Week #11 -- MIG Welding and Fracking

Another week ends. This week, we were educated in 3D AutoCAD skills, MIG (Mechanized Inert Gas) Welding, CNC router work, and of course being asked an essential question. First off, I was bed-ridden for the first two days of the week. As consequence, I was NOT present for the 3D AutoCAD magic, and am thus rendered inept in the past proceedings. I was informed I will be taught later, which is a relief. I was quite looking forward to that particular part of AutoCAD skills. Next, our class learned how to use the MIG Welder. My group has been using it for the past quarter, so I already had basic knowledge. However, our teacher showed us the different parts of the MIG Welder, how the wire (electrode) feeds, how the flux core (for shielding) works, and how to make simple welds. The main three techniques he showed us were "beads", "tacks", and "stacking dimes". He also demonstrated how to weld two pieces of metal together.

The essential question of the week is: What is "fracking"?

"Fracking", or formally known as hydraulic fracturing, is a form of petroleum mining. The technique used is where miners drill in a metal drilling rod about a mile down, then turn in a direction parallel to the ground above. They then set off small explosives to fracture the stone and let petroleum get through. Miners will also shoot down a special synthetic liquid that keeps the cracks open. This allows for effective oil retrieval. The downside is that they sometimes hit water mains or piping, thus possibly poisoning people's water.

Week #10 -- CNC and Grill

This week our group worked further on our grill. The main basin frame has been completed, along with cutting the legs of the grill. Unfortunately, we messed up on directing one of our frames, so now it is upside down. Went along with it anyway. We now have to finish the sides, put some framing in for strength, then complete the lid. Also this week, we learned some basics of the CNC Router. I was missing the first day, so I was not able to participate in the introduction. Since I was working on the project with the rest of the grill crew, I did not get any time on MasterCAM. However, I did cut my piece of wood, so I'm ready to design.

The Essential Question of this week is "why is Made in USA such a big deal?" When products are made in our own country, it first instills a major sense of pride and independence, as we make our own goods and do not have to rely on others. Second, it creates jobs for those who live here. Instead of giving jobs to foreign countries such as China, personal production allows the economy to flourish and educate individuals in varying trades. Lastly, our workmanship is superb and surpasses most our countries. However, this could just be patriotism and bias speaking, and is likely personal opinion of the American masses. 

Week #9 -- Evaluations

The ninth week! What fun! Main events that have occurred for this week were further completion of the grill, performance evaluations, and a field trip! First, progression on the grill has sped up to a considerable rate. Several pieces of sheet metal have been cut. Two for the 18 inch sides, one for the 3 foot side, and one for the bottom. Admittedly, we are behind on where we need to be, but we are excelling. Next, the evaluations were this week. They were interesting, to say the least. Getting to see our teacher's side of our story gave an interesting outlook. Finally, the field trip was this week. The trip was to the Santa Rosa Veteran's Memorial for the North Coast Builder's Exchange. There were many booths and activities to see what jobs in the technical field were available. It was an enjoyable experience.

The essential question for this week asked us what we thought were the three most important traits for a successful work environment. In inverse order, the three are as follows: Third: Reliability. The trait of being able to be on time, be effective, and get stuff done. Second: Motivation. Being able to find the effort to do work and finish projects through to the end. First: Attitude. If you have a good attitude and remain steadfast, you can finish jobs and will be looked to as a sense of morale for your compatriots. 

Week #8 -- Welding Assembly

Further on the war horse trudges, ever so slowly. This 8th week, the welding team has completed welding the bottom frame of our grill basin. It is a little rustic, but seems functional enough. We also cut sheet metal for the bottom and used an angle grinder to grind out some imperfections in our cut angle iron pieces. The result was satisfactory and produced sufficient results. We have yet to do the same for the sheet metal. We also have to weld the rest of the frame.

As we did physical work, our teacher and the team discussed plans for a hinge and lid system. The decided result was a simple ring-and-peg hinge that will be welded to the grill and the lid. This will give us the style of a hinge without compromising strength. We also have the ventilation holes to figure out, as well as height of the final product. We are progressing, albeit slowly. 

Week #7 -- Cutting Some Iron

And so another week opens at the close. This week, the welding crew was able to make some realistic progress and cut some actual angled iron with a specialised miter saw. We learned to cut the pieces with the angle facing up, for ease and efficiency. Also, we aimed not to damage the saw. We cut our pieces, however, we miscalculated the measurements on two pieces and cut two of the wrong sizes. A rather rookie mistake and waste of materials. This cannot be permitted in the future.

In addition to physical work, we were given another "part" challenge by our teacher. As before, it required part replication using certain tools in AutoCAD. This time it was a die stamp. With increased difficulty, this challenged required use of the "Fillet" technique. I failed to properly replicate the part, forgetting to use my "Offset" key, thus making copying the part impossible.

Essential Question: What is the minimum wage debate?
The debate stated above entails a dichotomy between the rich and poor arguing over whether or not to raise the minimum wage ($9.00 in California) to a higher amount. The ones who earn minimum wage assert that low-paid workers need the extra currency to support their families and posterity. The other side claims that doing so would cause inflation and that companies, especially local ones, would not be able to obtain the funds for paying each individual worker and would have to fire some, thus minimizing jobs as a result.