The Steamboating Forum

DetroiTug wrote:Flipping it today.. finally!

I periodically scroll through your site to see what's happening! I look forward to updates!

http://www.youtube.com/v/XY7nU4sEYlM&hl=en&fs=1

Iron Chief is on her keel. Check out the video, went without a hitch.

Ron

I just can't believe that this went so smoothly , that it did is a real credit to you.
my computer is so decrepit that I can't quite make out whether the hull slid round in the slings or whether the slings are attached to the cranes' cable/hook via pulleys . Please put me out of my misery .

Edward .

Edward,

Thanks for the compliment.

Those are two 4" X 30' towstraps with a 20,000 pound rating, and an eye on each end. We just attached the chain through the eyes. So, the hull spun/slid in the slings. The cardboard served two purposes, to protect the straps and to also act as a brake. Cardboard is like a natural brake lining material. If you ever need to haul something heavy in a truck with a slick cargo surface, put cardboard under it, it will stay put.

We backed in the shop afterwards and burned out the strongback with the plasma arc. Only took an hour or so.

I was amazed the flip went as well as it did. I had plenty of time to think about how to do it. The method used seemed the most logical. That same method could be done by simply suspending each sling from above, high enough to allow for the spin. Then use one chainfall/winch to spin it around.

I thought about using an axle above, rolling the slings over it, but there would be no way to control the speed. The bottom being much heavier than the top, it would have whipped dangerously at some point. I didn't want to see that

-Ron

Starting to weld up the inside. Hot job, the more i weld the hull heats up and it gets like a big frying pan, coupled with this humidity, not fun. Luckily, it's going pretty fast.

The plan is; weld up the interior, install boiler and engine and take it to the lake and try it out. If all is well, proceed

.





I wanted it roomy inside, it is that.

-Ron

Nice Roll over! no drama.....that doesn't come without some planning.

Well Done....she looks great!
Dave

Hey Ron It must be nice to have a neighbour with a crane! After welding everything up will you be painting the inside with some kind of rust preventing paint? Wood rots ,steel rusts,but somehow steel seems much more permanent. Den

Burning out the strongback




Ron

Dave, Thanks, yes it's coming together nicely.


Den, The neighbors crane IS handy On hull protection, am looking into getting it galvanized, there is a big galvanizer about a mile away (Schweitzer). The plan was to zinc prime and paint as it may be cheaper. But pricing out the paint, considering the labor, and the superiority of a galvanic coating, I think that's the route to go. I wouldn't even have to paint the interior at all, other than for looks.

-Ron

The roll over was actually very smooth! I was suitably impressed.

She also looks bigger in real life then i had imagined. That's always a good sign.

Steve