Motor Mounts mounting!??

[Michael LydonParticipant @michaellydon81318]

Hi,

I have two 600 size motors on motor mounts to go into a MTB. I have used an alignment tool to set up the angle and position of each and built plinths for them from 1/8" balsa. Basically can anyone confirm that the balsa is a suitable material or should I ben these and use a harder wood?

Thanks in advance………….

[Michael LydonParticipant @michaellydon81318]

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

You really need a material which is hard enough to accept screws and which won't crush or distort under pressure. Balsa also soaks up water like blotting paper if you don't protect it properly. Also avoid MDF and interior ply. I'd use marine ply.

DM

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I like beech. Close grain, and i have a handy stack of small beech stair treads. Nuff said.

I also use pine, and 4mm roundhead self tappers, Drill pilot holes and run the screws in and out a bit, need to have a bit more meat though as obviously it is not as hard as beech. The slightly larger screws (assuming there is room) have more bite than smaller woodscrews , and I have a handy stock of these as well, having made several underwater things on which the hatches were fastened down with 4mm screws..

Ashley

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

If I really have to use a motor mount, balsa is handy provided suitable precautions are taken. Having mounted the mount and screwed it down, I use the screw holes as a guide and enlarge the holes to take a machine screw head each. Then fill with epoxy, drop the screws in head first, grease the mount to avoid glueing it down and sit it in place until the epoxy has set. The balsa can then be given a bath in wet rot wood treatment. This converts it into a lump of hard plastic with wood grain. The motor mount can be fixed with nuts run down onto what are now studs.

[Michael LydonParticipant @michaellydon81318]

Thanks Malcolm, I opted for making new ones from marine ply so they are nice and sturdy now.

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