Battleship New Jersey's Machine Shop with Ken Kersch

[@briancox2721]

You know you have a real machinist when he isn't afraid to angle the head on a bridgeport because he knows how to get it back into tram.

[@Mitchismelon]

you see that man's eyes? there is no fear there. the machine shop is his domain. walks around and touches the tools like they are his own.

[@paulloveless4122]

What lol?

[@nickk332]

Thats the truth. Plus that guy is an OG

[@copperlemon1]

When I was first learning, the first thing drilled in was getting the head and vise trammed in. The vises are trivial, but getting a head trammed in still gets me agitated sometimes.

[@crashland5711]

It's not that bad after you have done it a couple of hundred times.

[@gspiatti249]

Back around When she was first open for tours I took my Dad aboard the ship, he was a machinist during world War II He was discharged medically He decided to go to work in the defense plant where he became a machinist We went down to the machinist space there on the ship and immediately his memories were kicking in of all the equipment that he used in the defense plant which was what was on the New Jersey He was like a little kid in a candy store quickly explained how everything worked That was one of the best things that I was able to give him for a birthday present was to take him on to New Jersey for a ship tour. He later passed away in 2011 due to dementia but he still was able to recall the tour of the battleship in exquisite detail Thank you for keeping her afloat as a museum and I'm certain everybody would wonder and hope she would return back to active duty service but that's never going to happen but one can always think and hope Thank you

[@leelawrence1557]

Hey just to let you know I was the LPO on BB62 from 1985 to 1987. The surface grinder was obtained in early 1986 from the Defense Reutilization Depot in Northern California. We used it alot, and it was originally positioned where the Bridgeport mill is. Where the surface grinder is now positioned was an electroplating sink. The Standard Modern lathe was installed in April 1986 prior to the 1986 WesPac cruise. The Bridgeport was installed after I transferred so I don't know when it was installed.

[@Mitchismelon]

they had an electroplating sink!? was that original to 1942? what kind of repairs/ maintenance would that even be used for!? that's like crazy specific equipment.

[@leelawrence1557]

@@Mitchismelon We used the electroplating for plating end bells on motors and electroplated pump shafts from time to time if the pump shaft was just slightly scored or worn. Mainly on bearing surfaces. The electroplating sink was installed in late 1985. I taught several guys on how to use it.

[@ScumfuckMcDoucheface]

@@Mitchismelon it's not all that specific, but it is super handy and even more cool =)

[@CarlasLovingWife]

@@Mitchismelon Hi Mitch- we used electroplating a lot in the machine shop. Take for example a shaft that had worn down 4 mm and was no longer in specs/usable. Instead of throwing it out and spending a ton of tax dollars n purchasing a new one. We would plate that section of the shaft 8-10 mm and use the lathe to skim cut it within specs. Very cost-effective and quicker than Amazon.

[@Tellyfive]

That machine shop is the most awesome part of the ship.

[@legallyfree2955]

I know, they should make a ship that is nothing but a machine shop! (maybe not as silly as it seems, it could be used for disaster relief or something to make all kinds of bits and bobs that people might need, include some modern tech like 3D printing, and have a massive store of stock material)

[@GraflexGuy]

look up the russian ship kommuna, that's basically what it is@@legallyfree2955

[@ColKorn1965]

I gave this a thumbs up just because I'm a machinist.

[@Lockbar]

Thats a good reason!

[@Robert-ff9wf]

Me too! I was surprised how big and all the machine tools that are on this ship.

[@jthutch81]

Same. The Milwaukee mill reminds me of an OKK manual mill I used a lot until we got a Haas cnc. A Bridgeport is easier to use, but a 'slab mill' (my term) like that is much sturdier & will take heavy cuts & leaves a great finish. Awesome for squaring larger blocks.

[@RikkiSteele]

That man is a real treasure to have helping out on New Jersey

[@DoomOfConviction]

Must be awesome to come back after 50 years and all tools are still there and intact!

[@davidduma7615]

Ken is GREAT! Get him his favorite beverage and keep the camera rolling. Let him tell more sea stories like fixing the pump from the other ship.

