Slab roller retrofit - part four

My last post ended with the motor belt being too loose, so I had to figure out how to add some tension to it. My good friend Dan pointed out that I could simply slide the motor off to one side, thus increasing the distance between the two pulleys.


Yup.. but wouldn't that have made it too simple?


So I removed the shelf and experimented with a few different thicknesses of shelf material, to come up with the right spacing.


Making sure everything is lined up properly.


I had to remove the old shelf and make a new one, with an extension on it, to mount the motor. That meant taking the leg off (again) and sliding the old shelf out, and the new one in place. Here's the new shelf.

Yes, if you're paying attention, it's upside down. (The countersinks should be on the bottom.)

Of course, I noticed that before I bolted the leg back on. Not.


Here is the new shelf, right side up, in place.

It might look simple, but it took me a few days to do all this work. Although it sounds like a luxury, having two studios is a pain. I always find myself in need of a tool that's at the other studio, or needing to cut something when I'm not near the proper tools.

Oy, it's always something.

I knew that even with the new shelf cut, the motor was going to be a tad too low, so I decided to lift it up by placing a fat washer underneath each mounting hole.


The best way to accomplish this is with a big cup of coffee, a nice assortment of washers and bolts, and some patience.

After a little experimenting, I decided one fat washer underneath each mounting hole was all it needed.

Bolted in place.


The suspense is killing me. I want to get this baby cranking.