tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65805941812342483172024-03-06T06:14:13.062+00:00Marine Engineering Trainingtomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-80437519035379274862012-07-25T13:02:00.001+01:002012-07-25T13:02:29.838+01:00The Final Hurdle<br />
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Well, it's been a while since I last posted properly.<br />
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It's good news - I am now a Marine Engineering Officer of the Watch. I went to the MCA's offices in Southampton on 9th July and had a rather gruelling hour of examination - which seemed to be riddled with material normally reserved for Class 2 Engineers, not Class 3 (can't go back for a Class 2 exam until at least 18months more sea time + another exam). An hour normally means things are going badly - however although it felt like that because of the questions posed, I was told no problems at all at the end and he was happy to sign me off with my certificate of competency. The other two of my friends that went in that day both passed, and they had a similar experience to me in terms of length and the types of questions. Apparently we were just unlucky to get that type of oral. But, it doesn't matter as we all passed anyway.<br />
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It took a while to hit home, mostly due to how hard the exam felt. However, the good thing is that you find out at the end of the exam whether you passed or not - there's no waiting.<br />
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It was also more good news yesterday, as Chris B and Chris T both passed their orals too.<br />
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The next step is the ETO (electro technical officer) top up in September, which will give me more electronics, radar and GMDSS fault finding skills.</div>
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It's now fully hit home and since the exam I have changed tasks, to sort with Emily the many small jobs that need completing before the wedding. However, this morning my licence arrived by courier at 8:15am. </div>
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It's like the new passports - has similar parts inside, except says I hold the relevant ticket etc. I haven't shown the inside details on here for security reasons!</div>
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Also, a certificate came along with it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcpe4ZPHu8umGLbO8gBryRppvLVcy44yR4L29hQjUE8t5-Lb56wtTjofta7pcwUzL4IX-PySJRB5eni11ZRiWc9T2NZ_nwDmBBiIux2vO7BvFy6Ch5kgOoE6DN27IEm-YPxncrjmWkNo/s1600/2012-07-25+08.34.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcpe4ZPHu8umGLbO8gBryRppvLVcy44yR4L29hQjUE8t5-Lb56wtTjofta7pcwUzL4IX-PySJRB5eni11ZRiWc9T2NZ_nwDmBBiIux2vO7BvFy6Ch5kgOoE6DN27IEm-YPxncrjmWkNo/s640/2012-07-25+08.34.22.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-55321661094022021792012-07-25T12:49:00.000+01:002012-07-25T12:49:23.693+01:00Completed Workshop Pieces<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Below are the final workshop photos of my work pieces in various stages of completion. This is all from a few weeks ago.</span></div>
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<b>The Ratchet (Final Workpiece)</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marking Out</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qU586jkHexYivtY_6BXJ3uaRe5ApiWHkr6knvpxOA8ajcKncChsX0Caenm5UCkeH4GGep6jbFshNlOaRX5hWfPfcTUJGOKZISWT0pgJhBVfFx-pwcBxafvLrdPvjVQVFHOcuZY-OHGU/s1600/2012-05-04+11.59.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qU586jkHexYivtY_6BXJ3uaRe5ApiWHkr6knvpxOA8ajcKncChsX0Caenm5UCkeH4GGep6jbFshNlOaRX5hWfPfcTUJGOKZISWT0pgJhBVfFx-pwcBxafvLrdPvjVQVFHOcuZY-OHGU/s400/2012-05-04+11.59.59.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tapping the first thread</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drilling and reaming the hole for the ratchet wheel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three copper rivets I made on the lathe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brass bush with sprung ball bearing inside - made on lathe (fits into the ratchet wheel and used to hold socket on)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rivets now hammered down</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rivets filed down smooth</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final shape marked out - ready for the milling machine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milling the ratchet handle<br />
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Video showing milling cut on ratchet handle (conventional milling)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4l1J7vQ7boovaTlDoXB7_vUfimaf4IwwXSFbpVtzwDcOxJM_vnKPr7zUQsdYQjcBYRq-w3hgtLWn4Q3GGvKoLFlzSpca77NKLZEUt6DVchFKE7zKn3wzdB2kizcyXT_fGCXp-_vKpg4/s1600/2012-05-23+11.34.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4l1J7vQ7boovaTlDoXB7_vUfimaf4IwwXSFbpVtzwDcOxJM_vnKPr7zUQsdYQjcBYRq-w3hgtLWn4Q3GGvKoLFlzSpca77NKLZEUt6DVchFKE7zKn3wzdB2kizcyXT_fGCXp-_vKpg4/s400/2012-05-23+11.34.02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After milling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CMH0pckd38TFMmo5A_aDqWNmJJUjZh0Np51nv2ZOqWdGad3ngXT2Ayg7KI5j3dCkHJBN98988R9ddF2PpZXjdnfgYbc9cYXB4e8vA8K72koN4mjNxwRVHmVgFSHBbijoBr8dWeVnZOA/s1600/2012-05-23+16.41.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CMH0pckd38TFMmo5A_aDqWNmJJUjZh0Np51nv2ZOqWdGad3ngXT2Ayg7KI5j3dCkHJBN98988R9ddF2PpZXjdnfgYbc9cYXB4e8vA8K72koN4mjNxwRVHmVgFSHBbijoBr8dWeVnZOA/s400/2012-05-23+16.41.27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ends ground down to rounded shape</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKdgVXQcmaEOtWqQt7e0DASpX3WH50agi8pj6sX9C-3Z1pABV-yA4DDTOQrDp0lmWY8hTpGLHuJlwJqWhiw8pClstGnWOvnmlZH6KRn8u2y9QpW0D6OSsQRAPb6c0Ae5GHU4GgKoeBwE/s1600/2012-05-25+14.29.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKdgVXQcmaEOtWqQt7e0DASpX3WH50agi8pj6sX9C-3Z1pABV-yA4DDTOQrDp0lmWY8hTpGLHuJlwJqWhiw8pClstGnWOvnmlZH6KRn8u2y9QpW0D6OSsQRAPb6c0Ae5GHU4GgKoeBwE/s400/2012-05-25+14.29.09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rathet wheel turned after first stage on the lathe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8y-qCSPoTUKtqZOMXI4ToNDh2-604SiuD99IWwn2_N8LvUxfEh_bcVrDgcbcRHVOFGWBfY1j-9lH1GMwciyFoWdS39POB1ziIBke1WUxBWmOSRaJogPxj5kJyZpveNWlMS7NGj8ORO3E/s1600/2012-06-06+10.16.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8y-qCSPoTUKtqZOMXI4ToNDh2-604SiuD99IWwn2_N8LvUxfEh_bcVrDgcbcRHVOFGWBfY1j-9lH1GMwciyFoWdS39POB1ziIBke1WUxBWmOSRaJogPxj5kJyZpveNWlMS7NGj8ORO3E/s400/2012-06-06+10.16.37.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drilling holes into ratchet wheel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KSGJPlRzqaOYKhOXqe3PAU5dhJ07ic424nFp0dD_hS7QSxBaeBbv5V90r9td_ADqcHKi2SxACxUjooVR5wtRaNs4EYIBwLliXS74-oiHPfSbzz5WZg4dwmzufWkTjA_dO4KMd60xGfQ/s1600/2012-06-06+12.05.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KSGJPlRzqaOYKhOXqe3PAU5dhJ07ic424nFp0dD_hS7QSxBaeBbv5V90r9td_ADqcHKi2SxACxUjooVR5wtRaNs4EYIBwLliXS74-oiHPfSbzz5WZg4dwmzufWkTjA_dO4KMd60xGfQ/s400/2012-06-06+12.05.03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After flats have been added so it's 12.7mm AF (across flats)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSs17LSEfYW21U2U5LC1sT6XMTfBBO6qZpY2fr1tYjDRmdQvCnzAnQt5vQBMv56NYnR8kxMQBOx3bsQV5nxMduhoqzbeDZvIEWETFzDwv9hiUOO_o2e8CACo7otEAZBaLCIHBG-atWP5M/s1600/2012-06-06+14.16.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSs17LSEfYW21U2U5LC1sT6XMTfBBO6qZpY2fr1tYjDRmdQvCnzAnQt5vQBMv56NYnR8kxMQBOx3bsQV5nxMduhoqzbeDZvIEWETFzDwv9hiUOO_o2e8CACo7otEAZBaLCIHBG-atWP5M/s400/2012-06-06+14.16.54.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning down the outside diameter to get the ratchet wheel teeth made</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaRMrVNa_tuQqb2vEzWAzEJT-JxMLSKQE0UP5nP8bXR9yKnVKw8SfsryRjxlNlEWppxX1XPy5462V8J9RiqxVPa1atFkVq8lA9VKfe25YQ_u8eEPi6RD0jRKrGop58CFZp_36JwlNJbU/s1600/2012-06-06+14.50.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaRMrVNa_tuQqb2vEzWAzEJT-JxMLSKQE0UP5nP8bXR9yKnVKw8SfsryRjxlNlEWppxX1XPy5462V8J9RiqxVPa1atFkVq8lA9VKfe25YQ_u8eEPi6RD0jRKrGop58CFZp_36JwlNJbU/s400/2012-06-06+14.50.02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teeth finished</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKDPH_QveHM0OnxSjmQwAxTCOBYELYAsL8pLJ7Z7Buyt9cDkrrI2i4w3krLUmRAT9eT3gdE4epSDUeNvVu2bnL-WHrTqAFEvC4Ln1jyT16NrGP9CHTdXNTTh54bF_tGjUgE6hnvJ4pXE/s1600/2012-06-06+14.50.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKDPH_QveHM0OnxSjmQwAxTCOBYELYAsL8pLJ7Z7Buyt9cDkrrI2i4w3krLUmRAT9eT3gdE4epSDUeNvVu2bnL-WHrTqAFEvC4Ln1jyT16NrGP9CHTdXNTTh54bF_tGjUgE6hnvJ4pXE/s400/2012-06-06+14.50.44.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well within tolerance (measures 38.01mm)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi_12krpelGda7bmUDYdoPJvqGNvckFMycyJO5Y0MSxUz4Vzm8AUOJj2B3Qlb9UkwMgkyk99Yy188sXHVcd6hJ0XIibE3q6XUIGvs5WSNTf97zEfe_1QZhJ0YysdAGB7XtE5ycEjZ6wA/s1600/2012-06-14+10.47.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi_12krpelGda7bmUDYdoPJvqGNvckFMycyJO5Y0MSxUz4Vzm8AUOJj2B3Qlb9UkwMgkyk99Yy188sXHVcd6hJ0XIibE3q6XUIGvs5WSNTf97zEfe_1QZhJ0YysdAGB7XtE5ycEjZ6wA/s400/2012-06-14+10.47.30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ratchet pawl marked out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMLW5KwXxBYKxGlBQI4SUQS5mMsvN21F6QFHQSeooyBMe_9Md0VPVtjrFgzqwHX5g7EKkNKfADk3eykEg2QnKh4OZNqDLX6uEHX6Zrf-wSYtt16P-DLrNnOc9pPrXWKrTKO8BGXDEgos/s1600/2012-06-15+09.46.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMLW5KwXxBYKxGlBQI4SUQS5mMsvN21F6QFHQSeooyBMe_9Md0VPVtjrFgzqwHX5g7EKkNKfADk3eykEg2QnKh4OZNqDLX6uEHX6Zrf-wSYtt16P-DLrNnOc9pPrXWKrTKO8BGXDEgos/s400/2012-06-15+09.46.43.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up to centre drill the hole that the bush goes into</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-ob21IGkPR-c8et0aWsbGRBjIilkhNOz1wCvt991mLRSxzfohdeOih3T35VwoGHTelIVVS7ibWF7pHpDWAISQFAmEh74zs-orp0shwkEFdgfHw2kcmKsLy5bWxCAJzy3VWBUPcpXXhk/s1600/2012-06-15+10.15.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-ob21IGkPR-c8et0aWsbGRBjIilkhNOz1wCvt991mLRSxzfohdeOih3T35VwoGHTelIVVS7ibWF7pHpDWAISQFAmEh74zs-orp0shwkEFdgfHw2kcmKsLy5bWxCAJzy3VWBUPcpXXhk/s400/2012-06-15+10.15.29.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hole drilled</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57jEuWhgVAuCKU-sfskHT4_lLUr7IehZs-3iHdT4kZ92L193v6QurbqWa4nmTQLGHZLHqgMDllV0gMWE0pq9yblNo1knU6cnpdYQLwOavSO1nFgWNuUuKqvmTOAdW3ESEqxT04shihVw/s1600/2012-06-15+10.30.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57jEuWhgVAuCKU-sfskHT4_lLUr7IehZs-3iHdT4kZ92L193v6QurbqWa4nmTQLGHZLHqgMDllV0gMWE0pq9yblNo1knU6cnpdYQLwOavSO1nFgWNuUuKqvmTOAdW3ESEqxT04shihVw/s400/2012-06-15+10.30.59.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheel finished - just needs heat treating and then the bush inserted</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWU1S76d6i4KyXvimne8COpg1yC8Fl4fIHQ2LPWOyjh53deFB_33GnKjvjCW8Bm2Ji0t1Cn-ZqCYXDFPlRcDYYM7mK8R9swov5_5N4tXYq9FAeaKbo6Cc5Wpz8k8-VoGQN5vt1SB3pao/s1600/2012-06-15+11.23.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWU1S76d6i4KyXvimne8COpg1yC8Fl4fIHQ2LPWOyjh53deFB_33GnKjvjCW8Bm2Ji0t1Cn-ZqCYXDFPlRcDYYM7mK8R9swov5_5N4tXYq9FAeaKbo6Cc5Wpz8k8-VoGQN5vt1SB3pao/s400/2012-06-15+11.23.41.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heat treating the ratchet - holding it at cherry red</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K48qz6vKUJS5UXnePiDM8MnrHsm9saSlY4PtuQo2u9fYcsnnMj7F-1bWvDIFG2mq6KNUrU9lmzXC7UX0B5kSTm4PoZZyRkUaSe7u_xrms_Q2V3UHw59H6Zr1dJIfZf5dG3B5mFXFT1U/s1600/2012-06-15+11.32.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K48qz6vKUJS5UXnePiDM8MnrHsm9saSlY4PtuQo2u9fYcsnnMj7F-1bWvDIFG2mq6KNUrU9lmzXC7UX0B5kSTm4PoZZyRkUaSe7u_xrms_Q2V3UHw59H6Zr1dJIfZf5dG3B5mFXFT1U/s400/2012-06-15+11.32.15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While cherry red, it's dropped into oil - gains the black colour</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoTILX8l6i8YszkPIjR3nKEW9bm6Emn178vE8G3b7w4qM0TDCPHzKrh3veocb6w899tRCFE1xCfwQQJ1yztoyAXFMw11VWw4VOTdTO-uPeNFFHoKbG2SBjgMB1ywfVJgAPq3CTzfqRUo/s1600/2012-06-15+11.56.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoTILX8l6i8YszkPIjR3nKEW9bm6Emn178vE8G3b7w4qM0TDCPHzKrh3veocb6w899tRCFE1xCfwQQJ1yztoyAXFMw11VWw4VOTdTO-uPeNFFHoKbG2SBjgMB1ywfVJgAPq3CTzfqRUo/s400/2012-06-15+11.56.02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaned back off and ready for tempering</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZzyw-V2BQexotgUaQa-r1dHdQtwYS0rwusTBhXG9-9Mq5KWulGYx7NQtGmcwqdMJ1o2e7CWGUb7cGQCCS_X7zgXDJKsieSTr-YUO7g24FuUMd1iZxCLglJkv-58_1sGTP9anT-Iy38w/s1600/2012-06-15+12.45.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZzyw-V2BQexotgUaQa-r1dHdQtwYS0rwusTBhXG9-9Mq5KWulGYx7NQtGmcwqdMJ1o2e7CWGUb7cGQCCS_X7zgXDJKsieSTr-YUO7g24FuUMd1iZxCLglJkv-58_1sGTP9anT-Iy38w/s400/2012-06-15+12.45.28.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heated to 'blue' colour, then dipped in oil. Goes black once again. Then I pressed the brass bush into the wheel. All finished.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSD7DruWQ5Y_1n93xRHpH0oJMsFgZzs-GRiYdzGjp7xWRAQrPcO8X0cOAx0WaO0y7W7ywMRGD32cMz5a7zmwWMd9KANAoxNPrJchcR_yvN8mlWSUTmNGagi8lQyOOg63hqr3eoXsP9B2A/s1600/2012-06-15+12.45.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSD7DruWQ5Y_1n93xRHpH0oJMsFgZzs-GRiYdzGjp7xWRAQrPcO8X0cOAx0WaO0y7W7ywMRGD32cMz5a7zmwWMd9KANAoxNPrJchcR_yvN8mlWSUTmNGagi8lQyOOg63hqr3eoXsP9B2A/s400/2012-06-15+12.45.36.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brass bush and sprung ball bearing up close. I then tested it for hardness and it was around 48 rockwell. This is not quite as hard as standard hex keys etc, but not bad considering the hardening process was done by hand with a blow torch. As it's a bit too soft it means on the second heating I took it a bit too hot above normal 'blue'. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsQiEqSxltIC4cLvQi7Di8yt3MqZNYMyFqOj_awDjZKVrFmhR5yJaOl41CM_wYN8LFaJyDMzpq9zDqMWL5jE9Q1TD6Tymo_xXIkoK4smvjrZBHI5yOUHGs26YVq2jCQDcZVrUnyA2UFA/s1600/2012-06-15+15.22.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsQiEqSxltIC4cLvQi7Di8yt3MqZNYMyFqOj_awDjZKVrFmhR5yJaOl41CM_wYN8LFaJyDMzpq9zDqMWL5jE9Q1TD6Tymo_xXIkoK4smvjrZBHI5yOUHGs26YVq2jCQDcZVrUnyA2UFA/s400/2012-06-15+15.22.20.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished - takes about four to five working days to complete!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc_n-iRF7-8qBodVeUkher_HkWHPkG9p6g6GuzQqDIWOGWiygUXSD0Brz5Hq1FoHHzL5j_TPIMzPNpl7mZFwxtI2MwZPVA0LVWD4lTf4Oe8RJlocmHrx3gyDTaTjCwHcW6s_8jrxGQoM/s1600/2012-06-15+15.22.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc_n-iRF7-8qBodVeUkher_HkWHPkG9p6g6GuzQqDIWOGWiygUXSD0Brz5Hq1FoHHzL5j_TPIMzPNpl7mZFwxtI2MwZPVA0LVWD4lTf4Oe8RJlocmHrx3gyDTaTjCwHcW6s_8jrxGQoM/s400/2012-06-15+15.22.44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_W77siuvi8pD_SJQvQ5VKk6SldQ4fKtX2ptnI4eYtv86eyeHbUN8fBS_IWJK678cyBP4j_wkbv6KpoXNtjtRIZ7yXS3ekACtkLJUCrPfTmoLAu6LotyAR2aL2Yeyeo4y4xegA7UNyWo/s1600/2012-06-14+19.06.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_W77siuvi8pD_SJQvQ5VKk6SldQ4fKtX2ptnI4eYtv86eyeHbUN8fBS_IWJK678cyBP4j_wkbv6KpoXNtjtRIZ7yXS3ekACtkLJUCrPfTmoLAu6LotyAR2aL2Yeyeo4y4xegA7UNyWo/s400/2012-06-14+19.06.53.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not a Heyco ratchet, but it's pretty good!</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Thread and Brass Nut Assembly </b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcBy29-8Dw2on-zFY46q1LTr_fUN4eryjr_dURLSgRL85yl8Qhvwmwrjyj_krnexjhVe91bbiZAQKLqlIl7H-QW0EpLq3DuIAKL_MRlnujyPOJObpmXUkKKy5I1qGCSmyoWwEtY3Emjo/s1600/2012-06-08+16.10.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcBy29-8Dw2on-zFY46q1LTr_fUN4eryjr_dURLSgRL85yl8Qhvwmwrjyj_krnexjhVe91bbiZAQKLqlIl7H-QW0EpLq3DuIAKL_MRlnujyPOJObpmXUkKKy5I1qGCSmyoWwEtY3Emjo/s400/2012-06-08+16.10.02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thread cutting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v2fPeT72eddniPUeq6-5eIFr4UrG1zKZp79ntBstP0s_bYt-tgAjTLOoE7-RpdwCyvY3SutoMSUGiBaQ8Kcw7EkiaGK_z998GNxfVAhLvAHXuuzE_7U3lPg5ACc1i2M5TxDjpp-56i4/s1600/2012-06-11+10.08.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v2fPeT72eddniPUeq6-5eIFr4UrG1zKZp79ntBstP0s_bYt-tgAjTLOoE7-RpdwCyvY3SutoMSUGiBaQ8Kcw7EkiaGK_z998GNxfVAhLvAHXuuzE_7U3lPg5ACc1i2M5TxDjpp-56i4/s400/2012-06-11+10.08.06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The thread itself finished - inspection time</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcX7jf95cENmuIQJOpRRsS77b-TlkMX8COCN_jVQFj80qkfGdBlKwB46PsGEaVv5vc25ZqBwaW-dAt_SQ9VMeupF00us-g8vRhWA68ZlcxN9-6KLo06OvqzqVTMpweATxZfF-Dq7jSMUQ/s1600/2012-06-11+10.08.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcX7jf95cENmuIQJOpRRsS77b-TlkMX8COCN_jVQFj80qkfGdBlKwB46PsGEaVv5vc25ZqBwaW-dAt_SQ9VMeupF00us-g8vRhWA68ZlcxN9-6KLo06OvqzqVTMpweATxZfF-Dq7jSMUQ/s400/2012-06-11+10.08.19.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlg1NxY8w08NrD1QkqfsKxvQAWStaxAGTnGsxEI4KrC0C84gQwTCiMZYS8aNo10RNPyR7w4Bjv9LpIMOM9qb2oSoyAYc8MSMEtAN0IJiJGlhp6KTDqLqRZqFlPdZofJmGJ63SWCofni8/s1600/2012-06-11+10.14.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlg1NxY8w08NrD1QkqfsKxvQAWStaxAGTnGsxEI4KrC0C84gQwTCiMZYS8aNo10RNPyR7w4Bjv9LpIMOM9qb2oSoyAYc8MSMEtAN0IJiJGlhp6KTDqLqRZqFlPdZofJmGJ63SWCofni8/s400/2012-06-11+10.14.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inspecting the thread at 10x magnification</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZSO55YdW0bJ5KLCVuRhjkuXWmNSVfCd01bIsU-4_tdF5D_0KLTV4H0oseB5a7RDFPFpktEKOcGukULo8XOY-HZP8FBYEK5Ay8nlRxkK69yanuAsz8mtPoxxs773KFul-6SC4bvzRZcU/s1600/2012-06-11+10.15.