[@joshuasill1141]

I love sea tales. Some of my father's coworkers were in the Navy. One was a welder and the other was a electrician. The one that was a welder welded his teeth shut while trying to repair a bilge pump. He didn't ground is equipment properly and the voltage welded his fillings together. So after recovering from the electrical burns, he went to the dentist who had to pry his mouth open, dig out the fillings and replace them. The one that was an electrician is a plank owner on the USS Wasp (LHD-1) and spent his time in port wiring up the RADARs before the shake down cruise. He said the two most scariest times in his career were climbing the RADAR masts in rough seas, and after fixing a motor he was climbing down the ladder went the RADAR dish went active. Had he still been up there he would've been microwaved. Apparently one of the RADAR operators "didn't see" the lock-out tag-out signs and fired it up.

[@fozbstudios]

Ken got sad hen talking about the broken tool. That said a lot. Thank you for your service then and now Ken

[@joelalleman9591]

I am a retired machine repairman from heavy industry . One of my senior supervisors was a machinist in the us navy who repaired ships parts on a floating drydock. I was fascinated by his stories in this "mobile " machine shop !! The shop you have there on the New Jersey battleship is absolutely amazing !! Those are truly beautiful old machines!! They had Bullard vertical machine centers where my father worked , so I have seen these machines before . Thank you for the chance to view so many beautiful machines and how they functioned to keep the ship operational!! God Bless you for your service !!

[@fuglyfeet3373]

I am a retired machinist started in 1976 until 2017. A lot of shops i worked in had decomissioned navel machinery in them. Lathes, milling machines and vertical id grinders. I really liked this video. Thanks

[@idkmachining6892]

What an awesome, detailed look at the incredibly well equipped machine shop of a battleship!

[@MrTexasDan]

As a former machinist for 20 years, this video speaks to me! Thanks so much Mr. Kersch for showing us your old digs, and especially the most versatile machine on the planet, the Bridgeport mill. I plan to get one for my home shop (with power feeds).

[@cmikles1]

As an AvE fan, seeing that made me smile.

[@ScumfuckMcDoucheface]

@@cmikles1 AvE, Abom, This Old Tony, Keith Rucker so on and so on =)

[@berryreading4809]

More stories from Ken! Also I'd like him to give a tour of the welding shop, unless a former welding shop sailor is available 👍

[@zapityzapzap]

Texas Tech Univeristy's Mechanical Engineering machine shop has three 14" lathes similar to the Sidney that came out of USN ships that were decommissioned after WWII...most of us liked them better than the newer "digital" lathes.

[@latmask00]

Thanks for the tour Ken. Fantastic shop.

[@dickmantooth8456]

Imagine the amount of planning and the number of people that are required to fully man a battleship. Definitely eye opening to see all the different roles that are needed to make one of these ships run smoothly....... Can't imagine the pressure on the captains and admirals every second of the day to make sure they are able make their ships run properly and achieve what they are meant for!!!!!!!

[@DarthRaijiin]

We are a Haas machine shop, but I regularly use the Bridgeport. It's nice to just do one thing in, or if you are working on a prototype of something. I like all of these old machines, they look well taken care of, they look so cool.

[@hughstephenson2957]

My father was on the ssn Sealion on Dec 7 1941. They were assigned target towing duty so we're away from Pearl during the attack. A IJN flight group found them before they cut the gear loose and dived (wouldn't have done much good in clear water anyway). They fought off 8 planes. One or two had bombs which came close enough to dent the pressure hull. I used to have all his pics of his WWII service ships. The Sea Lion was not sunk but was patched up and sent to the mainland for drydock. Dad was transferred to the Hornet..

[@chuck56176]

Was an MR-2 mostly working on submarines, then surface ships! I got excellent training in the Navy, which made for a great career! Thanks for posting this and Thanks for your service!!!

[@metalmill52]

Great tour, really appreciate it! Thank-you, Ken, for your service and first hand knowledge of the ship and the machine shop.

[@philwalmsley1116]

Ken, Ryan and team that was awesome. Thanks Ken for taking me on a tour of your machine shop. I have to say that the Bridgeport is my favorite. Additionally, the brass turrets are very cool.

[@lonnywilcox445]

I agree, and also think there would be demand for a turret hand crafted on the machines aboard the ship by the crew of the ship. I mean at least do an auction of one to gauge the interest.

[@XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX981]

Absolutely! Thanks Ken for your time and dedication

[@2hacksinashack]

As a new generation machinist seeing this more in depth video of the machine shop is very enjoyable. Getting a tour from a veteran machinist whom served on the ship is an extra treat. I would be like a kid in a candy store in there.

[@WvlfDarkfire]

Thank you for your service and thank you for the education Ken Kersch

[@speed150mph]

I love this video. For future videos or live streams if possible, I’d like to see this man in action, building or repairing whatever he is building or repairing for the ship that day.

