Marine Deep Hole Drilling: Propeller Shafts, Rudders, and More
Marine components are brutally large and unforgiving to machine. Propeller shafts, stern tubes, rudder stocks, and stabilizer fins all need deep, straight bores – often in stainless steel or monel alloys that make life hard for any cutting tool. I have drilled propeller shafts up to 8 meters long and stern tubes weighing several tons. The scale alone creates problems that do not exist on smaller parts. Here is what I have learned about keeping those jobs under control. ...