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZSO55YdW0bJ5KLCVuRhjkuXWmNSVfCd01bIsU-4_tdF5D_0KLTV4H0oseB5a7RDFPFpktEKOcGukULo8XOY-HZP8FBYEK5Ay8nlRxkK69yanuAsz8mtPoxxs773KFul-6SC4bvzRZcU/s400/2012-06-11+10.15.13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">50 x magnification. Now the pitch of the thread is checked, the angle of cut on the thread, and the quality of the cut</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Q3jngYt7rEDVdtlxRFxrXC4jwuyhHqTGOnBkD_UuPUxdgRzB8Ub7D9YonzaJzAA4MJjOS7vfmE05GhhIj1p5GyczNSrXZzVrMVTTodwXRRMzZnzUuZMhavvSXUFwkMzmiqkiPqSiSe8/s1600/2012-06-11+11.07.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Q3jngYt7rEDVdtlxRFxrXC4jwuyhHqTGOnBkD_UuPUxdgRzB8Ub7D9YonzaJzAA4MJjOS7vfmE05GhhIj1p5GyczNSrXZzVrMVTTodwXRRMzZnzUuZMhavvSXUFwkMzmiqkiPqSiSe8/s400/2012-06-11+11.07.04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brass nut in raw form</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyeLpkgstB9ysNuiwVa3etn9uJSR217HM9H6IqYlEt-spcQuCQq8Cgat3zKS9bpY_jCL5kFUgfyrgrOUQCzpaERkpQKkzC46x9fzw_MW3t6S2SH81ICnFresEARti3V_uh-uVWnB5JP8/s1600/2012-06-11+11.30.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyeLpkgstB9ysNuiwVa3etn9uJSR217HM9H6IqYlEt-spcQuCQq8Cgat3zKS9bpY_jCL5kFUgfyrgrOUQCzpaERkpQKkzC46x9fzw_MW3t6S2SH81ICnFresEARti3V_uh-uVWnB5JP8/s400/2012-06-11+11.30.13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drilling the hole for the internal thread</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbCPpWB4AmleQfoVZB5MnnQCoVgjJghLRKTDGEu5vcV7lNdF7l3Tw3mexVxNGi0rgU3k06OQSaZshIm9e1kVnF50zQb_vNsnwjMW4vlzAP1CiQYVeDEU5pu_fZXR0vZ-NNBbUODNIJmM/s1600/2012-06-11+11.34.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbCPpWB4AmleQfoVZB5MnnQCoVgjJghLRKTDGEu5vcV7lNdF7l3Tw3mexVxNGi0rgU3k06OQSaZshIm9e1kVnF50zQb_vNsnwjMW4vlzAP1CiQYVeDEU5pu_fZXR0vZ-NNBbUODNIJmM/s400/2012-06-11+11.34.04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wlr0fuN8g3ZjCCPVP0TSmo-86wC2iUwyuky8w4tgGU5UFw4_Xvgq1dRX-h92UKQfixMd6fux29BZZPFbIH9bXE2RiUd6XY1Cgk_RAPwUUX9Xn7yjCZRpCk7_BziKWGhkH4ToUggrxD8/s1600/2012-06-11+12.11.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wlr0fuN8g3ZjCCPVP0TSmo-86wC2iUwyuky8w4tgGU5UFw4_Xvgq1dRX-h92UKQfixMd6fux29BZZPFbIH9bXE2RiUd6XY1Cgk_RAPwUUX9Xn7yjCZRpCk7_BziKWGhkH4ToUggrxD8/s400/2012-06-11+12.11.55.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turned down to length with inside hole reamed. Ready for thread cutting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG5gjU8rmuLy02kcamv9k2wCendmvSvkK_-7s6krQUE52EFtrHoivFvTHHJtIUmK3U_Nj9rZNoYcwV5X4VGzBngnyGFdAN543WDIvqIKdIK9F5HiffYDAuL5xpcwiMqbFCUfwcp5HfUg/s1600/2012-06-11+15.52.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG5gjU8rmuLy02kcamv9k2wCendmvSvkK_-7s6krQUE52EFtrHoivFvTHHJtIUmK3U_Nj9rZNoYcwV5X4VGzBngnyGFdAN543WDIvqIKdIK9F5HiffYDAuL5xpcwiMqbFCUfwcp5HfUg/s400/2012-06-11+15.52.40.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Internal thread cut - continual checks are done while cutting until male fits female well</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b-j7qTvBOmigsqCGW1RQ_MF7G8fj-FOX_KqnNY5PF1V3ga_tBOcI1UdXLEf-n_l_os3OEOhhyOag5MRxHZUg8vR7P9d1qKwK7HhU01nfgQAStZwijDbw8KDg7JFP1Rd5TkelTEHFhpE/s1600/2012-06-13+12.11.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b-j7qTvBOmigsqCGW1RQ_MF7G8fj-FOX_KqnNY5PF1V3ga_tBOcI1UdXLEf-n_l_os3OEOhhyOag5MRxHZUg8vR7P9d1qKwK7HhU01nfgQAStZwijDbw8KDg7JFP1Rd5TkelTEHFhpE/s400/2012-06-13+12.11.48.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting the flats onto the nut</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNmUVIiLACWz20epZ0Qomx8uJahbduL1WD7aKceWc13KxG_Fe_JMNazM1r47Jl2dFhUkc3THCYP7wayKpgCdW8gYUUD9JAZdDq8NCeQLlPTFCICEsTQpPZV2ASx_odo9kJwXATGcDmwU/s1600/2012-06-13+12.12.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNmUVIiLACWz20epZ0Qomx8uJahbduL1WD7aKceWc13KxG_Fe_JMNazM1r47Jl2dFhUkc3THCYP7wayKpgCdW8gYUUD9JAZdDq8NCeQLlPTFCICEsTQpPZV2ASx_odo9kJwXATGcDmwU/s400/2012-06-13+12.12.13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YYdZY5UOed9mRXpGun9ZQD3YmyLie2ik5tZI-J17gRKtcSLa8nn216ZZ5vNkmetChm9Q3UTvZeP0SQKo3nsCTLeBhrFRoWK6eK8NduChPq7w0gVlsAw6pvSdPnn6vTQDp6e0BdGgfOc/s1600/2012-06-13+12.16.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YYdZY5UOed9mRXpGun9ZQD3YmyLie2ik5tZI-J17gRKtcSLa8nn216ZZ5vNkmetChm9Q3UTvZeP0SQKo3nsCTLeBhrFRoWK6eK8NduChPq7w0gVlsAw6pvSdPnn6vTQDp6e0BdGgfOc/s400/2012-06-13+12.16.36.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLMvmc2k2wDUJRSoIeHOMU2FXjtcD0cY3ZY4yJ5h1DKxff1bULbSvZyUc9bvvN7tT0hgs_-_7eXkhVzDA8Lqxv9HzAofzVJS164hRd223PncjCXYipE2Fj6QA-aZBDU4PX-c9iQZw0RY/s1600/2012-07-25+11.57.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLMvmc2k2wDUJRSoIeHOMU2FXjtcD0cY3ZY4yJ5h1DKxff1bULbSvZyUc9bvvN7tT0hgs_-_7eXkhVzDA8Lqxv9HzAofzVJS164hRd223PncjCXYipE2Fj6QA-aZBDU4PX-c9iQZw0RY/s400/2012-07-25+11.57.13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished!</td></tr>
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<b>The Milled Cube (best paper weight ever)</b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR8GgNobb03F6X9NjbTNv4rvtgacuVE-SarKE0uQ79yNRKpEkphfj1CMxURXqMYat4MVVwDMYyfFslVrKCRfzX7mxHdypM0zg7ok6PGr7GymtPbU1Qeeu1X71USHtlkcqI7CKEcfknVY/s1600/2012-05-25+14.45.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR8GgNobb03F6X9NjbTNv4rvtgacuVE-SarKE0uQ79yNRKpEkphfj1CMxURXqMYat4MVVwDMYyfFslVrKCRfzX7mxHdypM0zg7ok6PGr7GymtPbU1Qeeu1X71USHtlkcqI7CKEcfknVY/s400/2012-05-25+14.45.52.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning down the cube to length</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKebjj9cxDBBs-gpi4uQMwTsKa_wcZlFqurG_7kYMrznUsPml54geykJYtG2fotMKdy7AL8DtsbYaTXSO0kDOhj3rYDL45yj85m3RevgRNBpi2F9l4eASEIII2lPlia4PiKgEbHgVlqhg/s1600/2012-05-25+15.16.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKebjj9cxDBBs-gpi4uQMwTsKa_wcZlFqurG_7kYMrznUsPml54geykJYtG2fotMKdy7AL8DtsbYaTXSO0kDOhj3rYDL45yj85m3RevgRNBpi2F9l4eASEIII2lPlia4PiKgEbHgVlqhg/s400/2012-05-25+15.16.10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiclrTKtiq8MVpJtRRYjJFmqxEpPZ8T-Z1szi7d9u6J1gOJ9zH8_8c7PpwCDgzE20ht8g3JxiMOK29XRt5r6BLbTtXGpKQnuk0MjcyQy8X3akbW7l7089uykuOnmYNC1D2v5IZb3ed1u4/s1600/2012-07-25+09.52.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiclrTKtiq8MVpJtRRYjJFmqxEpPZ8T-Z1szi7d9u6J1gOJ9zH8_8c7PpwCDgzE20ht8g3JxiMOK29XRt5r6BLbTtXGpKQnuk0MjcyQy8X3akbW7l7089uykuOnmYNC1D2v5IZb3ed1u4/s400/2012-07-25+09.52.02.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cube after milling - complete</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhC50yCxTcoJm2TTUSwwVjatXXZHbvqfJxVt_1HEH1HdHMxyJsEpwSuRSLDIGV-TTYQq0dG4-QUC8110CpKzWOViQFuF_p8lcrYiIQKupOZdUeVGfrguIA__jwcPJu_cpgxLqEil9GSE/s1600/2012-07-25+09.52.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhC50yCxTcoJm2TTUSwwVjatXXZHbvqfJxVt_1HEH1HdHMxyJsEpwSuRSLDIGV-TTYQq0dG4-QUC8110CpKzWOViQFuF_p8lcrYiIQKupOZdUeVGfrguIA__jwcPJu_cpgxLqEil9GSE/s400/2012-07-25+09.52.15.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<b>Scraping Plate (serious & tedious pain)</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhR6odPbdsVK0y9I9ImOj3PuNknbGIqp_XQa5J-Hu-1U2cBXtsnUMjpd-tHlmLdU4qxASjlFeVUvXsQcvrf2UzQLjOSQ1AgqIqmW9HrOlL9VeGrg9C_ztgpfM0ktEC8I7iNBULuv33EY/s1600/2012-05-03+12.41.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhR6odPbdsVK0y9I9ImOj3PuNknbGIqp_XQa5J-Hu-1U2cBXtsnUMjpd-tHlmLdU4qxASjlFeVUvXsQcvrf2UzQLjOSQ1AgqIqmW9HrOlL9VeGrg9C_ztgpfM0ktEC8I7iNBULuv33EY/s400/2012-05-03+12.41.35.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate having been filed flat and then hand scraped until smooth - this takes serious patience. Takes about four hours of scraping to get it done. Some people have taken up to a whole day to get this bit done! Hand scraping is used to get surfaces properly flat - you may have heard of hand scraping bearings before?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQ0sHrlmbej-0kL4aXEm5c1nptAZljCV1hOpqzmlTJ2v98ZA8MSJOkp8cdvVp5W-3SI92bgQrN3JlHjzhztbvRSQTQbl4j5vEEQSqcIJBvP_lNn0nsfbZ698YT3evaq8I6fs-b4myaa0/s1600/2012-05-03+12.42.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQ0sHrlmbej-0kL4aXEm5c1nptAZljCV1hOpqzmlTJ2v98ZA8MSJOkp8cdvVp5W-3SI92bgQrN3JlHjzhztbvRSQTQbl4j5vEEQSqcIJBvP_lNn0nsfbZ698YT3evaq8I6fs-b4myaa0/s400/2012-05-03+12.42.33.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzfIrb5FPfVM-iFeOz-W-1wvAOOxl9tbQd9918f2t8tc_iKo4MmgICCIGxPA4vNXTfET4BzjIArcxT6w_wel1iU64YkHTnFRiDbHV1CD8BjeW_P5klc5oXhqPYB9XpQzQS_oHjvTb6uo/s1600/2012-06-07+11.57.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzfIrb5FPfVM-iFeOz-W-1wvAOOxl9tbQd9918f2t8tc_iKo4MmgICCIGxPA4vNXTfET4BzjIArcxT6w_wel1iU64YkHTnFRiDbHV1CD8BjeW_P5klc5oXhqPYB9XpQzQS_oHjvTb6uo/s400/2012-06-07+11.57.54.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of plate has milled parts. This part is first</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvGnzvH8nwTzSX7YbTmrB5yi_wrl7ZL5iYusDEpGPEf-t_1E8Rv-EM2wYFtyIE7b6gHB1Y6v71OPnqR0Sbn6U4VlZbmrVtoBSeCjcu_6frHCJIgxxYKO1CJAlML3ZEGFesGlm810gXh8/s1600/2012-06-07+12.02.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvGnzvH8nwTzSX7YbTmrB5yi_wrl7ZL5iYusDEpGPEf-t_1E8Rv-EM2wYFtyIE7b6gHB1Y6v71OPnqR0Sbn6U4VlZbmrVtoBSeCjcu_6frHCJIgxxYKO1CJAlML3ZEGFesGlm810gXh8/s400/2012-06-07+12.02.56.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milling other channels in it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0TBSww8PTMMPJJ2e5fyobt2CCipnNVHso9hGJj95rMo2dSFhN0QhdtY67JRDVucXAw7Le-tF9G8S5Z6tc0eC6b1YkJ_Wog5qjNpPcGAWRIpHdK_j_iy7-vwn9IATnfRhCRC8koDssdY/s1600/2012-07-25+12.17.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0TBSww8PTMMPJJ2e5fyobt2CCipnNVHso9hGJj95rMo2dSFhN0QhdtY67JRDVucXAw7Le-tF9G8S5Z6tc0eC6b1YkJ_Wog5qjNpPcGAWRIpHdK_j_iy7-vwn9IATnfRhCRC8koDssdY/s400/2012-07-25+12.17.12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All finished - scraped side is the bottom. Bottom notch has been hand chiseled out.</td></tr>
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<b>Offset Plug (Consists of one male part, one female - offset centre by 10mm) </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalgKV96oonFuMAseYYgaZckLX0RFfGoopOj4fHf8-JQRWNXm-zY7udA4BhYb96QaoxDQW54izP-5P7VUDk77V3aPTeafvfeJobsYQ1aUFKk9eHMLQAE9CroSnoE0kZFXTtuHIKPWNXls/s1600/2012-06-12+14.50.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalgKV96oonFuMAseYYgaZckLX0RFfGoopOj4fHf8-JQRWNXm-zY7udA4BhYb96QaoxDQW54izP-5P7VUDk77V3aPTeafvfeJobsYQ1aUFKk9eHMLQAE9CroSnoE0kZFXTtuHIKPWNXls/s400/2012-06-12+14.50.20.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdmcvr8NOBrgXMM-8EQa98LRBsGwYHi_bImZea4XcO1Hr42xeB_PZLgLLF00JN5XeNkPA9N8aZuk_EM3Yn5hVEikDv53SWf0h8-p2pZpa87hbyXh9MjTOel5OKyj0urAEDbdXo7G6YGk/s1600/2012-06-12+14.50.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdmcvr8NOBrgXMM-8EQa98LRBsGwYHi_bImZea4XcO1Hr42xeB_PZLgLLF00JN5XeNkPA9N8aZuk_EM3Yn5hVEikDv53SWf0h8-p2pZpa87hbyXh9MjTOel5OKyj0urAEDbdXo7G6YGk/s400/2012-06-12+14.50.35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUE5cGShxkiVS-mtz6jeIS7CiM0nD2XsYOCs-So_xXgb_Uek4drhKf7o4KCtgXQIu5ho6Pn_re3fFy5ORIdU1RQNacq4QPP27vJPukOENnPvvyMG7zdcsNcJnKp9cDcIW8iPf5-DkZW0/s1600/2012-06-12+15.43.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUE5cGShxkiVS-mtz6jeIS7CiM0nD2XsYOCs-So_xXgb_Uek4drhKf7o4KCtgXQIu5ho6Pn_re3fFy5ORIdU1RQNacq4QPP27vJPukOENnPvvyMG7zdcsNcJnKp9cDcIW8iPf5-DkZW0/s400/2012-06-12+15.43.38.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up the offset on the lathe with the four jaw chuck and the DTI (dial test indicator)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5-v3bXdBKmaCrqCsDaiWKNpvsQ_sK2MnK88HKPY1NTdbwfWDYGFayvOL4MK8t75jAf83WqtzinchgGnH_MUw3N8J7GLDj2lUxmwmXBEqRzh6DAP95BlYH55Vv_8-4Ze7hyphenhyphenBF_TNklT4/s1600/2012-06-12+15.43.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5-v3bXdBKmaCrqCsDaiWKNpvsQ_sK2MnK88HKPY1NTdbwfWDYGFayvOL4MK8t75jAf83WqtzinchgGnH_MUw3N8J7GLDj2lUxmwmXBEqRzh6DAP95BlYH55Vv_8-4Ze7hyphenhyphenBF_TNklT4/s400/2012-06-12+15.43.45.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Video showing dial test indicator. Each revolution of the pointer = 1mm. Needs to be ten exact turns when setup on each male and female part so that they marry up perfectly</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning down to length</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished parts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished parts together. Drilled hole with a bolt holds parts together</td></tr>
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<b>The Trinity</b><br />
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-22276655040479121912012-06-15T15:43:00.003+01:002012-06-15T15:43:34.436+01:00Elated Feeling<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's an elated feeling as I walk out of the workshop here for the final time. The last few weeks have been a mix of short course (Medical First Aid) and workshop time, the latter in order to finish the entire workshop portfolio. My personal deadline was to finish by the end of this week. This was because we now have two weeks of more short courses (one week Advanced Fire Fighting, the other week Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats ), and then either workshop (if not finished) or oral prep for the MCA oral exam to get our 'ticket'. Finishing workshop this week allows me to go straight into oral prep once the short courses are over, with the aim to taking my exam and hopefully getting my ticket before end of July. Thus, it's a good feeling that I have finished workshop in time to make the next stage. </div>
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It seems like such a long time since Jan 2010, and I've learned a lot in that time. Feels weird to all suddenly be over in the workshop and on the academic side of the course. Next weekend is the Passing Out Ceremony, and that's crept up quickly too.</div>
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I'll upload some of the latest photos on here once I've got them onto the computer...</div>
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</div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-3656457449487707592012-01-18T12:20:00.000+00:002012-01-18T12:20:25.984+00:00The Day Has Come<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was written as I was leaving Greta C...</div>
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Well it's time to leave Greta C now after only seven days on board. I now have enough sea time accrued to apply for a date when I can take my Marine Engineer Licence, or 'ticket' as it's widely known. At some point in my final training at the academy I will send in my 'Notice of Elegibility' or 'N.O.E' and then a date will be booked for the oral exam. </div>
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My cabin on greta</div>
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The seven days on board Greta C started off mildly and ended up pretty full on, with a thirteen and a half hour day for the penultimate day due to some reasonably major main engine work (unexpected). </div>
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As I mentioned before, my first impressions of the ship (compared to the Chinese ones I had been on previously) were that it appeared better built, but more clinical and less beauty there. The ER (Engine Room) was split into many different mezzanine type levels and it looked pretty old fashioned compared to Nomadic Milde. Nomadic Milde's ER layout was great as there was quite a bit of open space between machinery and it all looked great - Greta C's layout was probably appropriate for someone less than five foot tall (so easy to whack your head in so many parts) and it all seemed rather more shoehorned in. Despite the ship being a 2009 build the Japanese equipment looks a bit old fashioned, and in terms of control equipment in the ECR (engine control room) it seemed fairly antiquated. Nomadic Milde's control systems are a lot more sophisticated and modern. However, while I was on board we did have very few alarms go off, and I think that this was partly down to the general build quality of all the Jap equipment being superior, and also testament to the good standard of Engineering provided by the Russian Chief Engineer and Lithuanian Second Engineer. </div>
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The first couple of days on board were spent doing familiarisation and some work with the electrician on board sorting out a problem with the automatic back flushing on the fuel booster unit filters. We had Port State Control on board on the Sunday and they got us to demonstrate various machinery worked properly. They were satisfied with what they saw and we didn't get any deficiencies listed, which was good. </div>
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On Monday 9th Jan we manoeuvred out of Hamburg headed for Antwerp. This was fairly long, from 6pm until 2am. We were told the manoeuvring into Antwerp would be longer, around 8 hours - a long time to be on standby in the Engine room for, considering it was likely that it would fall outside normal UMS (unmanned system) work hours. The passage to Antwerp was around thirty hours, and on Tuesday we were just doing various engine room maintenance tasks - we also did a performance test on the main engine which involves measuring all the peak cylinder pressures and injection timing etc. On the Carisbrooke ships they have a great system called 'Dr Diesel' which takes the readings. You plug it into a sensor pickup box and then attach the pressure probe onto each cylinder in turn and take readings. You then download the information onto the computer program and enter the other engine parameters at the time (pressures, temperatures, fuel pump rack positions etc). It then produces a graph where you can look at how each cylinder's pressures and injection pressures and timings compare against each other i.e. how good the balance is. Looking at this graph you can see whether there are any problems, and what the problems are potentially. This also enables you to work out the indicated power of the engine. It's a modern version of what they used to have to work out indicated power, and is brilliant (in my opinion). The data is recorded each month and sent to the Superintendent and another technical person. They view it and give feedback to the Chief Engineer mentioning any potential problems they see and or checks/adjustments that could be made.</div>
