Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
posted November 07, 2003 06:34 AM
Did you check the prices before posting the link? Their prices for Ti are higher than yoyodyne. Racebolts.com is about half the price of yoyo
posted November 07, 2003 08:38 AM
Be careful when changing to titaniium fasteners. Titanium has different thread friction characteristics, and different yield (stretch) characteristics from steel. Unless the application has been researched and new torque figures established, don't use them for "critical" parts like head bolts, rod bolts, etc. When using for things like axles or brakes make sure the fastener is safetied in some manner.
Doug
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
posted November 07, 2003 11:41 PM
Good point! Thanks Doug!
When I was in the military, I used to do maintenance on RBs (Reentry Bodies). Part of that process involved replacing the fasteners that held the Neutron Generators in place. The bolts used were made of some metal that would pop and emit a small puff of smoke when the proper torque was reached. Very disconcerting, considering where you were at the time... ;0
posted November 08, 2003 03:40 PM
Yikes!, Swft. If that didn't raise the hair on the back of your neck I don't know what would. Were those W-76's or some such?
Doug
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
posted November 08, 2003 06:34 PM
Doug - Yep, W76 Warheads alright. At that time, the last of the Poseidon boats (W68 warheads) were coming out of the water. The job was usually done by WTs (Weapons Techs) who were skimmer pukes. But they had screwed up so many times that SWFPAC decided to fill the holes with guys from the submarines who were normally billeted to other SSPO positions within the organization. So I was the second one to go out there, for about a year. Basically, you would progress through worker, reader, lead and then inspection. Inspection is where you literally signed your soul over, when they gave you the inspection stamp. We would change out components that had a half life of seven years. Someone with physics experience can prolly figure out what exactly that might be, but I won't discuss it in any greater depth here.
After my year out behind the wire, moved back into a normal job and supervised the storage, maintenance and repair of the Trident missle guidance systems and flight control computers that we received from the submarines. That was a pretty cool job. In addition to being a second level maintenance facility for that, we supervised the logistics moves of weapons from and to the submarines. You'd start as escort, riding with the Courier, then the next position was supervisor, where you rode with the truck driver who was pulling the liner or bare missile trailer. Another fun thing was the runs over to McChord Air Force Base to meet up with the DOE boys and swap out the limited life components. Nothing like a nice discreet drive down I5 in a inconspicuous vehicle with a three other inconspicuous vehicles and several well armed escorts.
Top of the food chain for duties in the logistics moves was Movement Supervisor. That was the guy who ran the duty desk during the day. Oversaw about ten different radio networks (14 bands) and all the logistic moves of material on/off and around the base. For you ex marines out there, SWFPAC has it's own dedicated force (MRF - Marine Reaction Force) who's entire job is guarding the weapons. And despite and average age of 19.5 years, they did a great job of it. Nothing like doing environmental rounds on a moonless night out in the Main Limited Area and have a voice from the darkness ask you to identify yourself. Other fun things? Disaster readiness exercises were pretty cool, actually. Not counting the Marines, there were prolly only about 200 military on SWFPAC. Most of the rest of the people were primary weapons contractors and civil service. So when we would go out and simulate a disaster, we'd get the pleasure of making them suit up or conversely, undress and go through the decon shower.
Was an interesting job during interesting times. I was directly involved in ensuring our facility was compliant with the START treaty, got to train people for our NRT (Nuclear Response Team) people, and saw the 'nuclear clock' go backwards for the first time in history.
____________
82 Gpz750, 84 Ninja 900, 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy Big Bore Kit), *another* 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy custom stroke crank 1341cc motor), 2004 ZZR1200, 2005 ZX10R, 2007 ZX14, 2008 Concours 14, 2014 Versys 650, 2014 Yamaha WR450F, 2015 Ninja H2
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
posted November 08, 2003 06:37 PM
Berylium! That was what the bolts were made of, I believe. The only thing I remembered was that it was a heavy metal that was toxic.
____________
82 Gpz750, 84 Ninja 900, 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy Big Bore Kit), *another* 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy custom stroke crank 1341cc motor), 2004 ZZR1200, 2005 ZX10R, 2007 ZX14, 2008 Concours 14, 2014 Versys 650, 2014 Yamaha WR450F, 2015 Ninja H2
posted November 09, 2003 01:21 PM
Beryllium.
Yup, the dust is very toxic.
My Standard Handbook of Mechanical Engineering says Be is very brittle but can be made "directionally brittle". Did hat figure into the use?
Larry, I think you must have earned very unique view of history and geopolitics.
D.
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
posted November 09, 2003 03:13 PM
*chuckles* I was 18 years old, on my first real patrol, when the USSR invaded Afghanistan. Here I was, an absolute newby, and we were out in the north atlantic processing emergency action messages as america held it's breath and waited to see if they would continue into Turkey. Glad they didn't, as things could have gotten very ugly. And with regard to those bolts, that would definately be a property of those bolts.
As I grew older, I saw the focus of our strategic forces change, but the principle remained the same, to present the capability of such an overwhelming response as to make the option of a nuclear response by an enemy undesireable.
____________
82 Gpz750, 84 Ninja 900, 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy Big Bore Kit), *another* 2000 ZX12R (Muzzy custom stroke crank 1341cc motor), 2004 ZZR1200, 2005 ZX10R, 2007 ZX14, 2008 Concours 14, 2014 Versys 650, 2014 Yamaha WR450F, 2015 Ninja H2
HOME
NEW TOPIC
posted November 05, 2003 03:54 PM
posted November 05, 2003 04:40 PM
