Baldwin shaper from estate sale

I will need help determining what kind of motor can be utilized on this machine with out tearing it apart/breaking it. Any thoughts on resources that can help with this?

How was it powered before you bought it? It looks like the belts go up to a line shaft: was the motor up on the post part of that setup?
You could always buy a steam engine. :)
 
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If it were me I would convert it back to original , just saying the thing is so cool
 
If you could find a period hand wheel about 12" dia. I'd think, from looking at the pictures the belt drive looks added but don't carve it in stone , it may have been an option or upgrade . Still there Kool , if YA want here's my picture of mine . It's federal but it's my pride n joy joyIMG_20171023_190904_855.jpg even tho I haven't touched it yet or cleaned it.
 
How was it powered before you bought it? It looks like the belts go up to a line shaft: was the motor up on the post part of that setup?
You could always buy a steam engine. :)

There were belts but no motor. I added the motor, which was found at the same sale. Unopened sears general 1/2 hp electric motor. 1700 rpms..
 
One idea is that you could build a new stand for the machine and drop the belts down to a motor "hidden" underneath. That way you
preserve the appearance of the old machine. Someone more knowledgable than I am will have to tell you if 1/2 HP is enough. My guess
is that you might need more. I'm also guessing that 1700 rpm will be too fast and that you'll need to gear it down. Someone around here must
have some experience with line shafts, or if you can figure out how fast the machine should run you could do the math.
 
One idea is that you could build a new stand for the machine and drop the belts down to a motor "hidden" underneath. That way you
preserve the appearance of the old machine. Someone more knowledgable than I am will have to tell you if 1/2 HP is enough. My guess
is that you might need more. I'm also guessing that 1700 rpm will be too fast and that you'll need to gear it down. Someone around here must
have some experience with line shafts, or if you can figure out how fast the machine should run you could do the math.
One idea is that you could build a new stand for the machine and drop the belts down to a motor "hidden" underneath. That way you
preserve the appearance of the old machine. Someone more knowledgable than I am will have to tell you if 1/2 HP is enough. My guess
is that you might need more. I'm also guessing that 1700 rpm will be too fast and that you'll need to gear it down. Someone around here must
have some experience with line shafts, or if you can figure out how fast the machine should run you could do the math.
 
I concur with No going back,to preserve the look of this old machine, It is too much of a very useful historical machine tool to alter, + being most useful, What I would do is rig up a gallows just behind the machine, having the countershaft pulley behind & above the three machine pulleys, your Baldwin looks to be a two belt machine, One belt" Open Belt " drives the table intowards the back of the machine, on the cutting stroke, i e, work proceeding towards the tool, The other belt the "Crossed Belt or Return Belt" having a twist set in it drives the table on the return stroke Out towards the front of the machine

If this little machine is confgured as I say, the two outer pulleys will be idlers on the shaft, & the inside pulley keyed, Thus doing the work, The belts parked & running on the outside pulleys when not cutting , but one of them engaged on the inner pulley depending on table direction when working, I would imagine from past experience, when I used to operate a much bigger machine equally ancient but similar ? design the speed of your pulleys should be about 80 revs /minute , But do a gear tooth count , Firstly call the gear on your belt pulley the first motion gear , The next count the teeth, second motion gear, & so on till you come to the little gear that drives the rack , usually it is configured as 1/1 ratio, Let me know the teeth count on each gear, Also move or turn the driving pulley by hand to see what direction the table moves, Usually the wheel moves towards the frontof the machine in rotation, The one thing to be carefully observed is that the belt forks push on the belts on the leading side of the belts ( The side which enters the pulley or pulling side)

I believe your 1/2 horse power motor should be strong enough, I will see if I can dredge up any further info.


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Your planer looks a lot like this on

e100_0828.JPG
Your Planer looks a lot like this one, according to Cope in "American Planer, Shaper and Slotters Builders" book this slotter was hand powered. The length of stroke was 20 inches. The one pictured above was a 40 inches and they were both possibly built around 1868 to 1874.
By 1874 they started making larger one that could be purchased with hand or belt power.
 
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