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Tuesday night manoeuvring started around midnight and didn't finish until around 0830 on Wednesday, with us arriving in Antwerp. Wednesday was far from restful with the generator engines' lubricating oil purifier needing stripping down due to a problem. This was one of many things going on, as we had two surveyors from our Classification Society on board ('class' as they are referred to. A classification society is basically an organisation that initiates and maintains the technical standards for the ship from the initial build and throughout its life - each ship has a classification society it is party to, and cannot be insured without being 'in class'. 'In class' means it is following and maintaining the classification society's rules; if a ship is not, then it is considered to be 'out of class' = bad news, as it will then be uninsured). They were keeping us on our toes, and we had to demonstrate a comprehensive range of equipment was in satisfactory condition; this included demonstrating various trips designed to stop machinery when running out of safe parameters. We had to open up equipment like the exhaust gas fired heater for the thermal oil system, so he could inspect the condition of the tubes where the heat exchange takes place. We had to strip down machines such as the Oily Water Separator (very messy job) so he could inspect the interior. </div>
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The ECR - Chief Engineer in white, 2/E in Orange</div>
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The Main Engine</div>
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The Filipino oiler, Reinie</div>
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One of the three auxiliary generators</div>
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2/E and I</div>
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Inside the oily water separator</div>
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Remind anyone of atheroma?</div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Oily water separator inside after cleaning </span></div>
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The inspections continued on Thursday and during a Main Engine scavenge space inspection it was found that three piston rings on cylinder three were broken, and one on cylinder two. With three piston rings broken on cylinder three this was an undesirable and potentially dangerous situation as this could mean blow by from cylinder three to the scavenge space, and lead to a scavenge fire during engine running - a dangerous and potentially damaging situation. </div>
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Viewing piston rings through scavenge ports - within circle you can see missing bits</div>
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Broken pieces of piston ring in bottom of scavenge space</div>
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So, suddenly we were into discussions as to when the soonest these problems could be rectified, which as the port stay in Antwerp was long enough, was immediately! After checking we had the spares in stock we began the job, at about four or five in the afternoon. By 9:30pm we had the piston out and had already put new rings on it, ready to be replaced in the engine. To preserve everybody's sanity, it was replaced and finished the next day. </div>
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Lifting cylinder head off</div>
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Lifting piston with piston rod and stuffing box attached</div>
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Breaks in piston ring circled in red.</div>
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New piston rings on</div>
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That was the end of my time on Greta C. It was short, but a very good experience and a good refresher on two stroke slow speed engines - useful as I had originally been with a two stroke on Andrea Anon, but that was on my initial sea phase (Nomadic Milde has a medium speed four stroke engine). And it was great as you always learn something new. </div>
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Anyway, back home now and preparing to go back for the final part at the academy, which begins on the 30th Jan.</div>
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One last question/comment: Does anybody understand how to use a perhaps Japanese coat hanger which is only about 15cm long? Photo below - answers anyone?</div>
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<br /></div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-908977859984215132012-01-09T22:37:00.001+00:002012-01-09T22:37:10.607+00:00Hamburg done. Bring me Antwerp.We've left Hamburg and are headed for Antwerp now where I will disembark at some point. There will be masses to do in Hamburg though, as we are bunkering close to 1000 cubic metres of fuel, spare parts needed will arrive, and many supplies including the much wanted milk that we currently have none of (the ship is rumoured to be heading Africa way next so we are stocking up). It's colossal to think that this figure for the fuel is a million litres! And remember that this is a small ship (roughly 136m long and only 13000 tonnes deadweight). <p>So yes, ships do have a lot to answer for in terms of pollution and in recent years international laws for emissions and fuel have been changing - soon they will be changing again to become even more stringent. <p>It's taken years for shipping to come under fire, mostly as I think that shipping is largely out of the public eye. I mean who ever realises or remembers how all those shiny new phones, laptops and almost everything arrives in their clutches. Ships is how. It's easy to see how the car industries were targeted earlier. <p>It's particularly forgotten how most of our goods come by ship, especially at Christmas time I think: when everybody is at home with family opening presents that most likely were not made in their country (we're used to that in England), it is most likely that the people involved in delivering them aren't in fact sitting down doing the same thing with their family. They are possibly braving heavy winter oceans while fitting in a Christmas dinner around the ship's watches and maybe getting a chance to speak to their loved ones on sat phone. On my last ship the cook wasn't ending his contract until March 2013 i think. Considering he has to cook everyday of the week, month and year for the crew that is pretty tough going. Of course the crews are getting paid, but I still know which of the two scenarios I would prefer and I daresay when it comes to that particular time their thoughts are with home. <p>Back on topic - fuel etc. I read a couple of years ago that eighty percent of world trade is carried by ship. With a small ship like this getting through around twenty tonnes of fuel per day, who can say it doesn't add up massively. However, it is still the most efficient way to transport goods. If you think just how many iPhones and other consumer goods can be fitted on one ship it is astonishing. Even on our tiny multipurpose cargo ship we can carry 771 (TEU) containers. Can you imagine just how many goods can fit in that space? There are many ships that carry many thousands of containers at once - you could fit quite a few ships of this size inside those ships! <p>Anyway, Greta C - that's the ship I'm on in case I didn't mention or you just forgot. It's Japanese built (2009) and very different to the Chinese built ones I was on. Mostly the technology seems to be far more old fashioned. This won't mean much to many of you but I feel like I've arrived at one of the Dharma Initiative stations from the tv show Lost. There is 'the button' to be pushed, but luckily on this ship not as regular as every 108 minutes - here it is the 'mute alarm' button for the machinery spaces. In all my time writing this blog I have most likely failed to explain just what I do here and also what a typical day is like. You probably all have no real idea what a marine engineer does. To explain now by typing it out on my phone would be tantamount to a repetitive strain injury and a serious headache. I do however promise that I will do a completely separate blog post on what we actually do, as it is my fault of course that it is still largely a mystery. <p>What I will explain is that in any modern ship there are thousands of sensors, many of which are monitored by the automatic monitoring system. If any of the many many machines runs out of 'normal' parameters we've set in the monitoring system then an alarm goes off. In order to stop the most annoying repetitive sound from continuing you have to mute the alarm from the ECR (engine control room) by pressing 'the button' and acknowledge it by pressing another button. Then of course you have to investigate the cause of the alarm if appropriate. <p>The number of alarms can range from none to as many as there are sensors for (although the same alarm can go off many times in one day if a problem occurs on and off). I have heard of one ship where it was/is one engineer's job for the duration of his entire engine room watch to sit and not move away from the computer in the ECR - there was/is that many alarms constantly. In addition to thinking about the number of alarms it is also a question of when. It could be deadly convenient; you might just be standing by the computer when an alarm goes off. Or, you could be fast asleep at 3am to be woken by this; it could happen all night. For training new parents, pre baby arrival they should send them to sea. This, the sometimes crazy port schedules, the long contracts, and the now reduced amount of staff on ships are all contributory reasons for why the seafaring industry is riddled with fatigue. <p>On this ship, it's been very quiet regarding alarms (we've only had two or three) - must be a compliment to the Russian Engineering standards (Chief and Second Engineer are both Russian). Obviously looks can be deceiving, and by this I don't mean the Russians! What I mean is that the engine room here doesn't exactly look like the grand production floor of the mighty Maclaren building in England (cheer right now for something that is proudly made in England - even if it's statistically unlikely that any of us can afford to actually buy one of these that may bear the 'made in the uk' words). There is a distinct lack of beauty here, and frankly you wouldn't be that enthusiastic if you came in here - compared to this the last Chinese ship I was on looks like a Maclaren factory. As i said though, looks can be deceiving. In gritty engineering places like this, you will care more about whether you are woken up at 3am by a preventable alarm than whether the machines will win a concours award at the next show n shine competition. <p>For now, I must get some rest as I don't know what the plan is for tomorrow - if the ship has one for us anyway. If not, we'll attempt to use our own plan...tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-64287262037302542112012-01-07T21:36:00.001+00:002012-01-07T21:36:46.332+00:00On Board Greta CWell I'm on board already. The whole travelling was over so quickly - no doubt this was partly psychological due to the journeys to and from the last ship being so long.<p>BA were fantastic as usual and apart from some turbulence and a rough landing (there were a couple of shrieks emitted - not from me!) we arrived in Hamburg safely where I met the agent.<p>The port was a fifteen minute drive from the airport and the agent dropped me at the ship immediately. <p>The boarding ladder was somewhat far away from the dockside so I actually had to sit on a slippery old wooden dock post and then climb aboard - it was this careful approach or the leap of faith. With the constant rain here the latter would have been somewhat dumb as it's so slippery. However, my boarding this way somehow involved my hands delving into some substance which smells like cowshit - surprise! Despite repeated washing I smell like a vet that's been arm deep...<p>The ship: Japanese this time rather than Chinese and it's very different. The last two ships both came from the same yard in China so had similarities. I can immediately see the difference in build quality and the way things are done differently. The Japanese ship (from what I've seen so far, and also have heard many engineers profess the Japanese ship quality as superior) is better made (and I'm mainly counting what I can see and encounter rather than inspecting the construction of the hull!), however there is something very institutional and clinical about the interior. The doors are all metal rather than wood and everything is square and box like rather than rounded and smooth. Differing styles, but less beauty in this one. <p>Anyway, enough rambling - Tomorrow: hammer and tongs. I'm told we leave port on Monday headed for Antwerp which is only a one day voyage. The captain joked about us heading somewhere else much much further away. He joked...tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-22499895730150028662012-01-06T16:33:00.000+00:002012-01-06T16:34:36.204+00:00New Orders - Last LegMy orders have come in - I fly to Hamburg tomorrow to pick up Greta C, and work onboard until we reach Rotterdam where I will disembark and fly back here. Must pack now...<br><br>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-15998366449046893942011-12-22T17:57:00.000+00:002011-12-22T17:57:06.608+00:00Nomadic DHL and the last days of RomeWritten a couple of weeks ago...<br />
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While in Shanghai we went to an evening street market and there was this guy doing a bbq with all kinds of food on skewers - it was such good value and amazing tasting. There was all kinds of meat (maybe some toad?!) and also skewers with shitake mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, plus everything had these really tasty spices added. </div>
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Plenty of selection!</div>
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We are now DHL chartered! We are delivering what seems to be a whole power station from Shanghai to Haldia, India. You never really imagine deliveries like this being handled by DHL, but here we are. </div>
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Loading is slow due to heavy lift cargo operations. We have loaded two steam drums (for large steam boilers) each weighing 153 tonnes. It takes both cranes and much skill to place them safely in the cargo holds - especially as the maximum allowed between both cranes is 160 tonnes! Five large transformers are also to go in, and these weigh around 140 tonnes each I'm told. I'm also told that these are extremely expensive (each one is millions apparently). So, hopefully no mistakes...</div>
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Once finished we were stacked with cargo even on the top of the cargo holds. <br />
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Power station loaded</div>
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We are now in Haldia, India after stopping off en route in Singapore to bunker some fuel. The total voyage was around 11 days from Shanghai. Getting into Haldia involved a long manoeuvring as we had to pass through lots of locks en route. Haldia is very dusty and there's a little fire truck that drives around the port spraying the ground with water to try and avoid as much dust blowing around. Cargo operations are slow and we've been told it will take around ten days to discharge all cargo. I've also been told that here the Chief Officer, one of the other crew, and myself will be disembarking - there are some new crew en route from the Philippines to replace us. So, it's now a rush to suddenly get all the reports I am part way through finished and get all the paperwork done for the academy and my training record book.</div>
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Oh, and the on ship market came on board here. This time we also had hairdresser and masseuse too. When the Captain was getting his hair cut it reminded me of Prison Break Season 3 in the Panamanian Prison when 'El Patron' is getting his hair cut...</div>
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We're getting off at some point on 16th December and we will take a car journey to Calcutta, then fly to Dubai (only myself and Chief officer, as Chris will fly to somewhere else before the Phillipinnes), and then I will fly to Gatwick and Chief Officer to Moscow...</div>
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Back home now. Below are some photos of India, en route to Calcutta airport. Really interesting driving style from the taxi! You might notice the sensible following distance from a photo or too. What was really interesting was that there were just people walking and cycling by what was the 'motorway'. Excuse the photo composition and quality - for most of these we were flying past at about 60mph so it wasn't easy. </div>
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These first photos were from when we had to wait at the agent's office for a few hours before taking the taxi to the airport. Cyclists and cows were passing regularly (the latter just wander about), and there was a small lake/pond where the locals would come and bathe.</div>
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Chief and Chris</div>
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Bikes parked for bathing</div>
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Average traffic</div>
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Mika Hakkinen (Chief)</div>
