Sergie's Entertainment Center

 Sergie has been an amazing student to have in class.  He created this beautiful entertainment center and did it with very little help.  I would tell him what to do next, and he would do it (everything seemed intuitive to him).  

Rolling Cart

It's always good for the students to build something nice, but it's even better when they build something meaningful.  With that in mind I always try to pick instructional models that will have some value in the end.  The most recent model I chose this rolling cart with a food grade chopping surface(a kitchen cart).  As the students and I built it our original intent was to build it and raffle it in our community as a fund raiser for the shop program.  Now that its finished the students are a little attached to it, and I believe it may find a permanent home in the school as our main digital media cart. 

Welding Shop Remodel

The welding shop is scheduled for some capital improvements in the next 2 year, but some of the things just can't wait.  This semesters welding class decided to take on a few of the upgrades that we had been talking about.  We still really want to paint the floor, but that will come with time (maybe a summer project)

The flash curtains were originally installed with zip-ties that would often break.

We fixed that with rivets and washers!

The tool cabinets really need some attention (reorganization). 

So we took some of the tools that are used most often and moved them to a central location.

Before

After

 The material rack needed more rungs for metal, but we are also planning to build our stock cutting bench right on the rack.

Last but not least we built a new working bench near the welding bays.

It's far from being done, but it is much better than it was and the students are really excited about what they did for the shop. 

The New Cutting Bench

The students and I are always working to make the shop better.  One of the things we were always fighting with was our old cutting table.  The surface was getting very beat up, it wasn't wide enough, it didn't go to the wall so all the sawdust fell behind, and the miter-saw sat on top of the table in the way of the radial arm saw.  Generally no good. 

well, when they remodeled the library at the school I snagged some of the old cabinets and counter tops.  This is what we did with them! 

We're back to work with a fresh crew

The Dune Buggy is often the first project to get set aside to complete other more important things, but we keep plugging away at it as we have spare time.  Well the students this year have vowed that they will be the ones to finish it.  The new crew has made a prioritized list of things that need to be done, ordered most of the remaining parts and even planned some great improvements to the design.  Now if we can just find the time to finish it. 

ATV Trailer

Well it has been a busy year, and I don't always get a chance to update the blog.  I'm going to try to do a series of brief entries to bring everyone up to date. Last year the Welding/ Fabrications class decided to assemble an atv trailer to raffle off as a fundraiser. The process was completed amongst other activities and lessons but turned out to be a great product and raffled well making good money for the program.

The Blanket Trunk

During my woods class, I built a blanket chest. Which is made out of plywood. It was two feet wide, two feet high and three feet long with a skirt at the bottom. I started out by cutting my eight by four piece of plywood, to make my six pieces. Then, I think I did more sanding then anything else. When working with plywood you have to be kind of cautious because of all the layers. Plus, it chips really easily. I had fun, even though I was always getting slivers. Those hurt!! The most difficult part is when I was trying to put it together, because it never wanted to stay together... I used fingered joints, I thought they were going to be an easy way to get it done fast. I guess I was wrong because it took me almost half a year to make it. I also got some nice gold pieces of hardware for the hinges and lock in the front. After staining it with a natural cedar, I let it dry and brought it home…finally. I still wish to this day that I would have put something on it to cover up the smell of the natural cedar. Anyways, I had fun on it, and will soon have more articles on other projects of mine!!

Stephannie Miller