Friday morning. Dave drives Bob to Hunter's point Naval Shipyard
to work on Project 2472. The assignment: install the superheater tubes. Personnel:
Bob (dilettante), Dave (master Margarita mixer) and Ralph (volunteer fork-lift
operator).
What is Project 2472, you ask? I'll tell you. No, I'll make you go find out
on the GGRM
web site...
Back, are you? Well now, the picture to the right is looking into the smoke
box, taken about ten feet in front of the engine. Each superheater tube is
about 60' long and folded twice. They fit into individual holes that run
through the boiler from the front (smoke box) to the back (fire box). Each
weighs about 150lbs and there are 6 rows of 7 across.
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Each tube connects to a pair of manifolds: one to
bring pre-heated steam in and a second to collect the superheated steam (output)
to be delivered to the cylinders that drive the engine.
The big pipes to the left and right of this imagego to the cylinders. The
large hole going through the ceiling is for thesmoke stack.
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This photo was taken as we cleaned up to go home.
The job was about half done.
Notice all the little rectangular tags hanging from the tubes. Each one identifies
the position of the tube. They were attached when the engine was first built.
Without them, we would never be able to put them back. Each tube is individually
made to fit the exact location that it occupies. They are not interchangeable!
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These pictures were all taken with natural light for
better detail of the machinery. Unfortunately, anything that moves (such
as Dave using an electric drill and a wire brush to knock the rust off the
mating surfaces) tends to come out as a blur.
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The next step is to apply a high temperature "pipe
dope" also known as "black goo".
Dave seems to be enjoying this...
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Here, Dave is leaning into a 2 foot long ratchet handle
to tighten the nut that cinches up one of the tubes.
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Here's a closer shot of the finger full of black goo.
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