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Car loaded including very important luggage - the Chief's R/C helicopter</div>
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Chief at airport with crucial luggage. Amusingly it was carried on the plane as hand luggage like this. The air hostess even stored it separately from the other luggage especially for him!</div>
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These photos from here down were taken en route to Calcutta airport</div>
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A lot of the structures around Haldia were like this, but then closer to Calcutta there were more concrete buildings.</div>
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Lots of the trucks were painted with bright colours like this</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0M8pMM4BIEAFA369wzppIRGeUb_kiYOrZ9XFaXbkPFG0XyZuQMEbqSVBGVsFMI6auQ7MNpB3gggbMHLEWNE3Bz7QoO20nzBiYbq-KqXA7P6TfLD5Ptwb9YwVfBgHojPG1sQy6aOmHTV0/s1600/DSC_2268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0M8pMM4BIEAFA369wzppIRGeUb_kiYOrZ9XFaXbkPFG0XyZuQMEbqSVBGVsFMI6auQ7MNpB3gggbMHLEWNE3Bz7QoO20nzBiYbq-KqXA7P6TfLD5Ptwb9YwVfBgHojPG1sQy6aOmHTV0/s400/DSC_2268.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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Bridge repairs...</div>
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There were lots of homes right by the road, with washing hanging out - it must have got pretty dusty.</div>
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Cycling, walking, all by the side of the road, in both directions</div>
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On the way, we passed quite a few small provinces like this</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHTmQ5-JZi1zZLcnf_lXJ1uVpfnkix2EVAYt0_r6LbsGkASDOHluiytFLwx0j2HHpIj6jn95LGAOXtF6XeMVXuUs4hi8U8vYYRvYgh8MreA8Y-PxsQGi2GazNnbhtMWwON2eM6tLvm5c/s1600/DSC_2279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHTmQ5-JZi1zZLcnf_lXJ1uVpfnkix2EVAYt0_r6LbsGkASDOHluiytFLwx0j2HHpIj6jn95LGAOXtF6XeMVXuUs4hi8U8vYYRvYgh8MreA8Y-PxsQGi2GazNnbhtMWwON2eM6tLvm5c/s400/DSC_2279.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Motorway services...</div>
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I was impressed by this.</div>
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One of the more impressive buildings en route</div>
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Wash time</div>
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Of the more permanent structures we saw, this was probably the most typical type of home around the Haldia area. </div>
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That's it. I'm now back home and loving being back with Emily, but also the climate, the beautiful look of England at this time of year, parking fines, queues, and all the other English staples. Suffice to say, rice is not on the menu three times a day now - I've reduced it a little!<br />
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-77548789796617520902011-11-21T18:13:00.000+00:002011-11-21T18:14:46.891+00:00Roads to nowhere<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I has been long overdue (like having any internet access!), but I must write something on here. It’s been so long that I can’t remember where I got to – also I can’t check as don’t have internet access when writing this. I think the last post was from Korea. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Incidentally, for anybody who couldn’t see what it was – the necklace I was wearing during the baptism was all that remained of the Stingray we ate. The top bit of skin with the eyes etc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'>A few photos from Onsan Port, Korea<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB7huVmowGngC53JwgjOgLIzuP2wMmwCd8i05a7YErHlvQMLYY38wDtfuglKEH7WWZcrvpBquMZG0eUwJjJHY8yPZfBMIziDTbO9KGpioJr1XfUDDO4mZ1iYlb3ebhcggXzFP72n0Pr0/s1600/image001-786893.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB7huVmowGngC53JwgjOgLIzuP2wMmwCd8i05a7YErHlvQMLYY38wDtfuglKEH7WWZcrvpBquMZG0eUwJjJHY8yPZfBMIziDTbO9KGpioJr1XfUDDO4mZ1iYlb3ebhcggXzFP72n0Pr0/s320/image001-786893.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514207443198370" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm-Uq6vpYeHi1jj8iFEpPvJuKH_baqR9b7cAItOjanfqIlfHUjrjMLLMmlMwKWktj-nQYtnjYT0OMj7F_8yCiDme3SJ-N75Ve6CRZpWHXkoBmDpOw8vWi9bz-Yb5Ro0Higo-R7hZlpHc/s1600/image002-788064.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm-Uq6vpYeHi1jj8iFEpPvJuKH_baqR9b7cAItOjanfqIlfHUjrjMLLMmlMwKWktj-nQYtnjYT0OMj7F_8yCiDme3SJ-N75Ve6CRZpWHXkoBmDpOw8vWi9bz-Yb5Ro0Higo-R7hZlpHc/s320/image002-788064.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514213057636002" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhT2b71yWv3WkcyVCOmKK6tAHZxDcccBCTLMB2SIKPRfInH0YWswDF4TzkR-Z9S9ImHCzUE3INr2WXuoT183W0f-fyR1xnBi7wUuNZfCzFQy1yC1GRdkZnYzMx-IU3_lb7qU3IATExsU/s1600/image003-788940.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhT2b71yWv3WkcyVCOmKK6tAHZxDcccBCTLMB2SIKPRfInH0YWswDF4TzkR-Z9S9ImHCzUE3INr2WXuoT183W0f-fyR1xnBi7wUuNZfCzFQy1yC1GRdkZnYzMx-IU3_lb7qU3IATExsU/s320/image003-788940.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514215469959426" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We left Korea on 11<sup>th</sup> or 12<sup>th</sup> October, and on 15<sup>th</sup> October we had our first bbq on Saturday afternoon. Lando (our second engineer) had done a good job and made a bbq from steel – not like Tony’s wooden bbq in Men Behaving Badly. The weather was great, and cooky had been preparing lots of great food – including a whole pig’s head (you may want to look away Jane). Not afraid of trying new food (although I did think it was a practical joke on me at first) I ate one of the pig’s eyes and then about half its brain. Not bad at all is my verdict, if you can get past the idea of eating an eye and mushy brain. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkRZ8ZZExt67i9VrQ3-sUt0w9NE3JqnoW7l6JxFN4QKTjwUza3wmBE2EIwYBl6lg6h5KH3OrnVC-x6DiVx3Ai6REEf3Cz0i-EndO58UAFylg_986jzIeqMhX3UAgAuqJbnoQiKXC1oqw/s1600/image004-789996.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkRZ8ZZExt67i9VrQ3-sUt0w9NE3JqnoW7l6JxFN4QKTjwUza3wmBE2EIwYBl6lg6h5KH3OrnVC-x6DiVx3Ai6REEf3Cz0i-EndO58UAFylg_986jzIeqMhX3UAgAuqJbnoQiKXC1oqw/s320/image004-789996.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514219242220866" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpG4LT9iGPGBOF8Qf_L5ystVgqIfd1A0soeHDV19dmGg9RTG9MsDEyPYaAHsIPfKwS3NqlD6fPsEJgK5d9TJw8ww6f8v0u0rX028_ffpN4DiaOLuXD2cBLd2_hwWDQiWDQtOYXo8MU_w/s1600/image005-791670.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpG4LT9iGPGBOF8Qf_L5ystVgqIfd1A0soeHDV19dmGg9RTG9MsDEyPYaAHsIPfKwS3NqlD6fPsEJgK5d9TJw8ww6f8v0u0rX028_ffpN4DiaOLuXD2cBLd2_hwWDQiWDQtOYXo8MU_w/s320/image005-791670.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514225577473138" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9QBMBNCY6p3T4hMb9Naf7BAZ4bu7Qxgg7nIEEN1IVV-RbfBgPPkySJn0WIi0d-oGbsny94YZtT65ukIrGJCaY_W8etxf4-r9aOfJaXxmveH2L3GAcKkzodLPuNbtMLCS_4iPHrbvBgs/s1600/image006-792904.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9QBMBNCY6p3T4hMb9Naf7BAZ4bu7Qxgg7nIEEN1IVV-RbfBgPPkySJn0WIi0d-oGbsny94YZtT65ukIrGJCaY_W8etxf4-r9aOfJaXxmveH2L3GAcKkzodLPuNbtMLCS_4iPHrbvBgs/s320/image006-792904.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514236271341170" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Earlier on the same day, one of the deck guys had found a bat when they were cleaning off the decks with the fire hose. He had been drenched in sea water and looked pretty worse for wear (see photo). I put it on some paper towel to soak the water up and then realised I would have to give him a bath to get the salt water off – which would probably upset him more, but get the salt water off. So, I ran some warm water and then held his shoulders and dipped him in the water to rinse off all the salt. I then kept him in my bathroom in a box with the heater on (as I’d read they’re supposed to have a warm temp) and with water soaked shreds of kitchen roll in a bottle cap so it could drink if possible without drowning. At intervals over the course of that day and the next morning I tried to feed him with milk which a couple of times he accepted. The only way to feed him though was to pick him up, and every time I did that his heart was beating so fast and he was probably terrified. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Once it was dark I thought maybe he’d have the strength to fly, now being dry and having rested and eaten. I took him outside in the box and then got him out – all that happened was he pissed on me. No success. So, back in the bathroom in the box and then when I checked on him on Sunday morning I attempted to feed again – he took some milk and then suddenly became very active trying to crawl up my arms. So, I took him outside and put him on the rescue boat – which obviously scared him again. However, after seeming confused to be in broad daylight and wind, he suddenly flapped his wings and flew off – hopefully not somewhere else on the ship. Anyway, I was glad he flew and seemed ok, plus he wasn’t very easy to look after.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeiMCsx8KQVblsa-95DKXpnO2Q1fmbSwl6987FfF6h42COTq_KfiI4lc-0g0y8aiBSpp9iUPEyTPxFa4HNw2B8ojSBGL6iHR-hk3icaf0ytIMqecQhhrmdZkbvmajKCdoxSFJm8rl0bY/s1600/image007-795099.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeiMCsx8KQVblsa-95DKXpnO2Q1fmbSwl6987FfF6h42COTq_KfiI4lc-0g0y8aiBSpp9iUPEyTPxFa4HNw2B8ojSBGL6iHR-hk3icaf0ytIMqecQhhrmdZkbvmajKCdoxSFJm8rl0bY/s320/image007-795099.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514243371342642" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Next, we arrived in Quingdao, China. I think it was only about four days of voyage from Korea and it was all plain sailing – nothing of note I can recall. Look at our ship though – it seemed to have aged quite a bit during the crossing. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGtQBAH39ive5w5lHJiO9MoNjCrj8hx3OQXmWBqY2LhKGN_DgmOZRi3MAgqrUeu8W7o7cVteB7vRSJz5PCaR9zpVOXGUdHWhC-PfxmlCIlXXIHk4gBIWJKrI-KDYFXXtJ5TAB4Hgb4gg/s1600/image008-795914.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGtQBAH39ive5w5lHJiO9MoNjCrj8hx3OQXmWBqY2LhKGN_DgmOZRi3MAgqrUeu8W7o7cVteB7vRSJz5PCaR9zpVOXGUdHWhC-PfxmlCIlXXIHk4gBIWJKrI-KDYFXXtJ5TAB4Hgb4gg/s320/image008-795914.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514246394609298" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We had arrived on 26<sup>th</sup> October. All I can think of when I think of China now is ‘An Idiot Abroad’ – the first episode. I watched it this week and found it pretty funny (Sam Parker, please forgive me). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Well, Quingdao was a bit like when the idiot arrives in China as nobody, and I do mean nobody we came across in Quindao itself could speak <i>any</i> English. On the ship it was ok, as the agent etc had to be able to speak English.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We walked into town to see if we could find internet anywhere. Firstly, finding our way out of the port was ‘interesting’ as with nobody speaking our language and not understanding our general arm movements for ‘exit’, we had nothing. So, we looked around for signs, praying for a familiar arrow or exit type sign seen (apparently) all over the world. This was when we realised there was only one thing we were going to understand in China – numbers. Everything else is unintelligible to us. I’m so used to managing to get around most places by guessing words or knowing enough language to survive. But, when it comes down to symbols - well it might as well have been wingdings written on the signs as neither of us had a clue. Unfortunately nobody seemed to understand binary code either – I thought maybe we were onto a winner for communication with that idea.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anyway, by <i>we</i>, I mean Allan and I. We found our way out the port despite almost being run down by a fairly slow moving train. At each gate of the port we expected some kind of strict security check, but nothing. At every gate we tried to ask which way to the town using a number of different word and arm signal combinations – still nothing. Incidentally, there were loads of workers cycling into and out of the port with awesome old rickety bikes. Even at the main gate (where our papers were checked) the guys only spoke one word which was ‘taxi’. They also seemed to understand ‘seaman’s club’. However what happened next confused us. We were trying to ask him which way to the town/seaman’s club and he kept saying taxi, but we were trying to show him we wanted to walk (you can imagine us demonstrating our walk). He went into his little booth, then came back out with a piece of paper with Chinese writing on it. He indicated we should give this to the taxi driver – we think. The trouble was that we had no idea what was written on the paper and we weren’t sure if it was the location of where we were then (so a taxi driver in town would be able to bring us back later), or the seaman’s club. So, I nodded in agreement and smiled and nodded, put the piece of paper in my pocket, and we walked onwards without daring to look back. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It took about forty minutes to walk into town and it was a very strange – we came across five flyover type carriageways which were roads to nowhere; they ended abruptly. There didn’t seem to be any sign that they would be finished. However close by they had closed of a major (for this place) highway into town so people were diverted, it seemed, to where people should only have been walking. We were walking through this undercover bit similar to a subway with cars driving past and when two abreast almost knocking us into the water on our left. There were also a number of part completed high rise slash mini skyscraper type buildings which had scaffolding on them, but didn’t look like anything had or would be going on. Next to these were a couple of finished ones but they didn’t even look newly finished so they could well have been previous development. To our left was a river type body of water and above it a road on stilts. It all felt a bit like the Barbican development in London, but brought to China and incomplete. Oh, and add some random large pipelines to that mix, as these were snaking around the river side. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Three of the roads to nowhere<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jcSRODUwX-c_caIG44UCLtIP9PhM98Wrqc-L59bpLWmLdR1JCysiZOGZObDmXAfLIogp2QKKEvxUqJkoH6wTWN9Rwrx2fQoHDpk0tGGbVLEo7kyGYfTayd-FVCpF7sCkTsC_eNnpW0Y/s1600/image009-797461.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jcSRODUwX-c_caIG44UCLtIP9PhM98Wrqc-L59bpLWmLdR1JCysiZOGZObDmXAfLIogp2QKKEvxUqJkoH6wTWN9Rwrx2fQoHDpk0tGGbVLEo7kyGYfTayd-FVCpF7sCkTsC_eNnpW0Y/s320/image009-797461.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514254414411490" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Further on, underneath the road which they had closed, there were small industrial units and it reminded me then of some of the bit of East London with businesses under railway arches, albeit dusty and very old. The best way of explaining the whole mix of things I was seeing was post apocalyptic; any film directors should consider this location for the next film of that ilk.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Town wasn’t much further than this part, and when we got there it was a bit of a shock after being on a ship with only fourteen people. It was seriously busy with traffic, noisy, and seemingly dangerous for anybody on foot. There didn’t seem to be any way of crossing the road without doing it in parts, whilst cars zoomed past seemingly unaware of you being there. At many points (a wide road) you thought your time was up as another car horn sounded abruptly, but you realised you had managed to get away with your life, albeit you’d need a change of underpants. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We wandered around town for an hour and didn’t find internet or anything else apart from traffic. The main streets seemed to be a mass of closed down stores or industrial type electrical shops selling things like safes and power distribution boxes. There were a couple of shops like Lenovo (selling computers) and also quite a few shops selling large amounts of LEDS and other electronics; the road looked like something out of films in Vegas in terms of led flashing lighting and neon signs – probably responsible for inducing severe headaches and or neighbourhood wide seizures. It was fascinating, but tiring; a sensory overload. I was glad to get back to the ship a couple of hours later. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogu87wvoOw-4LM7bT86JnO87ToJ4LM4_a03_1exkCz2GtqqxaTF_uN0fnhzNt3fy_Re6E3ZXDW3gmxLNeoqrSw6A0JTWYF1mIvJODoEiU-xuUY6H9c84GPNEOHaTYrS6Vgt6uqSKJTtQ/s1600/image010-799250.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogu87wvoOw-4LM7bT86JnO87ToJ4LM4_a03_1exkCz2GtqqxaTF_uN0fnhzNt3fy_Re6E3ZXDW3gmxLNeoqrSw6A0JTWYF1mIvJODoEiU-xuUY6H9c84GPNEOHaTYrS6Vgt6uqSKJTtQ/s320/image010-799250.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514260333946658" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTvjscCeEHhQNJsxYUywxbJ0rtipjX67c0w5pGmUoXHA9gyFQ54A1pA2evz8cDwunnoToLXTU7vNJFxnBmEH0m97Sk1eBkc13FooFn6Onc7U44o6YJYtIqfsqIudRhqlNpNLoCJygPhU/s1600/image011-700350.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTvjscCeEHhQNJsxYUywxbJ0rtipjX67c0w5pGmUoXHA9gyFQ54A1pA2evz8cDwunnoToLXTU7vNJFxnBmEH0m97Sk1eBkc13FooFn6Onc7U44o6YJYtIqfsqIudRhqlNpNLoCJygPhU/s320/image011-700350.