Plate XLVII.Larger image
Plate XLVII.
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Larger imageTWO VIEWS IN THE JOINER SHOPS.
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TWO VIEWS IN THE JOINER SHOPS.
The joiners' and cabinet-makers' shop, as we have already indicated, occupies two floors of a building 240 ft. long and 52 ft. wide; while the fourth floor is utilised for the French polishing work, as well as for storing the completed wood-work until the vessel is ready to receive it. Provision is also made in the same building for the model-making department, in which replicas of nearly all ships are produced, and, being works of art, because of their completeness, accuracy, and beauty, have earned high awards at many Exhibitions.
In the joiners' shops, illustrated by two engravings on Plate XLVII., adjoining this page, there is a complete equipment of wood-working machines for sawing, turning, planing, moulding, sand-papering, mortising, boring, tenoning, dovetailing, dowelling and joining. These are electrically driven, and are grouped at three places in the length of the shop on each floor, with benches around them, so that the joiners do not require to carry their jobs any distance in order to have them machined. There is also in use in connection with the department a portable electric circular saw, which is specially useful for carpenters and joiners, etc., on board the ship in the dock. An electric deck-planer, of the lawnmower form, has proved serviceable in reducing enormously the most laborious task experienced by carpenters and joiners.
There are two large smithies convenient to the shipbuilding berths, and in both cases the finishing department adjoins. In one case there are fifty-four fires and eight hammers; in the other, forty fires, with five hammers, ranging up to 15 cwt. The fires are operated by mechanical blowers, and the smoke and waste gases are carried off by overhead ventilating pipes. Extensive work is carried out by the smiths. Die-stamping is largely adopted in connectionwith the making of eye-plates, cleats, stanchions, clips, etc. In each finishing shop there are band saws, radial and other drills, screwing machines, and grindstones. Smiths' stores are arranged above the finishing shops.
The plumbers' shop is fitted with a special machine for bending pipes when cold, as well as screwing and tapping machines, drills, saws, grinders, and fires.
The sheet-iron department is equally well equipped, having straightening rolls, shearing, punching, chipping, drilling, and other tools, with various hammers; and here work is done in connection with ventilating and other light ironwork.
In view of the warship contracts undertaken, the mechanics' shop, for work peculiar to the ship as distinct from the propeller machinery, etc., is extensive. The four lathes here range up to 27 ft. in length over all, with a 14-in. headstock and a 22-ft. bed. There is a useful shaping machine, a fair-sized planer, and several drills, all adequate for the work required, which is remarkable more, perhaps, for its great variety than for size.
All the machinery in the yard, and in several departments in the engine and boiler works, is run from one central station, of which two views are given on Plate XLVIII., opposite. The electric generators occupy one side of the power station, and the air compressors and hydraulic pumps the other. Steam at 200 lb. pressure is supplied by one marine cylindrical, and four Babcock and Wilcox water-tube, boilers, with superheater, coal conveyors, and mechanical stokers.