Help!! Need Ideas for Spindle Shaper Motor Mount

[steve swantee]

Hello All, I am in desperate need of some ideas for mounting a motor to my Cant Gourlay and Co 1870's spindle shaper. I've been thinking on this a couple of weeks and nothing is coming to me. I want something rigid that will look decent, but with this type of base I just can't come up with anything. Maybe some fresh eyes will spot an obvious solution. Motor is mocked up in it's approximate final position.

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Steve

[Greg Portland]

How about a rectangular torsion box? Two sheets of plywood and some 2x4s will create a very strong and rigid mount point (lag bolt the motor into the 2x4s).

Height = floor to top of cross bar (looks like you have some holes available in the crossbar for bolts)
Width = full width between vertical supports, maybe you have bolt holes for the sides?
Depth = amount required for proper motor mounting

Test fit the box. Now cut a board to sit under the left feet and a board to sit under the right feet (notched to keep the board from moving relative to the feet). Screw each of these boards into the sides of the box. This will prevent to box from tilting forward / backward.

Alternatively go hire a metal worker to build a custom mobile base + motor mount.

[James Malcolm]

Flip the motor over and put it where the router is. Move the router next to the spindle, basically right above where the motor is now. Use a steel plate as the base for your motor mount; sandwich it between the top and the legs. That will support the wood top so you don't have to worry about putting the router right next to the shaper. You could also build a torsion box into the underside of the table to support between the two as well as mounts for a dust collection box or build it right in with a door...

Idea two is to flip the motor over and mount it to underside of table directly above where it is at now. You could rotate the motor around so that the flange is to the outside, build a box around the side of the motor, which would now be hidden. Or build your mount out from the center, underneath the crossbar, mount would be hidden but you would have to span around the belt and leave enough clearance for belt "slap" and avoid sharp edges.

Third option is to put a plate under the full footprint of machine; can't imagine not having the two rigidly mounted to each other would work well for a shaper. Secure the legs to the plate somehow, then build your motor mount up from there. Could probably put some storage on the other side or something to hide most of the mount.

Hope this helps. Wood could replace metal if you do it right...