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514262749764114" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxIHTWy2MBTMgB-rWHeAvrEyyHeMmFh7xhBrqmlZR6Ft0J2cpqD4tHT01rfjvZWycguG3Ss2c1VzS5sXOeTSVH8MRgWz1M6SBAV8o3Zgx3ogzzM-txVw7mX34OoRc_jsBK0IPs4j1Igg/s1600/image012-702985.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxIHTWy2MBTMgB-rWHeAvrEyyHeMmFh7xhBrqmlZR6Ft0J2cpqD4tHT01rfjvZWycguG3Ss2c1VzS5sXOeTSVH8MRgWz1M6SBAV8o3Zgx3ogzzM-txVw7mX34OoRc_jsBK0IPs4j1Igg/s320/image012-702985.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514279271666578" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f6g7y6TbwyES0aW1IkbUkM6-g1Z1vbT9n5CwopwBD41nCmT6NGjJg1kdWxqEqGDq6tKdikSqJ8hK4yOYKVfwlEnWXSD1EEMOv_sntoqXWw24dEv7aUlyNT1GemdMmOoTzCm516Ugy00/s1600/image013-703841.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f6g7y6TbwyES0aW1IkbUkM6-g1Z1vbT9n5CwopwBD41nCmT6NGjJg1kdWxqEqGDq6tKdikSqJ8hK4yOYKVfwlEnWXSD1EEMOv_sntoqXWw24dEv7aUlyNT1GemdMmOoTzCm516Ugy00/s320/image013-703841.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514283333289490" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBfugfUATbsPfUnTtnlbY7iS9ScPREICkRKqTM8qbNS8aMcqTcD_xn5lwg_kC_P3jIzXFxG82TOsYPrOGFA1fGVRIoclSqf1H1-zQBoMt6iRVX6xhrFueOjvvE7USq0BhaKStmlLB38o/s1600/image014-704714.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBfugfUATbsPfUnTtnlbY7iS9ScPREICkRKqTM8qbNS8aMcqTcD_xn5lwg_kC_P3jIzXFxG82TOsYPrOGFA1fGVRIoclSqf1H1-zQBoMt6iRVX6xhrFueOjvvE7USq0BhaKStmlLB38o/s320/image014-704714.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514281871506034" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC8EdyJgLXDlZQCPV-a-wExnVPuLwjneNC8wb6AH9JbQhj5bHgkwvFx2nqi3ESAob19Ms6iHufGgJVWoqA5HhQVnEZUeyS01AEDJXCum_W79VbQRpe_grOYaIc1mFezh74TTv0f5Qoag/s1600/image015-706434.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC8EdyJgLXDlZQCPV-a-wExnVPuLwjneNC8wb6AH9JbQhj5bHgkwvFx2nqi3ESAob19Ms6iHufGgJVWoqA5HhQVnEZUeyS01AEDJXCum_W79VbQRpe_grOYaIc1mFezh74TTv0f5Qoag/s320/image015-706434.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514291299517202" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>What was new when we were in China, was that the first day these market type traders turned up on the ship and set up all their electronic goods on the deck to sell. The second day was more electronics and clothes too, such as super cheap north face gear. However, after inspecting it very closely I didn’t believe it was real; there’s not much point buying a windproof wicking layer jacket if it’s fake! What was really amusing was that dotted amongst all their goods were some random things – most notably Viagra and Cialis pills! It was like a generic male spam email had arrived in physical form on the ship.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijcUE2i5xWhsZ0FYtbNHfYtdX4qPFKtbtZvl9ASNcZOifZyYWN0bICPGi9-V29W2ajYiC-PAwxFT709EVZF_qj4taf1QZQzuIP3KZkdMniSo9qe8cCVtkd90EIV9RHxjbB6Eqfz0pf7Y/s1600/image016-707884.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijcUE2i5xWhsZ0FYtbNHfYtdX4qPFKtbtZvl9ASNcZOifZyYWN0bICPGi9-V29W2ajYiC-PAwxFT709EVZF_qj4taf1QZQzuIP3KZkdMniSo9qe8cCVtkd90EIV9RHxjbB6Eqfz0pf7Y/s320/image016-707884.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514300242357522" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXjEu2Yj4lQNiuhmK71tJfrGCX04cubqR2E9Qql_DDHlRyDwYhpS8dpFzf2D_BWSUx0Gn88jUecT7mGMBChGdZ4oDFEhYyDZNcsCxLxnJHThlK5xImWwKLfLRfKn7WNv8VCjsN1VvYA4/s1600/image017-709828.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXjEu2Yj4lQNiuhmK71tJfrGCX04cubqR2E9Qql_DDHlRyDwYhpS8dpFzf2D_BWSUx0Gn88jUecT7mGMBChGdZ4oDFEhYyDZNcsCxLxnJHThlK5xImWwKLfLRfKn7WNv8VCjsN1VvYA4/s320/image017-709828.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514315440554546" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In China we had been loading Ammonium Nitrate (not nice – I think they use this to blow up land when they want a road where a hill is). We left headed for Indonesia, where we would distribute amongst a few ports there. I think the journey was eleven days. It also involved passing through a known pirate area so we had to post pirate watches and have increased security – basically locking everything down including having to use a key just to get in and out of engine room from inside accommodation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It got hotter and more humid (the humidity around here is mega), and one day when I had been working near the main engine for a while I realised I had heat rash all over my neck and shoulders – I’ve never had that from being indoors! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2kCshiJQZQf21fot8ymJzjVqYIW3lO7jEkpPE_gbKKbLSLv44BYntH6sfVHEXdI0eSWo6Ga8ExDn6Z3q1OSdpG4xVYJ-D0EWdRsmHlUeeJe_Rz56fIrNqV_wKHHQXgEBIvfwAh8z88E/s1600/image018-713329.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2kCshiJQZQf21fot8ymJzjVqYIW3lO7jEkpPE_gbKKbLSLv44BYntH6sfVHEXdI0eSWo6Ga8ExDn6Z3q1OSdpG4xVYJ-D0EWdRsmHlUeeJe_Rz56fIrNqV_wKHHQXgEBIvfwAh8z88E/s320/image018-713329.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514322105191634" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We arrived in Indonesia on 3<sup>rd</sup> November and waited at anchor to go into Tanjung Bara. At anchor we had to have extra watches on deck to prevent any bandits making off with anything they consider valuable. We had to remove everything like brass covers for fire fighting system water valves etc so they couldn’t be stolen. We also had to put razor wire down the hawse pipes (pipe where anchor chain goes through deck and out of ship’s hull) and then cover them with plates to prevent any entry onto the ship that way. Oh, and just as we were anchoring I had to climb the mast and replace one of the top spotlight lamps as it had blown – full harness donned and it was pretty fun in the dark.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZC6Ii_U5aPbzQ1IPK4kW2YXvJRKMDJKDO-bgIHOr09YQZbn1T-CQkQM-Hb3CvlWzegsrCdP_JS0MMNLZLSV0LzkyR0a3Smgel7Uovva9y0apaMlqDobvtFMZDopevZxYs7FoMSuF2kE/s1600/image019-714361.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZC6Ii_U5aPbzQ1IPK4kW2YXvJRKMDJKDO-bgIHOr09YQZbn1T-CQkQM-Hb3CvlWzegsrCdP_JS0MMNLZLSV0LzkyR0a3Smgel7Uovva9y0apaMlqDobvtFMZDopevZxYs7FoMSuF2kE/s320/image019-714361.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514323456323842" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Once we manoeuvred into port we weren’t allowed ashore at all as we’d been told it was too dangerous due to bandits – even to be roaming in the port was not allowed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDb8fXnhAqJBNYh4FXFcpGuPk1vSlHBoAYOZrflcwsF2uz52vl8L8JKVbnTpRg1D4ipfTbdAPCazX1ySMW4XFNkLGhZ_ALCI7KSR1e2DkZ28ySS3zqk_vqEqE-Ii5xHNq8mJT_Q42b6I/s1600/image020-715864.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDb8fXnhAqJBNYh4FXFcpGuPk1vSlHBoAYOZrflcwsF2uz52vl8L8JKVbnTpRg1D4ipfTbdAPCazX1ySMW4XFNkLGhZ_ALCI7KSR1e2DkZ28ySS3zqk_vqEqE-Ii5xHNq8mJT_Q42b6I/s320/image020-715864.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514331917676754" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We then left and went to anchor, as apparently we had been unloading on what’s normally the refuelling pontoon. Then we had to come back into port to unload more cargo, and then we headed to our next port: Samarinda. This was only about five hours away. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We were only at Samarinda for a day or two and didn’t even go into port – all the ships I saw (including us) were unloaded at anchor into barges that came alongside us. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNJNz1BsxMPtHmeoX3MUA3_fS2M5-oTBfvzR1eT_jemGXtiINWeY8i1LOx3wmafFEbjY6jnkWbIxPk9BhXkk171l-2CKLYFWY7SMNdSsWmrkehF1oRxamxlfDqui_r59HzifvZdhyGK0/s1600/image021-716853.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNJNz1BsxMPtHmeoX3MUA3_fS2M5-oTBfvzR1eT_jemGXtiINWeY8i1LOx3wmafFEbjY6jnkWbIxPk9BhXkk171l-2CKLYFWY7SMNdSsWmrkehF1oRxamxlfDqui_r59HzifvZdhyGK0/s320/image021-716853.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514336048954898" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPwxL6QH1GJ8heNhLr8wXGy_D7HNDq4mPAqK9CW2DRnYoQvVr7IvOeM7fQmXCrYGg5PsmdAghM6z6fE-3sM03NCqNF8W8dZgU4jeFqolu_HHpreNwBb2yGI7RoLXVJEd-GEDT33FtIxU/s1600/image022-718359.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPwxL6QH1GJ8heNhLr8wXGy_D7HNDq4mPAqK9CW2DRnYoQvVr7IvOeM7fQmXCrYGg5PsmdAghM6z6fE-3sM03NCqNF8W8dZgU4jeFqolu_HHpreNwBb2yGI7RoLXVJEd-GEDT33FtIxU/s320/image022-718359.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514341351933442" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The weather was so humid this whole time in Indonesia, and I didn’t much appreciate this when I had to spend significant amount of time up the mast again – this time just below the top, but on the other side, repairing a lamp that had broken; this involved most of it being rewired and making new connectors for it (as no spares of course). Once I had finally fixed it, tested it, and come down (all this time Allan had to just wait at the bottom keeping watch with the radio) we went back to the engine room, only to be told that they had now realised one of the navigation lights at the very top of the mast (outside and above the ladder cage) was not functioning. So, up the mast again and this time out of the safety of the ladder cage which was less reassuring. It was a bit like sitting on top of a large telegraph pole changing a light bulb. The ship wasn’t moving around too much though so apart from some mild sun burn that day I was good.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49jKD8W-IyKOTa-SpstY7F3EaFGqhR9r2mkpwk7plipauFjXzCdV9kJuVGgrthBsZVE7JI8Th76aR4B5yT0cDTvF_aZuewGWRmUdH0_2k8ljZT99oeyVXoIr4Lo4DjvMuTa0Ck1gk-_8/s1600/image023-720336.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49jKD8W-IyKOTa-SpstY7F3EaFGqhR9r2mkpwk7plipauFjXzCdV9kJuVGgrthBsZVE7JI8Th76aR4B5yT0cDTvF_aZuewGWRmUdH0_2k8ljZT99oeyVXoIr4Lo4DjvMuTa0Ck1gk-_8/s320/image023-720336.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514349465380514" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsB1w0jG5ZicV2vOcXz8sGnj0MmBj0BlSOjCQwkuwFJWybljOGw6fWbRHZ15iJ_DiBuTRcu0onjsnInMk9pdK47pFILpCEN7Ruf1j7meKvB5_PK-JvwJae2QBRVuaNCw2SnHcpVbPKA10/s1600/image024-722081.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsB1w0jG5ZicV2vOcXz8sGnj0MmBj0BlSOjCQwkuwFJWybljOGw6fWbRHZ15iJ_DiBuTRcu0onjsnInMk9pdK47pFILpCEN7Ruf1j7meKvB5_PK-JvwJae2QBRVuaNCw2SnHcpVbPKA10/s320/image024-722081.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514359079584882" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>While we were in Samarinda we offloaded all our scrap steel (useless to us) in exchange for a large catch of prawns, other fish and coconuts, which we’ve been enjoying ever since. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We left Samarinda after two days and headed for Balik Papan, which again, wasn’t a long journey. Once we were here we unloaded the last of our Ammonium Nitrate, again to a barge. We got to go ashore in Balik Papan and it was a great experience. It was about five minutes via speed boat (sketchy ride, but fun!) to the pier/terminal where we got into Balik Papan, and then we had a driver who took us to the main part and stayed with us the whole time. He paid for anything anyone wanted or needed and then we paid him in American Dollars at the end to save changing cash up. It was $10 each for the boat from our ship, and $10 each for the car which seemed expensive at first considering there were five of us, but this all seemed worth it at the end of our exploring. What we noticed as we drove around was that there were so many people on motorbikes; I mean that in both ways that can be read. I saw one motorbike with mother and father and two kids on – all with the natural skin type crash helmets! Many of them had more than two people on, and these were only small bikes – probably only 125cc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We went to the main mall first (which was actually quite small, but nice) as people needed a few things, then left the main part of town and ate at a more traditional place where the locals eat (useful that Jhun the bosun can speak Indonesian). We had a meal of queen prawns, calamari, and this really amazing fried rice (also with prawns and calamari in) and it tasted so good. It was great to watch them do the fried rice too, but the guy was a bit camera shy when it came to getting him in the frame! During the time ashore it rained quite heavily a few times and was very very humid. But, we always seemed to be indoors when the big downpours came, so the camera survived. After the meal we explored a market out of the centre of town, before returning back to the pier and getting the speed boat back to the ship. All in all a great experience - amazing to get to see a small bit of a country we passed through so quickly. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjub13vcMx-LayijpEg7ZQxLzxfH1-MS3l3X8ohoOO4fyoQHHX3GawtNOovbvhvn7R3taRxuOpEAxLJ0vzGZLKK47iR9kKz4ICYWSUHY7WQXsNxRnuzpKGucTNusHDlMvlAZm2FdJxYykc/s1600/image025-723365.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjub13vcMx-LayijpEg7ZQxLzxfH1-MS3l3X8ohoOO4fyoQHHX3GawtNOovbvhvn7R3taRxuOpEAxLJ0vzGZLKK47iR9kKz4ICYWSUHY7WQXsNxRnuzpKGucTNusHDlMvlAZm2FdJxYykc/s320/image025-723365.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514363371775058" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLCDyl8gPNW5tPoQr0WxAlvpuyxjbiVRBZrVwdwgmkTJEWqGsMdRhCXAxzls5rnBiKdwIFxymQmzWLzuxyd6RmUJmlMnGL8_SqrMpNatcjkJYee00O7jd-QZpE6rpXEV0zOZatQ6NFEs/s1600/image026-725603.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLCDyl8gPNW5tPoQr0WxAlvpuyxjbiVRBZrVwdwgmkTJEWqGsMdRhCXAxzls5rnBiKdwIFxymQmzWLzuxyd6RmUJmlMnGL8_SqrMpNatcjkJYee00O7jd-QZpE6rpXEV0zOZatQ6NFEs/s320/image026-725603.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514370046453426" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNQ8BGB3HzVgrUqHJbDGaIZ08BwNwzNk9p4xmn5eishumZTpRLU61T89cRQ5ytkGnutNBnNCvXR6mXp8PM3aQxOkA5Dyupm88V2_bzJJCwYfEAV-d2Ag-Npq5B7FrbI4C7nMafOjpwR0/s1600/image027-726607.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNQ8BGB3HzVgrUqHJbDGaIZ08BwNwzNk9p4xmn5eishumZTpRLU61T89cRQ5ytkGnutNBnNCvXR6mXp8PM3aQxOkA5Dyupm88V2_bzJJCwYfEAV-d2Ag-Npq5B7FrbI4C7nMafOjpwR0/s320/image027-726607.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514375819230578" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGJVdL0pNZ7uUn-ntgW6Hj8jUdVVHkxwm9ozGlKKNJ9rAnYtN1-Jzw0IGs4r9TjTuIc2ohr2T_owmZwFTYXbbaocGFmt4je6YW65pQ1Jq1Iaf_Li46kwES6I2KKgRu2PJkn5sZT6MjXU/s1600/image028-728365.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGJVdL0pNZ7uUn-ntgW6Hj8jUdVVHkxwm9ozGlKKNJ9rAnYtN1-Jzw0IGs4r9TjTuIc2ohr2T_owmZwFTYXbbaocGFmt4je6YW65pQ1Jq1Iaf_Li46kwES6I2KKgRu2PJkn5sZT6MjXU/s320/image028-728365.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514382596275282" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahD3XMPtzM1MsMVb0cr-Q6VUaKkGxOV36lKDFxpnaepbu5OLWUj3h58Y-5EK0sYS-VRT_BUI3dAJ8KRynvYRZgfyTRTZJJQY6R5m1BSTlSRTMT1CCeaGd-aOh0zMBAKDBisy4rqou-Ng/s1600/image029-733328.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahD3XMPtzM1MsMVb0cr-Q6VUaKkGxOV36lKDFxpnaepbu5OLWUj3h58Y-5EK0sYS-VRT_BUI3dAJ8KRynvYRZgfyTRTZJJQY6R5m1BSTlSRTMT1CCeaGd-aOh0zMBAKDBisy4rqou-Ng/s320/image029-733328.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514404438293250" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOVod2w0PgBt6XCUdUaBPENofhhdcAqkp1K036qyX3TJ25UrFJtt7YBd6NN86MZg7NNLLYrl9vktzUqZSz8G_15Z3qcqq48aF1DwnXcFyn-A1cUPiIaQ0b7b6DhIJUfKUooK4yFVPjmA/s1600/image030-736433.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOVod2w0PgBt6XCUdUaBPENofhhdcAqkp1K036qyX3TJ25UrFJtt7YBd6NN86MZg7NNLLYrl9vktzUqZSz8G_15Z3qcqq48aF1DwnXcFyn-A1cUPiIaQ0b7b6DhIJUfKUooK4yFVPjmA/s320/image030-736433.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514423824586306" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nIINuP93HNm1bNyD3FfVcFkmeJP0nK2IE4U-NetosMFAMp6KsrdPBqTXMQfJE5fz5pCgitIpA1yYl_3rR1o00zI4nqxAesoPzfa4lvtJMnIF16o8WZcg8RG2ItsUmiVqYErPsPWzKLo/s1600/image031-738358.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nIINuP93HNm1bNyD3FfVcFkmeJP0nK2IE4U-NetosMFAMp6KsrdPBqTXMQfJE5fz5pCgitIpA1yYl_3rR1o00zI4nqxAesoPzfa4lvtJMnIF16o8WZcg8RG2ItsUmiVqYErPsPWzKLo/s320/image031-738358.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514427343126338" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyP1JqMl-Cn0qm137mKmot5PLQbz-44f3NN_Z2Ng1halTzmcqpJeSSSpt4lkzTKw63BX8qhATN03xCg0b7wuD-D3ckqgFN1ms4UPIwWQKU7LHJQME3-uDbMv_fqcI6iWdkftQRnX2Igcw/s1600/image032-744112.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyP1JqMl-Cn0qm137mKmot5PLQbz-44f3NN_Z2Ng1halTzmcqpJeSSSpt4lkzTKw63BX8qhATN03xCg0b7wuD-D3ckqgFN1ms4UPIwWQKU7LHJQME3-uDbMv_fqcI6iWdkftQRnX2Igcw/s320/image032-744112.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514452505982882" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmu2P__riwKmMXwdeCYvuxHJX7k1jNEca6VvzC5QG0D2DL8Hiw53NLCb0Kh6VjbvuypfX2w-G_Le6sDUxrioWibGv1VTIiIs26zbOkj5rSMg-GZenei1H7LpGt2EMekUr2Bu242QxBLus/s1600/image033-745855.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmu2P__riwKmMXwdeCYvuxHJX7k1jNEca6VvzC5QG0D2DL8Hiw53NLCb0Kh6VjbvuypfX2w-G_Le6sDUxrioWibGv1VTIiIs26zbOkj5rSMg-GZenei1H7LpGt2EMekUr2Bu242QxBLus/s320/image033-745855.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514461827426098" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPZQyEDVeEmUHKWiVxcsVYHUqqMaYk0n_4lapNsdCno2_AFoVCuueygxqNc5XFauM2aiMH_d0VxX8h4J3DpJfS6UrDBiOJTLOGqlIsgGG9HjWGtugO5d3__2lXKlJT4aU8og8fjlVYbs/s1600/image034-747827.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPZQyEDVeEmUHKWiVxcsVYHUqqMaYk0n_4lapNsdCno2_AFoVCuueygxqNc5XFauM2aiMH_d0VxX8h4J3DpJfS6UrDBiOJTLOGqlIsgGG9HjWGtugO5d3__2lXKlJT4aU8og8fjlVYbs/s320/image034-747827.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514470070817234" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofGyK15ZEaqq4b3U2xYdXSC9LSZK1dFPKPveBJNh5niE_lZYksDZ1xDtqCJELCBiehX9lcaulrGwOyuoeaRn2oFmPFx2GV5QZwYG3F0QkXAdLde_xoiysyd7E6GO8qaj-Xpi1eryK3-c/s1600/image035-749578.