A motor mount assembly for a milling tool, in particular a clamshell lathe, wherein the motor mount assembly has a housing that is secured to a stationary ring of the lathe and a drive gear rotatably journaled in the housing and in operative contact with gearing on a rotatable ring of the lathe that carries a cutting tool. The drive gear is operatively axially supported internally by both the drive shaft of the motor as well as by a portion of the motor mount assembly housing in order to provide a durable, long wearing motor mount assembly.
