Re: [Cal_Boats] how scuba tanks are made Hydraulics and Precision

3 messages2007-12-04 18:18 UTCthrough 2007-12-05 04:31 UTC

Re: [Cal_Boats] how scuba tanks are made Hydraulics and Precision

Donald Dutton2007-12-04 18:18 UTC

I have to echo Mr. Campbell's remarks below -- the incredible ability to machine and manipulate materials today is something to behold. I have two quick instances to add to this discussion: 1) To truly witness the power of hydraulics at work, get yourself to an oil well drilling rig. I was the geophysicist on a 17,000+ foot well in central Texas and it was truly awesome to watch the rig operator deal with balancing the load on a drill bit that was turning over 3 miles below the surface and over 17 turns behind the turntable on the floor of the rig. The hydraulic crane was actually holding over 30,000 pounds of weight OFF of the bit to keep the drill pipe weight from crushing it and, at the same time, turning the whole string at a constant RPM. 2) As to my boat -- there was a fellow who will always hold my admiration who stepped and un-stepped masts at Morgan Marina in New Jersey. He was "slow" and quiet. He would study a mast for a few minutes with a cup of coffee in his hand, and then rig his lifting straps to the mast in the perfect spot every time. He used a 30 some year old crane whose balky valves he knew perfectly, and set my mast through the deck opening with precision and skill that I have never witnessed since. A true craftsman at work. Don Dutton, Cal 33 "Quantum Evolution" From: Chris Campbell <cl… [at] charterinternet.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 10:15:48 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] how scuba tanks are made. Fin Beven wrote: Here are a couple of video clips on You Tube showing how scuba tanks are made. It's interesting that a steel cylinder needs three draws, but an aluminum cylinder is so malleable that it extrudes in one draw. Well, anyhoo watch these interesting videos. Aluminum http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=qAgSU6BCpsY Steel http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=EzVogfVxXPc&feature=related Thanks for sending those--very interesting, and especially because it reminds me of how much we take common objects for granted. Devices requiring skilled manufacturing procedures are all around us and we hardly notice. I occasionally think about it when observing hydraulically- powered heavy equipment. An old family friend, now deceased, had started his work life operating steam cranes, with cables and drums and clutches to activate them, and he ended his work career servicing hydraulic stuff (after he had caught the owner's eye by restoring a steam shovel for him and demonstrating in his late 70s a work ethic not found in guys in their 30s). At any rate, when the boat yard steps my mast, placing the foot of the mast right exactly on the deck-mounted plate via hydraulic power, I remember the old mechanical device with its sticky and slipping clutches that made mast work a real adventure when we first got the boat. Making matters more exciting, the only guy in the yard who could run the balky thing had a certain fondness for drink that was quite evident. And I always think about that family friend who knew steam and drums and clutches, a very old and obsolete technology now. Chris Campbell

Lets see how a mast and boom is made

Paulson2007-12-05 01:48 UTC

I would like to see how the mast and boon is extruded Dave Paulson Cal 334 Allergia Channel Islands Ca ----- Original Message ----- From: Donald Dutton To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 10:18 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] how scuba tanks are made Hydraulics and Precision I have to echo Mr. Campbell's remarks below -- the incredible ability to machine and manipulate materials today is something to behold. I have two quick instances to add to this discussion: 1) To truly witness the power of hydraulics at work, get yourself to an oil well drilling rig. I was the geophysicist on a 17,000+ foot well in central Texas and it was truly awesome to watch the rig operator deal with balancing the load on a drill bit that was turning over 3 miles below the surface and over 17 turns behind the turntable on the floor of the rig. The hydraulic crane was actually holding over 30,000 pounds of weight OFF of the bit to keep the drill pipe weight from crushing it and, at the same time, turning the whole string at a constant RPM. 2) As to my boat -- there was a fellow who will always hold my admiration who stepped and un-stepped masts at Morgan Marina in New Jersey. He was "slow" and quiet. He would study a mast for a few minutes with a cup of coffee in his hand, and then rig his lifting straps to the mast in the perfect spot every time. He used a 30 some year old crane whose balky valves he knew perfectly, and set my mast through the deck opening with precision and skill that I have never witnessed since. A true craftsman at work. Don Dutton, Cal 33 "Quantum Evolution" ----- Original Message ---- From: Chris Campbell <cl… [at] charterinternet.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 10:15:48 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] how scuba tanks are made. Fin Beven wrote: Here are a couple of video clips on You Tube showing how scuba tanks are made. It's interesting that a steel cylinder needs three draws, but an aluminum cylinder is so malleable that it extrudes in one draw. Well, anyhoo watch these interesting videos. Aluminum http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=qAgSU6BCpsY Steel http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=EzVogfVxXPc&feature=related Thanks for sending those--very interesting, and especially because it reminds me of how much we take common objects for granted. Devices requiring skilled manufacturing procedures are all around us and we hardly notice. I occasionally think about it when observing hydraulically- powered heavy equipment. An old family friend, now deceased, had started his work life operating steam cranes, with cables and drums and clutches to activate them, and he ended his work career servicing hydraulic stuff (after he had caught the owner's eye by restoring a steam shovel for him and demonstrating in his late 70s a work ethic not found in guys in their 30s). At any rate, when the boat yard steps my mast, placing the foot of the mast right exactly on the deck-mounted plate via hydraulic power, I remember the old mechanical device with its sticky and slipping clutches that made mast work a real adventure when we first got the boat. Making matters more exciting, the only guy in the yard who could run the balky thing had a certain fondness for drink that was quite evident. And I always think about that family friend who knew steam and drums and clutches, a very old and obsolete technology now. Chris Campbell