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofGyK15ZEaqq4b3U2xYdXSC9LSZK1dFPKPveBJNh5niE_lZYksDZ1xDtqCJELCBiehX9lcaulrGwOyuoeaRn2oFmPFx2GV5QZwYG3F0QkXAdLde_xoiysyd7E6GO8qaj-Xpi1eryK3-c/s320/image035-749578.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514475769843298" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1ULOeY7I0N0KxURsC1j5nIfdc1QkPk_ujhwreoydsZfmgkdIxryVl1Eym8jAPCaWdRrco0aW1gjqutNW6dkU3BtsSbuh96jKEn8rIFu9S_QtmXsk6UcY8XlPElq7nB-hSMTw7U8xcNg/s1600/image036-750801.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1ULOeY7I0N0KxURsC1j5nIfdc1QkPk_ujhwreoydsZfmgkdIxryVl1Eym8jAPCaWdRrco0aW1gjqutNW6dkU3BtsSbuh96jKEn8rIFu9S_QtmXsk6UcY8XlPElq7nB-hSMTw7U8xcNg/s320/image036-750801.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514482248124802" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwRFKHJuumUa0pGQ7At4j_JFXFztgcFU14ciAOFsV0x-Au8F10rTaAxOV6wAMhcLLTjV-fJeprQi38-bwo7olR3QPLhOQr-nJRqsC-DyHJPl5zLmI9Ty6m6ssN_oJkdWabcj4JcMxhok/s1600/image037-752610.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwRFKHJuumUa0pGQ7At4j_JFXFztgcFU14ciAOFsV0x-Au8F10rTaAxOV6wAMhcLLTjV-fJeprQi38-bwo7olR3QPLhOQr-nJRqsC-DyHJPl5zLmI9Ty6m6ssN_oJkdWabcj4JcMxhok/s320/image037-752610.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514492605351234" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA367-JzU3yLTqoeRcnDb3h0gEUgEp882dzZcwlY9bFcndNY5W_3F_Md3XhKGvsKY4B3hNapnwVCT4O4mW5LLSzmfGDoSHtAkA3z2_m8ZhexmnfQzNPzfwI0UkUbbM4y-tJ_j6Ru4S_7A/s1600/image038-754603.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA367-JzU3yLTqoeRcnDb3h0gEUgEp882dzZcwlY9bFcndNY5W_3F_Md3XhKGvsKY4B3hNapnwVCT4O4mW5LLSzmfGDoSHtAkA3z2_m8ZhexmnfQzNPzfwI0UkUbbM4y-tJ_j6Ru4S_7A/s320/image038-754603.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514496752451682" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2lktJ4yxuOWwBxCbJBpHdaZX89MSzshOonh74IuyH0P9L-hgV6eKRsPuFdIb6u1JsDwcOUPVYqWBWcmc1RgSVGFBm1mKgmC0VlCM_p0waCEpT58Fs_e_-yot_ZcM0nx6PzFEAZ16OVY/s1600/image039-756109.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2lktJ4yxuOWwBxCbJBpHdaZX89MSzshOonh74IuyH0P9L-hgV6eKRsPuFdIb6u1JsDwcOUPVYqWBWcmc1RgSVGFBm1mKgmC0VlCM_p0waCEpT58Fs_e_-yot_ZcM0nx6PzFEAZ16OVY/s320/image039-756109.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514506276336050" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWp-4ISnQuopZqNqyHcoHHXgKLSG3bdbupM6zQLsWM667nGc0MLtb3eDH1f6ZIXdNuIRUL1bT3DQ6PU6VTmd5katiIjCK3XaZNe6zGOirpxO6piFsZDqSJTRt1IY4Hv-o3rsGBwtvxxYI/s1600/image040-757079.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWp-4ISnQuopZqNqyHcoHHXgKLSG3bdbupM6zQLsWM667nGc0MLtb3eDH1f6ZIXdNuIRUL1bT3DQ6PU6VTmd5katiIjCK3XaZNe6zGOirpxO6piFsZDqSJTRt1IY4Hv-o3rsGBwtvxxYI/s320/image040-757079.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677514508824843362" /></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We left Balik Papan on 10<sup>th</sup> November headed for Shanghai, and last Saturday (12<sup>th</sup> November) we had another bbq party as it had been Gerald’s birthday birthday earlier in the week, and Soy’s birthday that day. This was our third bbq and despite the pigs’ eyes and brains on both other occasions, no pig’s head surfaced this time. We did eat a LOT of prawns though, and somebody had made Creme Caramel too, which took me back a few years!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We arrived in Shanghai last night about 1030pm and it’s now Saturday 19<sup>th</sup> November. The whole place looks grey and rather depressing here. I’m not sure if it’s the weather, or pollution. Anyway it reminds me of how English ports are probably looking right now. However, we are loading some interesting cargo: steam drums for industrial boilers. Each one has mass of 152 tonnes and they require both cranes simultaneously to manage due to their size and weight. I just felt the whole ship judder a minute ago, suggesting we have just landed another in the hold. We should be leaving tomorrow or Monday, bound for Haldia, India. However, we are stopping en route in Singapore for bunkering – we’re only taking on 250 tonnes this time, just to top us up. We will be anchoring in India for nine days apparently (the plans have already changed about ten times so this may not happen – we were going to be heading for Australia until India was suddenly the plan) then unloading for two days. After that we should be heading back to Singapore where we will take on maximum bunkers and then who knows where. Hopefully that will take me up to just before Christmas and I will be able to fly home from there! We’ll see. Next stop: Indian summer?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-87408915307648874562011-10-11T13:50:00.000+01:002011-10-11T13:50:07.416+01:00Crossing The Line<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, we're in Onsan, Korea now, and the seaman's club is a short walk from the ship - internet and phone signal again are a luxury.</div>
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It took about twelve days to get here from Townsville, and the journey was pretty uneventful generally speaking. There were some nice sunsets over the sea, but not any amazing wildlife reports or anything. Of course, the main event (which was eventful) was the 'crossing the line'.</div>
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What we did have, courtesy of the main engine, is heat, heat, heat. As you'll see from one of the photos of Allan below, it really is sweaty work. I had forgotten how hot it gets, but was reminded when myself and 2nd engineer were renewing the gear oil on all purifiers (5 in total). Nobody has put an air thermometer in the purifier room, but when I used the infrared thermometer (excellent fun) it measured 55 degrees centigrade on the floor and about 65 degrees centigrade on the ceiling! So, it's unbearably hot in there, particularly as it's not dry heat. At lunch I felt near to passing out. We completed the work though without any problems, and after went to work on the reefer system in the steering gear room - forty degree heat seemed like a relief in comparison.</div>
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Anyway, back to the 'crossing the line'...We crossed the equator at about 8am on the 3rd October, and in keeping with the tradition we had a crossing the line ceremony. I was the target of this ceremony; having only been in Biscay last year, of course I'd never actually crossed - and they knew this. I probably should have done something scientific around the crossing time like checking the point at which the plughole water started circling the other way, or something like that. But, instead my hands were tied behind my back and I was led up from the engine room to this cabin we have on the weather deck for crew to stay in that would help us through places like suez canal (if we were to go there of course). I was blindfolded and then had to wait a while - they told me they were just preparing the rescue boat etc and slowing down so that when I went into the water they could fish me out...</div>
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After the wait, I was led (still blindfolded with hands cuffed behind back) to the poop deck (at+near the back of the ship, one deck above the weather deck - for anybody who hasn't the foggiest what I'm talking about) and then things began. My face was decorated with stuff that smelled strange and also stuff that felt like grease, there was lots of giggling, something was hung around my neck, and at one point I was holding an apple in my mouth. I won't go into any more detail (as of course, if anybody is reading this that has not yet crossed - well, I don't want to ruin the surprise of what may unfold for them) than to say I got very very wet, I had a strange taste experience, and I did have a good time. It was all very light hearted and not over the top, so an enjoyable experience. The captain presented me with a certificate and I was given the sea name "White Shark" - nothing to do with my olive skin of course. Apparently it was given to me as since I've been on board I've tried anything and everything going food wise (of filipino and other cultures) with no hesitations. It doesn't sound like a very good explanation now, but when I was told the reasons why it seemed to make so much sense at the time - probably as Chris, who gave me the name, was the one who explained.</div>
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Weather wise for the trip it was all fairly mild luckily. The sea temperature peaked at 32 degrees centigrade, and is now down to about 26 degrees. There was two nights on the passage where I didn't get much proper sleep due to the ship rolling (and the massively loud and creaking pontoon/tween decks that are stacked in front of the accommodation block), but it was nothing to write home about. Luckily we avoided the low pressures around the typhoons of the Philippines - of course the guys on boards families weren't all so lucky. Allan told me as we were leaving that water was already up to the front door of his house. </div>
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Now, we are staying in Korea another night as the crane unloading the zinc from the ship was broken for a few hours. Good news for us as we get internet and dry land again, but not so good news for the company, where time is money. Tomorrow we head for China (not sure where) and it will only be a thirty hour voyage. Once we are there we are loading Ammonium Nitrate (not great!) and heading to Indonesia. We will distribute the cargo between four different ports in Indonesia. Then, well, who knows. Things change all the time from minute to minute and I try to pay just enough attention to care, but not so much that I get frustrated with the constant changes. I think that's just the nature of cargo. </div>
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Almost forgot, yesterday we bunkered 700 tonnes of HFO - with what we had remaining on board we're now at about 90% capacity. The max we can carry is 851 tonnes. What was amusing was when the bunker barge turned up. For starters it was a complete old nail, secondly it didn't even look big enough to carry 700 tonnes. What was even more surprising was the workforce. There were nine of them on board. So, with the five of us and their nine (most of which seemed to be over our bunker station, doing everything), it all got rather crowded. I noticed a couple of them were just wearing normal black slip on shoes, and trousers that looked like they'd just been doing the average diy on sunday at home. At the end they stopped pumping and started to disconnect, but when we did manual soundings on the tanks they had stopped short by six tonnes, so they had to reconnect and pump the last tonnes. I don't think they expected our chief to do manual soundings and apply temperature correction etc! One of the photos below shows one moment of the bunkering with some of the people...</div>
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Some of the photos are of crew and some at the end are of Onsan port.</div>
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Chris</div>
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Allan (the other engineer cadet)</div>
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The question to you is: what's around my neck?</div>
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An embarrassing photo...</div>
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Attaching the bunker line</div>
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Large pipelines dominate the port here, snaking down the whole road for a long way.</div>
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The road from our ship to the seaman's club.</div>
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-53388456547387926842011-10-10T13:32:00.000+01:002011-10-10T13:32:08.516+01:00Photos from Townsville PortI will post tomorrow hopefully with a written update, but just wanted to put up a couple of photos from Townsville port. They're not exactly your normal type holiday snaps, but hopefully somebody out there will like them...<br />
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-28834917108022445942011-09-26T09:13:00.000+01:002011-09-26T09:13:11.569+01:00Landed in Townsville<div style="text-align: justify;">
We're at the port of Townsville and they have WiFi at the seamen's club, hence photos below. I woke up just after 3am to prepare main engine for manoeuvring with Chief Engineer. I'd forgotten how it felt over the last year, but it's like that feeling of waking up and heading to the airport for a holiday, only you have to be very on the ball (mistakes can be embarrassing, not to mention dangerous), and you don't have the inevitable relaxing feeling of arriving on holiday once it's done. Luckily I remembered the recognised technique - immediate coffee. Relief. Oh, and this time it kind of did feel like a holiday, as we knew that once we'd docked and the provisions had turned up, we could go ashore. </div>
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Due to a delay with provisions turning up, I didn't leave ship until noon, and had decided to go for a run. Stupid time I know (due to it being about 30 degrees here at noon), but it was then or it wouldn't have happened at all. I ran for an hour, and about twenty minutes into the run decided to try and make it up a small mountainous type hill/rock structure following the "goat track". I gave up after about ten minutes of running up incredibly steep inclines, realising I would need a lot more time and water to get to the top - a shame really, but if we do come back here I will be ready! I did also see a boat that goes across to Magnetic Island. I read about the island on the plane and it would be great to go there - despite not remembering exactly what it was that attracted my interest. So, I will found out how much that is too if we do come back. </div>
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After the hours running was up I walked the remaining way back to the ship and was able to appreciate how quiet it is here. Even in the middle of Townsville it seemed to be almost empty - perhaps that's the status mid Monday. On ship, noise is one thing you never really escape from - unless you are right at the bow of the ship but for me, that's not often. Outside the accomodation you can constantly hear huge motors blowing air into the accomodation and engine room, and even in my cabin the bathroom extraction is so powerful and noisy you can hear it loudly with the door shut - I now remember why I should have packed the speakers for the laptop. You can't turn off this extraction in the bathroom either, as the extraction ducting is shared between many bathrooms, and there is only one switch (which this time doesn't seem to be as easily located as on Andrea). However, as it's white noise it doesn't seem to stop me sleeping in any way. I think due to the noise and general ship life I might even sleep more deeply, as my brain knows a state of light sleep could easily be awoken from some kind of rocking/noise/vibration!</div>
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We are currently loading Zinc in powder like form, and will leave for Ulsan (now I'm pretty sure I know the spelling - it's Eastern coast of Korea I think) tomorrow at some point. It's estimated that we will arrive there on 10th/11th October (about 14 days voyage), which will make it my longest sea voyage to date. Once we get there we will have to bunker and will probably take on nearly 600 tonnes of Heavy Fuel Oil. Parts of the journey can be very rough I think, due to various points with cyclone like conditions - Chief pointed to east of the Philippines so I don't know if this is where. Allan the other cadet said that at one point on the way over, most people seemed to be feeling the effects! I will remember to keep my stomach well full as that stops any feeling of hunger which can easily start to make you think you are feeling sea sick (that's what I discovered last year - thought I was starting to feel ill - ate - felt better - kept stomach full!). </div>
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My time on the WiFi here is limited so below are some photos so far, and now I must go. After Korea, we head to China on ballast and should be picking up more new railway wagons. Then, we should be heading back to Gladstone. My next post will hopefully be from Korea!</div>
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Islands like this all around us.</div>
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First catch I witnessed</div>
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Shark catch - we were jumping around on deck avoiding it while it angrily thrashed around!</div>
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Cooky</div>
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Latest catch - a stingray. Cooky prepared it for lunch two days ago, and it tasted really good.</div>
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Not the average home meat defrost...</div>
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Jhun, the bosun, drying out squid</div>
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Night time photo taken from compass deck - 8 minutes exposure time!</div>
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Sunset yesterday</div>
