Day 1 in the Books

We have taken our first step towards completing our dump trailer project. With the guidance and assistance of our mentor, Mr. Bill Snapp, we began the first phase, where we learned about the equipment we would need to use, how to use it safely, and the different options we could choose to complete the trailer. Today we were taught how to weld metal together, but also learned the ins and outs of the welding machine and its components, including the electrode, the ground clamp, the electrode holder, and other parts. We also learned common terminology like striking an arc, creating a bead, and forming a circular pattern. Mr. Snapp, taught us the technique we would be using on the material and explained the differences between metals and how to adjust the welder accordingly. Our mentor also stressed safety in his teaching, informing us to always where a face shield, pants, and gloves at all times when using a welder to insure our safety. He also monitored us to make sure the work we were doing was safe and we were not in harm’s way. We used scrap metal as practice and will continue this practice until we are ready for the final step of welding the trailer all together. In the meantime, we will focus on meeting with other possible mentors, as well as begin to gather the materials that will compose our final product.