bridgman

@Roger Pellett, 
 
Although I understand and agree to most of your post, there is one note. Steam Turbines are still used today. Up to 2012, new LNG carriers were still often built with steam turbines. That particular type of vessel required the boil-off gas to be burned in order to control the cargo tank pressures (and not vent it to the atmosphere, which they routinely did in the past). In order to burn that gas, a dual-fuel solution was needed and steam boilers provided just that. Each boiler has/had multiple burners with the choice for each burner to burn either natural gas or fuel. The equipment was generally Japanese, Mitsubishi Boilers and Mitsubishi or Kawasaki turbines. Generally a large turbine (one High Pressure, one Low Pressure and one Astern turbine mounted together)for propulsion and 3 turbo generators for power supply (backed-up by a diesel generator). Another advantage of this set-up was that, when not underway, a steam dump could be used, this steam dump allowed to burn gas, although there was no demand of steam. The steam would then simply be condensed and the energy given to the sea. 
With the advent of the much more efficient dual-fuel piston engines, the steam turbines went out of fashion. In order to get those piston engines working, they did need a way to control the tank pressure and that came in form of reliquefaction (very inefficient energy-wise) and Gas Combustion Units (GCU = basically a big flare in the funnel of those vessels). 
That said, the steam vessels are still around, although they come much cheaper (and therefore not very attractive for the owners) and are only used when the gas tanker market is tight. You also see them increasingly being used as storage units nowadays. 
In the past I actually did some operations with very old US built LNG tankers of the Aquarius class. All in all there are still quite some steam engineers around, although of course nowadays they are increasingly rare. 
 
Of course United States tech is indeed way behind on technology and renewing it would cost an arm and a leg. As you mentioned business and legal wise, it's probably not the best idea to even try this. 

Looks are however deceiving. Her appearance may not be too good now, but given a good sand blasting and coat of paint she'll look the part in no time. 
Perhaps she can be turned into a hotel. I recently slept on SS Rotterdam, an old liner in the port of Rotterdam. Part of the vessel was converted as a hotel, machinery spaces etc. can be visited (paid tour of course) and part of it simply off limits. I assume they try to reduce costs by limiting the amount of the vessel that is used. All in all an economical exercise, how many people do you expect to accommodate at any time and which features do you want to maintain. 

There is an old expression about a boat being a hole in the water into which you throw money.  Unfortunately, United States is just a bigger hole to fill.
 
IMHO there are engineering, business, and legal reasons preventing her from sailing again:
 
Business:  The passenger ship business seems to be aimed at two different demographics; at one end those that want to join 4999 others aboard a floating theme park/ 24-7 floating casino and at the other end those wanting a quiet experience aboard a small ship.  United States would seem to appeal to neither of these groups.  The United States, while a big ship carried 1000-2000 passengers. Fares would, therefore, be high, so she would have to tap into the small cruise ship market.  Would ongoing demand be high enough to allow her to book profitable passenger loads?
 
Engineering:  She is a steam ship!  Nobody, operates steamships any more.  She has a 900psi US Navy plant.  The only steam plants operated today in US Navy vessels are in nuclear powered vessels; different animals.  Her boilers, if they can even be brought back to life are equipped to burn bunker c oil, a nasty pollutant that the rest of the world is trying to eliminate from their merchant marine fleets. The state of the art today in marine engineering for passenger carrying vessels seems to be an integrated system where electricity from one source is distributed to both the propulsion system and the system supplying on board hotel services. This also allows use of electric driven trainable pods to improve maneuvering.  Even if it could be brought back to life, United States’ machinery is 70 years out of date.
 
Legal:  She is an American Flagged ship.  The Jones act would require her to be manned with an expensive American crew.  She could be reflagged under a flag of convenience; Liberia, Panama, Bahamas, etc. but would she then be the United States?
 
Better for whoever owns her to admit defeat and as Bob Cleek says turn her into razor blades.
 