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<br /></div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-81594597304702340872011-09-21T18:04:00.001+01:002011-09-21T18:04:18.378+01:00Townsville Anchor<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b>19<sup>th</sup> September<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>So, we’re on anchor outside Townsville (east coast Australia) and passed the Great Barrier Reef en route (during the night though). The sea is calm and beautiful, the weather good, and I have today (Monday 19<sup>th</sup> September) off, bar my normal duties and being on standby as assistant watch keeper for engine room. Normally Sunday would be my off day, but we were too busy preparing the ship to stop on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So far, the ship has been very busy in unloading at Gladstone, through to clearing up the ship and preparing it for the next cargo which we will receive in Townsville. We unloaded brand new freight railway wagons in Gladstone. They were sat on top of the cargo holds, chained down, and made the ship look like it would be unstable to the untrained eye – of course the deck officers had calculated the stability and it was safe. Everybody has been involved in getting the ship ready in time, so it has involved some degree of pain for everyone. But on the eve of the last day of hard graft the captain provided us with a pretty powerful motivational speech which probably spurred us through that final day of preparing the ship (yesterday).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Last night, once we were anchored and finished, a few of the guys did some fishing. They caught a number of fish, including a squid, which the chef prepared and cooked immediately and we ate. It was great!. There were also six bottle nose dolphins playing around the ship, and they were hunting the squid too – I came out a bit later so I only saw one dolphin, but I’m sure on this tour I’m bound to see more than the last!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I read on the plane that Townsville is known as the Capital of the Tropics so I’m sure it’s beautiful – let’s see if where we tie up is! I’m not sure how long we’ll be there or even if I will be able to step ashore, but we will go alongside on the 22<sup>nd</sup>. After that we head for Onsan (not sure on the spelling) in Korea. After that, I’m not sure. It’s about a fourteen day voyage to Korea – that will be my longest sea voyage to date. The crew said that during the last long voyage it was so rough in parts that most of the crew were ill!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’ve just been up on deck enjoying the sun a bit (don’t get a chance once in the working week as most of the engine room = below waterline), and there are a few islands dotted on our starboard side, with a few ships at anchor around us too. I also heard on the bridge that we may not enter Townsville until 25<sup>th</sup> now! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>21<sup>st</sup> September <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>It’s now Wednesday and the ship’s plans have changed. We are now definitely not entering Townsville until the 25<sup>th</sup> – so we’ll have been at anchor for a week (my previous record on Andrea was a day – what a busy ship that was!). We can see land, but cannot walk on it! Surprisingly, I haven’t seen any yachts whatsoever, but I haven’t really been outside enough to judge whether that’s an accurate picture of sailing here.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For the last two nights more and more people have been fishing and there has been a lot of squid caught and eaten – right away. I think the night before last between ten and fifteen were caught. I had a go and caught one on my first throw of the line – it’s pretty easy really as they are very greedy. Once you see one you just have to get an accurate throw of the line and that’s it! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In addition to eating lots of squid, the second engineer caught a shark last night! I couldn’t believe it when I saw it in the galley! Then they went on to catch three more. Two were large (for this kind of shark, but probably only around 15 kilos) and two smaller. The larger ones were about two and a half foot long. I wish I could post a photo, but alas it’s too expensive really; hopefully I will get to an internet cafe soon. The chef cooked it for lunch today (with rice of course) and it was so soft and tender. A bit like tuna, but tastes different.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This morning the ship plunged into blackout – which was a first for me! Ironically, we were supposed to be doing a blackout drill in two days time anyway. It was pretty cool. Basically, we turned off the fuel into the main engine (it wasn’t running but we needed to replace some seals on the fuel line) and for some reason this resulted in the booster unit giving a large increase in pressure on the fuel line to the generators. As the pressure exceeded the high high alarm set point on the geny, it tripped the generator and we plunged into blackout. I was just cancelling another alarm in the ECR (engine control room) when darkness came. All the systems in the ECR have UPS (uninterruptable power supply) so that the alarm and monitoring system continue to operate in an emergency (there is a quite a list of items on ship that have UPS, such as navigational equipment on bridge, GMDSS etc etc). Also, the small strip lights illuminating the main switchboard in the ECR remained on. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Within about two seconds about 100 alarms came up on screen (I’m not kidding) and all I could do was madly press two buttons repeatedly – mute alarm, and acknowledge alarm button. Regulations for emergency power basically require the alternative source of power (i.e. another geny) to automatically start, synchronise itself onto the switchboard bus bars, and resume power within forty five seconds. Within about twenty seconds our next generator in priority order had fired itself up and put itself on the board – I was impressed. Then it was a case of turning on all necessary equipment very quickly, such as cooling water pumps so the generator didn’t overheat and shutdown – which would have resulted in a second blackout! Also, lots of circuit breakers had to be turned back on to get equipment the supply of power it needed, and all the pneumatically controlled valves dotted around the ship (which we control from the ECR computer) had to be reset one by one (not difficult either). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Chief Engineer was in good spirits despite the blackout, which was good; it’s the kind of thing that not every chief takes in their stride – partly because in certain scenarios it can look embarrassing, and the captain can get annoyed. Of course, on a passenger ship you can probably imagine the chaos that might ensue if it suddenly blacked out with three thousand passengers and about a thousand staff on board – I’m sure the Chief in that scenario might not be so relaxed; albeit they have a lot of equipment with UPS, and extensive battery banks for emergency lighting etc – in fact one of our lecturers at the academy who is a ex chief engineer from P&O said that one of the biggest UPSs they had on board was the till systems for the shopping. You may be in blackout but don’t worry, you can still spend money! Anyway, I’ve gone off point here somewhat – it was a good experience, which all happened too quickly. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>One thing here which does destroy the lovely blue waters, is there is quite a bit of oil that seems to float our way – either it’s being discharged by some unscrupulous ship in the vicinity, or it’s coming from some port facility or factory on land. Either way, it’s horrible, and really is a disgrace that people think it’s ok to put something as out of place as oil in the sea. Surprisingly it doesn’t seem to stop the regular visits from squid and dolphins. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Another exciting (relatively) boon on this ship is the recreation room. Yes, we have a weights machine (similar to mum and dad’s for any family reading this) and a treadmill. It’s fantastic, especially when facing a week on anchor. Only problem – it’s all Chinese to me. The running machine took a while to fathom; my Chinese must be a bit rusty. I couldn’t get the machine to move faster than a slow jog for a while, then eventually managed the pace I wanted. However, every two minutes the program changes speed and I’m suddenly about to run into the wall ahead of me. I have figured out how to cycle through the programs, but there doesn’t (so far) seem to be a custom program where you can just run and control the incline and speed only when you want to. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There is a farcical fan that blows at you while you run, although I would more describe it as the feel of someone blowing air at you through a cocktail straw, with the person sitting about a metre away from you. It also has some rather ‘out there’ songs to run along to, which rather remind me of the kind of songs you get when pressing the demo button on a sub £100 keyboard from argos. I notice there’s an mp3 player connection so I think I might avoid the machine’s tunes for the future, otherwise I might get confused and think I’m in a gameboy game from the nineties.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anyway, I’d better wrap this up, as I have reports to write and Emily to write to! On the 26<sup>th</sup> we will probably be leaving Townsville headed for Korea so I won’t have any contact for a couple of weeks. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-2839871923664334012011-09-14T13:35:00.000+01:002011-09-14T13:35:53.155+01:00Glad To Be In GladstoneI arrived here earlier. Travelled on quite a small plane for the internal flight. See below. Only 74 person capacity and shook a fair bit taking off and landing - however I am here in one piece, as are all the other passengers, so fantastic.<br />
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Once I arrived there was a bit of a mix up. The agent (nice lady who's son, of a similar age to me, is currently visiting England) picked myself and one other guy up at the airport (he was joining a different ship). She dropped me off at the Seamen's club where I would wait to be picked up at 7pm and taken to Nomadic Milde. She then took the other guy to stay in a motel overnight as his ship wasn't arriving until next morning.<br />
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However, once I had been dropped at the seamen's club I decided to look up when the ship was coming exactly. It was unclear, so one of the really helpful guys drove me down to the port security and got them to look up the official time. Turned out, the Nomadic Milde wasn't getting in until around 9am tomorrow - once the seamen's club closed I would be homeless! Sensing this was a potential mix up, I rang the agent here who said, yes, it was an error. A while later we swapped places, and so I'm now using the wifi at the motel before going to bed - as I'm pretty tired now. It seems weird, but haven't slept in a bed since Sunday night. When the driver came to pick me up from the seamen's club I had fallen asleep while reading my book, and was totally startled when he woke me up. I think I will feel fine tomorrow now though, as feel tired enough to sleep now.<br />
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So, I'll let you know of the Nomadic Milde when I get a chance...<br />
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Here's a photo for now:<br />
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-61773618806124544512011-09-14T03:39:00.001+01:002011-09-14T03:39:22.233+01:00The Tired Man Of OzI have arrived in Brisbane airport, and after making the painful decision for a full factory reset, my phone is now working here. Please bear in mind that if you email me DON'T ADD ANY ATTACHMENTS! If you do, my pay cheque will be heading for Vodafone's bank account. Also, please don't send me long email streams as it will just waste data. If you reply to one of mine, just delete the rest of the email text that is not needed please.<br><br>Ok, so I am now ten hours ahead of you all which means it's currently about 230am for you - and my brain. I am just hanging about at Brisbane now waiting for my connection to Gladstone. <br><br>The second flight was much a repeat of the first, albeit without the rather cool under plane camera. My legs finally tired of sitting in a seat for so long, and I resorted to tossing and turning near the end. At least I will join ship near the end of the day - would be a bit of a mission arriving and starting work straight away like last time. <br><br>The chief engineer on board is a Filipino and the captain a Romanian...and I've just realised I now don't have their names anymore as that went down the pan with the factory reset!<br><br>I will post once in Gladstone/on board and who knows after then - will depend on where ship goes...<br><br><br>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-90170734812404951332011-09-13T14:04:00.001+01:002011-09-13T14:04:47.676+01:00Hong Kong Airport<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhcp5QqsxcUBu2pj_kktVJxoGobc3dETJWrq45Fv5OmyzUIhjImt9n-1KC-dTtSAg0Y1L7EnRIz3PgdgJ3WnkTZyzb4JpnRc2NHJkjzTZ1uaGk77xJkXMlsAtLpdGN2M0IERHgDczrow/s1600/Blog+hong+kong+airport-787677.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhcp5QqsxcUBu2pj_kktVJxoGobc3dETJWrq45Fv5OmyzUIhjImt9n-1KC-dTtSAg0Y1L7EnRIz3PgdgJ3WnkTZyzb4JpnRc2NHJkjzTZ1uaGk77xJkXMlsAtLpdGN2M0IERHgDczrow/s320/Blog+hong+kong+airport-787677.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651829449553233394" /></a></p><font color='black' size='2' face='arial'> <div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black"> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_782ad3a3-4472-4d8e-82e6-58c5d2918474"><font color="black" size="2" face="arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I landed safely before 5pm and have been trying to resolve a phone issue since. For now, I have managed to get my phone onto WiFi, even if it won't play ball on working as an actual phone!<br> <br> I actually watched the plane land -by that, I mean that there was a camera mounted to the underside of the plane and you could switch your tv to show it. So, I saw our front wheel touch down and give off that familiar puff of smoke during first contact. I only realised this feature after take off so only managed to see the city's lights on the way out of England. Pretty cool I think, but maybe not so good for somebody terrified of flying! It was also useful to see when taxi was over.<br> <br> Airport is surrounded by mountainous hills - very much more scenic than Heathrow's construction backdrop. There should be a rather dodgy phone photo attached to this. DSlr staying in bag dismantled until I get on ship!<br> <br> The flight was great except for some reasonable turbulence - my drink was saved from spilling by a quick downing. Cathay Pacific are great and I reckon I could have done a full 24 hour flight on that plane with no problems. Food was surprisingly good too.<br> <br> Hopefully I can get the actual phone element working here so when I get to Australia I can exploit the Vodafone passport.<br> <br> Will post any noteworthy updates as they come... <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span> <div style="clear:both"></div> </font> </div> <!-- end of AOLMsgPart_1_782ad3a3-4472-4d8e-82e6-58c5d2918474 --> </div> </font>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-76935776806222166442011-09-10T08:28:00.000+01:002011-09-10T08:29:01.518+01:00The Nomadic MildeI received my joining instructions late yesterday afternoon...<br><br>I join the Nomadic Milde on 14th September in Gladstone, Australia. So, my flight leaves on Monday evening - I better pack!<br><br>I fly to Hong Kong, then Brisbane, then Gladstone, arriving on 14th September at about 4pm their time. The ship then leaves for Townsend, and after that, China.<br><br>I should post some ship photos and statistics later on today on here. <br><br>Excited and inevitably nervous!<br><br><br><br>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-42025353264560444192011-08-26T14:57:00.001+01:002011-08-26T14:57:40.882+01:00I could be far away...It is possible that I will pick up my next ship in China! However, nothing is nailed down yet, so I will post again when it is. <br><br><br><br>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-26466249414301262792011-08-11T16:41:00.000+01:002011-08-11T16:41:40.029+01:00All The Way<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, the exams are done and dusted now. The last two, Further Mechanics and Ship Stability, went pretty well I think. We were all dreading the Mechanics, but it was a pretty fair paper actually. I actually managed to enjoy one of the questions! It was working out the manometric head of water in an pumping system, and then working out the pump power required to achieve a certain velocity in each pipe. Useful stuff. Ship Stability was as predicted, and I managed to finish with a good amount of time spare for checking. My checking wasn't fool proof though, as realised after the exam that I had put one of the engine shaft speeds in rev/s when it asked for rpm! Oh well, small error, so hopefully won't really make a difference. </div>
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That's all the more physics and maths based modules finished now, so as long as my marks stack up I won't have to do any more. Next academy phase we do our design project, instrumentation and control principles module, finish work based investigation (our bigger report we do at sea this year), and some management modules or something like that. Then, after exams for those...preparation for the MCA Oral for our EOoW ticket!</div>
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Now, well I'm just catching up on work, and making preparations for going away. I don't have any dates yet, due to moving. Hopefully Emily and I will be moving into our new place on the 30th August, so would hope to get away before the middle of September so I can get back for Christmas! </div>
