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Help needed upgrading the motor on an old Boice-Crane Joiner

sdean7855

Plastic
Joined
Aug 1, 2021
I have an old Boice-Crane 6" planer/joiner (apparently a Model 661-H) left me by my father who must have bought it in the 60s. It's is seriously under powered with a 3/4 HP electric motor which goes out on thermal overload if it gets pushed at all. I have a 2HP motor (correct RPMs and rotation, the same shaft diameter of 5/8") that I wish to swap in. The 3/4" motor has a 7" pulley (diecast by National Hardware Specialties, Ltd of Canada), the joiner a Congress diecast 2-1/2"-A pulley.

Some questions...please pardon my ignorance and allow for my utter cluelessness, also for my wish to do this on the cheap...I'm 74 living on SS..:

  • Will the Congress 2.5" pulley on my joiner be up to being driven by a 2HP motor or:
  • Do I need a cast iron pulley for the greater HP?
  • Do I need a bigger pulley on the joiner with that HP, as I am to understand that there are HP transfer limitation with so small a pulley?
  • If I need a bigger pulley on the joiner, then I need a bigger pulley on the motor (which I will have to replace anyway: I don't think a 7" die-cast pulley would stand up). If I go to an 8" pulley on the motor what size pulley would I need on the joiner?
  • If I can use commonly available 1/2" V belts, should a switch to two belt pulleys or can I get by with a more capable belt, either "A" or "AX" type, rather than the current 4L belt?
  • The current 3/4 HP motor is mounted on a swing pivot so that the weight of the motor tensions the belt. Will this work with the 2HP but heavier motor or will I need to do something else? The planer is mounted on a universal stand that is good enough but has no bottom platform for mounting the motor.

I appreciate any help or advice you can give me.
 
Hi,
The rotor should spin at 4000 to 5000 rpm, you'll have to choose the right diameter pulleys to suit the rpm on the motor you will mount.
Using aluminum or cast iron pulleys is rather a matter of durability of the pulleys; a 6" jointer will probably see only occasional use in a home shop so aluminum will be OK for the motor pulley; even a pulley made out of wood will do for the drive pulley, I've done that in the past using tropical hardwoods. If the small-diameter pulley in the rotor is the original one don't change it and find one for the motor that will give you the desired RPM; besides there are limits to the diameter of the rotor pulley which should not stick over the table.
Most of the vibration comes from irregularities in the belt, vibration tends to disappear with time but it is better to start with a good-quality belt that has not been stored in a figure-8 shape.
One of the attached photos is of a 6" Walker-Turner jointer using a 1HP 1400 rpm motor (50 Hz supply), a rather weak metal pulley is used but has worked for many nears. 1HP motor was originally mounted by the manufacturer. 003.jpg002.jpg001.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hi,
The rotor should spin at 4000 to 5000 rpm, you'll have to choose the right diameter pulleys to suit the rpm on the motor you will mount.
Using aluminum or cast iron pulleys is rather a matter of durability of the pulleys; a 6" jointer will probably see only occasional use in a home shop so aluminum will be OK for the motor pulley; even a pulley made out of wood will do for the drive pulley, I've done that in the past using tropical hardwoods. If the small-diameter pulley in the rotor is the original one don't change it and find one for the motor that will give you the desired RPM; besides there are limits to the diameter of the rotor pulley which should not stick over the table.
Most of the vibration comes from irregularities in the belt, vibration tends to disappear with time but it is better to start with a good-quality belt that has not been stored in a figure-8 shape.
One of the attached photos is of a 6" Walker-Turner jointer using a 1HP 1400 rpm motor (50 Hz supply), a rather weak metal pulley is used but has worked for many nears. 1HP motor was originally mounted by the manufacturer. View attachment 325928View attachment 325930View attachment 325931

I see you're using a notched belt, AX or BX....was thinking of that myself. Apparently they handle more HP. Also was thinking of going to a double groove pulley as seen in one of your pix.
 
My thanks to everyone. I've determined that the setup with my current 3/4HP 3450 RPM motor with a 7" drive pulley and 2.5" driven pulley is, well, way over-driven at nearly 10,000RPM according to thisPulley Calculator. RPM, Belt Length, Speed, Animated Diagrams.
Assuming the RPMs should not be beyond 5500 RPMs, I've settled on using a 4" driving pulley and a 2.5" driven pulley yielding 5520RPM. I'm going with 2 groove cast iron pulleys which seem not be be significantly higher in price than single groove pulley and AX40 belts.
Again, thanks to all
 








 
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