Help me shoot holes in this motor mounting idea

[Howard Rosenberg]

I’d appreciate your insight into making this next part of my DC mods both long-lived and safe.

Every place you can see a problem/deficiency/tweak, I’d appreciate you going ahead and listing your ideas, observations/caveats and solutions.

Here’s my wall mounting idea –
- install the Delta 50-850 motor/blower on the shop wall
- its weight is listed at 86LB
- its inlet will face downward to the Super Dust Deputy mounted directly below
- mount it to three 3/4” pieces BB plywood around 16” square
- attach this three 3/4” plywood and blower/motor assembly with Tapcon screws to concrete block walls

I want to use three pieces of 3/4” plywood to mount the blower/motor so I can move it out from the wall to centre it over the SDD’s outlet and increase shear strength.

How concerned do I need to be about –
- vibration from the blower/motor shaking the Tapcon screws loose
- the whole thing just eventually falling off the wall (?)

In this design, the blower/motor is bolted onto the plywood on the wall.
It doesn’t use a shelf to hold the motor/blower and there.
Plus, there are no triangulated supports - am I right in thinking this type of assembly will need shear support?
How much would running pipe strapping under the blower and screwing it to the joists help?

Thank you for your ideas and help.

[skeeterk]

I think I understand your design and would worry about the Tapcon screws vibrating out. I don't think they are meant for that type of vertical installation. Plus most concrete blocks I've seen are porous so less material holding area for a screw. Maybe have long 2x4's glued to the concrete wall blocks using Gorilla glue and then use lag bolts to secure the motor/blower. Some type of additional support (floor?) may help as well. I would try to isolate vibration between the blower and the SDD.

I have a 3 HP Oneida Gorilla system bolted to 3/4" plywood and then to 6" wall studs using their included wall mounting stand. (just four 1/2"x4 lag bolts) To isolate my DC pipe run I used a flex plumbing fitting. These are available from 2" to 6" in size and various options like 2x3, 2x4,.......6x6 etc...

[fredhargis]

The blocks would be my biggest concern. Can you put 2 pieces of 2x stock down to the floor to carry the wieght and then fasten it to the wall with the tapcons (not my first choice)? Then screw the plywood to the 2x legs.

Edit in: maybe instead of fastening the 2X stock to the block wall, extend them to the ceiling and fasten them to the joists.

[MT Woodworker]

The blocks would be my biggest concern. Can you put 2 pieces of 2x stock down to the floor to carry the wieght and then fasten it to the wall with the tapcons (not my first choice)? Then screw the plywood to the 2x legs.

I agree, I would run some 2x stock to help support the weight of the attaching structure and the collector.
I am also not a fan of bolting into concrete blocks.
Any way you can fill the area behind with solid concrete or wood structure to attach to?

What is your ceiling like?  Any way to carry the weight from above?

[Cooler]

Don't let OSHA visit your shop.  Off the machine belt drives are a no-no.  They are generally considered dangerous.  There were many steam and water driven factorys that converted to electric that used these setups.  In a commercial setting, not legal.  In a residential setting, not safe.

[Roly]

I have concerns with the tapcons also for this use.   Maybe a large toggle bolt or expansion shield would be better.     Also of concern is the mortar joint holding the block.   I would consider Uni strut for this  2 vertical pieces anchored in the wall both extending above the dc and below it ideally to the floor and ceiling and secured to wall at several points.   The vibration is the concern not so much the weight.  Roly

[TDKPE]

The problem is the moment between the mounting plate (horizontal) and the wall plate (vertical).  Plus the resulting tension on the top fasteners to the wall.  Shear is minimal and not an issue.  If I'm understanding the concept. 

Put a strap or two to the joists above, or a column or two to the floor.  Straps to the joists will transmit a lot of vibration to the floor above (another assumption), while columns will be quieter.  Since the blower is directly over the DD, there's no reason you couldn't put a pair of two-by's to the floor, flanking that unit.

My blower sits on a cyclone which sits on a tall stand above the chip can, on four legs.  I could have anchored the flat support table to the wall, and just had two legs, or straps to the floor above (which would have been much noisier), but free-standing against the wall is the way I went, mainly to keep vibration from getting to the house structure as much as I could.

[Howard Rosenberg]

Fred Hargis Skeeterk MT Woodworker and TDKPE - thanks for your ideas - I'll be using some variations on your suggestion
Roly - yes - I can see a sleeve connector would suit this better - thanks
Cooler - those are some wild pics - it would take me a lot of focus for me to keep track of all those belts....

[Cooler]

Cooler - those are some wild pics - it would take me a lot of focus for me to keep track of all those belts....

That might be one of the reasons they were outlawed.  Make sure it is fully guarded.  The belts can be very dangerous.

[2Goober]

Your idea is the way I mounted mine only I used 4 pieces of all thread that went through the ceiling and supported the blower then I built a shelf with a large hole to support the super dust deputy. This setup has worked well for several years. Oh yeah, I also piped it through the wall into another room to get it out of my shop.