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ractical | / 4 eas for the Mgimeer Wheel Shaft Repairs--Arc Welding--Drill for Square Holes--Tests on Boat Releasing Device -- Crankshaft Turning -- Boiler Setting Cement HOSE engaged in pairs are often confronted with marine re- perplexing problems which tax the mechanical ingenuity of the repair- gang boss to the utmost. The ac- companying photographs, which were submitted by James Burns, marine superintendent of the California Transportation Co., San Hrancisco, show how the stern-wheel shaft of the steamer Forr SUTTER was recently repaired without wholly dismantling _the whecl. This type of craft is com- mon in west coast waters that are com- paratively landlocked. The shaft in question, during the past season, developed a crack outside the outer flange on the starboard side. As this shaft is 13 feet 6 inches in diameter and 26 feet 6% inches long, it is readily seen that it would be a difficult and costly job to replace it with a new one. Not only would this procedure involve the cost of the new shaft but a heavy labor expense would be: included in dis- mantling and. reassembling the wheel. It was finally decided to replace part of the shaft ogly,.. A section of shaft, 7 feet long, was made, the in- ner end of which was equipped with a coupling as shown in the lower left -- illustration, * The vessel was then laid up with her wheel supported by timbers. The outer bucket arms and _ bands were removed and _ the damaged end of the shaft cut off. Next a turning device was located on the shaft and a portion turned to accommo- date the other half of the coupling that was carried by the new end of the shaft previously made. A keyseat was also cut in which the coupling key was.to fit. Phe. shaft, with 'these operations complete, is shown in the lower right illustration. was then fitted in place. illustration shows mantled wheel operations. While these operations were in progress, the shop gang took the crank and eccentrics off the damaged end of the shaft and installed them on the new section. The coupling was also put in place. The new sec- tion of shaft was then coupled in place and the wheel built up. The steamer was then ready for service. steamer was then ready to he put in commission. The repair operations consumed seven working days of eight hours each, Mr. Burns points out that the The coupling The upper the partially dis- during the repair time might have been reduced some- but as the entire vessel was repairs | what, repainted and other minor attended to, emergency speed was not required. Minor repairs consisted of overhauling the engines, boilers and auxiliary machinery which cannot be done while the vessel is in commission. To Preserve Piles Good results have been obtained in Denmark by impregnating pine and beech timbers with tar oil. A num- ber of heavy piles driven in 1902 were in 1912 found to be still saturated with oil and in perfect condition, while unimpregnated timber was en- tirely destroyed by the ravages of pile worms. The state railways now de- mands that all timber used for marine purposes must be treated with tar oil. It has not been found possible to impregnate the heartwood of good pine timber as the cells are already filled with resin, but it is important that the sap wood is _ uniformly saturated with oil and_ protected against attacks by pile worms. Timber to be impregnated is en- closed in a steel cylinder large enough to contain the longest piles and is first subjected to a vacuum continued until all mois- ture is extracted, when heavy coal tar. oi 8 high pressure, is pumped into the cylinder. The specific gravity of the oil must not be léss than 1.04 nor more than 1.10, with an evaporation not exceeding 25 per cent of its volume when heated to 482 degrees Fahr. Light. oils are not suitable. The quantity absorbed by pine THE UPPER ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE WHEEL OF THE FORT SUTTER PARTIALLY DISMANTLED FOR REPAIRS--THE LOWER LEFT ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE NEW SECTION OF SHAFT COUPLED IN PLACE, WHILE THE VIEW AT THE LOWER RIGHT SHOWS THE END OF THE OLD SHAFT TURNED AND KEYSEATED TO ACCOMMODATE THE COUPLING WHICH JOINS THE TWO SHAFT SECTIONS Qn1