Big Ship Repair Job For Our Shop

[jdh47]

In machining a new shaft of that size you have a whale of a lot of scrap metal. Could the old shaft be used for a shorter shaft on another job? Your work is pretty amazing and I only wish I was young enough to do it. There's a lot to learn there. It's fascinating to me.
Wish you could've bought the old Cincinatti Radial that was up for auction here a few years back. It had a 3' column. They had to take the building down before they could move it. Rigging a machine that size would've been fun; if you had the right equipment.

 

[DocCarbon]

Must have been one hell of a vibration with the prop shaft looping in that bearing housing !.

Groves in the rubber are for allowing the lubrication ,Water in the case of a prop shaft . The solid pads of rubber are designed to center and absorb minute prop vibrations . I remember when they used Lignum Vitae for water prop bearings .

 

[jackieschmidt]

In machining a new shaft of that size you have a whale of a lot of scrap metal. Could the old shaft be used for a shorter shaft on another job? Your work is pretty amazing and I only wish I was young enough to do it. There's a lot to learn there. It's fascinating to me.
Wish you could've bought the old Cincinatti Radial that was up for auction here a few years back. It had a 3' column. They had to take the building down before they could move it. Rigging a machine that size would've been fun; if you had the right equipment.

As to using older material to make something new, it’s all about being cost affective. If there is more work involved in prepping a piece for another use than simply stating out with a new piece, then yes, it is done.

In truth, we do not get that many failures like the one in this thread. We have customers that we have been doing work for for four decades. They have shafts in vessels that we have rebuilt countless times. As long as you pay attention to areas that require attention and keep the exposed areas of the shafts protected, failures are not that common.

As with most things, following proven procedures and not cutting corners is paramount.

You mentioned young enough to do it. I’m 75, and while I do not do what I used to do on physical side of things, I do catch myself doing more than I probably should.

Here is our largest Radial Drill. We use it just about every day. We have two smaller, but this one stays the businest.

 

[DocCarbon]

As to using older material to make something new, it’s all about being cost affective. If there is more work involved in prepping a piece for another use than simply stating out with a new piece, then yes, it is done.

In truth, we do not get that many failures like the one in this thread. We have customers that we have been doing work for for four decades. They have shafts in vessels that we have rebuilt countless times. As long as you pay attention to areas that require attention and keep the exposed areas of the shafts protected, failures are not that common.

As with most things, following proven procedures and not cutting corners is paramount.

You mentioned young enough to do it. I’m 75, and while I do not do what I used to do on physical side of things, I do catch myself doing more than I probably should.

Here is our largest Radial Drill. We use it just about every day. We have two smaller, but this one stays the businest.View attachment 1341160

Might I inquire as to what those items are in the lower left of this photo ? Appear to be some sort of sheave pivots except I see what appears to be a key way ?.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Must have been one hell of a vibration with the prop shaft looping in that bearing housing !.

Groves in the rubber are for allowing the lubrication ,Water in the case of a prop shaft . The solid pads of rubber are designed to center and absorb minute prop vibrations . I remember when they used Lignum Vitae for water prop bearings .

We had a small ship come on Drydock a number of years that still had Lignum Vitae Staves in the stern tube. It had about a 16 inch diameter shaft around 12 feet long with bronze liners shrunk on.

The bearing bearing staves were pretty much wore out, (they said it was over 30 years old), and they were looking for replacements, which were non existent.

We suggested align boring the existing stats back round and straight, then installing a larger bronze liner on the shaft.

They went for it. That Lignum Vitae machined quite well, and after all of the years, still had a oily texture to it. I used a REX AAA high speed steel tool with a severe positive rake. We used that grade because you could polish a very sharp cutting edge.

That is the only time we ever encountered a shaft bearing made from Lignum Vitae.

Lignum vitae - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jackieschmidt]

Might I inquire as to what those items are in the lower left of this photo ? Appear to be some sort of sheave pivots except I see what appears to be a key way ?.

Those are tiller arms for a new push boat. That is what attaches to the top of the rudder post and causes it to turn. One of the pins is for a hydraulic ram, the other for a jockey bar that connects the rudders.A typical boat will have six, that being one for each of the four flanking rudders and two for the main rudders.

We build most of the items involved in steering and underwater running gear.

here is what they look like installed.

 

[DocCarbon]

We had a small ship come on Drydock a number of years that still had Lignum Vitae Staves in the stern tube. It had about a 16 inch diameter shaft around 12 feet long with bronze liners shrunk on.

The bearing bearing staves were pretty much wore out, (they said it was over 30 years old), and they were looking for replacements, which were non existent.

We suggested align boring the existing stats back round and straight, then installing a larger bronze liner on the shaft.

They went for it. That Lignum Vitae machined quite well, and after all of the years, still had a oily texture to it. I used a REX AAA high speed steel tool with a severe positive rake. We used that grade because you could polish a very sharp cutting edge.

That is the only time we ever encountered a shaft bearing made from Lignum Vitae.

