It doesn’t feel like I’ve been busy this week but I have been doing a lot: I disassembled 7 chassises and end caps, all of the pieces that fit have been put through the ultrasonic cleaner, everything has then been inspected and all damage documented. Taking apart the chassises is a feat in itself. When they were put together, it was one bit at a time so there’s not an entirely logical way to take it apart. Undoing different sorts of connectors here and there trying to access some wires that are deeply buried or taking apart multiple circuit boards in order to undo one screw. Some of the screws are coated in a ridiculous amount of loctite and are basically super glued into position. Taking apart one section and putting it back together only to find out I have to take it all apart again. The whole time I’m doing this I’m thinking of how I can make it easier when I have to put them back together in a few months. The report I’ve been making to document all of the damage is up to 140 pages of descriptions, pictures, and color coded charts. It seems when you put something in the ocean repeatedly and don’t examine it for 7 years, it isn’t pretty when it comes apart. I cannot describe the absolute terror upon my senses the smell of old sea water and aqualube makes. I can only hope that after this week I won’t have to deal with it for a long long time.
A chassis and end cap before disassembly
After disassembling chassises and end caps