Continuing from the post on January 5th……… With the molds completed, it was time to fire up the furnace!!!!!!!!!!!!! To melt the scrap gears, a crucible-style furnace was used. The furnace is lined with a refractory material that can withstand high temperatures and placed in the center of it is a ceramic crucible (there are [...]
On Wednesday, the removal of internal components from the Worthington pumps continued with the use of a hydraulic press and a tool specially made to apply even pressure to the brass water plungers in the pumps and push them out safely. The port and starboard Worthingtons each had one of these plungers that [...]
This has been a big week for disassembly of the Worthington pumps! After long-term treatment in electrolytic reduction and removal of chlorides from the outer surfaces of the pumps, it’s time to remove as many of the internal moving parts as possible to make sure all surfaces are conserved. This week Eric and Gary removed [...]
Andrea Mustain at OurAmazingPlanet wrote a story today about our recent work on Monitor‘s steam engine. Check it out at: http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/iconic-civil-war-ships-salvaged-engine-gets-tlc-0981/ Just a little while after she posted the story it was picked up by MSNBC.COM: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41056820/41060773 Good stuff! Thanks Andrea.
You’ve seen the conservators in the USS Monitor Center on the live web cam, but have you ever thought about what’s going on inside those tanks when the conservators aren’t covered with gunk? My name is Leanna, and I’ve been interning with The Mariners’ Museum for two years. I’m a junior at Christopher Newport University [...]
On Saturday, January 8, we hosted 39 teachers for a program here at the museum. We happened to be one of the stops on a whirlwind tour titled “Defenders of the Chesapeake”, which was put together by our colleague Winette Jefferies from the Hampton History Museum. The agenda for the day was a behind-the-scenes tour [...]
Continuing from the post made on November 30th……I know you have all been waiting! Once the wax copies had been completed at the Mariners’ Museum, they were packed up and transported to the foundry at Buffalo state College. Upon arrival, the casting flasks (wooden boxes) were setup around each of the waxes and fine sand [...]