[@justforfun4103]

This is amazing. Thank you for preserving history and these incredible machines.

[@cameronmccreary4758]

Nice shop! When I had my own shop in the 1980's I had a Lagun mill with the slotting head on the rear end opposite the turning head. It did wonderful work. The Bridgeport is the most versatile of all the Mills.

[@randymagnum143]

I would argue a masterhead Ingersoll is the most versitile?

[@josephdebattista8198]

I never imagined that the machine shop is interesting thanks to Ken Kersch perfectly well detailed tour of his workplace. Great memories of these great machines just like we had at the trade school I used to attend in the 80's.

[@patcb829]

Thanks Ken. Too bad we did not get to see the smile of shame on the drill press. The table on the radial drill was not bad at all.

[@G-Man-kc2nm]

Great video. I got goosebumps when he started the big lathe. Thank You for your service.

[@raykerr6046]

Was a machinist for 35 years. Very nice set up in a small space. 👍🏻👍🏻🇨🇦

[@jackhall2223]

Brilliant video...thank you Ken! I'd love to hear more stories from him. Fantastic being able to see and hear about all the machinery used in the shop.

[@shawnbauman5463]

Thank you for your service then and now. Very informative.

[@isaiahshaffer]

This was great to see, I started on a Bridgeport similar to that in school and then worked my way up to CNC, I’m only 25 and know nothing compared to the man talking, it’s great to hear it from someone who was there and served, thanks!

[@PaulieB1965]

Thanks for your service, Ken!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@harrystokes1412]

Wow, great video. Machinist explaining the machines. Gunners Mates should explain the guns they used. Love former crew guiding us through what and how they did their jobs. Thank you

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

We've got a whole playlist of those, check out our Oral History playlist

[@Synergy7Studios]

I might have to try 3D printing one of those turrets, those are cool! I'd love it if you guys did videos about various repairs you do around the ship today. You're awesome Ken!

[@johngillespie9459]

Thank you for the tour Ken. Brian’s right about the head on the Bridgeport. I have to angle and move mine off center a lot for drilling and milling the ends of long pieces. You have to tram it every time you put it back. Recognized the Monarch lathe right away. We love ours for the little one off jobs, making fixtures, impromptu gauge pins and the like. Sorry to hear the flat grinder out of commission. Keep makin chips on the ship!

[@zopEnglandzip]

Ha, doesn't matter if the machine shop is in a factory, fabricators or battleship the bridgeport is everyone's favorite. I enjoyed that thank you gentlemen.

[@drubradley8821]

I just finished this video while a few buddies are here helping me chow on some pizza slices... and the amount of excitement, watching the tour video of the machine shop buy this young man Ken, We were all bouncing off the walls, saying if we all lived close by we could get that machine back up and running 24/7 again, between us, and would do it for free.. This was a really neat video. The crazy part of this one, was the story of moving parts from one ship to another, by cable, while they are moving along full steam ahead, which sounds dangerous as heck.. These men who made these ship go, were... pardon me, "ARE" some hard core tough dudes. Did I forget to mention that they were fearless... How did today's males become such sissy's, including myself, I feel like a pansy compared to these men. I always had so much respect for these guys, but, watching these videos just puts a new perspective to how amazing these guys actually "ARE"..

[@johnmccrane1660]

Great tour and then for was very interesting. I bet a lot of machinists are dreaming about the original machines for their shops.

[@richhagenchicago]

I particularly enjoyed this video. Thank you for the tour!

[@johnpavlovic2070]

Back in the 70's I was taking machine shop classes in a vo-tech in Malvern AR and all the equipment was mil-surp and I used the same type of machines. We also had some machines that had been converted from over head belt drive. It brings back fond memories of when i learning my trade.

[@walkerm777]

Amazing what this guy remembers. I was on the USS Coral Sea in the 70s. I was a BT working in aft evaps. I don't remember much about anything. Lol

[@BIBSTERSrepairshop]

Thanks for your service and the great video

[@TheFlatlander440]

Nice tour Ken and Ryan. Thanks for sharing. I suppose the buck stops there. Cheers!

[@joshuasill1141]

Those turret 'bucks' would probably rake in some nice donations and be hot sellers in the gift shop. The initial cost would be steep but sales may more than make up that cost. The design could be contracted out a local machine/fabrication shop and sell for a lower price, and have a handful that are made about the NJ with NJ stock for a lot more. I'd be first in line to get one.

