Page 34 - Fall 2014 World of Welding

THE WORLD OF WELDING http://www.welding.org

PICTURE YOURSELF

(Continued from page 33)

Patrick McGlone’s welding class
Boyd County Career Center, Ashland, KY

THE BACK-BONE OF A WELDER’S SKILL SET
In New England at Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High
(Continued from page 17) School’s Metal Fabrication / Welding Program each year and
at all grade levels, we have a local welding supply house
licensed technician who is authorized to repair oxyacetylene
The “oxy” torch allows students to learn and understand the regulators, torches and manifold systems. Mike Covert
chemistry of the weld puddle, while taking the time to learn arrives several times a year to teach our students the safety
the core fundamentals of how to grasp welding, long before risks of oxy torches, how to properly handle them, move and
electric welding is introduced. It allows the student, the store cylinders, and about the unfortunate accidents that he
apprentice, the adult, to slow down, manipulate the puddle, has investigated. The students see firsthand as Mike displays
develop solid eye –hand coordination skills, and the ability and shares stories from each damaged regulator, torch, hose,
focus and concentrate their efforts in producing an achievable, and catastrophic accidents caused by ill-trained welders. It’s
sound, good-looking weld as an outcome. one of our most important missions as shop teachers to teach
the skill sets of a welder’s torch, but even more the awareness
However, the touch rig, as it is most commonly referred to, is of safety when handling an oxyacetylene torch. After all,
one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in the shop or learning the safety aspects can save your life with proper
job site, if not properly cared for and handled it, can produce safety training of this critical tool called a torch that we all use
some of the horrific results in injury and even death. to make livelihood as welders.

Neil Mansfield, AWS CWI-CWE® is the lead metal Fabrication Teacher at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, U.S.
Navy Seabees Chief Retired, a blacksmith-artist, and an industrial welding and sheet metal worker. He is a graduate of Hobart
Institute of Welding Technology. Visit Neil’s metal creations at www.mansfieldmetalart.

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