Re: [Cal_Boats] Mast Stepping(Don)

david dobbs2007-12-05 04:31 UTC

Don, Mast stepping is an art, best learned by good instruction. My club has a "gin pole" which we use for stepping, and unstepping. Our club steward operates the facility, with much skill. He is never in a hurry. He gives directions to the boat crew, and everything proceeds at a moderate pace. He learned from our former steward, who was really good. But now he's really good. Practice makes perfect. We were lucky to get him, and hope that we can keep him. We are a small club, but we have realized the value of having a full-time steward. Yes, we pay our steward year round, even though we are only sailing from April to October. He lives in an apartment at the club, and only works 10 hours a week in the off-season, just enough to keep the club clean. During the season he is very busy. In winter he gets to relax a little. Our club is active in winter, we have Sea Scout meetings, CG Aux classes, movie nights on Friday, and who knows what else. I started out talking about mast stepping, but kind of morphed to what makes my yacht club a place that people want to belong to. It's all about sailing. David Dobbs Cal29 411 Donald Dutton <dn… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: I have to echo Mr. Campbell's remarks below -- the incredible ability to machine and manipulate materials today is something to behold. I have two quick instances to add to this discussion: 1) To truly witness the power of hydraulics at work, get yourself to an oil well drilling rig. I was the geophysicist on a 17,000+ foot well in central Texas and it was truly awesome to watch the rig operator deal with balancing the load on a drill bit that was turning over 3 miles below the surface and over 17 turns behind the turntable on the floor of the rig. The hydraulic crane was actually holding over 30,000 pounds of weight OFF of the bit to keep the drill pipe weight from crushing it and, at the same time, turning the whole string at a constant RPM. 2) As to my boat -- there was a fellow who will always hold my admiration who stepped and un-stepped masts at Morgan Marina in New Jersey. He was "slow" and quiet. He would study a mast for a few minutes with a cup of coffee in his hand, and then rig his lifting straps to the mast in the perfect spot every time. He used a 30 some year old crane whose balky valves he knew perfectly, and set my mast through the deck opening with precision and skill that I have never witnessed since. A true craftsman at work. Don Dutton, Cal 33 "Quantum Evolution" ----- Original Message ---- From: Chris Campbell <cl… [at] charterinternet.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 10:15:48 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] how scuba tanks are made. Fin Beven wrote: Here are a couple of video clips on You Tube showing how scuba tanks are made. It's interesting that a steel cylinder needs three draws, but an aluminum cylinder is so malleable that it extrudes in one draw. Well, anyhoo watch these interesting videos. Aluminum http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=qAgSU6BCpsY Steel http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=EzVogfVxXPc&feature=related Thanks for sending those--very interesting, and especially because it reminds me of how much we take common objects for granted. Devices requiring skilled manufacturing procedures are all around us and we hardly notice. I occasionally think about it when observing hydraulically- powered heavy equipment. An old family friend, now deceased, had started his work life operating steam cranes, with cables and drums and clutches to activate them, and he ended his work career servicing hydraulic stuff (after he had caught the owner's eye by restoring a steam shovel for him and demonstrating in his late 70s a work ethic not found in guys in their 30s). At any rate, when the boat yard steps my mast, placing the foot of the mast right exactly on the deck-mounted plate via hydraulic power, I remember the old mechanical device with its sticky and slipping clutches that made mast work a real adventure when we first got the boat. Making matters more exciting, the only guy in the yard who could run the balky thing had a certain fondness for drink that was quite evident. And I always think about that family friend who knew steam and drums and clutches, a very old and obsolete technology now. Chris Campbell --------------------------------- Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.