Lignum vitae - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

As I was a purveyor of exotic woods for one of the Country's largest Hardwood concerns , early on in my career , I'm very familiar with it . Matter of fact I've a sizable chunk which sets on MY desk accompanied by other rarer species . They're old friends reminding Me of My past .

 

[DocCarbon]

Those are tiller arms for a new push boat. That is what attaches to the top of the rudder post and causes it to turn. One of the pins is for a hydraulic ram, the other for a jockey bar that connects the rudders.A typical boat will have six, that being one for each of the four flanking rudders and two for the main rudders.

We build most of the items involved in steering and underwater running gear.

here is what they look like installed.

View attachment 1341173

Excellent Thank You ; So Mississippi Mudders River Barge pushers . I was thinking it was related to a Z Drive steering system .

I'm much more knowledgeable about Jets V drives and Arneson drives ,as I used to build and repair pleasure craft as well as Working Boats . Largest Wooden Ship I ever worked on was a #3 masted barquentine aka Barque , a Square rigged down in San Diego ,CA. decades ago *. Was on that damn thing for 5 months ,plank on frame fastening and cotton pine tar caulking ,what a thankless task that is !.
I also did Composite epoxy and fiberglass boats and mold work . As I had a full working shop and really good access to exotic woods along with an enormous steamer , we used to cut smaller footage yachts and add 20-45 ft. to a number of Sailing as well as motor vessels .
*On that Barque we must of done a pretty fair restoration ,as the owner took a sizable party to Tahiti on it ,then sold it there . Came back with a sizable bank account and proceeded to buy a nursing home and then another and on and on . He ended up a very wealthy man ,unfortunately Died last year . Gary and I were school mates .

 

[ebb]

My dad was moved from the Clinch River valley so the TVA could build Norris dam and he knew a bunch of the guys that wee on the construction crew. They told him the under water bearings on the turbines are Lignum Vitae. I am guessing but they may be even bigger than prop shafts

 

[jackieschmidt]

Here is the rudder arrangement on a typical Push Boat.

There are two flanking rudders forward of each prop and a main rudder aft of each pro.

This is a 2600 HP vessel we did a major drydocking on about a month ago.
steering rudder aft of each prop.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Here is the rudder arrangement on a typical Push Boat.

There are two flanking rudders forward of each prop and a main rudder aft of each pro.

This is a 2600 HP vessel we did a major drydocking on about a month ago.
View attachment 1341268View attachment 1341269steering rudder aft of each prop.

Jackie are those magnets that have do not paint on them?

 

[Old Navy]

Probably anodes.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Probably anodes.

^^^^^^^^
specifically zinc anodes. They cut down on electrolysis eating away at the steel hull.
Galvanic corrosion is particularly severe in the brackish coastal waters of the Intra Coastal Waterway System were many of our customers operate.

 

[Brians356]

What size cans of Dykem do you buy?

Is the bearing flush water drawn out of the pond, and salty?

Who makes most of the propellers? Are they stainless steel? (I recall props used to be bronze alloy.)

An old hermit antique furniture restorer gave me a stick of Lignum Vitae when I was a kid. You could light a corner of it with a match and it would burn slow like a candle indefinitely, the oil bubbling up to the low flame.
-

 

[DocCarbon]

Anodes; Zinc is used in salt or brackish water ,Magnesium in freshwater . Aluminum can also be used but Not recommended on Aluminum boats . Anodes are sacrificial metals to absorb self induced and stray electrical current ,their known as active metals . Used so as to stave off current corrosion of less active metals generally the boat or ships hull and any metal associated with it . Props or their shafts also carry anodes for the same purpose .

Just in case anyone wanted to know that

 

[Old Navy]

Anodes; Zinc is used in salt or brackish water ,Magnesium in freshwater . Aluminum can also be used but Not recommended on Aluminum boats . Anodes are sacrificial metals to absorb self induced and stray electrical current ,their known as active metals . Used so as to stave off current corrosion of less active metals generally the boat or ships hull and any metal associated with it . Props or their shafts also carry anodes for the same purpose .

Just in case anyone wanted to know that

Don't forget the one in the water heater of your RV.

 

[DocCarbon]

Don't forget the one in the water heater of your RV.

I forgot the RV ,My Bad .

 

[ebb]

Tell them the company logo!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Anodes; Zinc is used in salt or brackish water ,Magnesium in freshwater . Aluminum can also be used but Not recommended on Aluminum boats . Anodes are sacrificial metals to absorb self induced and stray electrical current ,their known as active metals . Used so as to stave off current corrosion of less active metals generally the boat or ships hull and any metal associated with it . Props or their shafts also carry anodes for the same purpose .

Just in case anyone wanted to know that

I wonder if anything like that could be used on galvanized pipe in water wells. On windmill water pipes were the brass cylinder connects to the galvanized pipe, is where we see a corrosive reaction. Wrapping this with black electric tape seems to help some.

 

[Old Navy]

I wonder if anything like that could be used on galvanized pipe in water wells. On windmill water pipes were the brass cylinder connects to the galvanized pipe, is where we see a corrosive reaction. Wrapping this with black electric tape seems to help some.

Do you have galvanized pipe on both sides of the brass cylinder?