Roger
 
 
 
 

Use canned clear shellac (about a 2 pound cut - Zinsser Bullseye brand or equivalent) to cause the line to stiffen. Shellac is dissolved in alcohol. As the alcohol evaporates, the shellac soaked into the line will begin to harden and the line can be formed into any shape. Once the shellac has dried (within minutes) the line will be stiff and hold whatever shape you have given it. If more working time is needed, simply apply additional alcohol and the shellac will soften again. 
 
Results example below. Coils made on a form consisting of map pins placed into a wooden base around which the coils were wound. Coils were installed on the model, softened with alcohol, and formed in place to depict normal hanging behavior of full-size line.

Don't forget that MSW is "Open" 24/7.  There are people who visit this site at all hours of the day and night.  There are also members who browse without logging in, so you don't see them, but they are there.  They have to eventually log in to see certain parts of MSW (the build logs, for example).  I think I've seen as many as 500 people logged in at once, but usually it's between 200 and 300.
 
Mary

Unfortunately, that color chart on the box is as good as it gets.   There is such a wide variation in wood color, a third party chart will not be any better.
 
If you are trying to identify the wood within the box, the amounts provided my be your best help to match it to the box chart.
 
In this case the lighter wood should definitely be the maple.
 
 

Ok, further with self-taught engineering. Many if not all concepts below are well known in the model sub world, I did not invent them! I want to have a final design of the water-tight compartment (WTC) and its connections to propellers and rudders because only then can I plan and make the required holes in the wooden hull and finish the hull.
 
The WTC will consist of three connected PVC pipes connected with 3D printed parts
- aft: 44mm ID with the motor, motor controller, and two servos for the rudders and diveplanes, 
- middle: a 69mm ID pipe with the  dive tank (a 60mm PVC tube), the receiver, the pump, a self-made valve as well as the ballast tank controller.
- bow: another 44 mm ID pipe with servo for front dive planes and the batteries.
 
These components will be housed in a techrack which is pulled out of the WTC. I’ve been designing these in Fusion360 and printing them on my 3D printer. The techrack will be mounted on four M3 rods to give it strength.

here on the left the aft WTC , connected to a printed bajonet (located on the “cut” in the boat in background), and then to the right the beginnings of the techrack and dive tank 

The dive tank (here left) has a water-in and air-out brass connection. The resistance between these is measured by the dive tank controller to determine if the tank is full. The pump is a 500ml/min gear pump, and since gear pumps are not closed, I’ve re-purposed a mini-servo to pinch the air-out tube closed so no water leaks in when pump is idle. A 40 MHz 8 channel receiver will be mounted here as well.

the rear WTC with motor axle sticking out (through a seal) and two o-ring holders for the pushrods to the planes and rudder. The motor drives a gearbox “in the wet” which drives two shafts and 30mm Raboesch props. The white printed part will be glued to the PVC pipe, but the motor can be unscrewed from the outside so that the rear techrack can be removed for maintenance. The screws must be sealed.
 

here the tank again with its controller forward. Many electrical and signal wires will pass over the tank (which will be inside the 69mm ID WTC).
 
finally, I did manage to do a little woodwork, the main rudder consists of two 0,3 mm brass sheets soldered to the 3mm shaft, and then covered with two layers of 1 mm boxwood on both sides. then sanded in shape. Also the future mount of the diveplanes is visible.

sorry for the technical stuff - subs are a technical game, but I will get to the nice part of making the conning tower later!

I find that an easy way is to scroll down to "Who's on line"   set the cursor on a red or pink? name.  A window should open.  Click on message, filling the blanks and type the message.
 

Unlike steam railroad locomotives, marine engineering practice required use of condensing engines for two reasons.  First, high pressure boilers did not tolerate salt water.  Scaling from salt deposits impeded heat transfer causing failure of  the boiler tubes.  Second, the development of the triple expansion engine, increasing thermal efficiency, required steam in the low pressure to be exhausted well below atmospheric pressure.
 