[@richhagenchicago]

Unless they set up a cnc tool to knock them out, that would be very labor intensive, and would limit the market for them.

[@SC457A]

I like the fact you said the little turrets are not for sale in the video. I said to myself I would buy one of those... then awww shucks...

[@Bluelagoonstudios]

In school, I did work with lathes, but not as gigantic as these are. But the working is pretty much the same. These people are true mechanical experts. Very interesting video.

[@4GSR]

That old Model "G" L & S lathe with the removable gap, I used to have a 20" Standard Duty Model X L & S with the removable gap with about the same center distance. Nice, sweet running lathe. Just too much lathe for me and sold it a few years ago. Way back in 1978 when my dad started his shop, we bought a 16" Axelson lathe that was salvaged off a Navy destroyer that was sunken back in WWII. We had to take parts of it apart to repair and found pockets of salt water in the old lathe. Love the old machine tools found on these ships! Thanks for sharing. Ken

[@captianeddie4554]

Very knowledgeable and experienced man. Thank you for your service Ken. Excellent video.

[@ronpilchowski9898]

The USS PRAIRIE destroyer tender In long beach in the 80s had a massive machine shop, 1 deck Below the foundry with a pattern shop next door. It had a hatch To lower casting down to the Machine shop

[@ricdale7813]

I worked for TRW for 10 years running different lathes and grinders. This is a wonderful episode. Thank You.

[@jerryshrigley2902]

Enjoyed the shop tour. Thank you Ken.

[@devemch7851]

I loved this video. I have one of the 36 inch rockford hydraulic shapers. I also have one of the monarch 10EE lathes. You guys should have mentioned that this monarch one of the finest tool room lathes ever. This is a lovely machine shop.

[@john2359]

Machinist for 42 years, Owned CNC Machine Shop for 37 years and I’m at work now.

[@jeffgrier8488]

New subscriber here. Thanks for the detailed tour of the machine shop with Ken, he is a wealth of knowledge!

[@mankanmagnusson9579]

Very intresting. Thank you for sharing. Regards from Sweden.

[@Blackcloud_Garage]

I'd love to follow him around the shop and try to absorb some of the knowledge he has. 👍👍

[@joekeller3028]

Great video. I also served on the New Jersey . Steam heat gang . The work bench was opposite the shaper .

[@garbo8962]

Worked in maintenance shops for 50 enjoyable years as a sparky but always loved the big toys that machnist had. Heard the Navy had special ships that folloed the fleet that had a giant machine shop along with inventory of most round & flat stock needed for large ships.

[@Robert-ff9wf]

My father owned a tool and die company in Newark Newark NJ. I worked there for 22 years. I used many of the same machine tools you showed in this video. We had the exact same surface grinder you showed in the video that doesn't work. Spent many hours using that machine. I primarily ran a wire EDM machine. Very nice setup for being in a ship! And I agree, the Bridgeport milling machine is a very versatile machine. You can do most anything with it.

[@berryreading4809]

Although outdated and even rarely used by Ken's Vietnam era, planers or shapers are mesmerizing to watch! Peeling off massive chips at slow speed is quite a site compared to fast, shallow rotary mill cutting... although I can understand Ken not enjoying the never ending rhythmic clunk in a small echo chamber! 😉👍

[@cschwad559]

I’m also a machinist and have a lifelong fascination with battleships

[@jamessmithson99]

Does/did the ship have provisions for miniature parts? I read some years ago about Service Squadron 6 and 10, and that they had specialty repair ships, one just to repair electro/optical parts, and fire control parts, and one just for internal combustion engines. Great to hear sea stories from a guy who was there.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

We had a specific shop just for motor rewind, the electric guys had their own space, the carpenters have their own shop, and there were small parts storage spaces that were pretty massive.

[@netpackrat]

I think if you could follow Ken through the process of repairing or making a part for the ship as he would have done during his time in the service, it would make for a great video.

[@JoeyG1973]

Loved that machine shop when I saw it.

[@borzak101]

Company still uses two vertical lathes from the shipywards in TX that were used during WWII to make driveshaft flanges. We use it to make flanges and pipe fittings for the petrochemical industry up to 6' in diameter.

[@eugeneward900]

Makes me want to enlist!

[@russellgough7801]

Well done Ken on still having 10 fingers!

