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- - By Blaster (***) Date 08-05-2014 01:20










Parent - By welderbrent (*****) Date 08-05-2014 04:26
Well thought out and practical.  Many of us have had to learn those lessons on the job.  And not always successfully the first time. 

Congrats for such creative opportunities for the students.  There should be more like you, Allan, and others on here.  We would have a much better field of applicants to choose from.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day,  Brent
Parent - By jwright650 (*****) Date 08-05-2014 10:52
Nice! Now that's thinking about training and getting some real world practicality and experience. Should prove to be of much value to these students when they land a job welding in these conditions.
Parent - By Fit4aking (*) Date 08-05-2014 12:43
If the welding schools I checked out were half this innovative it would have been easier to justify the ridiculous cost of completing one of their courses.  I may have to rig up something like this at home for practice under less ideal conditions.
Parent - By pipewelder_1999 (****) Date 01-15-2015 19:44
Those are incredible. Inspiration !  We just had a "Ribbon Cutting" today where I teach. Right now we are still in the "booth" stage!

Thats a great thing you are doing with your students !

Have a great day .

Gerald
- - By aevald (*****) Date 08-05-2014 03:09
Nice stuff Blaster, a little bit different than the traditional Ole welding booth. I am sure that the "folks" will appreciate that tenfold when they get out on a job in the trades even if they don't so much now. Good that you are able to challenge them in a "real world" sense. Keep up the good work.

A little off topic, but we finally received our hi-speed digital camera and I am in the process of getting it set up to capture some welding video. Hoping to provide some samples here soon. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 08-05-2014 19:17
Thanks guys.  This stuff sure makes the day fun.  Below are a couple more I took this morning.

Allan - I always wanted to video my welding to show the guys on the overhead projector in the classroom.  Unfortunately with the low tech equipment I have never had luck getting good quality video through a welding lens.  I will be interested to hear how your camera works out for you.  I think that good demonstrative close up puddle footage would be an invaluable teaching tool.











Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 08-05-2014 19:48
Very nice stuff Blaster, and to speak to the camera a bit, we believe that it has the capability to "freeze frame" and also do slow-motion runs of video to better see and describe the puddle and a lot of other things in a manner that puts the instructor on the same page as the students. There have been a few unforeseen glitches at this point that we are addressing with our IT folks and others associated with the computer department.

The camera has manual focus and aperture adjustments but no monitor that is located close to the camera. We are going to attempt to blue-tooth a small monitor screen on the camera so that we can see the adjustments first-hand and not have to rely on the computer monitor to make focus/aperture adjustments. The system currently consists of a small remote camera connected to a camera control box with about a 30' cord and then the camera control box is connected to the computer/monitor set-up that handles the programming for video capture. We'll also be checking out various video editing programs to find the best solution to handle the captured video. But as it is, we can hook-up to our computer projection screen in the classroom and view video there.

Ultimately, we are hoping to do side-by-side video to show comparisons between welding by student to student, instructor to instructor, or instructor to student. We feel this will definitely open up a lot of options for some great educational opportunities. Great pictures of your students and their challenges and accomplishments. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 08-16-2014 22:34 Edited 08-16-2014 22:38
Thanks Allan - Once you get that up and going I might ask to come down and check it out / watch.  It sounds great!

Few more pics - great place to work!











Parent - By Blaster (***) Date 08-19-2014 04:31
Just a few more.... summer class is kind of slow paced compared to normal so I have had a bit of free time to run around with the camera:





Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 09-26-2014 20:24
Few more today... first week of fall quarter.











Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 09-26-2014 23:04
Looking good there Blaster.  Very practical for application compared to just playing on scraps on a welding table.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day,  Brent
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 09-30-2014 20:28
Thanks again Brent.  A few more... I really do like this job:











Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 09-30-2014 23:32
Which job?  Your teaching gig or the photography one?  :lol:

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day,  Brent
Parent - By Blaster (***) Date 10-01-2014 02:15
Haha, I got one one of those Apple phones that takes pictures and have been going a little nuts with it - That thing is great!
Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 10-01-2014 00:44
Hey Blaster, the pics are great! But......... somebody has way too many clamps at their disposal in that last pic, you're supposed to have to hold this, wedge that, use your left big toe for another purpose and the list goes on. All good stuff! Are you going to be in Bellingham next month? I hope to, but maybe not, have to jump through hoops and such to make that happen. Have a great quarter and best regards, Allan
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 10-01-2014 02:30
Hi Allan

You bet, I plan to be there.  Looks like it will be a great instructors conference... The Bellingham guys did a fantastic job last time too... I am really looking forward to it.   I found a few other new instructors in the area and passed on their info so hopefully we will have a couple of new faces in the group too.

I hope you and Randy can make it!

Rod
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 01-14-2015 22:59
A few more today:















Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 01-14-2015 23:21
Great stuff Blaster, but what's with that Malaysian pipe? I am envious though, the cost of that pipe could probably cover our entire consumables supply budget for the year. Looks like the boys are right at it. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 01-15-2015 00:43
Hi Allan, thanks - That is 8" Schedule 10 304 Stainless.  I bought a couple of them over the summer.  Don't remember what they cost but no it wasn't cheap!!!  The smaller stainless is 3" schedule 40... not cheap either!!!
Parent - By 803056 (*****) Date 01-15-2015 01:11
A tin-knocker welding pipe? Did I see the emblem on that welding helmet correctly?

Nice action photos. Always a pleasure to see.

Best regards - Al
Parent - - By Lawrence (*****) Date 01-15-2015 12:16
Clean Shop !

Spendy Pipe !

Happy Welders !

