http://newsregister.com/article?page=/article&articleTitle=mac-high-welders-hone-skills--1458863101--21325--

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Marcus Larson/News-Register Students put the finishing touches ontheir fabrication project, a barbecue trailer that will be used at Mac

High events.

Marcus Larson/News-Register Mac High students TrustianSkeffington and Joel Evans weld small platforms to the trailer rig tohold propane tanks. The skills they’re learning in fabrication classes

will be useful in their future careers.

Mac High welders hone skillsMcMinnville High School students are learning and practicing fabrication skills as they build a piece of equipmentfor school celebrations. newsregister.com

By Starla Pointer • Staff Writer March 24,

2016

Mac High weldershone skills

Members of Chip Ford’s welding class teamedup with professionals from ZiemanManufacturing to create a portable kitchen.They designed and fabricated a sturdy trailer,attached grills with fryers on top and are in theprocess of giving it a shiny finish designed tomake it a star of homecoming and otheractivities.

In addition to benefiting the school, the projectgives students a chance to use career skillsthey’ve been learning in industrial arts.

Ford said that will give them a leg up whenthey move on to jobs in welding or relatedfields. He said “lots of community support,”from Zieman as well as other local businesses,helped make the project possible.

Work on the barbecue trailer began in late fall.

Senior Joel Evans said the Zieman trailermanufacturing plant on Booth Bend Roaddrew up the plans and supplied the materials.

Other businesses chipped in as well.Davison’s Auto provided the wiring and turnsignals, for example, and Les Schwabdonated the tires.

Following blueprints drawn by Zieman’s MikeOden, students cut long bars and sheets ofsteel into pieces of the correct dimensions.“They have a giant saw with coolant,” Joelsaid, and that helped them make the cuts.

Students tack-welded the frame piecestogether. Later, they would seal the seamswith a mig welder.

http://newsregister.com/article?page=/article&articleTitle=mac-high-welders-hone-skills--1458863101--21325--

Page 2 of 2 Mar 25, 2016 11:16:27AM MDT

Marcus Larson/News-Register Mac High students TrustianSkeffington and Joel Evans discuss the propane tank layout with their

teacher, Chip Ford, while preparing to weld brackets that will holdgrills on the new trailer.

Senior Ben Humphrey said the welder isgrounded to the material, completing anelectric circuit. Joel said the technique cancreate welds “stronger than the originalmaterial.”

The students also learned oxyacetylenewelding, good for bonding less-substantialmaterial, and arc welding, an older form of themig process.

On top of the finished frame, they attachedsheet metal. Joel said they used a plasmacutter to remove areas on each side, makingroom for the fenders.

They attached the axles and tires, and then installed the lights, Ben said. They built brackets to hold thegrills and fryers in place.

And removing the attachments, they sent the trailer over to the Zieman plant for a powder-coat finish.When they get it back, they will reattach the grills and add finishing touches.

This is the largest project the students have tackled, but by no means the first. Joel, Ben and others whoworked on the barbecue trailer, such as junior Trustian Skeffington, have completed a number of hands-onprojects in their fabrication classes.

In addition to perfecting welding skills, they’ve learned about safety, Trustian said. “You have to usecaution and the right equipment to protect your eyes and your hands,” he said.

Some of welding students signed up for Fabrication 1 with no experience. But some had welded before.

Ben learned basic welding while working on a farm. “But I got good here,” he said, and hopes that will behandy when he joins the Marines.

Joel studied welding at his old school. When he moved to Mac High, he started building on that.

He plans to become a professional welder. “We can use this project as an example when we’re applyingfor work,” he said.

Trustian, a Mac High junior, also wants to weld professionally. After graduating from Mac High, he plans toenroll in a trade school to become certified for underwater welding — a specialized, high-paying pursuitthat should give him plenty of time off between jobs.