Steve Hall wrote:

Does anyone have any experience with Conversion Concepts, Inc
Engine Mounts for a Canard?? Pro or Con.

Thanks,

Steve

http://conversionconcepts.com/cozymk-iv.htm

Nice pictures on the well done web site. 

I am sure it will work but it needs some lateral bracing.
As it is now there is no lateral bracing and the tube
across the top where the mount fastens to the firewall
does nothing. There are other structural problems with
the mount. The two P51 type cantilevered tubing beams will 
work but they need to be  oriented in a vertical plain 
instead of tilted in at the top. A 1/4 scale 3/16" stick
balsa model will immediately reveal these problems if
moderate loads are applied to the model.

Also the front motor mounts are going along for the ride
as the rear mounts (in a pusher) are carrying 95% of the load.

The sandwich motor plate idea has one of two serious drawbacks. 
Either it is very heavy or it is very expensive to NC mill it out
like that. A solid 1/2 inch al plate 15" by 12" not counting
the ears would weigh 9 pounds if it were not milled out.
It cost several hundred dollars to mill it out. Not
including the cost of of the plate itself. At $3 a pound
it would be more than $36 including enough additional material 
for the ears. 

It could be replaced by a Schertz beam with $20 worth
of rectangular steel tubing. I don't know what the mount
cost but I have heard the number $800. Properly
designed without the motor plate the cost would be 
way less than this.

Another problem it is prone to oil leaks. You have twice
the joint area for the oil to leak around the pan. The engine
is vibrating on top of the motor mount so there is likely
to be more movement in the joint between engine and motor plate.

Fred Breeze is an enigma to me. I think he has been on here
for years. As far as I know not once has he asked a question
or discussed motor mount design. I am amazed he has not educated 
himself on space frame design long before this. There are plenty 
of engineering text books on the subject. My favorite is Analysis 
& Design of Flight Vehicle Structures by Braun.
 
Paul Lamar
 
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