New York City harbor craft, however appear to be an exception to this rule.  In his excellent book, Tug Boats of New York City, (Photo caption page 85) author George Matteson writes:
"The white vapor emanating from the tug is exhaust steam, which indicates that it is equipped with a noncondensing engine.......  Most small harbor tugs were equipped with noncondensing engines to save expense and because clean fresh water was always available from city hydrants."
 
Railroad locomotives are subject to height restrictions from tunnels, bridges, etc.   These harbor craft were not.  the easiest way to increase boiler draft was to increase the height of the smoke stack with steam vented separately.  As with railroad locomotives, as steam technology matured, marine engineers worked to utilize every last BTU from fuel bought and paid for.  For sophisticated steam ship designs this lead to all sorts of waste heat recovery devices often located in the smoke stacks.  These harbor craft traveling very short distances did not require these complicated steam plants.

I agree that holly is indeed limited as to where it can be used effectively, but one of the things I love to make from holly are frames for ships boats and sometimes the planking as well.  If soaked for a few minutes in water, they bend like paper and hold their shape once dry.
Allan

 

All things to nothingness descend,
Grow old and die and meet their end,
Man dies, iron rusts, wood goes decayed,
Flowers fall, walls crumble, roses fade …
Nor long shall any name resound
Beyond the grave, unless 't be found
In some clerk's book, it is the pen
Gives immortality to men.                     (Author anonymous) 

Everything you need to know about gondole and other Venetian boats: https://www.veniceboats.com. Gilberto Penzo also has a little shop in Venice, where he sells his books, the plans and the kits he has designed.
 

Actually, in the 1960’s there was quite a bit of, for its time, high level Naval Architecture performed to optimize these towboats.  Propeller/Kort nozzle combinations, flanking rudders, and even tow sizes were all studied.
 
The University of Michigan operates the second largest experimental Naval Architecture Towing tank in the USA.  At 450+- feet long it is about half as long as the US Navy’s 1000’+ long tank.  As a student in the early 1960’s I remember a model towboat with various numbers and arrangements of barges being towed.  This would have been an expensive project and I don’t remember who the client was.  It could have been US Govt Maritime Commission.  Someone, however, spent a lot of money determining the optimal way to make up a tow.
 
Roger.

Yes, thank you for mentioning this! More exactly, every build log should have the member's exact username in the title. But some of our members are more "free-spirited" than others. 😉  Our build logs are currently getting some long-overdue attention to their formatting and tagging issues. There are thousands of them to check, so the task will take a while to complete.

Comparatively speaking, a container is fairly light. The heaviest containers are generally stowed low down, in the hold, rather than in the deck stacks. If the bridge was that vulnerable to collapse from a hit from a heavyweight container, I’d be more concerned every time a semi-truck jack-knifed (which happens waaayyy more frequently than a ship strike).
 
Andy

The axle goes through from side to side and should be flush with them.
 
I am not sure when this was instroduced, but sometime during the 19th century the bearing area was reinforced by diamond-shaped brass plaques that were recessed into the side (cheeks) of the blocks.
 
If the blocks were externally strapped with iron bands, these bands became the bearing surfaces.
 
Around the middle of the 19th century internally strapped blocks were introduced, where the wood just became a shell to prevent the metal from chafing rigging and sails. Internally strapped blocks have a higher load-bearing capacity than externally strapped ones, because the axles are supported right next to the sheaves.
 
In the course of the 19th century it also became less common for blocks to be made from single chunks of wood, but were built up from layers that were rivetted together using metal rivets. This made their mass production simpler, because no specialised machinery was needed. In 1802 the RN had adopted the complex block-making machinery invented by Brunel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Block_Mills). Some of the machines are preserved in the NMM and the Science Museum in London. They are the first examples of curve-controlled production machinery. 

