Mr. G's Class Projects

As the school year is coming to an end, I thought it would be best to make an end of the year post.

(This was a picture from my MIT Maker Portfolio up on YouTube. Check it out! www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5y6xch9YqQ )

I'm going to be briefly answering questions that will wrap up my senior year of my Machines & Tools Class.

 What was your favorite project from Mr.G's class this year?

 

Kelly: My favorite project would definitely be the continuation and conclusion of fixing my metal stool. I first started this project towards the middle of my junior year of high school (last year) and finished it reaching the end of my senior year.

Why was this your favorite project?

Kelly; This was my favorite because this was the first project I got to design something from scratch. Although it was never easily from planning to putting all the pieces together, I definitely felt proud of myself that I could accomplish a challenge like this. What made it even better was that I got to incorporate every tool that I’ve learned the last two years in my Machines & Tools class. Next thing I knew, I got to say that I finally completed my chair.

What tools did you use to create this project?

Kelly:  I used tool such as the TIG and Spot Welder, the sandblaster, the angle grinder, hammers, filers, a table saw, hand shears, a Beverly Shear, a square head protractor, a shear/brake/roll machine, a rivet gun, and even sandpaper!

What skill did you learn from creating this project?

I learned that everything has to will always start will a piece of paper and a pencil. Before making something, I learned that it can’t be visually plausible without sketching an idea and writing down a checklist of what has to be completed.

What mistakes did you make in this project?

Kelly: Like any project, there will always be mistakes, sometimes even silly mistakes that will cause you to be a tad bit frustrated. But that’s all part of learning. For me, I’ve made mistakes such as putting too much throttle on the TIG Welder pedal and making a hole. I’ve also had my fair share of miscalculations on the caliper and asked my classmates to double check my math for me incase I missed something.

What research did you do to learn more about the project?

Kelly: For one, I looked up videos on TIG Welding to help me better my technique. I’ve also done research on my physics textbook and refreshed on equilibrium, leverage, and broadly mechanics since my stool needed those qualities in order to be a safe, stable, and useful stool.

What is your second favorite project?

Kelly: My second favorite project would be working on the part two of my hovercraft project from engineering club which is now STEAM Academy. I made my first hovercraft last year in what was called engineering club in my school. And this this year, I was fortunate enough to continue my work and make a whole new hovercraft and this time made out of steel instead of wood. I learned a lot about teamwork collaboration, incorporated more math, and placed my designing skills to the test while making an efficiently working hovercraft while bringing the skills I learned in my shop class and combining it with math and science.

What was your favorite tool or piece of equipment that you used in this shop?

Kelly: Hands down, my favorite tool is definitely the TIG Welder. Never in a million years did I ever think that I would ever learn to do something like this. It’s definitely not one of the easiest things to do. It required a lot of patience, motivation, steady hand work, and lots of technique! This is a valuable skill that I will carry with me going into my freshman year of college next fall, to my career in the engineering field in the near future.

What did you want to learn but didn’t get a chance to try or learn it?

Kelly: Although I've learned about almost all of the tools in my Machines & Tools shop, the one thing that I would have liked to have learned about would be the car engines in the shop class. It would have been cool to get a closer look at the mechanics of a car engines and seeing what every part's purpose is. Due to the amount of time I’ve spent at school, after school, and at home working on my two projects this year, it was hard to start on a completely new topic.

What advice would you give a student that is coming to this class?

Kelly: My advice would be to give everything a chance. Although some projects seem difficult and confusing, it doesn't hurt to give it a try. Two years ago I didn't know I was going to learn all the things I know now. And now I recently finished fixing my own chair, built a hovercraft prototype, and most of all, I learned how to TIG Weld. You never know what you're going to enjoy and/or even be good at until you give it a shot!