Monday, June 28, 2010

14-18 June, 21-25 June Roundin Third

Starting forward, the side plate and bottom plate on compartment 1 has been fitted up. The side plate has been faired into the original head log plate which still had decent thickness. The original bow rake plate was less than a quarter inch thick so the new plate is lapped over it forward. Plug welds will help secure the new plate to the original. Work continues with the internal structure as there are several frames which are made up of angles with greater than 90 degree angles. These have to be specially bent as standard angle are 90 degrees.

The internal repairs in compartment number 3 are completed. The two hogging chain posts which rest in compartment 3 were cut off above the foundation shoe as the fixture at the top of the post was quite complicated and would have involved some dismantling of the stacks. The reason for taking out the lower section of the hogging chain post was for the replacement of the Z-bar which forms the base for the shoe and is also the lower chord of the girder in the outboard compartments. There was extensive Z-bar replacement. The lower cutout section of the posts were replaced with the residual material left from the hogging chain replacment in compartment 4. The bottom plate for number 3 was slid under the compartment last Friday, the 25th.

The internal repairs of compartment 5 are by far the most numerous and complicated. In typical welded ship construction, longitudinal bulkheads are welded to longitudinal stringers. In the SNYDER, the bulkheads are attached to the transverse frames and the bottom shell plating with an intercostal gusset. The intercostal (not coastal) gusset looks like a Kleenex box with the top and one side removed. The side is riveted to the bulkhead, the bottom to the shell plate, and the ends to the leg of the frames. The gusset depth is higher that the frame leg so that the gusset ends are also riveted to the adjacent gusset ends. These were badly deteriorated in compartment 5 and at last count 42 of them are to be installed. Another structure which is more complicated than most is a rolled knuckle frame. This is an angle frame which is bent into the radius of the bilge knuckle. Obviously this take a pretty husky machine to make these bends. Compartment 5 will require the replacement of 16 of these. Still further, there was a large number of frames that were set up and could not be drawn down. These have to be cut out and replaced. There is also extensive channel replacement to be done in the outboard compartments.

The deteriorated thresholds into the side doors of the engineroom room which were the source of so much deterioration in the outboard compartments below have been cut out. The deterioration of the deck has extended back under the high pressure cylinder of each each engine. The port side is mostly completed.

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Monday, June 14, 2010

7-11 June The Beat goes on

All of the overlay and bottom plate has been removed from compartments 1, 3 and 5. Extensive frame, bulkhead, Z-bar, and channel restoration is ongoing. These compartments had the most internal structural elements that needed replacement.

A plan for the replating around the head log has evolved and a side plate has been hung on the port side of number 1 and smaller plates are being faired in.

The thresholds to the engine room doors on the forward end of the engine room have been cut out. The deterioration of the plating is more exxtensive then first thought as there was loose plate covering the holes in the deck. The deck beams and gussets below the thresholds are all being replaced.

It is anticipated that the botom plate for number 1 compartment will be started on the 15th.

There was an article about the SNYDER in the Ironton Tribune on Sunday. A link to the article is:
 http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2010/jun/13/glory-days-return/

Monday, June 7, 2010

1-4 June Big LIft II

The yard did not work on Monday Memorial Day.

Tuesday morning the lifting blocks and jacks were in place on the starboard side. The vessel was lifted by the end of the first shift. The blocks were shifted and the vessel lowered by the end of the second shift.

Work was started on clearing out the overlay on compartments 1 and 3. I ran a laser transit on Wenesday evening and there was no significant distortion. By Friday, all of the overlay was off of compartment 3 and about half of the original plate. The tow knee gussetts have been removed  and a plan developed for replicating them. The false bow was removed and aside from some repairs, it should not have to be replated.

The head log plating is severely pitted but extends down about 2 feet from under the curl. It is not thick enough to butt weld. Instead, the new bottom plate will be lapped over the head log plate and brought up to the point of the overlay. The new plate will also be plug welded to the head log plate. By bring the new plate up to the curl, the new plate will act as a barrier to the head log plate as the head of the vessel is pointed up river on the Muskigum and faces the current. This ceates a greater proability of pitting.

Compartments 1,3 and 5 require the most internal repairs. Compartment 1 due to water coming in the hatches. Number 3 due to bottom set-ups and some leaks. The was about 200 pounds of cement that was taken out of number 3 inboard compartments on the bottom. Compartment 5 outboard on both sides are the worst due to water coming in from the leaking threshholds on both the side doors to the engine room.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

24-28 May The Big Lift

The beginning of the week saw the completion of the knuckles on number 2 compartment as well as attachments of the new plating to the internal structure. Work was started on the port outboard towing knee. The first of the enclosures for the rudder gugeons was fitted up. After several days of discussion, it was decided to lift the SNYDER on its side in order to move the blocks to a new position. This was determined to be time saving. Three forty foot long 12 inch I-beams supported by 10 100 ton jacks would lift the side about 2 inches. The lift would be about 420 short tons. Calculations showed that there would be less pressure using the I-beams than was being exerted by the existing blocks. Wednesday saw the auxiliary blocks being moved in to place on the port side. Thursday morning the jacks were placed and the beams lifted up into place. Thursday afternoon, the vessel was lifted succesfully. The second shift moved the blocks to their new position. Friday was spent lowering the vessel back down. This was accomplished by the end of the first shift. The second shift moved all the lifting gear to the starboard side for the second lift on Tuesday. The yard was closed on Monday, Memorial Day.