A chat with an old timer at the Port of Tacoma about ladder chain tension

I was working a small sand removal job on the Foss Waterway last fall, running a 10 inch cutter head dredge. This retired operator, Frank, would come down to the fence line most afternoons just to watch. One day he waved me over on my break and said, 'Kid, your ladder is singing a sad song.' He pointed out how the chain links were just a hair too loose, causing a slight, rhythmic slap against the ladder frame with each rotation. He told me to tighten it 'until the slack just kisses your knuckle, no more.' I tried it that evening, and the whole machine ran smoother and quieter the next day. The difference in vibration was huge. I never would have caught that subtle sound over the engine noise. Has anyone else had a veteran pass on a simple trick like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

eva_thompson101mo ago

What's the best old timer advice you've gotten? My grandad ran a mill and showed me how to listen for a dry bearing on a conveyor. Said it sounds like a handful of gravel in a tin can. Saved me a whole shutdown once.

cameronb521mo ago

That's the real stuff right there. Those little tricks are worth more than any manual.

veramiller21d ago

My uncle's plant relied on that gravel-in-a-can trick and missed a failed gearbox. Those old sayings can give a false sense of security. You really need the vibration data from the scheduled checks.