Page 15 - HIWT Winter 2011 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

a SiGn Of cHanGinG TimeS fOR WelDeRS aT
aSSaBeT Valley RVHS

By Neil Mansfield, CWI/CWE, Welding Instructor
Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High School

This past school year Assabet Valley Vocational High School
located in Marlborough, Massachusetts called upon several
trade shops to collaborate together and build a new front
entrance sign for their vocational school. Once the design was
established, the color scheme was laid out and the lettering
was decided, the metal fabrication/ welding program went
right to work. The first thing they needed to do was gather the
material they needed for the project from the list provided. In
the construction trade, this is known as the material take off
list (MTO) from the blueprint.

The students also needed to understand the sign code
requirements. In Massachusetts, as well as any other state, you
just can’t put up any old sign along the road side that you wish. Students in front of the sign frame they constructed.
There are strict guidelines to adhere to for safety, appearance,
and visual obstructions for motorist. After the town’s building
Celebrating 50 years of service to
code board approved of Assabet’s designs, size, and style, the heads at times, and some bright ideas and suggestions from
Industry providing Tooling, Machining
vocational students went right to work. the student team. Even the freshmen were involved, worked
and Special Systems. hard, and performed well. Before the work began, a close
1040 S. Dorset, Troy Ohio 45373 Ph: 937-440-2500 Fax: 937-440-2551 collaboration and strong communication with the carpentry
The welders had to fabricate a structural frame to fit a wood
composite overlay material as the finished sign. This included shop, and the painting and decorating design shop was the key
a keen look at the sequencing in attaching the composite wood to the success of our new school’s sign. The students worked
sign and two main columns to the welded structure. For the hard and applied their skills with great attitude and teamwork.
students, this took a good amount of thinking, scratching of (Continued on page 19)

Celebrating 50 years of service to Industry
providing Tooling, Machining and Special Systems.
1040 S. Dorset, Troy, Ohio 45373 Ph: 937-440-2500 Fax: 937-440-2551

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