as a shipper to get that phone call. Keep us informed.


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## CharlyArmy

Well, the vendor is giving me a complete refund and the Post office isn'r mad at me anymore.


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## raross61

CharlyArmy said:


> Well, the vendor is giving me a complete refund and the Post office isn'r mad at me anymore.



Hey, Sorry about the trouble you had with them shipping the oil! I would have never thought that would have happened! I have order a bunch of oil products online, and they ALWAYS come with the lid tight,with tape around it, to make sure it stays tight! And also they normally have at least 1 maybe 2 plastic bags around it! Never would have thought this guy would just thrown it in a box, and trust the post office!
                                                            Sorry Bob in Oregon


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## jimcisme

Hi,
I bought my G4003G in November of 15 an it too had some paint issues and a ton of burrs everywhere but what do you expect for $3250? I have had this machine more or less completely apart and have machined a few parts and did a few test with 1018 and I must say that for the money I am extremely pleased with my purchase. I started machining in 1978 and this is the first machine I have bought for myself. This little lathe will take a .100 perside pass in 1018 with negative rake CNMG tooling at max RPM (1400) and a .01 feedrate and not even grunt. (If you are going to attempt this please make sure you have a very rigid setup.) That's impressive for a 12X36 lathe of any sort, much less a $3250 Chinese machine. And my spindle runs within .0002. I'm lovin it.


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## wrmiller

From everyone I've talked to, it's a heck of a lathe for the money. You just have to go into a machine in this price range with the knowledge that some 'cleaning and tuning' will be involved to get the most out of it.

It sounds like you've been in the biz for a long time and know your way around a machine, given the cut you describe. You have a significant advantage over those folks who don't have your background, so any thoughts, insights, or ideas I'm sure would be appreciated. I know I'd appreciate it. 

Oh, and have fun with that new toy...err...machine.


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