Straightening Propeller Shaft Material

[Dusty Stevens]

Is that a set tru chuck?

 

[PRR1957]

The push boat pictured posted in reply #19, is the propeller a direct drive from the engine, or is it a diesel/electric system ?

 

[jackieschmidt]

The push boat pictured posted in reply #19, is the propeller a direct drive from the engine, or is it a diesel/electric system ?

The prop is direct drive through a reduction gear that can be any where from 6 to 7.5 to one reduction. The gear also absorbs the thrust of the prop.

We have seen plans where one of customers is looking at a Diesel/electric. One advantage of the Diesel electric is the reduction gear does not have to incorporate a reverse gear, as the motor can reverse. However, cost is pretty substantial, and the entire system is much more complicated than a simple direct
drive,.
historically, inland Push Boats like to keep things as simple as possible.

 

[wbm]

Precision straightening is as much of an art as anything.

One of the fascinating stories out of WWII in the Pacific that I read was how local islanders could straighten out of balance prop shafts on our PT boats without modern machinery.

 

[GNERGY]

That's really fascinating what you do on such big pieces of steel. How do they bend them, run aground or hit logs in the water. That has to be a job to take them out to send them to you. Thanks for sharing.
Tarey

 

[jackieschmidt]

That's really fascinating what you do on such big pieces of steel. How do they bend them, run aground or hit logs in the water. That has to be a job to take them out to send them to you. Thanks for sharing.
Tarey

Inland push boats live a very abusive life. Most of the boats we work on run the coastal waterways, in particular the Intracoastal Canal. The water is rather brackish and tends to be very corrosive.

most damage to underwater running gear comes from getting wind bound and pushed to the banks, running over things that tend to just appear, and just plain wear and tear.

Drydocking boats is an every day affair in shipyards. It would amaze you how quickly they can put a boat on dry dock, drop the rudders, remove the wheels and take out the shafts.

Here is a boat we are working on now on dry dock at San Jac Marine in East Houston.