[@chrisbonner3368]

Great segment

[@seatedliberty]

Just a suggestion- the turret place keepers aren't for sale but could be used as a "thank you" gift for a certain level of donation- say $500 or $1,000. That might make it worth his time to manufacture a few. I know that's a lot of money, but an item made in the New Jersey's machine shop by a former New Jersey machinist would definitely attract interest. I suspect those who purchased one of the large deck pieces you've auctioned on eBay recently would be interested.

[@shotguneddie75]

Theres something magical about watching a master ply his trade.

[@SteamboatWilley]

That's a very well equipped machine shop for a ship. I remember when I was in college, one of my instructors saying "This is a surface grinder. Most of you will never use one of these unless you join the RFA." He was right. Most ships I have been on had a lathe and a drill press, a normal bench grinder, and maybe a vertical milling machine if you were lucky.

[@miketorres8441]

My grandfather served on the new Jersey in WWII. He was a machinist mate, worked in the aux. boiler room. He retired in 1971, he had 17 years continous sea duty

[@briancisco1176]

Amazing (and complex)! Thanks for all you do!

[@Geoduck.]

Some of that exact type equipment is what I learned my trade on back in the 70's.

[@christiantroy3034]

when Ken turned it on the lights in Camden dimmed

[@Laura-wc5xt]

fantastic tour, you are missing the Que Ball on your Aloris tool holder on the Lodge and Shipley at 6:30, what a great machine shop...cheers.....

[@danielwilding5759]

Awesome video. Love to see the weld shop.

[@TimPerfetto]

Thank you

[@tobyw9573]

Planers and shapers are coming back into vogue in hobby machine shops. Owners are getting amazing tolerances and for roughing taking very large cuts after considerable restoration work. Shapers and planers are similar in function except that a planer moves the work against a stationary cutter and a planer holds the work steady and moves the curser. Both machines can cut long strokes.

[@richhoule3462]

Outstanding!!

[@AnimeSunglasses]

I'm a small-time hobbyist woodworker and metalworker and I am DROOLING!

[@geofffikar3417]

Ken, you are so skilled. I assume if you were working for a salary now, you would rolling in money. Also, thank you for showing how you shut the watertight doors, I wondered. Great job man!

[@08impalaSS25]

Can you do a in depth tour of the weld shop/ haul tech area?

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Check this out kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJXYlYZ-qcmom9E

[@neilhansen5663]

Would be a great place to work. Amazing setup

[@scrapperstacker8629]

I love this video!!! Very cool machine shop.

[@skipd9164]

I love information on WW2. I always wondered what type of machine shop they had on ships. I would of loved that job but what qualification did you need. I'm a former machinist that worked in a very large corporation in Beverly Massachusetts. In my apprenticeship, we ran most of those machines. Even the plainer . They still used it as part of the machining process. Never wanted to use it. When i seen CNCs being installed i knew it was over. Thanks for the video

[@skipd9164]

I'm in the process of buying a small lathe and milling machine for my shop

[@JoeyG1973]

Yes I use machines like that in my hobby shop. Most of my machines are from that vintage or earlier.

[@bretsk2500]

I am wildly jealous of this shop. That radial drill press would have made my life much easier on a recent job.

[@sebastianthehotsaucedude5473]

Hasn't even started yet. But here I am.

[@Gamer_1745]

Thanks for this video very informative!

[@jmd1743]

Very cool he knows his stuff from heart still.

[@theophilhist6455]

I was an MR on the old USS Raleigh LPD-1...I think it was really rinky-ding shop compared to the shop on a BB like the Jersey.... I used a big radial arm while doing TAD at Little Creek....and I believe a larger Bullard vertical lathe while there and did a fair number of pump rings and valves

[@TAllyn-qr3io]

Really dig the work the MR’s do. Being a ‘twidget’, I never thought much about the other jobs on my ship. I knew that I didn’t want to be a BM. Only because when I asked the recruiter about “what happens if I fail out of Nuke school” and he said you go to the fleet and they put you where you are needed. Nope on that! That being said, considering what I did in the Army..it would align more with a ‘snipe’ job. From STG to 52E….night and day for sure.

[@dragonamp2]

I have a K&T model 1h, dated 1941, its neat to see one of its bigger siblings was representing K&T on the New Jersey

[@garbo8962]

Best thing on a Bridgeport for a non machnist was the DRO ( Digital readout ). Would use it to convert inches to metric & reverse.

[@HPD1171]

19:38 I like that chuck on that Monarch. I have used one just like that before and it was probably my favorite chuck I have ever used but damn are they expensive.

[@haljames624]

Thank you.