Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-02
SHIPBUILDING IS
MANY SIDED TASK

MISUNDERSTANDING, the many
sided task in which much OF Ameri-
cas- mechanical genius is today engag-
ed as a part Of the war program, re-
quires mechanics skilled in more than
thirty trades besides an army Of I'M
skilled workers.
With a gigantic building program
ahead, a vast force is employed alone
in this phase of war work. Taday
100000 men are at work in the ship
yards, with 250,000 engaged in trades
that provide material for the ship
builders.
Here are the skilled workers who are
doing the work on the steel ship: Ship
filters, blacRsmiths, rivetters, clippers
and calkers, drillers, plumbers, pipe
filters, machinists joiners, carpenters,
pattern makers, foundrymen, copper
smiths, heavy forgers, steel metal
workers, furnace men, shearers, punch
ers, anglesmiths, shipwrights, riggers,
Hangers, drop forsers. erectors. boilers
up, cVrane operators locomotive engi-
neers, firemen, loftmen, painters and
helpers in all these trades.
Sixty per cent of the work on a ship
is in constructing the hull and the re-
naming forty per cent is installing
mechanical parts. deck furnishings and
other equipment that goes to make the
finished vessel.
Obviously, it is almost impossible to
single out one craft that is the most
important. All contribute in making
The finished product and without any
one no complete ship could result.
Lioftsmen, however, play q great part
The Ships Plans.
Ship plans are first made in q draft
ing room on a small scale. Going to
the mould loft--a large building with
smooth floor of sufficient size to
have drawn upon it the plans of the
ship to full size--the loftsmen fashion
the templates or moulds of light wood
or paper from which the steel for the
hull can be laid off and marked for
shearing, punching. planning and other
operations.
The moulds are made from three
plans that give shape to the ship.
These plans, showing the lines of a
vessel are the sheer plan or side ele-
walton, the half breath plan and the
body plan or end elevation. The body
plan is most used in making the
IN Guilds, for it shows better the shape
OF each frame, beam and floor plate.
The moulds must be absolutely correct
SO that they will join together properly.
The ship filter is probably the one
metal worker whose trade may be
termed purely a shipbuiIding trade He
marks off the steel material for the
parts of the vessels hull, by fitting the
lottmans mould over the steel Drill
ers also pay big part In the drilling
and Roaming of holes. They are neces-
sary becal Sc the rivel holes being
9-el1a ~, oh
edo despite careful workmanship. In
some cases also holes must be drilled
ON the ship, The unevenness between
holes is removed by roaming. which
Is merely slight enlargement.
RiVetters do perhaps the most spec
t.cular work. the rata tat tat of their
pneumatic tools having a fascination
reminiscent OF the ,.nvil of the village
blacksmith Rivettine holds the ship
together and a ships plans specify
every rivet, for each has a certain
function. Clippers and calIfers trim
off or smooth the edge of plates, cast
ings and other parts and make them
water tight. Shipwrights install the
wooden decks, masts saprs and booms
Other ship woodwork Is done by the
joiners.
Ventilation. piping and light metal
work is done largely in shop by sheet
metal workers Plumbing and piping
also IS dono In shop by plumbers. ma
chinists and pine filters
shop work ON the hull proper is done
by Workmen operating shears, punches
bending rolls planners and other ma.
chlnes and the frame benders. acety-
lene burners, furnace men and angle
smiths who perform tho preparatory
work to the erection Of the plates, the
brackets, clips, beams, bulkheads and
parts required for the hull Of ship
Speaking at political gathering,
referred TO the activity of some people
along conversational lines and recalled
The following anecdote:
woman went into a pet store one
day with The announcement that she
wished TO buy a parrot and was shown
several promising specimens by the
Il lie the looks Of this one" said the
prospective customer, designating Ger.
tain bird, but are you quite sure that
he is talker,"
"oh, yes, madam" was the prompt as
suranee Of tho proprietor ''he is talk
Some Of them are very disappoint.
ing, continued the customer. with you
guarantee him to talk lot?"
II surely Will, answered the pro-
pretor The lady who last owned him
sold him because she culdnt get a word
out IN adgewise"
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