I have a 4” Jarmac sander too and have encountered the same problems mentioned above plus both the “cross cut guide” and the sanding table are flimsy and require constant adjustment, but it works and I use it.   The Jarmac tools (there were Jarmac mini table saws too) were standard equipment in model shops in the 1970’s when large engineering firms made models of industrial installations.  These 3-D models made from project drawings were effective at checking for interferences between piping, equipment, and building structure.  3-D CAD modeling eliminated the need for these physical models.
 
There was nothing wrong with the Jarmac tools in their day.  Rather, the new tools are an indication of how things can improve overtime if someone has a goal to offer an improved product.  
 
Roger

Thank you for asking, Gary. 
 
 She's slowly getting better. It's not fast and furious but at times she's walking about the house independent of her walker and she's gaining some mobility in her left hand. Her mouth on the left side is still not cooperating like it needs to and seems to be that which is lagging the furthest behind in improvement, this affects her eating and speaking.
 
 Whereas with myself, life is moving at a fast and furious pace. It's one thing or another from 8 AM till 9 PM everyday. I wish I was younger, I wish I was a better cook, I wish a lot of things but it is what it is and one gets through this one hour at a time, one day at a time. 
 
 Thank you again, Gary and thank you to all of you for your continued prayers. The answer to prayer is the only reason we've made it this far!
 
 Keith

I've decided to pause my other projects since as a result of my stroke my memory has failed in some areas.  Mostly it's working but some things are gone forever like "how to plank" while other things are coming back to me.  So, after much thought, I've ordered the NRG Planking Project.   I've downloaded the manual and am reading through it.  The kit should be here this coming weekend.  

A very strong El Niño has given us a record winter; much above average temperatures and almost no snow. As a result, the SOO locks intend to open several days earlier than planned. Noteworthy this past month was the recent announcement of the discovery of the SS Arlington sunk in 600ft of water off Lake Superior’s  Kweanee Penninsula.  Arlington, sunk in 1940 shares several similarities with Benjamin Noble.  Both were close to the same size and were designed for the pulp wood trade.  Both were built by the same yard (five years apart). Arlington was loaded down with a late season grain cargo.  Heavy seas washed off hatch bars, tarpaulins, and la least one hatch failed entirely flooding her hold.
 
Work since my last post involved assembling the hatch covers on a backing piece of 1/64” plywood and fabrication of the hatch bars.  Wooden hatches float, so hatch bars were fastened atop to restrain them.  These were pieces of 3” steel angle bolted at the ends to padeyes attached to the deck.  For the model I used 1/32” square brass wire.  At each tip, I soldered a short piece of I/16” brass tubing.  A #75 hole through the top of the tube will accept the simulated hold down bolt.  A fussy detail requiring a frustrating amount of time.
 
Roger
 

Grainy, if there is such a word. Its no surprise as 3d printing of metal is termed "additive manufacturing". The process is done from grains of metal. It is generally done for very bespoke products and oft times it is more cost effective to machine the parts
 
This video gives a good overview about the process and why it can be expensive. That said, cost are coming down with basic machines now affordable to hobbyists. I'm certainly no expert but have bought sintered metal products in the past.
 
 

Great project, John!  Looking forward to following your progress.
 
It is interesting the way that the highly successful paddle steamer design migrated from the Mississippi River Basin to the West Coast.  American readers may remember the famous Delta Queen that cruised on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers into the 1990’s (?). Living in an Ohio River Town we could hear her steam calliope from our house each time she visited.  Although billed as an “Old South” river boat, she was built for and initially traveled on the US West Coast, in particular, the Sacramento River.  Her design resembles your Klondike rather than any than any Mississippi River Basin Steamer.  I believe that she is laid up somewhere in Tennessee.
 
