Jackie's line of work
- Thread starter Geramo
- Start date
jackie schmidt
New member
When we discuss Machine Work on these Forums, it more times than not centers around small pieces, ultra precision, and of course, the latest in CAD-CAM Machining Technology.
Two weeks ago I went down to Bolinger Shipyard in Tx City to look at a rather unigue job. The rudder out of a 600 ft long LNG Ship.
The rudder weighs about 28,000 pounds. The main pitol pin supports were wallowed out, as well as the main rudder stock tapered fit.. The main rudder stock and pintol pin also needed a general re-build and re-fitting.
In short, they have a $800,000 rudder that they want us to fix as good as new.
I used my 4 inch diameter x 14 ft long portable boring bar to re-bore the main pintol fits, (16 inch diameter). We will have to hand grind and blue fit the main rudder stock taper, as well as hand dress the 3 inch wide key way out so it is in usable condition.
The first three photos show me standing by the rudder so as to give an idea of the size, the 4th is the 4 inch boring bar mounted in order to bore the pintol fits, the 5th shows the cutter head and the lead screw that feeds the head, and the 6th show the bar at a different view, with the big air motor and gear drive that turns the bar. The item just to the left is one of the boring bar bearings mounted in what we call a "strongback spider" that allows you to align the bar in the piece.
We will weld up and completly rebuild the main rudder stock, plus machining a new 8" diameter 4tpi securing nut.
A job like this this does not come around that often, and it is nice to be able to look the customer in the eye and say, "yes, we can fix the entire thing"
I thought some of you might like to see some pictures of a "different kind" of machine work............jackie
Two weeks ago I went down to Bolinger Shipyard in Tx City to look at a rather unigue job. The rudder out of a 600 ft long LNG Ship.
The rudder weighs about 28,000 pounds. The main pitol pin supports were wallowed out, as well as the main rudder stock tapered fit.. The main rudder stock and pintol pin also needed a general re-build and re-fitting.
In short, they have a $800,000 rudder that they want us to fix as good as new.
I used my 4 inch diameter x 14 ft long portable boring bar to re-bore the main pintol fits, (16 inch diameter). We will have to hand grind and blue fit the main rudder stock taper, as well as hand dress the 3 inch wide key way out so it is in usable condition.
The first three photos show me standing by the rudder so as to give an idea of the size, the 4th is the 4 inch boring bar mounted in order to bore the pintol fits, the 5th shows the cutter head and the lead screw that feeds the head, and the 6th show the bar at a different view, with the big air motor and gear drive that turns the bar. The item just to the left is one of the boring bar bearings mounted in what we call a "strongback spider" that allows you to align the bar in the piece.
We will weld up and completly rebuild the main rudder stock, plus machining a new 8" diameter 4tpi securing nut.
A job like this this does not come around that often, and it is nice to be able to look the customer in the eye and say, "yes, we can fix the entire thing"
I thought some of you might like to see some pictures of a "different kind" of machine work............jackie
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cwop
Guest
sounds like jackie is old school not the guy that says oh just throw it away and buy new. i wonder how much he saved that company with the rebuild he did! i once needed some electrical changes done. 2 electricians came one bid 10k the other 8k. i then thought of an old man who was retired called him up, he came did the job for 2800.00 including labor and supplies. he still made plenty as i bought the supplies myself . we are getting close to not having those smart guys around. then what!!!!
i must say i like every comment makes and his patience with us that dont know much.
best of luck and appreciate the pictures.
bob
i must say i like every comment makes and his patience with us that dont know much.
best of luck and appreciate the pictures.
bob
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chino69
Guest
Very impressive!
Jackie,
Do you have a couple of apprentices under your wing that you are training? The reason I ask is that there are not many people who would take a job like that with confidence. The industry I work in is losing the 'old timers' who have all the knowledge and experience with no replacements. When these guys finally retire, the companies they worked for will be out of more than they bargained for.
Chino69
Jackie,
Do you have a couple of apprentices under your wing that you are training? The reason I ask is that there are not many people who would take a job like that with confidence. The industry I work in is losing the 'old timers' who have all the knowledge and experience with no replacements. When these guys finally retire, the companies they worked for will be out of more than they bargained for.
Chino69
jackie schmidt
New member
Bob, we do general job shop work, but our specialty is Marine Repair and New Construction.