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Oh, and I've just finished doing some inpromptu plumbing at Steve's, after the kitchen mixer tap gave up the ghost and started leaking from the mixer arm seals. We turned all water and boiler off, drained the system sufficiently, and then removed the offending tap from the sink. Went and bought another only to find they have now made the armored entry hoses a larger diameter, meaning we couldn't use the old ones. To add a small complication, the pipes provided with the taps were dead straight with no fixings and not easily compatible with Steve's diagonal piping. So, for practicality, we bought some larger armored hosing. But, then, due to the change in size and connectors, the armored piping fell some 10cm short of the existing pipework under the sink. So, I had to cut a 10cm extension pipe for each and then couple them all together to install it. It would have been a bit more bulletproof to solder the extensions rather than the compression couplings, but with all my stuff in storage the options were limited without buying lots of extra stuff. Plus with the limited space under there, it certainly made things cooler, and simpler. </div>
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-33530166598337909792011-08-02T17:13:00.000+01:002011-08-02T17:13:45.474+01:00Half Way ThereWell, it's nearly the end of the academic year (this Thursday), and I am now half way through the latest exams. For these I would say that, as a group, we have been least prepared out of all the exams we have had so far. And, our threshold for energy seems to be low coming to the end of this phase. Not long until I go away to sea again now (no date as of yet though)<br />
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Yesterday morning was Further Maths. It went pretty well, although I got a bit stumped by a couple of bits when I first got to them. But, I went back near the end and managed to make sense of some of those bits.<br />
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Today was the much dreaded Further Thermodynamics. It was unsurprisingly tough, most especially the steam (Rankine) cycle question and the refrigeration question. Compressors is a topic almost everyone seems to have issues with, and that didn't disappoint either. However, apart from getting stumped by some of these things, I think I will come out okay overall on the thermo - well, I hope!<br />
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Tomorrow is Further Mechanics, and then Thursday is Ship Stability. So, I must go now and try to learn all the things that seem to have fallen out my head. It's all so last minute at the moment...tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-76629742856814957552011-06-22T23:31:00.000+01:002011-06-22T23:31:16.105+01:00Mirror MirrorI also thought these were worth a mention as they have caused me grief - both five years ago and more recently. My polished Pirelli P Slot wheels are now finished, hopefully to be picked up by a buyer this weekend. They've been a labour of love, and I'll be both glad and sad to see them go. They were certainly a good learning experience, and I learned most of all to finish what you start, no matter how painful and tedious it may seem. A few photos below...<br />
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<br />tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-15053684580925557652011-06-22T20:38:00.000+01:002011-06-22T20:38:30.973+01:00Maths!Thought it's been a while so I would add a very small update...<br />
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Maths exam was this morning and it was particularly crushing. But, quite a few people thought so, so that made the blow a bit less harsh...<br />
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Apart from that, we are all deep into the realms of ship stability calculations for our assignment. It is like trying to drive with your eyes closed.tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-49797065970438949822011-05-11T18:28:00.000+01:002011-05-13T21:53:34.390+01:00Turning & Controlling Molten Metal<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the seemingly modern way with family, friends, exercise, and this blog, it's been too long. </div>
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Before Easter we had some more time on the lathes, which enabled me to start and finish my bearing plug and housing, and start my tapered shaft. </div>
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The bearing plug was a two part job, the plug first, then the housing. They had to fit into each other perfectly, so precision is necessary. A lot of it relied on knowing exactly how big you'd made your plug, so when you came to make the housing you would know what size to make it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITS42ZqJMmpocizFpDaDmavVrSqzwVgftEifyVGTK56kl0pEUoPYUo2hRjVemOTfhK5BwfiwyLGXfGD3oua-c8mzfauh0BRjByy2X_Akk5yc_CYT2U7v2yd2q3vWwSx3aaoVFyIjzfCE/s1600/bearing+job+plan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITS42ZqJMmpocizFpDaDmavVrSqzwVgftEifyVGTK56kl0pEUoPYUo2hRjVemOTfhK5BwfiwyLGXfGD3oua-c8mzfauh0BRjByy2X_Akk5yc_CYT2U7v2yd2q3vWwSx3aaoVFyIjzfCE/s400/bearing+job+plan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was happy with the result, as it's a great fit.<br />
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Next up, the tapered shaft - haven't finished this one, so more will appear later on in the future with this. It's a two part job. First you turn the tapered shaft, then the ring to fit it. Once you have made the ring, you then mallet it onto the tapered shaft, and then turn down the outside diameter of the ring until it matches requirements. I have done the ring too (not shown here), but have yet to put them together and finally turn down the outside diameter. Shouldn't take long to finish that one.</div>
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During Easter, I had to work on finishing a project I didn't finish four years ago - mirror polishing a set of alloy wheels. I spent almost a day getting rid of corrosion and pitting on the wheel, and prepping it ready for polishing. Since then, I spent a few hours polishing and it's nearly done now. Once they are finished I won't be able to wait to get them off my hands!</div>
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3 complete next to one awaiting completion.</div>
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Emerying Stages</div>
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Ready to polish</div>
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Centre polished - this was the most painful part, as has to be done with felts on the end of a drill spindle.</div>
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Progressing...</div>
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Should hopefully finish the lot this weekend.</div>
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After Easter, we began welding, which has been enjoyable. Here's a few of my practice pieces below. Our final job is to complete a pipework project/exercise which I've shown a photo of below. It involves quite a bit of cutting, filing and welding (of differing types).</div>
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One of our instructors demonstrating a lap weld (gas welding)</div>
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Gas Welding Lap Joint on 1.6mm steel plate</div>
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Gas welding butt join on 1.6mm steel plate</div>
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Tig weld - Fillet joint on 3mm steel plate</div>
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MMA (Manual Metal Arc) Welding - Butt join on 6mm steel plate. Used weave technique</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddQw_As5Pp1FZLDMSMJSDjOsRuG-TDyXRP35mIfHU5V3QxtDcR0ZSrRL4Hjv8JtLyhmXUBcml-Vo3C-_1JWbM3trdDrI8DjMvwPbAnMngbwkQVBaCCAZcUvfw5yVFq-6l0vlL8yw2458/s1600/arc+butt+weld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddQw_As5Pp1FZLDMSMJSDjOsRuG-TDyXRP35mIfHU5V3QxtDcR0ZSrRL4Hjv8JtLyhmXUBcml-Vo3C-_1JWbM3trdDrI8DjMvwPbAnMngbwkQVBaCCAZcUvfw5yVFq-6l0vlL8yw2458/s400/arc+butt+weld.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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MMA Welding - Fillet weld on 6mm steel plate. Used multi-run technique: Three runs layered in sequence. On left hand side, a slag inclusion from one of the first two welds prevented me from controlling the molten metal pool, so it deviated off course.</div>
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MIG (Metal inert gas) - Fillet weld on 6mm steel plate.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iZbwj9ZlwlZXoh5bDUKf5UdUD-OYdQmhHkHqi5ZyzOzGU2XIK5G6HJJ8hbaHWghrJw5gnZeByV0-S4laSG7Synpa2qcrhErlJk7dPv4T-FHftfGoQaMUKTtCxCuZoz7NloxQEF4zb4c/s1600/mig+fillet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iZbwj9ZlwlZXoh5bDUKf5UdUD-OYdQmhHkHqi5ZyzOzGU2XIK5G6HJJ8hbaHWghrJw5gnZeByV0-S4laSG7Synpa2qcrhErlJk7dPv4T-FHftfGoQaMUKTtCxCuZoz7NloxQEF4zb4c/s400/mig+fillet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Example workpiece - we have to complete one of these. The end plate (on the left) is our butt weld that we did using a weave technique with MMA welding</div>
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We had to learn to use the gas cutting torch before we could begin our pipework.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wCmU-6wVXRDlF-O76LEI3QhpmwYhSlINwactJhB8QIaDMXFhTFD_R4qTQkFY-vq76-7zbRHiooCQzOs7WlyYIFrV1eIRJaDezreMMWJ0QwFlmF592BVftG8_XlBSUS7fGoFS2uOF8MA/s1600/gas+cutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wCmU-6wVXRDlF-O76LEI3QhpmwYhSlINwactJhB8QIaDMXFhTFD_R4qTQkFY-vq76-7zbRHiooCQzOs7WlyYIFrV1eIRJaDezreMMWJ0QwFlmF592BVftG8_XlBSUS7fGoFS2uOF8MA/s400/gas+cutting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Using gas cutting torch to cut v notches out of pipe. We then used the vice to compress the ends, forming a converging nozzle. </div>
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V notches cut out, ready to go in the vice. </div>
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I've just welded the four seams on the reducer nozzle, and then welded my MMA butt plate (from previously) to it. I have tomorrow to attempt to finish the rest of the pipework - hopefully I will manage it before the end of the day...</div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-77396525836026438782011-04-06T21:39:00.000+01:002011-04-06T21:39:50.555+01:00Sunny Days and UAOs<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's said that a change is as good as a break. After the five exams last week (Steam Propulsion, Motor Propulsion, Ship Construction, Marine Electrics, Marine Auxiliary Principles) nothing could be more welcome than two weeks of workshop. </div>
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Since Monday, our group have been learning more turning on the lathes, while the other groups do welding, hand fitting or powerplant. It's been a really enjoyable change, and I've just started the fourth UAO (if you remember, I mentioned our 'UAOs' last year - Useless Arbitrary Objects) since the beginning of the week, so it's going well. Our first one was a simple stepped shaft, to demonstrate we could turn lengths and diameters accurately, plus facing off. This had to be done in two stages - the first turning it down to one size, and the next making the diameters smaller again, but keeping the turned lengths the same. These two stages were just to demonstrate we had the skills necessary. </div>
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Beginning stages</div>
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My work plan, clipped to lathe for easy reference while I work</div>
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Final Result</div>
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For the second workpiece we used the first workpiece and turned it down to make it smaller. We then added a female thread, a male thread, a taper, chamfers, and knurled it. For this job we also had to practice mounting it in the four jaw chuck. Getting the job exactly central in the chuck is crucial, and involves a process which is, I would guess, most similar to leveling a snooker table. It seems difficult when you don't know how, but with some good explanation, and some precise turns on the chuck key, it all falls into place easily. I completed this job on Tuesday.</div>
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Workpiece in four jaw chuck (DTI used to check workpiece in position correctly)</div>
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Drawing plus workpiece</div>
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Finished workpiece</div>
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After completing this on Tuesday, I began the third workpiece - this involved some new techniques not used before. We had to use a grooving tool - used to create (you guessed it) grooves in the job. This involved some logical and careful thinking to get the grooves in the correct place, as the general tolerance for the job was plus or minus 0.2mm - this is actually pretty generous though I think, considering the accuracy.</div>
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Turning in motion</div>
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Same again, different view</div>
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Initial lengths turned</div>
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Knurling completed</div>
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Knurling close up</div>
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Finished workpiece - it's a beauty</div>
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I finished this job quite late on today, but did get started on the fourth - the bearing plug and housing. This is the most difficult job so far I think, probably due to the obvious fact that it is the fourth (!), but mainly the accuracy needed. We will be creating two different parts: a bearing plug, and a bearing housing. They need to fit together perfectly. Hence, it's prudent to make them carefully and accurately. It's already been a bit hairy so far, as I had to turn metal off the workpiece up to about 1mm away from the chuck (as I had so little material to deal with). Any further and the chuck would have hit the tool - result: devastation! However, it is still going well so far. I'll let you know how that one goes soon.</div>
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Today must have been the best day of the year so far, weather wise - a significant change from yesterday's constant wind and rain. It was amazingly hot, with little wind, and for breaks and lunch we were all able to sit outside on the beach of the Hamble, watching the yachts head in and out. It made everybody feel fantastic, and due to our restoration of free time in the evening now the exams are over, Chris B, Chris T and I were able to head to The Rising Sun pub on the waterfront for a quick drink after finishing in the workshop. We had a beer in the sun (it was still really hot even at 5pm) and relaxed for a bit. It was fantastic, especially as it was one of those spur of the moment decisions to go there. </div>tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6580594181234248317.post-89099524139876094522011-02-24T22:56:00.000+00:002011-02-24T22:56:36.261+00:00Long Time, No Sea<div style="text-align: justify;">
It seems so long ago since I went to sea. In fact, it now seems like a dream I just woke up from; distant, and I can barely remember the details. </div>
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Having said that, there are moments when my mind shifts to my time on board - these moments are normally when I am suddenly needing experience information to backup what is being covered in a lecture. </div>
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It's been busy times lately, as we've had multiple assignments and exams to contend with, simultaneously. However, last Friday, with an assignment due in and another exam, things were beginning to calm down for a while. It's a month now until we have the next set (five exams), and we only have one assignment to work on. So, we now have the luxury of being able to read through subject matter prior to, or after, our lectures. This is immensely helpful, as of late the subject matter in our Marine Electronics has just been flying over our heads - and with no time before to look at it, it was disaster.</div>
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I guess I should probably go some length to explaining what we are actually studying at the moment. </div>
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So:</div>
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<li>Marine Electrics - Generator excitation, harmonics, motors and starting, propulsion systems, batteries and emergency power sources</li>
<li>Marine Auxiliary Systems - Open and closed loop hydraulic systems, refrigeration, air conditioning, Pumps and pumping theory</li>
<li>Ship Construction - Different types of ship and their construction</li>
<li>Motor Propulsion - Two stroke and four stroke diesel construction, operation etc</li>
<li>Steam Propulsion - Boilers, turbines, condensors, etc etc </li>
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All in all, some pretty interesting subject matter. And more relevant to our jobs than the thermo, maths, mechanics etc (not that I don't find them interesting of course!).</div>
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Once I have finished this six month stint at the academy, I'll have got so used to it again that the thought of going to sea will be a scary prospect. And then, the thought of going back to the academy will be the same! Anyway, I'll think about that at the time. For now, electronics is calling...tomskewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08023614995094899363noreply@blogger.com1