Topic starter
11/02/2013 4:45 pm
The new shaft arrived just this morning with a fresh coat of paint, 39,000 pounds of welded steel. The rain held off just long enough to set it in the bearings. We have a couple of soggy days ahead of us but when the weather breaks on Wednesday it will be two shifts until assembly is done. We are shooting for a builder’s trial with USCG on the 19th. Wish us luck!
12/02/2013 3:36 am
Great photos!
Thanks.
Keep em' coming btw. 😉
12/02/2013 4:34 am
Great to see!
Looking good!
Thanks for the update and pictures.
12/02/2013 6:51 am
Laissez les paddlewheel rouler!
Happy Mardi Gras
13/02/2013 11:25 pm
Greg, was there any value to the titanium paste we used in the orpginal project? Anything similar to it on the new one? Good work and miss ya man...
Topic starter
14/02/2013 3:02 am
Shaft Update
Hey Keith
New shaft is all welded steel. We looked at “interference fit” like the putty and shrinking but opted for a complete welded solution. The properties of the new shaft are different than the old one. Higher yield strength steel and a heavier wall thickness. Part of the old system includes carving out keyways into the shaft itself. We decided to avoid building in any pressure ridges or weaker areas because of the material that has to be removed. Both solutions will work, just a different approach. The guys have already installed all of the inner spokes on and are about 30% into the outer ones. We should be rolling dockside this weekend to adjust the bearing and the engine timing. If all goes well it is a builders trial on Tuesday and head over to New Orleans Riverwalk for the duration.
Be Well!
Greg
14/02/2013 4:06 am
Greg, glad to see the progress, look forward to seeing her in person in May.
Topic starter
14/02/2013 10:37 pm
Only About 3000 Bolts To Go
The weather has cleared and we have shifted into high gear!
Topic starter
14/02/2013 10:40 pm
A couple more photos from today
A couple more pictures I took today. Looks like we will start putting bucket boards on tomorrow
15/02/2013 4:25 am
Thank - you!
I have never seen a paddle wheel being built.
Tell me, have they always been built on the boat like this?
Olden days paddlewheels were all wood no?
This one looks like it's all metal.
Cool shots.
Thanks again.
Topic starter
16/02/2013 1:32 am
AQ Paddlewheel
Hi Ron
The wheel on the AQ is mostly wood. She has a heavy steel shaft for her center axle and the “spider flanges” that the spokes bolt onto are welded to the shaft. The spokes are actually two pieces (1) 4 X 8 x 8 and (1) 4 x 8 x 6 joined by a steel bracket. We use a free of heart oak for the spokes. There are 108 spokes in total. There are 72 bucket boards that are Douglas fir, 2 X 12 X 16 and we use them double width. Everything is held together with brackets and jacking bolts. 5000 bolts to be exact, we have counted!
Topic starter
17/02/2013 12:30 am
Big Red Wheel Is Ready To Roll
We finished up at dinner time tonight! We will start warming up the bearings tomorrow and a trial run on Tuesday!
17/02/2013 1:17 am
Ah, that's a good lookin' padlin' wheel right there.
Thanks again for the pics.