Our customers use us because we have decades of knowledge among myself and my two Brothers, and we offer a special type of hands on service that many shops simply lack. It lends its self to our type of work, where you are dealing with the type of equipment that literally gets destroyed in it's normal course of use. Our customers pay us as much for what we know as for what we do.
This type of work still requires Machinist who can perform just about any machine shop function, and figure out ways to do things that in today's world might seem a little bit out of the norm. There is still a demand for this type of work, even though you can call it a "niche" industry. As long as there are Tugboats pushing barges, they will get torn up, and we will be there to fix them.
The last three men we trained, we took right out of the local High School's vocational program, and taught them to do things our way. They work hard, get dirty, but make a darned good living...........jackie
Our customers use us because we have decades of knowledge among myself and my two Brothers, and we offer a special type of hands on service that many shops simply lack. It lends its self to our type of work, where you are dealing with the type of equipment that literally gets destroyed in it's normal course of use. Our customers pay us as much for what we know as for what we do.
This type of work still requires Machinist who can perform just about any machine shop function, and figure out ways to do things that in today's world might seem a little bit out of the norm. There is still a demand for this type of work, even though you can call it a "niche" industry. As long as there are Tugboats pushing barges, they will get torn up, and we will be there to fix them.
The last three men we trained, we took right out of the local High School's vocational program, and taught them to do things our way. They work hard, get dirty, but make a darned good living...........jackie
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cwop
Guest
your work
this reminds of several years ago i needed some electical work done at my restaurant. called 2 hot shots got bids of 10k and 8k! i then thought of my old retired friend a retired electician of many years. his final cost 2800.00 ilncluding wire.
all this for a 20 foot run of 3ph wiring. it took marian a day he made a good buck and i was delighted. we are rapidly running out ot these old experianced experts.
bob
this reminds of several years ago i needed some electical work done at my restaurant. called 2 hot shots got bids of 10k and 8k! i then thought of my old retired friend a retired electician of many years. his final cost 2800.00 ilncluding wire.
all this for a 20 foot run of 3ph wiring. it took marian a day he made a good buck and i was delighted. we are rapidly running out ot these old experianced experts.
bob
S
steve b.
Guest
Wow...!
Thanks Jackie for sharing the photos and description of the work. Brings back lots of memorines of working on ships, barges, boats, etc. along the ship channel and in Galveston years ago. Reminded me of a night moonlighting at the old Bloodworth shipyard spending eight hours one night trying to pull the rudder out of a tug boat setting on the marine ways. Tried everything we knew and when we left at 2:00 am it was right where it was when we started. Thanks again. We will have to visit another time when we get together about the marine industry as we did at the Bluebonnet.
Sam Duke
Sam Duke
I am one of the tugboat pilots on the Gulf Coast that keeps Jackie in all the tore up rudders he wants. In the intracoastal canal down here,you run close to the edge of the deep water.We tear up rudders mostly with empty barges. Figure the wind drift for a 300 yard long light bullet with 20 mph wind and only travelling 8 mph. Stephen
John Kielly
Shari's fan club
Do you dial in the wind or aim off?
jackie schmidt
New member
Stephen, I have been over at Burton Shipyard in Bridge City for the past two days correcting a major mess up on one of Kirby's River Division Boats. They installed new Flanking Rudder bushings, (Nylon), a while back, and did not account for the moisture absorpsion,, hence, they seized up. I took one of my portable boring bars over and bored the correct clearance in all four tubes.
What boat are you on??. Heck, we have worked on just about every vessel that runs the Canal at one time or another. If it ever docked in Houston, we worked on it.............jackie
What boat are you on??. Heck, we have worked on just about every vessel that runs the Canal at one time or another. If it ever docked in Houston, we worked on it.............jackie
Hi Jackie I am a trip pilot for Florida Marine,strange name for a company based in Mandeville,LA. Worked on just about every boat they own. I am on the Mississippi River this trip on a old 4000 hp boat built in the 50's named the Cynthia. One of my favorite boats,like driving a old Eldorado Caddy. Up this way many old yards have in house machine shops. You see some giant old lathes in these places. John I hold off for the wind.Wonder what the BC would be for a barge 300 feet long with a 12 foot profile would be,1200 tons empty. We have 4 like that long this trip.Don't have what I need to post any pictures.