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I Forge Iron

Big 50, Thought this was worth posting...


frankyluckman

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If they didn't have one, they made one or adapted existing machinery and methods,

Don't forget these machines are made of component parts (even though they are quite large parts) and then assembled.

Look at pictures of some of the old steel works to see the sizes of machinery being used,

I can remember going around the works in Sheffield (UK) in the 1950's and there were lathes that were part of the floor of the building with multi travelling crosslides that could cope with 16 foot diameters and 100 foot lengths, (and possibly longer)

Each had operators on whose job was just to sit on a chair all their shift, watching in case the tool snipped and wanted changing, the tool change if necessary was done without stopping the machine, the machine ran 24 hours a day.

And of course the cranage required to move components about was pretty impressive too.

The didn't do rpm they worked on rph, with turnings coming off the size of house bricks a lovely blue colour.

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I've just got to comment that another 'wow' on this, is the images themselves. Those are quality scans from original 4x5 negatives. If you made a large print off of them, you could tell what kind of sandwich some guy in the background was eating. :D

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Its really too bad our nation doesn't make things like this anymore. Sad when you think about it. Its wonderful its up and running. I saw the lathe they use at the Newport News ship yard to turn the propeller shafts for the big ships. Carriers, huge freighters and the like. At the time it was the biggest machine I had ever seen up close. Quite a sight. From what I understand its the only one like it in the US. If it goes down I don't know what the Navy will do for large propeller shafts. I was stationed there for a while. I was commisioning crew on board the USS Mississippi CGN-40

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  • 11 months later...

Cool, however all these years on and it would seem like the Germans "still" have the edge! despite all the efforts of the allies.

I wonder how much heavier it gets with each coat of paint? B)

It is really sad that we do not have these manufacturing capabilities in the USA today.  Maybe someday in the future we will again.

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  • 5 months later...

well its great to the the old girl still got it in her,  and they re fit it , it make my 1000 tonner look like a toy, and i thought my baby was great  , but if they ever decide to scrap it i make an offer but my generator will have a heart attack trying to run  that babies motors  

 

 good  to see that SOME U S A COMPANYS HAVE STILL GOT THE BRAINS TO KEEP GOING 

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  • 5 weeks later...

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