Roger
 

I thought the Rockler digital model was cute, too, so I threw it in for grins and giggles, but the Luddite in me thinks its overkill. Some of the "analog" gauges have a scale on the shaft for setting measurements, but the Fine Woodworking article on marking gauges panned the scaled shaft marking gauges. Setting the center of a strip narrow enough to accommodate the length of the gauge's shaft makes eyeballing the centerline as I described a piece of cake. If the piece to be marked is too wide to permit that technique and the gauge must be set by measurement from a single side of the workpiece, it's easily set by a rule, a dimension bar, or a "fit piece" of the proper width. Alternately, if one has a caliper, the calipers can be set to indicate a "inside" diameter equivalent to the desired width of the marking gauge's mark and then the marking gauge can be set by physically comparing the outside jaw faces of the calipers to the fence and marking point (or "wheel") of the analog marking gauge. If one already has a digital caliper, the result will be every bit as accurate as the digital marking gauge at a lower price and without the issues attendant to the batteries and electronics of the digital model. An analog marking gauge promises to be a tool that will endure rough use for several lifetimes. The digital stuff... not so much. Everybody's mileage differs, of course. 
 
Yes, I agree that the larger marking gauges will be more cumbersome in use on small stuff. The smaller marking gauges I listed were chosen with that in mind. 
 
Without manually setting to the desired placement of the marked line using a rule or comparison "fit stick," none of the marking gauges I've ever seen will automatically center the resulting marked line.
 
 The "EZ Center Finder" you linked is a plastic version of the age-old method of finding a center boatbuilders make with a stick with a hole in it and a couple of nails driven equidistant from the center of the hole. They work fine on larger pieces of stock, but the results are dependent upon the user's ability to simultaneously hold the pencil in the hole, keep both guide posts firmly against the sides of the plank, and slide it down the workpiece, which is akin to patting your head, rubbing your stomach, and chewing gum at the same time. Both sides of the workpiece must be straight and equidistant from each other at any point on the line or the line won't be straight. They're great for working with round stock like full-size spars when boatbuilding because the "guide posts" can be extended down to run on the widest part of the rounded spar and even if the spar is tapered, as they often are, you will still get a straight midline mark, which is when the gadget really comes into its own.  If one were to try to turn quarter-inch wide strip wood into eighth-inch wide strip wood, these widgets work a lot better in theory than in practice! Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.  
 
A set of proportional dividers would be great for determining the center point as well.  That said, if the reason Stuntflyer wants "to draw center lines down half-inch to quarter-inch strip wood," is to cut strips in half, I think I'd avoid the trouble of marking the workpiece at all and just use the micrometer to set the fence on my Byrnes saw and just "let'er rip!"  

Just about any type of the self-healing mats will work, In the US they are available from craft stores, and Walmart. Generally they are in the sewing section. Hobby stores should also carry them. My present one is 12X18". I also have a thick plate glass ex-shelf, that I use. This tends to dull my blades quicker than the plastic mats. It does make a good flat surface for assembling models though. The glass plate is also nice, in that you can slip a drawing under it, while modeling for reference. No worry about damaging the drawing, or photo, while also making sure it stays in place.

Building ship models can involve solving such a wide rage of problems that it really depends on what you’re trying to do.  
 
For gluing wood to wood commonly available PVA glue; the yellow stuff.  Elmer’s, Titebond, both work fine. Possibly other brands too.  IMHO, it’s all the same stuff.  Requires clamping pressure.
 
Special gluing problems like lightly loaded or interlocking metal to wood joints: Nitrocellulose based glue. Nitrocellulose based clear fingernail polish works great.  It also works for wood-wood joints where clamping pressure cannot be applied.  Duco is its the same stuff, just thicker.
 
For larger wood metal joints, Epoxy.  I especially like JB Weld, it’s easy to squeeze out a couple of blobs and mix.  Eyeball can judge 1:1 proportions.
 
CA Glues:  Don’t use!!
 
Roger
 

When I was 3 or 4 years old my father was building a 23ft L. Francis Herreshoff sloop in our side yard.  This generated a lot of scrap lumber that he turned into a large bag of building blocks.  I enjoyed them for years thereafter.  No Legos.
 
Roger