Could this be engineered better?

[QSIMDO]

I'll make it clear, I am NOT posting this to brag about this set up!
You lot have so much talent I'm embarassed to do any more than ask questions here...which is kinda what I'm doing now.

This is a swap out of a 3 hp 3600 rpm 3~ motor for the original 2hp 1750 1~ on a Industrial Hobbies mill.
The original has a B5 flange mount but the Baldor came my way so extremely inexpensively I couldn't resist.

All was going well until I realized the bolt circle of the motor was shaded by the bolt circle for mounting to the mill.
What you see is an inelegant but I hope serviceable solution I came up with.
Button head bolts sit in countersinks and the spacers give me room to tighten the other bolts to hold the whole mess onto the mill.

I keep thinking I should have used .75" plate so I could index the raised edge on the mounting end of the motor to the adapter plate in a more secure manner than just the 4 button head bolts on the spacers. I would have relieved "pockets" on the perimeter for the mounting bolts and to swing a wrench.

I don't think it will move but I can't test it until the VFD gets here so I thought I'd ask if you see any glaring problems?

[John Stevenson]

Looks fine to me, lets face it you aren't swapping motors every day.

I know of one machine in a quarry where the motor has been welded on because it broke all the flange and mounting

BTW

Button head bolts sit in countersinks

I presume this is a miss spelling and you meant counterbore ? If not then do so as a button head in a countersink will fret or just use CSK screws.

.

[jimmstruk]

Looks good to me too. Nice solution to a problem. JIM

[A.K. Boomer]

I think youv done a wonderful job, you took a problem and you corrected it --- and its stylin to boot.

[Fasttrack]

Looks good to me too - i think i would have used larger spacers or thicker plate (as you mentioned) in the ideal world but then there is always the limitations of what you have laying around and how much time you have. All in all i say nice job!

(of course i'm a newbie like yourself so ... )


p.s. actually i think i might consider using different hardware, like flat socket head cap screws. Most button head screws are grade two and are pretty easy to bend. Probably not an issue in this situation but something to keep in mind.

[Bruce Griffing]

Is the shaft long enough? In other words, does the shaft/key engage the corresponding part (a gear?) well and keep it in the proper Z position?

[J Tiers]

Having done that same thing in a completely unrelated type of machine, I think it looks GREAT!

(btw it is still working fine years later)

[A.K. Boomer]

Good point Bruce, Get it where it belongs, but to take things a step further what I do is get it close to where it belongs and get it at its minimum shaft extension, (if its a side load application)

This ensures minimum wear on the motor bearings and a long life,

Not to pick on F.T. but I like to do the exact opposite of larger spacers - unless I absolutely have to - because Qsimdo cannot totally counter sink both units (and have the ability to tighten them) I believe he took the most quickest and practical approach --- its actually a good looking adapt, at least it is to me

I mean,,, you got a baldor motor sitting securely on top of a I.H. machine, how could anybody not see that as an improvement

[QSIMDO]

Oops!
Yes John, I did mean to say "counterbore".
100 times on the chalk board!

Thank you all, I must say I'm encouraged now.

And the shaft length is a happy coincidence in being about .375" longer than the OE motor shaft so my rig puts it in good relationship.
Decent enough I guess. Time will tell.
I work pretty much in a vacuum so I sneak up on things mostly.

Thanks again for your valued input ...but I'll be back for wiring instructions once the VFD gets here !

[A.K. Boomer]

I work pretty much in a vacuum so I sneak up on things mostly.

That makes two of us