Win :)
Parent - By Blaster (***) Date 01-16-2015 01:26
Thanks Lawrence, Al, Allan, and Gerald.  As I said previously it really is a great place to work.  We enjoy outstanding support from our administration and really every one on the campus.  Our Dean is just phenomenal.

Al - that emblem you referred to is the logo for our welding program, it is a crossed sledge and TIG torch with "GHC" above and "WELDING" below.  I made it up on Autocad quite a few years back.  Any students who earn 3 consecutive "A's" in our 16 credit welding courses are award a nice hat with that embroidered on it.  The ambitious young student with it on his hood had a local place make up those decals.
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 06-05-2015 20:16
A few more today - beautiful day to have the camera out.



Who says a welding booth can't be fun?  6F pipe to plate.









Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 06-05-2015 21:30
Blaster, gotta give you your just kudos, those are some great challenges for your students and definitely a whole bunch of "real world" applications. Great pictures, thanks for sharing. Best regards, Allan
Parent - By Blaster (***) Date 06-17-2015 20:55
Thanks Allan.  Next quarter we are adding "weldolet" training.  But to save $ we will be using sections of 2" sch 160, notched to saddle on to the trunk line and then hand beveled and cut to size.  WAY cheaper.  We did several in testing and it works great.  That was thanks to a suggestion from an advisory committee member.  I will post some pictures once we have that going.
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 06-22-2015 21:20
Here is a new assignment I recently put in our Pipe Welding 1 course.  There are two fixed v-band flange halves welded to the table.  The welder is to take two additional v-band flange halves and build the tubing section using 3" x .060" 304 stainless and making segmented bends while using an argon purge.

I like this one as it helps build general mechanical and fitting skills.



Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 06-22-2015 22:42
Hello Blaster, if your students are keeping a portfolio of their work I believe that a perspective employer will be very appreciative of the skills that your students have been building as they are progressing through your program. Really great stuff. Best regards, Allan
- - By Dualie (***) Date 06-23-2015 03:21
Blaster,

I been in this trade for 15 years full time but was also pretty much born into it.   Your pics make me want to take a year off and attend your school.   I have no doubt your students leave with all the skills necessary for full time employment at any fab shop.
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 06-24-2015 22:24
Thank you Dualie - Yes a lot of thought, planning, and refinement has gone into the curriculum to try to produce guys that have a well rounded skill set.  I found the most important thing was to get enough hours in to the program to allow the depth of training the guys needed.  When I started the program had 65 credits of welding courses in the degree, now our short "base" option has 118 and our longer pipe welding option has 150 (neither of these include the General Education coursework).
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 10-18-2015 13:21
That looks like a great welding program Blaster! Our teacher had good intentions and great ideas but the upper echelon of "business" minded folks did just enough to make it look the part but when it came down to brass tacks, like buying materials for potential welders to practice on they cut the umbilical cord on their wallet and left us to our own devises. Scrap metal scrounged from local fab shops if they were nice enough to donate it. Weeks without any pipe to practice on. Stainless pipe rare as chicken lips, aluminum even worse. It's great to see the money paid for your program is actually being used in real world training.

I added a welding position I did not see in your curriculum that might be useful. Keep up the excellent work and dedication to the future rod burning, torch wielding trigger pulling welders of the future.

Shawn
Attachment: FileOct1881934AM.jpeg (234k)
Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 10-18-2015 16:47
Nice picture Shawn, you still "hanging out" on those towers? Kinda spoiled with the view eh? That's good, I kinda like my views a bit closer to earth, getting old I guess. Keep on keepin on and best regards, Allan
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 10-18-2015 18:00
Have not been on many lately Allan. It's pushing into winter time and I start to pull back on that type of work unless they are talking about deep south(Florida) or out in the southwest where it is less likely for snow to fly while I'm on the job. Spent $1500-2000 on a 3G/4G weld test to be put on a "list" and have not hit a lick since on a tower!!

Shawn
Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 10-18-2015 19:57
Ouch, just hang in there, better to have and not need, than to need and not have sometimes. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 10-20-2015 19:51
Thanks Shawn!  We are SO fortunate to have an outstanding Dean.  We enjoy excellent support from the school chiefs as well.  We operate in a small school in a small / rural community that is severely economically depressed.   When a guy graduates, gets out in the field, and starts bringing home good money word gets around - I think the small size of our community is REALLY helpful in that regard.

Years ago I worked PT at a large school where we operated on scrap donations and stuff we dug out of dumpsters downtown on our own time.  It was a wealthy area too.  It always puzzled me why we were so underfunded for materials and supplies... oddly we had plenty of money there for new equipment.

I will show your recommended curriculum addition to the class - looks fun!
Parent - - By Blaster (***) Date 11-09-2015 04:55 Edited 11-09-2015 04:57
Here is a new assignment we recently added to one of our pipe welding courses.  The "weld-o-lets" are actually 2" sch 160 notched and hand beveled.

Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 11-09-2015 14:10
Hello Blaster, looks like a good one. Best regards, Allan
- - By Blaster (***) Date 05-03-2016 22:58
Another assignment.  After welding out, I take a cutting torch and cut a "crack" about 6-8 inches long in the tube starting along the toe of the weld, rounding a corner, and moving out away from the weld and more into the tube.  It gives them a chance to do their first crack repair.  Forgot to get a picture.



Parent - By 803056 (*****) Date 05-06-2016 01:23
Can I apply for a place in the next class?

Al
Parent - By pipewelder_1999 (****) Date 05-06-2016 10:35
I'm with Al!
Up Topic American Welding Society Services / AWS Learning & Education / Pics of Boys at Work

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