Help with mounting vintage motor to drill press

[cgrutt]

Hi, I'm restoring an old 1940's Walker Turner drill press and need help with mounting a vintage motor to it. Have another thread with restoration but figured I'd start a new thread for this as it's a specific task that may be applicable to others who are restoring vintage tools.

Here's the problem. Motor mount on drill press has a relatively flat steel back with holes tapped on a 6 1/2" square grid. The motor that I bought is an original Walker Turner from same period but motor bracket is drilled on 6 1/4" pattern. It's close but not exact. Must have been from different year. The RPMS, etc. are same spec as my drill press.

So I think I have three options but not sure which is best way to go:

1. Drill and tap new holes in DP motor plate. The holes will be closely spaced and there may be some overlap. If I go this route, is it best to fill existing holes with bolts, cut them off, weld them in and grind flat, so I'm basically starting with a fresh area for new bolt pattern? A lot of work but might be best approach.

2. Drill new hole pattern on motor bracket. New holes will be extremely close to edge of bracket and may cut through. Probably easiest way to go, not sure if it will a) look good and b) be strong enough to hold motor long term.

3. Fabricate a spacer block to sit between motor plate and bracket. Maybe use 3/8" to 1/2" plate steel? Attach plate to Drill press using existing hole pattern with counter sunk flat head pan screws, then drill new holes and tap for motor bracket. The new holes may partially overlap some of the bolts holding spacer to motor mount. Or I could weld the spacer to the motor mount and just tap for motor bracket. I have room for a spacer so that's not a problem.

What do you guys think and recommend? Thanks!

 

[jacked_72]

I'd go with a spacer block.

 

[tym]

Me too, especially if it can be done without permanently modifying the motor or press.

 

[7th Kahuna]

Spacer block was my first thought too. What if you ran your threads in the spacer block and bolted through the original motor plate from the drill press side. Leave the heads visible and accessible. Then drill and tap the holes to fit the new motor from the other side. Doing it this way, even if the holes overlap, you would still be able to fairly easily remove the entire assembly at a future date by just reversing the process. Just a thought. Hope my description makes sense.

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks guys. I guess I have to find a piece of plate steel. After some more thought I think this might be best too. @7th Kahuna, thanks, I'll take a look at that. I understand what you're saying but don't think I can come in from drill press side, at least not on the top. There are a couple of steel bars that slide into the press right around where the top bolts are. The steel bars allow the whole mounting plate to slide in and out to tension belt. Pretty sure they're in the way or else I might do it the way you suggested. Thanks.

 

[larry_g]

Not being able to see the motor base plate I would assume it is a through hole. If so then each hole elongated 1/8" will allow you to make it work. Quick work with a file. grinder, or a mill.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[cgrutt]

Yeah, motor bracket is a through hole but there isn't much room to elongate the holes. Probably could make it work though. I wound up buying a piece of 1" X 1/2" bar stock. Was going to make two spacers for it. I was looking for a piece of 1/2" flat steel but Tractor Supply didn't have anything wide enough.

 

[cgrutt]

Ugh, so I decided to take the "easy" way out and it didn't turn out so good... Turns out the whole motor needs to be dropped about 1-1/2". So now it's either back to spacer block with everything dropped down or drill and tap new holes in the motor and drop it down a bit in the motor bracket...

Good news is received new bearings for the motor today and installed them. Motor is turning smoothly now. The thing is a beast. Guessing it weights about 70 lbs. Had fun trying to bolt it up LOL. They sure don't make them like they used to.

 

[Spear]

I used aluminum flat bar and tapped offset holes for the first motor mounting

This was actually my second DP I found. I used the motor and the low speed pulley from this DP for the first one I bought which I liked better.

The one I kept:

 

[cgrutt]

I used aluminum flat bar and tapped offset holes for the first motor mounting

Nice! I think I'm going to have to do something similar but mounted vertically and dropped about 1-1/2" from original holes. The bottom holes on motor bracket will wind up below the drill press motor plate. I bought similar stock but steel not aluminum.

BTW, that's a nice drill press

 

[Spear]

The one with the Dayton motor by the garage door is a 1954, I rebuilt it and sold it.

I kept the other one, a friend of mine rebuilt the motor for me. It's 1959...same as me

 

[cgrutt]

They're both very nice. Very similar to the drill press I'm restoring.

 

[2oolhound]

You could also use 1" plate for the spacers then the holes wouldn't over lap. DP sits a little farther out though and you need longer belts. Or us 2 1/2 plates and join them together either welding or bolting where the bolts won't be a problem.

 

[Spear]

Nice, I like that green color

 

[rsanter]

You do not need steel plate.
You can use a couple of steel strips that are 1.5 to 2" wide and use them the same way you would a single plate.
Once everything it tightened down you won't know the difference

Bob